SCHOOL-LIFE AT WINCHESTER COLLEGE
[Illustration: A “HOT” AT FOOT BALL
THE COMMONERS HAVE RED AND THE COLLEGE BOYS BLUE JERSEYS.]
SCHOOL-LIFE
AT
WINCHESTER COLLEGE;
OR,
The Reminiscences of a Winchester Junior
UNDER THE OLD RÉGIME, 1835-40.
_WITH A GLOSSARY OF WORDS, PHRASES, AND CUSTOMS,
PECULIAR TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE._
BY ROBERT BLACHFORD MANSFIELD,
AUTHOR OF
“THE LOG OF THE WATER-LILY,” “THE WATER-LILY ON THE DANUBE,” ETC. ETC.
_THIRD EDITION._
[Illustration]
LONDON:
DAVID NUTT, 270-71 STRAND.
P. & G. WELLS, WINCHESTER.
1893.
PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION.
A.D. 1893 being the quincentennial anniversary of our glorious
foundation, an enterprising publisher has undertaken to bring out a third
edition of this sketch of the life of a Winchester Junior in the dark
ages of 1835-40. Thirty years have elapsed since the book was originally
written, twenty since the second edition was brought out, and fifty-seven
since I first became a Wykehamist.
No one is more aware than myself how entirely devoid of literary merit is
this little book; but as it is a true and faithful account of the state
of the school under a system that has long been superseded, any interest
that it may have must increase from year to year, as the times of which
it treats become more distant, and the manners and customs which it
depicts present a greater contrast to those of the present day. Except in
the last chapter, which I have rewritten, there is but little difference
between this and the previous editions, firstly because I have nothing
to add or alter in my record, and secondly, because the work being
stereotyped, considerable expense would have been incurred by altering
all those passages which, written in 1862, allude to the then existence
of Dr. Moberly, the state of Meads, and Antechapel at that date, &c.,
&c., which the reader can correct for himself, but which do not in any
way affect the object of the work, viz., the economy of the school in
1835-40.
The representation of “a Hot” by Mr. Holmes gives an excellent idea of
that peculiar feature of the game of football as played at Winchester at
the date of which I write. The other pictures by Mr. Garland sufficiently
well represent the architectural features of the College, but justice is
scarcely done to the figures of the boys, who did not go through their
labours and amusements in such rigid style as might be inferred from
their figures and attitudes as here represented. The cuts in the Glossary
would also have been more effective if the artist (not Mr. Garland) had
ever seen a Winchester scholar in his peculiar costume.
The sweeping changes that commenced during my school-days were mainly
owing to the initiative of Charles Wordsworth, the late lamented Bishop
of St. Andrews, as distinguished at Oxford for his scholarship and as
a theologian as he was for his supreme excellence in cricket, rowing,
tennis, skating, and all athletic exercises. He had been appointed to
the office of Second Master one half year before I came as a boy, and,
with the willing assistance of the beloved Warden, Barter, and the
Head-Master, speedily began to make many much-needed changes in the
arrangements, which have made Winchester equal, if not superior, to any
other public school as regards the comfort and wellbeing of the boys,
and worthy of its glorious reputation for five hundred years.
I take this opportunity of expressing my great gratification at
the success of the book, and to express my thanks to my numerous
correspondents for their flattering letters. Wykehamists of every
standing have expressed their interest in this account of the manners and
customs of the School in times past, and those of my own have testified
to its accuracy. From India and America I have received most interesting
letters from old school-fellows, who had discovered from internal
evidence the personality of the writer. In one quarter alone have I met
with adverse criticism. I was accused (shortly after the publication of
the first edition) by “The Wykehamist” (a monthly publication, edited by
the boys at Winchester) of having been actuated by a feeling of ill-will
towards the School, and of untruth. How such an idea as the former could
have been gathered from the book I am at a loss to conceive, and when
it was first published the only merit that I knew it possessed was
its truth. And now I have the best public testimony to my veracity;—a
cotemporary, Mr. Gould Adams, who, in the preface to his charming book
“Wykehamica” (a work which should be one of “the hundred books” possessed
by every Wykehamist), states that he has been indebted for some of the
materials for his work to “my very truthful picture of the Winchester of
my day.”
The Bishop of St. Andrews, who kindly allowed me to use his engravings
of the “Trusty Servant,” and of the large tablet at the west end of
school with the inscription “_Aut disce_,” &c.; Mr. Mackenzie Walcot,
who permitted me to use the cut of the old Commoners Buildings that
appeared in his work on Winchester College, and my cousin, Mr. Elliot
Blackstone, of New College and the British Museum, who greatly assisted
me in bringing out the first edition, when I was abroad, have all passed
away. But I must again (for the third time) give vent to my feelings
of gratitude to the Rev. H. Moberly for answering the many questions I
troubled him with, and to my cousin, the Rev. Algernon Simeon, for his
valuable assistance in compiling the slang glossary, and to Mr. Wrench
for the very great assistance he has rendered me in supplying me with
information as to the alterations in the manners and customs of the
School, which I have embodied in the last chapter.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION, 17
CHAPTER II.
OF THE LOCUS IN QUO AND DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
Plan of College Buildings—Dons—College
Præfects—Candlekeepers—Dress—Choristers—Commoner
Buildings—Præfects—Coursekeeper, 25
CHAPTER III.
TREATS OF SOME MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
A Fag’s Duties—His Respect for Præfects—Præfects’
Responsibilities—Code of Honour—Lying Scouted—Exceptional
Anecdote—Certain Things considered Common
Property—Slang—Nicknames of Officials and Under-Porter—Whole
Holidays—Remedies—Half Holidays—Sundays—Hills, 37
CHAPTER IV.
THE JUNIOR’S START IN COLLEGE LIFE.
πεμπε—Tin Gloves—Test of Founder’s Kin—Tutor and Pupil—The Fag
“in Course,” 53
CHAPTER V.
THE JUNIOR IN CHAMBERS.
Choosing Chambers—Furniture of Chambers—Junior’s
Duties—Toy-time—Mess—Sound Sleepers—Sitting up—The
Scheme—Toefitying—Spree Mess—Theatricals, 58
CHAPTER VI.
THE JUNIOR IN HALL.
Rush for Trenchers, &c.—Description of Hall—Toasting and
Cooking—Receipt for Fried Potatoes—Tea—Luncheon—Conning for
Bands—Beever Time—Dinner—Dispars—Fagging in Hall—Kitchen, 77
CHAPTER VII.
THE JUNIOR IN CHAPEL.
The Late Warden—The Antechapel—The Crimean Memorial—The New
Tower—Hours of Service—The Oath—Cloisters, 91
CHAPTER VIII.
THE JUNIOR IN SCHOOL.
Description of School—Scobs—Officers—Division of Classes—Prizes
and Medals—Long and Short Half—Easter Time—Commoners’
Speaking—Cloisters—Latin Composition—Flogging—Scraping and
Shirking Out—Latin Verses—Pealing, 100
CHAPTER IX.
THE JUNIOR ON A LOCKBACK HOLIDAY.
Fagging Choristers—Crutch—Currell—Concerts—Fighting—How to
Catch the Measles—“Books Chambers,” 119
CHAPTER X.
THE JUNIOR IN MEADS.
“Watching out”—Cricket Reminiscences—Lord’s
Matches—Turf—Football—Six and Six—Twenty-two and Twenty-two—SS
and Trees—Fines—Sick-House—Gooseberry Fool—“Going
Continent”—Long Meads—Enlargement of Meads, 128
CHAPTER XI.
THE JUNIOR ON HILLS.
On—Mizmaze—The Badger—Swimming Lessons—Practical Jokes—Trial
for Assault—Town and Gown Row, 149
CHAPTER XII.
THE JUNIOR ON LEAVE OUT.
Saints’ Days—Early Leave Out—Poaching—Rowing—A Dinner—Sunday
Leave Out, 161
CHAPTER XIII.
THE JUNIOR IN STANDING-UP WEEK.
Standing-up—Commoners—Pealing, 169
CHAPTER XIV.
THE JUNIOR IN ELECTION WEEK.
“Ad Portas”—“Electors”—“Candlesticks”—“Founders”—Examinations—
“Superannuates”—Medal Speaking—Election Dinners—Effects
of Eating Ice when Hot—Resignation—“Domum”—“Ball”—“Jam
Lucis”—“Batlings”—Last Breakfast, 174
CHAPTER XV.
CONCLUSION, 187
GLOSSARY, 197
[Illustration]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.
It is now nearly half a century since, full of hope and spirits, I made
my appearance at Winchester College, when I entered the gates, proud of
my position as the junior Wykehamist; and more than forty years have
elapsed since I doffed my gown, and stepped forth into the outer world.
Times have changed since then, and perhaps in no place are the changes
more marked than in the old school. I was there at a remarkable period,
as, during my residence, important and much required improvements and
alterations were commenced in the system of internal economy, discipline,
and education, which have continually advanced to the present day, till
at last, in the opinion of some who are well fitted to form a judgment,
the operation has been so roughly carried on, that, together with the
customs that required extirpation, some institutions have been rooted up
which might as well have been allowed to remain.
Among the more beneficial changes I may mention the amelioration of the
fagging system, from which many of the asperities were removed while I
was in the position most capable of appreciating the benefit, and which
since my departure has been still further improved. I consider mitigated
fagging a valuable institution, and I think on this subject I can speak
with authority, as when I entered I was junior in College, and during
the whole five years that I was there I was always a fag, never having
sufficiently advanced in the school to taste the sweets of power. When I
went to Winchester the life of a junior was not made very pleasant to him
for the first year or two. I attribute this principally to the following
causes:—First and foremost, to the brutality of one or two boys; if
any such now exist, as there were in my time, (which I doubt,) their
opportunities and power of cruelty are so curtailed, and the feeling
against such proceedings both abroad and in the school so much stronger,
that their evil influence is reduced to a minimum. Secondly, to the
monstrous system of fagging at dinner-time, and the atrocities therewith
connected; the whole of which has been absolutely done away with. And,
lastly, to the unlimited extent to which watching out at cricket, and
kicking in at football, was carried; the former of which has now been
reduced within reasonable limits, and the latter entirely abolished.
Some of my friends have expressed themselves amused with such of my
school experiences as I have occasionally recited to them, and have from
time to time urged me to publish them. I do not think I should ever have
carried out the suggestion, had not circumstances occurred which induced
me, in 1860, to take up my quarters at Winchester for some weeks, when
I was naturally led to frequent my old haunts; and this brought many
long-forgotten scenes, thoughts, faces, and words so vividly to my
recollection, that I found a real pleasure and interest in noting them
down. Whether any one will take either pleasure or interest in reading
my notes when published, is perhaps doubtful; yet I know that, when I
was a boy at College, we were eager for any information about the former
manners and customs of the old place; and it is to the boys especially
that I address myself; and I hope that if this little book falls into
the hands of any of the juniors, they will derive some comfort from the
thought that although they may consider their own lives rather hard,
others have passed through far severer trials than theirs, unscathed,
and can yet look back to the time of their juniorship with interest
and regret. If I fail in interesting them it must be my own fault, as,
whatever my deficiencies in style and expression, I cannot plead want of
knowledge of my subject; I think also that I am impartial; I respect my
old school, and if I had boys, and could get them into it, I would send
them there; but I am not the least inclined to cry it up at the expense
of other similar establishments, of which I have had no experience. I am
certain, however, that there is no school where, at the present day, the
authorities take a more personal and careful interest in the moral and
physical wellbeing of the boys; and this is rendered more practicable at
Winchester than at most other public schools, owing to the number being
limited to about two hundred, instead of being allowed to expand till it
becomes rather a cluster of small schools than one solid establishment.[1]
If any of my own contemporaries ever glance over these pages, I hope
they will experience a pleasure in having some scenes brought again
before their minds’ eye with which they were once familiar, but of which
the remembrance had become fainter and fainter, as they have gradually
been shadowed over by the duties and struggles of after-life; though I
fear that any such satisfaction will be damped by the feeling of how
much better they might have been described by an abler pen.[2] I cannot
expect that my book will be noticed by anybody except Wykehamists, yet,
in case it should ever attract the notice of any one who is altogether
unacquainted with Winchester, I have given a description of the geography
of the buildings (in chap, ii.) and the institutions of the school,
lacking which the book would have been entirely without meaning to
them;—all such dissertations the Wykehamist will, of course, skip. I
have, however, omitted giving any account of the history, antiquities,
and architecture of the College, all of which have been amply described
in several works with which Wykehamists are very well acquainted, and
which others can easily procure if they desire any such information. I
simply propose as my task some account of the inner life of the boys as
it was, “Consule Planco,” illustrated by a picture of the trials and
amusements of a junior.
As I remarked above, I think fagging on the whole a laudable institution.
Some of the stories here related may not perhaps seem to put it in a
very pleasant light; but it must be remembered always, that it is much
mitigated at present, and also that, in a light and somewhat gossiping
production like this, there is more movement and life in such anecdotes
than in a relation of the ordinary kindnesses shown by the bigger to
the lesser boys; certainly, I have a more lasting general recollection
of benefits received than of cruelties suffered; and in after-life, in
the rough struggles of the world, happy is he who has gone through such
a training. Here there is no tuft-hunting—wealth and rank have little
influence, if the heart is not open and hand skilful. A boy learns
to help himself, not to be disheartened in difficulties, and to be
prepared for any emergency; and withal a keen sense of honour, friendly
rivalry, and patriotic feeling, is continually kept in action. Commend
me in a row, moral or physical, to your public schoolman: in the former
case, he will very probably be endowed with the judgment, decision, and
self-reliance so necessary in such an emergency; and in the latter, he
will be likely to stand firm, and know the use of his left hand as well
as his right, and when, where, and how to bring both into play.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: PLAN OF WINCHESTER COLLEGE 1835-40]
[Illustration]