The British government's decision to abolish the oath of allegiance for teachers and public servants in 1973 came as a result of protests from a teachers' union and forestry workers, writes Dr Eamon Phoenix.
In a memo to the Secretary of State Mr William Whitelaw on August 11th, 1972, a senior official, Sir David Holden, pointed out that the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) raised the question of teachers being required to take an oath of allegiance with the Northern Ireland Office, suggesting that such a practice might be illegal.
While the government felt that this was not the case, Sir David warned the secretary of state that "the INTO approach is symptomatic of the feelings of some teachers". Teachers were required under the Promissory Oaths Act of 1923 to "render true and faithful allegiance" to the British crown.
The official revealed the campaign against the compulsory oath was spreading among forestry and drainage workers in certain nationalist districts of the North. "Recently in Coalisland (Co Tyrone)," he wrote, "several men selected for an Unemployment Relief Scheme refused to take the oath, and as a result, could not be taken on. Two similar schemes in Newry had been postponed for the same reason and it is probable that a drainage scheme in the same area will also have to be axed."
If the practice continued, the official warned Mr Whitelaw, "it would become increasingly difficult to recruit men in certain areas and the government would be accused of using the requirement of an oath as an excuse for not grappling with the unemployment problem."
Sir David added: "It has always proved difficult to administer the oath to forestry and drainage labourers and there was strong criticism in the Stormont parliament from the SDLP members about the necessity for such men to take the oath."
If the practice continued, he warned, the Ministry of Development would be faced with an almost impossible task in imposing the oath on several thousand manual workers. He felt that the local government elections, scheduled for May 1973, could bring the matter to a head.
Members would be required to sign a declaration of allegiance under pain of losing their seats and this could jeopardise local government administration. Thus, the early days of the newly created local authorities "would be clouded by recriminations".
In the official's view, the most telling argument against the oath was the fact that no such provision existed in the rest of the UK. He, therefore, recommended the early repeal of the 1923 Act as it applied to civil servants and teachers.
Admitting there was bound to be opposition from Unionists, Sir David felt Mr Whitelaw should inform the parties of his firm intention "to bring the practice in Northern Ireland into parity" with the rest of the UK.
As a result, the oath of allegiance was abolished by Order in Council on April 5th, 1973. From then, only RUC members were required to take the oath.