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Catalogue Description
With digital objects Postcards
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Sub Target Practise

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'1918-1924
I am not certain what ‘Sub Target Practice’ implied. The ‘diamond’ badge on the right sleeves of the two corporals was a proficiency badge - I believe gained by passing ‘A Cert’. By 1918 slacks (as in the picture) had given place to breeches and puttees, worn by all in uniform.
This picture is particularly valuable as providing a good portrait of the excellent Sergeant Bowler, School Sergeant 1900-1936 one of that magnificent band of School Servants etc who served the School so faithfully for the first quarter of this Century. ‘Sergeant’ was the friend of all, except the recalcitrant. By 1918 he had ceased to have anything to do with the A.T.C. - his parades were limited to twice-weekly Penal Drill (a salutary corrective and deterrent, abolished by H.C.W. about 1923). ‘Sergeant’ was always on duty. I believe I last met him up School in the Spring of 1936 - if so, only a few weeks before his death on 9.4.1936- in harness.'

Headmaster's House

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'Memories 1918-1924
In Dr Gow’s last year (1918-19) few boys had occasion to enter the HM’s house except for a Confirmation interview (as also under H.C.W.).
It was different when H.C.W. came in 1919. He and his wife set out to entertain all boarders to dinner, two by two. I recall going in fear and trembling with an even smaller Under School boy- and being much relieved by the kind welcome we received. Monitors and Senior K.SS were later invited from time to time.
While in charge of the School Coin Collection from c.1922 to 1924, I was allowed unlimited access to the landing where the Cabinet was kept. (This was a great privilege).
I have also happy recollections of private tuition classes in Theocritus conducted by the H.M. in evenings of Play 1923 and Lent 1924 for KSS in the VII. These played no small part in the Open Scholarships some of us gained at that time.'

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"
"

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.'

Dr Busby, Headmaster. 1638-1695

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'(Bust dated 1895-L.E.T. p39) 1918-1924
There were in my day two busts of Dr. Busby (both presumably destroyed in the Blitz)- one behind the HM’s chair Up School, the other in an oval recess in the Busby Library, above the chair occupied by the Master, in my time I.F. Smedley.
On these two busts was based the most famous of several apocryphal stories currently concerning I.F.S and the VII Form (definitely before my time!), as follows: - I.F.S. had lunched well and wined freely.
[He was in fact a man of most sober habits]
On his return to take Afternoon School, he was astounded to see two busts above his Chair (the other having been surreptitiously ‘borrowed’ from School!). On being questioned, every single member of the VII he could see but one – I.F.S must be “seeing double”! Not convinced yet, I.F.S left the room to fetch Sergt. Bowler for his testimony. As once the culprits removed the second bust, leaving one only.
On returning then with Sergeant, I.F.S. was about to ask him his opinion when he looked- and (still mystified) said instead – “Very well, -er, Sergeant- you may go!”)'

The Stage and Auditorium

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'The sudden transformation of half of Dormitory into Stage & Auditorium mid-way thro’ Play Term was an amazing annual feat. (I have never fathomed where such a vast amount of gear was stored meanwhile). Under Elections migrated up Saignes, Upper Elections occupying their Houses. Combined with a ceaseless round of rehearsals, the dislocation caused to study and routine was immense, but also K.SS would never have it otherwise, regarding the Latin Play (with strictly Elizabethan pronunciation) as our bounden duty to our Royal Foundress. (What of KSS today??)
The fire-hazard in the Auditorium was immense. The whole structure was made out of wood and the only exit the narrow gangway (shown) beneath the ‘Gods’! There was one fireman on duty, he long superannuated.
Since almost the beginning of the century, the Play cycle had settled into a fixed Terentian tetralogy- Andria, Adelphi (1919, post War), Phormio and (euphemistic) ‘Famulus’ (olim Eunuchus)- produced on rigid lines by the meticulous Rev. GGS Raynor. Scenery certainly and costumes presumably (including those extraordinary ‘fleshings’ for limbs) dated from the previous Century. I acted Gera in ‘Adelphi’ of 1923, very capably produced by Rev. H.K Luce'

The Refectory Wall

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.]

A "Break"

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'Dated 1909 1918-1924
There was a welcome break between First and Second School about 11.0, another between Second and Third School about 12.0. According to Teignmouth Shore (1910) these were of five minutes’ duration only, but I think they had been increased to ten minutes by my day. This gave a brief opportunity for going to Sut’s (as some are doing in this picture, tho’ by no means a ‘Greaze’ such as was sometimes seen). It was also an occasion for consulting the Notice Boards. (Those in the picture are looking at the list of Teams for forthcoming marches). To omit to do this, and in particular to fail to tick one’s name off for Afternoon Station, was a “tannable offence” (as I learnt by experience- though on that occasion I and my fellow culprits were given the benefit of the doubt).
Fourth School in my day was from 3.30pm (after Fields) to 4.25pm. It was a long and gruelling period. Under Costley White a brief break was introduced (followed on a few happy occasions by a Lecture Up School ). But I.F. Smedley refused to allow this break for the VII- much to our distress and displeasure. (If the Break was observed we were not allowed to leave the room).'

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.'

College Hall

One copy annotated on reverse by R.S. Chalk, as follows:
'Morning/Evening Hall - Memories 1920-24
At Breakfast and (High) Tea in those days Hall was the exclusive domain of K.SS. The deeply resented invasion by Busby’s did not come till 1925.
Seniors sat at top table on right (note Captain’s chair), Juniors at bottom table, ever-alert for cries of “Election bag!-beggar!-brown bag! Etc.etc. Orders had to be executed at the run, so the zig-zag passage from the “Flinnery” to Seniors’ Table was a hazardous business, especially if carrying a full jug of ‘bag’ (normally my task as a Junior).
The chief of the ‘many customs’ referred to by L.E.T. was Toasting. When the open coal-fire in the centre was lit, Seniors would sit before it (before eating), and make two pieces of toast (more if desired) for each Under Election in their respective Rooms- call his name, and throw the toast to be caught or (failing that) retrieved from wherever it had fallen. As “breaking (ie going between) tables” was an offence, this often meant a lowly crawl for Juniors! (In my day, I developed considerable proficiency first in catching, later in making and throwing toasts). Unfortunately this custom degenerated into horseplay from 1925 and was abolished c.1926 after an accident to I.C. Allen.'

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