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Chalk, Richard Seymour, 1905-1985
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North End of School

One copy annotated on reverse as follows, by R.S. Chalk:
'Dr. Busby’s Chair (for HM) and 24 seats for Monitorial Council. My seat in 1923-4 was No. 6 on HM’s right- at that time only 13 out of 24 seats were occupied. (Tho’ never a House Monitor I was allotted a place on the Council as First Classic)
The Shell recess of course obscured by the canopy behind HM’s Choir, bearing arms of former HMs. On either side may be seen some of the exquisitely blazoned arms of OWW on the panelling, an unforgettable feature of School.
The white objects on the seats are hand-tablets for Latin Prayers (the Council Chanted the Versicles, the rest of the School the Responses.) The old harmonium may be seen on the right. We invariably sang Psalms 67 or 123, in traditional ‘English’ pronunciation.
During my time two Masters’ Chairs dating from Henry VIII were presented and stood on either side of the Rod Table (in foreground).
The rods may be seen protruding from the drawer. I witnessed four ‘handings’ between 1921-4. Deeply impressive. Four swishes on back of hand only- but followed by tight house-tanning.'

No. 3, Grant's, Rigaud's

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'1918-1920
These memories are confined to Rigaud’s, where I was a boarder for 6 terms, Play 1918-Election 1920. The formidable E.L Fox was House Master. There were 60+ boys, 50% being Half-Boarders (not Day Boys!). Boarders thought little of Half-Boarders! I loved my first house dearly.
In picture:
Basement – Changing Room (one bath only!)
First Floor- Hall (i.e. Common Room & Prep Room) accommodating +-50 boys. (Half-Boarders were kept out before 9am and driven out after 5pm. During those hours they had to answer ‘knocks’ on Upper Door when Monitors required a fag. (As other times, the junior Boarder present)
Second Floor:- Big Dorm (Monitors, Underites and the dozen or so senior Boarders). Leave to go ‘up Dorm’ was given once a week only.
Top Floor:- Sick Rooms (one generally used as an ‘overflow’ for Little Dorm). I spent 16 days of my first Term in the End Sick Room suffering from Spanish Flu in the epidemic of 1918 (E.D Harford, the ‘beau ideal’ of a Westminster, and Little Dorm Monitor died in this room on 19.7.1919)
Monitors had the privilege of disporting themselves on the rail-enclosed step outside the Front Door. It was a ‘tannable offence’ for any ‘Hallite’ to stop still on the steps even for a moment.'

Nearly a hundred years a Tuck shop

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'Suts in Yard (successor of this) was one of the most important features of our School life. Besides being a Tuck Shop it was also the Stationary Store and School Book Shop. It is a great pity the photo of Suts including the amazing MISS LUCY ROUD has not survived in this series, purchased from there. (It may however be seen in Record of OWW, Vol III).
A ‘Greaze up Suts’ could be a fearsome affair in which the smaller or weaker stood little chance. Never so much as in Play 1918, when stock was normally limited to ‘Thin Arrowroot’ but chocolate arrived twice the term! (Later, always in stock).
MISS ROUD was a truly wonderful character - small, gold-bespectacled, resembling a village store-keeper. During School hours, she made up all the Book and Stationary accounts (in a unique round hand) for 350 boys. In Breaks she dealt (generally single handed) with scores of chits for ‘Quartern’-‘nib’-‘pen’ etc. etc. and continuous vociferous demands (especially during a Greaze) for this or that item of confectionary. Her one, unfailing weapon was: ‘Shan’t serve you! Enough!”'

Names on wall "Up School"

One copy annotated on reverse as follows, by R.S. Chalk:
'1918-1924
By the 1920’s the multiplication of names of O.WW up School was beginning to pose a real problem, as space was running short. They cost (I believe) only 5/- Each!
Towards the end of my time I heard Costley-White explaining to some distinguished visitors that in future permission to have names painted up School was to be confined to “Westminster Families”, i.e. families that had at least three members at the School at some date. I could claim a younger brother and, later, three cousins – but in any case all was decided by the Blitz (which obliterated hundreds of names, including 17 Phillimores and 16 Waterfields).'

Monos

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'At close of School, following ‘Ire licet’, a School Monitor (in charge of the Door, ‘ostium’) and a Second Election KS capping the Masters. (The junior Master descending amid the IV Form was taken in my day to be W.G. Etheridge, but at this date I think it more likely A.H. Forbes).
As a Second Election from Play 1921 to Election 1922 I regularly performed my duty as Monos- tapping on the doors of VII and VI Form Rooms with the corner of my college-cap and announcing “Instat Quinta!” or (when Early School in Summer) “Instat Quarta!” –and on Saturdays or Plays “Instat Sesquiduodecima!” (This was an anachronism, this no longer being the correct hour).
Only once or twice (on O.T.C Field Days) did it fall to me to deputise for a School Monitor and take charge of the Door and take my place on the Monos Stone.'

Masters of Westminster School

One copy annotated on reverse as follows:
"Memories of Masters, 1918-1924 (R.S.C.)
For Group, see ‘Record of O.WW’, Vol. III. Date given ‘c.1909’. As group includes H.L. Reed (sic) but not Q.T. Willett (Play 1909) date is presumably Election 1908 or 1909. (NB: - Photo by Gillmans, Oxford, not by Jn. Brown. Groups not his strongpoints.)
L. to r: -
Liddell; Burrell (‘BaaLamb’); Reed //
Etheridge, Tyson (‘Ti Ti’), Bursar;
Day; Hardy (‘Basil’); Wootton; Forbes; Mitchell (‘Mike’); Smedley (‘Snappers’)//
(Seated) Nall (‘Hoty’); Sargeaunt (‘J.S.’); Tanner (‘The Buck’); Dr. Gow (‘Jimmy’), HM; Fox (‘The Old Man’); Raynor (‘Peewee’); Huckwell (‘Bill’).
Ten had been on the Staff since Rutherford’s day. Except for the four youngest (marked*) all were still there when the War ended in Play 1918, my first term! Probably an unparalleled record of group service.
Under leadership of Dr. Gow, a magnificent team-particularly on Classical side. All devoted to the School, each a master of his subject, each (save one (above: B.F.H)) a striking individual character. Between IV and VII I sat under most and remember all with gratitude, respect and (with one exception) affection."

Second copy addressed and sent, with stamp affixed. Individuals annotated on front. Sent to "Miss M. Chalk, Kentisbeare Rectory, Cullompton, Devon". The correspondence reads as follows:
"Rigaud's House 11/2/19
Dear Mary,
Your cake is very much liked and admired. I am sending this Post-Card as a reward. I saw the King open Parliament today. I saw him and the Queen twice. There were a lot of soldiers there. Has there been enough ice to skate on in Devonshire? Several people have been doing it in London
Dick"
"

Little Dean's Yard, from the South

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'1918-1924 Ashburnham House & (formerly) Turle’s House
Easily the most attractive aspect of Yard. (Note abundant Virginia Creeper. A pity those ball-topped pillars were removed not long after my time.)
From left to right:
(Ground Floor) A.HH (the largest of the five Houses) with 90+ Day boys): Suts (by door); Notice-boards/ Orderly Room (?): entrance to Dark Cloister, Armoury & Gym.
(First Floor) Lib: Classical Under & Upper Shell Form Rooms (the latter nearest School)
(Top Floor-originally Servants’ quarters) Various Class-rooms, including IV, and (nearest School) Music Room.
(These were not all originally built for the purpose and would be considered totally unsuitable in any Comprehensive School today!)
Yard was laid half with yellow gravel, half with flag-stones; on the latter K.SS still played the obsolescent game of ‘Woodens’, tho’ rather half-heartedly.'

Little Dean's Yard, from the East

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'1919-1924
On the right (then as to this day I hope) is Liddell’s tree. Beneath it the tiny and cramped Bursar’s Office, where the devoted and conscientious but unsystematical JJ Tyson (Ti Ti) laboured six days a week throughout the year (never a holiday save half-a-day for Diamond Jubilee, 1897). Report had it this Office was in such confusion that the Pashley Bowling Cup was mislaid there for 3 years, under piles of files, letters and records.
On the ground floor (hidden in picture by the Fives Courts) was the Masters’ Common Room - fittingly described to me by Mr. Smedley when once I appeared at its doorway on urgent business as “The Holy of Holies”
Above it (17 Dean’s Yard) was H.BB (now Wren’s, I think - but surely Wren was never a House Master, like Rigaud?)
It always puzzled me how 80+ Home Boarders fitted in there, complete (presumably) with Upper and Under. H.BB in my day were a boisterous House, but good-hearted - more congenial generally than A.HH (I speak of course as a K.S!)'

Library, Ashburnham House

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'As detailed on a companion p.c. ‘Lib’ was a blissful hour of respite and peace from 5:15 till House bells rang for High Tea at 6:15.
In the right foreground is the Librarian’s table - occupied till 1921/2 by Rev. G.H. Nall (‘Holy Herbert’) or his deputy J.J. Huckwell (Bill), thereafter by A.T. Willett, OW. This main room was occupied in the evenings by junior boys - RR sitting at the far end, GG in the middle and K.SS Under Elections nearest the door. The oil lamps had been replaced by electric light by 1918- presumably before the War.
In 1918-19 it was hard to concentrate on one’s reading after 6pm for pangs of hunger, and wondering what would be the ‘barge’ at Tea. Evening ‘Lib’ was suspended in Summer, replaced by Evening Station up Fields.'

Library Ceiling, Ashburnham House

One copy annotated on reverse by C.S. Chalk, as follows:
'Typical of Westminsters of my day, hardly once did we glance up from our reading to admire the craft and beauty overhead! Unlike the Busby Library ceiling, it was taken very much for granted, even by senior boys.'

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