OF THE LOCUS IN QUO AND DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
Plan of College Buildings—Dons—College
Præfects—Candlekeepers—Dress—Choristers—Commoner
Buildings—Præfects—Coursekeeper.
Before entering into particulars it will be necessary to give the
non-Wykehamist reader some idea of the arrangement of the College
buildings, and of their various uses in the general economy of the
institution.
The College of St Mary of Winchester (near Winchester, as it used to
be called) was, in olden times, situated outside the town, but is now
bounded on its west side by the buildings of Kingsgate Street and College
Street. The entrance is from the latter street through a handsome portal
called “outer gate,” which opens into a quadrangle, on the east side
of which is the Warden’s house; passing through this court and another
gateway (“middle gate,” above which is “election chamber”) we enter
another spacious quadrangle, the southern side of which is formed by the
chapel and hall, the western mainly by the kitchen, and the remaining two
sides by the boys’ bed-chambers, (on the ground floor,) and the fellows’
and second master’s lodgings above. Underneath the hall, and close to the
great hall staircase, a passage called “seventh-chamber passage” leads
into a third quadrangle of smaller dimensions, called “school court,”
on the south of which is the school, and on the east the outside wall
of the chapel cloisters; along the entire western side of the College
buildings, from College Street to the school, extend the buildings of
Commoners, (the boys not on the foundation,) the communication of which
with College is through a door on the west side of “school court.” A
passage between the school and cloister wall leads to the playground or
“meads,” adjoining the west side of which, and divided from it by a red
brick wall, is the “sick house,” (hospital,) situated in another piece of
ground called “sick-house meads.”
The chief of the whole establishment is the Warden, who has nothing to do
with the teaching of the boys; he admits and when necessary expels them,
confers on them the dignity of “Præfect,” listens to their complaints,
and, in fact, in all matters appertaining to the management of the school
and the society is omnipotent. There are also ten Fellows, but as their
duties (if any) have nothing to do with the inner life of the school,
of which alone I purpose to treat, I need say nothing more of them. The
head master, or “the Doctor” as he is always called, lives in “Commoners’
buildings,” the inhabitants of which are supposed to be more particularly
under his jurisdiction. The second master, who has the more immediate
superintendence of the College boys, has, as above-mentioned, his
apartments in “chamber court.” There was also an assistant master, who
superintended the instruction of the boys in the lower classes, and who
did not live in College; and three commoner tutors, who had lodgings in
Commoners’, and whose services were called into requisition for general
instruction in school as required. There was also a mathematical master.
The school was divided into college boys and commoners; there was a
great competition to be enrolled among the former, as they have several
privileges, the greatest of which was the chance of gaining a fellowship
at New College, Oxford. I will introduce these first. There were seventy
of them; of these the eighteen seniors were called “Præpostors,” or
(more commonly) “Præfects,” and had the power of “fagging” all the rest,
with some few exceptions. Among these eighteen, one, (generally, but not
always,) the senior in school, was called the “Præfect of hall,” and was
invested with almost absolute power, being looked upon by the “Inferiors”
(_i.e._ those who were not præfects) with something more than a becoming
awe and reverence. Some of his principal duties were to take the boys
“on to hills,” call names there, pay for broken windows in hall, find
the rods, &c. In school he had the seat of honour next to the doctor’s
chair, and he always slept in sixth chamber. There were many little fees
attached to this responsible office, which brought to the fortunate
possessor an income of certainly not less than fifty pounds a year. Next
to him in dignity was the “Præfect of tub,” (this title was derived
from a box in hall called “tub,” the use of which will be hereafter
explained,) whose office was more particularly connected with the dinner
department. Then there were two “Præfects of chapel,” one of whom, on
alternate weeks, called names there, and during that week was called
Præfect of chapel “in course,” and, in case of absence of the Præfect
of hall, undertook his duties. There was also a “Præfect of school,”
who had to pay for all internal damage done to the interior of that
edifice, including broken windows, to keep it clean, to light it, and
once every year to renew the cushions of the masters’ seats. To all these
offices some emolument in the shape of salary or fees was attached, but
considerably less than that received by the Præfect of hall. The eight
senior præfects were said to have “full power,” and had some slight
privileges not enjoyed by the remaining ten, who were generally called
“Bluchers.”
As mentioned above, almost all the inferiors were subject to these
eighteen; there were, however, the following exceptions:—“The Senior
inferior,” who was exempted from fagging, to give him an opportunity
of calmly contemplating the dignity in store for him; and the seven
“Candlekeepers,” (why so called, I have no idea, nor have I ever heard
any interpretation of the appellation.) These were the seven inferiors
who had been longest in the school, quite independently of their position
in it; they were generally old and tough. Of these, the senior had almost
as much power as a præfect; he had a “valet” in chambers, one or two
“breakfast fags,” and the power of fagging the twenty juniors when in
school, or in meads. The junior candlekeeper was called “the Deputy,”
and had also some slight privileges besides that of having a valet and
breakfast-fag, which was common to all of them. The organisation of the
fagging department was supposed to be in the hands of the candlekeepers,
but practically it was all arranged by the Senior and Deputy; and there
was a theory, that if it at any time broke down, and no fags could be
found, the præfects in full power had the right to fag the candlekeepers;
this, however, was very rarely, if ever, acted upon.
It may easily be imagined, that the offices of Senior candlekeeper and
Deputy were regarded with peculiar interest by the small juniors, as when
these posts were filled by cross individuals, the lives of the latter
were not seldom made a burden to them.
When a præfect required the services of a fag, he called out, “Junior!”
and the junior, in hall or chamber, or wherever it might be, had to “run.”
The order of seniority in fagging depended, in College, solely on the
length of time the boys had been at the school, and was entirely
independent of their position otherwise. A certain number of boys were
of “Founder’s kin,” to which certain privileges attached, which will be
hereafter mentioned.
As regards dress, the College boys wore any trousers they liked; but
instead of an ordinary coat and waistcoat, they were usually habited in
a black, green, or brown (the latter colours were seldom worn except
by præfects, or very responsible inferiors) waistcoat, with an upright
collar, and sleeves of the same material, and a serge gown, with full
sleeves buttoning above or just below the elbow; the gown, in walking,
was very commonly tucked up in a bunch behind.
Inferiors were never allowed to wear hats inside the College walls; the
præfects seldom doffed theirs, except in the presence of a master and
when they went to bed; all were obliged to wear white neckcloths and
bands, except when on leave out; and surplices in chapel on Sundays and
saints’ days.
[Illustration: OLD COMMONERS.
During the years 1839-1841 the picturesque Old Commoners was demolished.
It was built by Dr Burton, and formed an irregular quadrangle. On the
west side were the head-master’s house, an excellent ball-court, and
upper and lower cloister galleries, built over a small cloister; on the
north was “Wickham’s” buildings, containing the Hall of the juniors,
various dormitories, and the residence of the tutors; on the south were
upper and lower conduit galleries, part of the ancient “Sustern Spital,”
and divided into dormitories above, and below into apartments for the
matron, and three “Continent Rooms” or sick bays. On the ground-floor,
to the west of the inner entrance, were the “Hatches,” from which the
bread or “sines,” and cans of beer, called “jorams,” were issued; the
kitchens, etc.; opening into a small court, containing a dormitory, known
as “New Room.” On the other side were the prefects’ and the tutors’
studies. On the east side of Commoners’ Court was the wall of the college
stables, and a range of fine elm-trees, destroyed with one exception
during a violent summer-storm in 1836. Underneath the survivor was the
“long bench,” so frequented in “standing-up time.” The entrance-gate
stood where the west gate of modern commoners is at present. Parallel
with the east side of the court, and to the southward of the tutors’
studies, was the “dining hall;” and above it was a set of sleeping-rooms,
upper and lower hall galleries. On the westward of the hall was “the
conduit.”—WALCOTT’S _William of Wykeham and his Colleges_.]
Besides the Warden, fellows, masters, and boys, there were twelve
“Choristers,” who must by no means be omitted, as they formed an
important part of the internal economy. I suppose they were called
Choristers because they had not to sing; certainly if ever that was a
part of their duty, it had entirely lapsed. Their office was to wait on
the boys, in hall and chambers, till seven o’clock, and especially to
go on errands in the town,—the boys themselves never being allowed to
go there, except when invited by friends on saints’ days. These little
Choristers wore chocolate-coloured tail-coats and trousers, with metal
buttons; and, on the whole, I think their life must have been a weary one.
In Commoners’, the number of boys fluctuated between one hundred and
one hundred and thirty. The building called “Commoners’,” in which they
slept and had their meals, skirted the west side of College, and had
its entrance also in College Street. It would be useless to describe
the buildings of Commoners’ as they existed in my time; they were not
in any way remarkable, and are now entirely removed, and other and more
commodious edifices, though, perhaps, not much more beautiful, built in
their place.
There were twelve Præfects in Commoners, who had the right of fagging all
the rest except those in the class immediately below them, (called senior
part the fifth,) who were exempt; when they required the services of a
Fag, they did not call “Junior!” but “Here!” They also had an officer
whose duties and privileges were somewhat similar to those of Senior
Candlekeeper and Deputy in College; his office, however, was conferred by
election among the Præfects. It was necessary that he should be in either
middle or junior part the fifth, of reasonable bodily strength, and have
been at least three years in commoners. This dignitary was called “the
Coursekeeper;” should he be promoted into senior part the fifth, he
retained the privileges of the office without its responsibilities, and
was called “Ex-coursekeeper.”
The College boys and Commoners rose at the same hour, attended chapel,
used the school, and went on to Hill’s together; but the latter took
their meals and slept in Commoners’, and had not the use of meads, having
a field about half a mile distant, to which they went from twelve to one
on whole school days, and again, in the afternoon, on holidays.
The rule of seniority, as regarded fagging, was different from that
established in College. Commoner Inferiors took precedence according
to their standing in the school, not according to the length of time
they had been there. It will be seen, from what has been said, that the
College juniors had a much harder time of it than the Commoners, as the
former were in the proportion of forty-four Fags to eighteen Præfects and
seven Candlekeepers, whereas in the latter (supposing the number of the
boys to be one hundred and twenty, and twenty to be in senior part the
fifth, and exempt from fagging) the proportion would be eighty-seven
fags to twelve Præfects and one Coursekeeper. I will, therefore, devote
my attention principally to the illustration of the life of the College
Fag, which, in fact, combines all the trials and amusements of both.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]