One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows: 'This picture (well before my time) has its use in supplying a general date for this series of P.C.s (recorded in Record of OWW Vol III, under ‘Arthur Brown’ on p443 as “about 1911”). It is always a source of regret that it was never my lot as a KS to take part in our supreme privilege of all - being first in the Empire to proclaim the Sovereign at a Coronation. The only royal occasions in which I was able to take part were (1) Princess Mary’s Wedding in 1922 as a (very nominal) Steward at the North Door and (2) the Installation of the Knight’s of the Bath in 1923 or 1924. At this my companion and myself were Stewards with the task of checking tickets at the little North Aisle door, commonly called ‘Devil’s Door’. L.E. Tanner, in charge, posted us with the words “Now come along, you two Devils!”'
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.'
One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows: '‘Lib’ was my far the most usual ‘occupat’ for boarders between School and prep. For one thing, most of us (I for one) were too jolly tired after the long day’s work to indulge in any more strenuous activity. That blissful hour of quiet from 5:15 till House bells rang for Tea at 6.10 remains a happy memory. Peace for a while! Under the austere Librarian Rev. G.H. Nall and his elephantine assistant J.J. Huckwell, the rule of SILENCE was most rigidly observed. Some relaxations were introduced from 1922 under A.T. Willett, when board games such as Chess or even ‘Attack’ were provided. On wet days, Lib was occasionally a welcome alternative to Station up fields. We were proud of Lib, and used to boast it contained 10,000 books (!). Of these the most popular were “Dracula” (I never obtained it till my sixth year) and, among humorous works, Stephen Leacock. The walls of Lib were covered by prints of noted OWW. I was sad (if not surprised) to find these replaced after the War by contemporary art'
1 copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows: 'Memories, 1921-1924 R.S.C The School Coin Collection was formed in the main by Dr Scott, who presented it to the School in 1874 (see first Number of ‘Elizabethan’). The bulk of the coins were kept in trays in a handy-size cabinet in the H.M.’s house. At some date unknown the most spectacular and interesting specimens were extracted & placed in a glass cabinet in the ‘Coin Room’ up Lib (as shown). They were expertly mounted and labelled by the British Museum, but attracted no interest at all, being badly lighted, under glass and tarnished black. Tho’ but an amateur, I was given the charge of the School Coin Collection by H.C.W. in Play 1921. I do not think they had been touched since Dr. Scott’s day. The task of cleaning, re-arranging and cataloguing these coins (I seem to remember there were just over 900- Greek, Roman Republican & Imperial, Saxon and English) occupied me till 1929, when H.C.W. kindly staged a small Numismatic Dinner in recognition of this. It was not till years later I learnt what a superlative collection I had been handling and what a precious possession the School had. (Now “dispersed”?!!**) I urged H.C.W. that the Cabinet up Lib be dispensed with and the coins in it amalgamated with the main Collection. He understood, but could not agree to this. Result - the Cabinet disappeared without trace during the Evacuation, including ‘OFFA REX’ now catalogued £800.'
One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows: 'I think we called this corner (perhaps erroneously) “Ashburnham Green”. Unlike that of Green itself, its grass was sacrosanct! None of us had any idea or appreciation of its architectural and historical associations (for which see L.E. Tanner, pp 24-25) It did seem almost sacrilege to use one end of it for a Miniature Shooting Range - but where else could space be found? (On my return from India in 1945, I found School itself being used for this purpose by some persons, during the ‘Exile’.) Westminster did not excel at Shooting. On one occasion we were bottom of all the School Teams competing in the Ashburton Shield - despite weekly visits to Bisley. However (a fact overlooked in School Records) G.C. Cobbold (RR) and G.W. Teed (A.HH) won the Cadets’ Trophy at Bisley in (I think) 1920.'
[It is likely 'G.C. Cobbold' refers to Reynold Chevallier Cobbold, one of two Cobbold brothers at Westminster at the time, but the only one in Rigaud's.]
One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows: 'Class Rooms up Ashburnham were of course not originally designed for the purpose. As such they would have given a present-day Minister of Education a heart-attack, and certainly have been deemed unworthy of any Comprehensive or even County Primary School. However, we had no complaints - except about that ultra-gloomy room, on the ground floor (facing out on to Ashburnham Green) where the ferocious and austere E.L. Fox ruled the Upper Fifth with his rod of iron. As far as I remember, the Class Room depicted was not a (Upper and Lower School, independent of Forms) Form Room, but was used for Sets, till these were discontinued after the arrival of Costley White. Here in 1918-19 I learnt French under the acidulous W.N. Just and Maths under the doddering Rev. H. Hancock. (Both were ageing men, recalled as temporary members of the Staff to hold the fort while younger Masters were absent on War Service).'
One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows: 'My recollections of the macabre ‘relics’ (gathered, I think, from Pereira, a fellow KS who had originally been up Ashburnham) are as follows:- During repairs to Ashburnham House, some years before our time, there were discovered the mummified corpses of a CAT and (its prospective victim) a RAT. How they had met their simultaneous fate none could day. (Were they ‘gassed’ during the Great Fire of Ashburnham in 1731?) This I remember being told: ‘The Cat was wearing a silver collar.’ (In the photo this appear to be a silver plate on a leather collar. Had anyone thought of it, the hall-mark on this would have given an approximate date.) About 1923-4 I remember reading (perhaps in ‘House Notes’ in the ‘Eliza’) that “the Cat and Rat had been duly returned to Ashburnham Upper’, amid some mock ceremony. I cannot imagine these ‘relics’ were treasured there for long.'
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.'
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.'
One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows: '1918-1924 In those days Ashburnham Staircase was regarded as a ‘nine days’ wonder’ and considered so exceedingly precious that we boys were only allowed to use it once every three years - at ‘Commem’. I have memories of walking up it for the first time on Nov 17, 1919 and again that date in 1922. We walked in wonder and awe, but there was such a crush we could hardly appreciate its beauty. Towards the end of my time (presumably after A.T. Willet became Librarian in 192__) regulations were relaxed and the Staircase was more frequently opened. But it then ceased to bear its former ‘inaccessibility’ charm!'
