No. 58. Vol. 15. JUNE, 1935.
PRICE TWO SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE. Entered at Stationers' Hail ROBERT MORLEY & Co., LIMITED. Makers of the Visual Pianos.
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103, HIGH STREET, 4, RED LION STREET, BROMLEY. RICHMOND. Phone : Ravensbourne 4567 (3 lines). Phone : Richmond I86« (2 lines). O.C. RUGBY. 1st XV, 1934-5.
Standing (left to right).—S. P. BURGESS, F. E. MAYES, N. T. MORLEY, D. B. COFFER, J. IS. WEBB, F. J. STONE, W. R. JEFFERY, Ty. A. CAWTE, L. J. SMITH. Sitting (left to right).—K. B. ASHDOWN, W. B. GODDEN. W. A. HASVEY, J. B. PARKIN (Capt.), A. S. WELLS, R. A. HARVEY, R. S. REED. On Ground.—J. D. SWANSON, D. EDEY. Frontispiece. Ube Co If elan,
Being tbe Chronicle of tbe
of Colfe's Grammar School,
lewisbam.
3une, 1035.
Ipttnted bs King 8. Jattett, TLW,, TWollanO St., lonOon, S.B.I Contents.
PAGE EDITORIAL NOTES 59 LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER 65 NOTES FROM THE SCHOOL 66 OLD COLFEIANS' CLUB 72 Officers, fixtures 72 Annual Dinner ...... 73 Annual and Council Meetings 74 The Colfe Players 75 Jubilee Week 78 Entertainments Committee 79 Correspondence 81 THIRTY YEARS AGO 82 IN PIAM MEMORIAM : Sir John Gilbert; Frank E. Lander; Dr. John Gay ... 83-86 (and others) LETTERS FROM "INPOSTS" ... 87 ATHLETICS. OLD COLFEIANS' SPORTS SECTIONS : Rugby 89 Association 95 Tennis, Badminton ...... 101 Bowls 103 Cricket 105 AN O.C.'s NIGHTMARE. By L. Jones 105 ALUMNI COLFENSES .. 108 LITERARY NOTES 109 OUTPOSTS' LETTERS 110 America ...... 110 Africa 113 New Zealand 113
Jllusttatione. Rugby 1st XV., 1934-35 Frontispiece Frank Eaton Lander Facing page 85 Association 2nd and 4th Teams Facing page 97 Colfefan.
Hon. Editor.—F. E. BENNETT, M.A., 18, Stone Rd., Bromley, Kent, and at the School. Hon. Treasurer.—R. W. CREECH, B.A., 18, Stone Rd., Bromley, Kent, and at the School. Hon. Secretary.—N. A. JONES, 43, Strathaven Rd., S.E.12. fi&itorial flotes. FFICIALLY, the Magazine, at the time of writing, is without an Honorary Assistant Editor, and an Honorary Organising Secretary, as no names for O these posts were put forward for election at the General Meeting. Messrs. D. Edey, 22, Gourock Road, S.E.9, and L. Jones, 39, Wellmeadow Road, S.E.13, have kindly volunteered to help in the distribution of this issue. We apologise, herewith, for any delay, hoping, how- ever, there will be little. Please note that the Hons. Editor, Treasurer, and Secretary, have all changed their addresses. * * * * A Committee of past and present members of the School has been formed to invite subscriptions to commemorate the work of Mr. F. E. Lander for the boys of the School and Old Boys. It is proposed that this should take the form of a Clock Tower on the Old Boys' Pavilion, a statue symbolizing the joy and thankfulness of youth, to stand over the Monk's Seat in the vestibule at the School, and a Loan Fund to assist boys at the outset of their career. Boys, Old Boys, parents and friends are invited to send subscriptions (limited in the case of boys to 2/6) either to :—Mr. W. S. Phillips, 55, Eltham Road, S.E.12, or to the Headmaster, Colfe's Grammar School, S.E.13. Cheques should be made payable to the Lander Memorial Fund. The members representing Old Boys on the Committee are C. E. Long, W. A. Pattinson, W. S. Phillips. * * * * We record with pleasure the appearance in the Calendar of two new Sections, viz. :—The Bowls Club and the Evening Harriers. The Hon. Secretary of the Bowls Club is G. Ramsey Short, 81, Burnt Ash Road, S.E.12. The Hon. Secretary of the Evening Athletic Meetings is D. E. Reynolds, 16, Mayhill Road, S.E.7. The Bowls Club is holding a Supper in October, which definitely ranks it with the older-established sections of the O.C. Club. Our one experience of the game is humiliating to recall. Commandeered to fill a gap in a match team we called the " wood " a " ball," the " rink " a " pitch," and, noting the frowns of those around, thought it better to " iack " up and " skip " ! * * * * Since the spacious times of good Queen Bess, only three sovereigns have seen Jubilee years. Silver iubilees were apparently not recognised. George Ill's " silver " jubilee 60 Gbe Coltetan was in 1786, and he celebrated his Jubilee (proper) on entering the 50th year of his reign in 1809. Queen Victoria's jubilees, on our reckoning, would be 1862, 1887, 1897—Silver, Gold, Diamond, and the Silver Jubilee rejoicings for our present Sovereign are still fresh in our memories. It would be interesting to learn how the School celebrated these Jubilee years. In 1785 the Headmaster was the Rev. William Williams, and, according to Duncan's History, " no event occurred of sufficient importance to find a place in the minute books of the Governors.'' Nor is there a record of the names of the scholars of this period. In 1809 the Headmaster was the Rev. Theophilus Lane. We find recorded that in 1810 an extra remuneration of £20 per annum was paid to him, and he was appointed Chaplain to attend the two annual dinners of the Court. In the same year the Governors presented a Cup to Mr. T. Constable, an assistant master, who retired after 30 years' service. Perhaps the Jubilee spirit was working! In 1862 the Rev. G. F. Lacey was Headmaster. The Queen had entered into her long retirement from public life, following the death of her Consort, Prince Albert. Of the Jubilee celebrations of 1887 and 1897 there are many Old Boys, still with us, who could enlighten us on the subject. Bonfires, we suspect, were certainly lit. As will be recollected, on May 6th, His Gracious Majesty commanded a holiday for all schools, and a big majority of scholars " celebrated " by going to London to " see the King." On the Saturday morning the Headmaster addressed the School and pointed out there was something more than a mere pageant in the occasion; gratitude and thanks to God should be in our minds, as well as mere rejoicing and cele- brations. * * * * Mr. R. W. Sloley, M.A., who was head boy of the School in 1895, and read the address asking Dr. Bramley's acceptance of a farewell gift, lectured recently at the meeting of the West Kent Scientific Society. The subject was " The Antiquity of Surveying," and the lecturer referred to the profession of surveyors as one of the oldest, which originated in Egypt, where the cultivated land1 was subject to periodic inundation, and it became necessary to devise means of re-measuring the plots anew, each year. In ancient Egypt, he said, there existed a well-developed and organised system of land regis- tration. The earliest apparatus consisted of very simple appliances—the measuring cord or rod, levelling device and means of setting out right-angles in vertical and horizontal planes. * * * * The Rev. G. T. Bayley (O.C. 1890), Rector of All Saints', Huntingdon, has been appointed Chaplain of St. Nicolas and St. Martin's Orthoppedic Hospital, Pyrford, Surrey. Cbe coltetan 61
The " local personality " in the Kentish Times, February 1st, was Charles James Folkard (1892-93). We reprint a paragraph or two. " His early interest in the stage was not encouraged by his parents, but he did achieve one boyhood ambition—he became a professional conjurer ! He gave performances even before he left school, and later accepted a number of engage- ments. His father, perhaps having an eye for a more stable occupation for his son, apprenticed him to a firm of designers. His training completed, he worked as an artist for the old Illustrated Mail, and this and other freelance work attracted the attention of Lord Northcliffe, who invited him to devise a series of drawings for a new children's feature in the Daily Mail. Thus Teddy Tail, the mouse which had a new and strange adventure every day, came into being. This jolly little animal became famous, and " Teddy Tail of the Daily Mail " became one of the most popular cartoon features in the country. For close on seventeen years Mr. Folkard provided a different picture every day, until about four years ago, on account of his health, he relinquished his post. He wrote the Teddy Tail Play, which was produced at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, on Boxing Day, 1920, and thus his early aspiration to theatrical work was realised. " Notwithstanding his busy life he has found time to take a keen and active interest in local societies, notably the Eltham Arts and Crafts Society, in which he is a member of the Committee." * * * * H. K. Cameron (1917-22) has translated a technical chemistry book from the German, which has been well reviewed in the chemical periodicals. B. Turley Lancaster, L-B. (left 1927), who gained the Holker Scholarship in 1930, was called to the Bar on January 28th, 1935. J. C. Cain (1927-34) has begun to make his mark at Oxford University. As the " acting " First player in Hamlet he was the only freshman in the O.U.D.S. production. * * * * The Rev. S. C. Thompson, B.A., B.D., A.K.C. (1913-21), was inducted to the Benefice of Holy Trinity, Haverstock Hill, on May 1st. We congratulate him on gaining a London living at an early age. We understand it is a working class parish with plenty of hard work. Our Vicar group of Old Boys is growing. * * * * We record with pleasure that Mr. Frederick Leeds, B.Mus., F.R.C.O., formerly organist and choirmaster at St. Margaret's, Lee, has been appointed to a similar position at the Parish Church of Battle, Sussex. As a Governor, an Old Boy, and Music Master at the School for many years, he will 62 ttbe aolteian be long in our memories; and we offer him our congratulations and best wishes in his new sphere. * * * * Alderman W. J. Hockley, a former Mayor of Southend, and an O.C. of the " eighties," presented, in P'ebruary, a silver loving Cup to the Corporation, in memory of Mr. C. A. Tabor, who was Charter Mayor of Southend. * * * * C. F. Whorwell (1914-19) is a Science Master at Willaston School, Nantwich. S. Brightwell (1916-22) is engineering for Messrs Sains- bury's new factory at Blackfriars. J. A. Purvis (1920- ) has gone to South Africa farming. Geoffrey E. Flood (1919- ) has taken a commercial post in Birmingham. N. S. Green (1923-29), of the Model Railway and Meccano Club fame, is off to Rhodesia—(police force). He came to the School to bid farewell, and paid for the two next issues of the Magazine. " I must have the Magazine to read out there," he said. Good lad ! A. J. Peppercorn (1915-16), and some time Captain of London Rowing Club, is coaching Beaumont College eight. W. A. C. Stewart (1927- ) was second in the Long Jump at the recent London University Athletics meeting. * * * + OLD BOYS ON THE TRACK. We have received the following from Mr. C. H. Waller (Blackheath Harriers and Kent County), and a prominent South London timekeeper. Dear Mr. Bennett, Having attended not a few Sports' Meetings of the School, and seeing some likely athletes amongst the boys, I have followed their performances since leaving School with interest, hoping, perhaps, to see amongst them an International runner ! Up till now this has not taken place, but the School can claim a County champion in the person of A. C. J. Poole (1925- 31), a winner of the Kent 440 and 880 yds. events last year, the time for the half mile being 1 min. 58 3/5 sees. This, I believe, is a county record. Poole was also prominent in the last Kent Cross-Country Championship, finishing well up and first man home for the Blackheath Harriers. Already this year he has shown good form by winning the 440 and 880 yds. against Sandhurst, and on the 15th May winning the Barclay Esson Cup at the Blackheath Harriers meeting. Another runner who has retained his school form is D. E Reynolds (1926-34). He competed in the Kent mile finishing just outside standard time. This year he has put up his best performance at two miles, doing the distance under 10 minutes—a very good performance. Another distance runner, A. E. Woodley, a very fine School half and miler, Cbe Coiteum 63 has competed at Cambridge and obtained, I believe, a half- Blue in the Inter-Varsity Relays. This year he was placed in his heat in the Varsity Mile, but failed to get in the first three in the Final, the time being very fast, round about 4 min. 20 sec. Amongst the school sprinters, Hodkinson has represented his Bank in various events. Other school sprinters seem to have left the sport, although performing well at Rugby during the winter months. In field events S. L. Smith and Self have competed in various events. Hoping in the near future to congratulate the School on obtaining a Blue. I remain, yours sincerely, C. H. WALLER. * * * * Our obituary list, since our last issue, is, unfortunately, a long one. We have to report the deaths of the following : — Sir John Gilbert, for a short time Assistant Master at the School in the " nineties "; Roland Bell, a Master in the " eighties "; two Governors of the School, Mr. F. E. Lander and Dr. John Gay. Both were great friends of the School in various ways, and their passing means a very distinct loss to the present and past members of the School. Two Old Boys have been, at different times, the victims of motor car accidents, J. W. Wiltshire and H. H. Moir. V. M. Yeates, author of " Winged Victory," reviewed in our last issue. Fuller obituary notices appear elsewhere. We would tender, here, our deepest sympathies to Alfred C. Denny, who has sustained a tragic loss in the death, after a short illness, of his wife. Also to John C. Tate, whose mother died on April 13th. * * * » Mr. Dacombe, of the Staff, has been playing Chess for Hants, and G. Merrell, who gained a Modern Languages Scholarship at St. John's, Cambridge University, is playing in his College Chess Team. P. Hoad, at the School, won 1st prize in a Junior Championship Congress at Margate. The Old Boys' Team defeated the School Team last term by 7 to 4. * * * * We gather from the Correspondence Columns of the School Magazine that there are nine Old Colfeians resident at Oxford University, of which six are rowing men. (Do not the rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy flow through Lewisham?) The senior of these O.C. residents is H. D. Springall, recently awarded a Senior Demyship at Magdalen College. Five O.C. residents are at Cambridge University, three of whom are comparative freshmen. Sixteen O.C.s are members of the London University. Of these Stock has recently gained his "purple" for swimming—one of only three awarded. 64 Gbe Colteian
The total number at these Universities is thirty—a grati- fying number, and all " doing well." A re-union Dinner of all Old Colfeian University men has been suggested.
Hca&emtc Successes. (Reported since our last issue.) R. Purvis (1921- ), B.A. (Architecture), London University. H. S. Springall (1924- ), Senior Demyship at Magdalen College, Oxford University. L. H. Cawte (1921- ), M.A. (Lond.). Thesis in History.
Carriage Hnnouncements. (Since our last issue.) Hearty congratulations to : — W. G. Parris (1913-18), to Dorothy Bennington, at St. Mar- garet's Church, Lee, on September 5th, 1934. J. Lloyd (1923- ), to Rose Julius, at St. Mary's Church, Lewisham, on September 9th. C. S. Barnard (1919-24), to Betty Warner, at Shirley Church, on February 23rd, 1935. Reginald G. J. Henham (1920- ), to Muriel C. Tucknott, at South Norwood Methodist Church, on April 20th. Geoffrey E. Flood (1919- ), to Gwendoline G. Oxon, of Forest Hill, at St. Mary's Church, Shortlands, on April 27th. E. L. Martin (1904-09), to Phyllis Audrey Wapshott, of Maidenhead, at All Saints' Church, Maidstone East, on June 8th.
JBirtbs. Congratulations to: — Robert W. Lishman (1911-16), a daughter, on Nov. 16th. Arthur K. Martin (1910- ), a daughter, on Nov. 28th. Philip Dean (1914- ), a daughter, in November. C. Russell Chiesman (1906-12), a daughter, on Jan. 12th. T. Stuart Chiesman (1906-09), a son, on April 10th. Norman A. Jones (1918-23), a son, on May 8th.
Corrigenda. —We wonder how many readers noticed that, in the marriage announcements in our November issue, our worthy Hon. Secretary, N. A. Jones, appeared to have been at the School from 1918 to 1933. Since he felt keenly the humiliating thought of having taken 15 years to reach the top form he has kindly offered to read the proof sheets of this issue with an eagle eye. Any complaints should be addressed to 43, Strathaven Road, S.E.12 ! In the Alumni Colfenses, No. 57, p. 42, we omitted to ttbc Coltelan 65 record that John Hamilton Hughes died, after a long illness, in 1932. In School Notes, p. 11, 1. 3, for Prendergast read Pendergast. On p. 31, in the 2nd XI report, for a octopus read an octopus, and on p. 44 for symptons read symptoms. Having pointed out these errors and omissions for the benefit of those who keep all numbers and have them bound, we will now take off our penitential white sheet and hope for better luck next time. * * * * We should like to acknowledge with many thanks the services of numerous boys at the School who kindly helped to deliver magazines.
LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER. Colfe's Grammar School. Dear Mr. Bennett, May, 1935. The Chronicle of the past year is overshadowed by the death of two very good friends to the School, Mr. Lander and Dr. Gay. Mr. Lander was probably associated chiefly, in the minds of Old Boys, with his interest in the games and in the future careers of boys. But as a Governor he concerned himself with far more than that. His intimate and first-hand knowledge of School and boys enabled him to support, with facts and enthusiasm, schemes for developing the amenities and effectiveness of the School. He has left his portrait—painted by Mr. H. Collinson, himself a Governor and Member of the Court—to be hung in the Great Hall. It is a singularly happy likeness. He has also bequeathed a sum of money to endow a Scholarship to the London School of Economics. Dr. Gay's name will by many be connected with the Pavilion at the Field, presented by the Leathersellers" Com- pany, and opened in his Mastership. During all the time the Ground and Pavilion were in the making, few weeks passed without a visit from him. He was among our regular and welcome guests at School functions, in spite of the claims of a busy professional life. During the past year a very large and beautifully-built Glasshouse has been erected on the flat roof adjoining the Biology laboratory. Provision has been made here for tanks and aquarium, breeding cages for butterflies, etc., as well as experimental work in plant physiology and germination. It is proving a very great boon to the Biological department which, with the development of the Medical Section of the Sixth Science, felt the need of more room. It is a valuable addition to our alreadv excellent Laboratory eouipment. The next stage will be the provision of suitable accom- modation for the Art and Handicraft: and this is a matter which the Governors alreadv have in hand. 66 3be Colteian
On the first corridor to the Science Building there has been started a portrait gallery of past members of the Staff. In the Great Hall there are portraits of all Headmasters since 1807. It is interesting for those at School to see the faces of those into whose labours they have entered. Scholarships in History and Science have come to be expected; the Scholarship to the London School of Economics in Law is our first in that subject, and, as such, deserves mention as evidence of our work here in such and kindred subjects, fitting boys for a legal career. For we are anxious that boys shall leave the School not only with clear views as to the profession or career they wish to follow, but also suitably equipped to succeed in it. To that end I have been and am very concerned that every boy shall have, as far as possible, freedom to develop his own gifts, whatever they may be. Yours sincerely, G. W. MORRIS. Scbool Hotes. By W. N. M. We have to record the following Scholarships at the Universities and heartily congratulate the holders. D. W. J. Jelleyman, Open History Exhibition at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. W. E. Smith, Open Exhibition in Natural Science at New College, Oxford. John Mitchell, Whittuck Scholarship in Law, tenable at London University. * * * * THE SCHOOL PLAY. The eleventh annual School Play, " The Importance of Being Earnest," was produced on three nights, and many dis- tinguished guests were amongst the audience on each night. The use of curtains and variations in lighting produced highly successful scenic effects. Support from the Old Boys and the School was not so good as last year, with the result that there was a financial deficit. The story of the play is well known, but it lost nothing in repetition as produced by the boys under the capable direction of Mr. Southern. It has become typical of the Colfe players that they can embark on the most exacting of tasks with a light heartedness that goes far in promoting their success, and an instance of this is the way in which female impersonations are portrayed. There were four of these rdles in "The Importance of Being Earnest," and it is no flattery to say that they were the principal successes in a most praiseworthy production. R. V. Hearn, always at his happiest when impersonating some maidenish minx, was at his best as the " Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax," and P. G. Marsland made a very satisfactory aolfctan 6?
" Lady Bracknell," except that he was at a loss as to what to do with his hands. " Cecily Cardew " received sym- pathetic consideration at the hands of K. B. Clarke, and W. W. Ottewill instilled quite a deal of prudery into the part of " Miss Prism," the governess. R. R. Titford's " Algernon Moncrieff " was a model of elocution and deport- ment and " John Worthing, J.P." was admirably revealed by G. W. Baker, but better than either was D. J. Black as the " Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.C." He would have looked the part without saying a word ! Completing the cast were " Lane," the manservant (L. S. Chaplin), " Merriman," butler to "Worthing" (A. C. Bromley), and the footman (P. M. Palmer). The stage management was in the hands of Messrs. Uttley, Cloke and Stockbridge. Among those present at the performances were : Mr. and Mrs. C. N. Latter, the Mayor and Mayoress of Lewisham (Councillor J. Hetherington, J.P., and Mrs. Hetherington), Mrs. Alice Ball, the Bishop of Woolwich and Mrs. Preston, the Astronomer-Royal and Mrs. Spencer Jones, the Clerk to the Leathersellers' Company and Mrs. Button, Mr. F. E. Lander (Governor), Dr. and Mrs. Gay, Sir Lulham and Lady Pound, Mr. Glover (a Warden of the Company), Mr. Turberville (Headmaster Eltham College) and Mrs. Turberville, Miss Lewis (Headmistress of Blackheath High School), and Miss Adams (Oakland House School), and Mr. G. W. Morris (Headmaster) and Mrs. Morris. A full critique appeared in the School Magazine in March.
THE FRENCH PLAYS AND CONCERT. This event, which has now quite established itself in the School Easter term programme, took place on Thursday, March 7th. Two French plays were acted. Newcomers to the stage figured in The New Sherlock Holmes, whilst the cast for A Strange Adventure was composed of more ex- perienced actors. Both performances were lively and full of action, which is in accordance with the best Colfeian tradition —for which the School owes a great debt to Mr. Clements. The Concert revealed how. much musical talent there is in the School. It included individual performances, songs by the Choir and a piece by the Orchestra. The School also had the privilege of welcoming Mr. George James, a pro- fessional artiste.
THE JUNIOR PLAYERS. On Thursday, April 4th, the Junior Players presented three short plays in the School Hall. " Unhampered," by Ronald Mackenzie, was followed by five scenes adapted from " Nicholas Nickleby," and finally by Lord Dunsany's comedy " Atalanta in Wimbledon." All the players were under fourteen years of age, and a quartet provided music during the intervals. Mr. Johnson, who produced the plays, received 68 ttbe dolfetan valuable help from an Old Colfeian, G. I,. Merrells. This " breaking-up " concert, as usual, drew a crowded " house," and the producer was enthusiastically received at the con- clusion.
SCHOOL RUGBY FOOTBALL XV. Captain : W. G. B. W. Gibbs. Vice-Capt. : W. D. K. Phelan. Matches played 18, won 9, lost 9, scratched 4. Points for 259. Points against 185. At the beginning of the season the School fielded a some- what young and light team, but was fortunate in having G. F. Conner, for the third season, to lead it. On the whole the team played better Rugby than the previous year's team, improving steadily as the season progressed. The forwards deserve most of the praise for their consistently good, hard play; although our rather "odd " set of backs settled down admirably towards the middle of the season. D. P. Galpin was undoubtedly the best all-round player in the school, being both fast and heavy. We are quite proud of the unique position of being the only school to have three members playing in the Kent Public Schools team in the Christmas holidays. W. G. Gibbs played at scrum-half in both matches, and has received the commendation of the critics, and W. Phelan, a forward, played well. In the match against Surrey—which Kent won by a dropped goal, a penalty goal and two tries (13 points) to a dropped goal (four points)—G. F. Conner, another forward, acquitted himself in promising fashion.
EXTRACTS FROM MATCHES. School v. Mr. Springall's XV. Won 11-8. The School, contrary to expectation, won this rather short game. The " 'Varsity XV " having some trouble with the variety of cars " begged, borrowed or stolen " for the occasion, arrived a little late; resulting in a 15 minutes-each way match.
School v. Old Boys' "A" XV. Lost 3-6. The ground was heavy and our forwards had to push against a much heavier and more experienced " pack." At half-time Thurlow retired with a foot injury, and near the end of the game Coysh broke his collar bone. Owing to the state of the ground the play was mostly with the forwards. It was a most enjoyable, if somewhat fierce and " scrappy " game.
The School had the distinction of beating Christ's Hos- pital 2nd XV. for the first time in many seasons, and of 3be (jolfetan 69 being honoured by the Old Blues' decision to send down their stronger 3rd XV.
School v. Mr. Springall's XV. Lost 3-17. We welcomed Mr. Springall's University XV in the return match of the season. Having been beaten earlier in the season, he brought down a particularly strong team. The ground was again heavy, but during the first half Chappell scored our only try, well out by the touch,: line. At half-time the score was 3-3, but in the second half our opponents proved a little too fast for us.
Htblettcs. SCHOOL SPORTS. These were held on Thursday, May 16th, at the Private Banks Ground, Catford. House Sports and Semi-Finals had been held in the Spring Term at the School Field. A bitterly cold afternoon spoilt the event for both com- petitors and visitors, and no records were lowered. The Senior Championship went deservedly to A. G. Chappell for his performance in the 220 yards, and the Junior Championship to L- J. Stewart, also for a remarkably fine performance under 14^ in the sprints. The School House gained both Senior and Junior Cham- pionships, and the prizes were presented by Miss Gregory, who was introduced by the Headmaster, and subsequently given three cheers at the conclusion of the proceedings, called for by K. Titford, the head boy. A. G. Chappell has proved a keen and enthusiastic organiser of the Athletics.
INTER-SCHOOLS COMPETITIONS. The loss of stalwarts of the previous year has been severe, but we have improved with practice. On March 28th, at Aske's Sports, we were placed fourth in an invitation relay. The School were represented by A. G. Chappell, B. S. Cardell, E. G. Tatt and V. Dawes. On April 9th, at Brockley's Sports, we were placed third in the invitation, relay. The team had one change, J. Balding for Cardell. After a break, we, on the 18th May, took second place in the relay race for the Kent Shield, open to all schools in Kent. This was surely a reward for constant practice. The team was unchanged. On May 14th a very good Athletic Meeting v. Poly- 70 sbe colfeian
technic Harriers took place on the School field, ending in a win for the School by 26| pts. to 2l£ pts. Quite recently, at the commencement of the Swimming Season, we beat Brockley School at water-polo.
CROSS COUNTRY. The youth and inexperience of this season's Cross- Country team largely contributed to their poor results. At the beginning of the season, King's College paid us the compliment of sending down a very strong team, who won on our own course by 50 pts. to 28 pts. We had the first six men home in the match v. St. Olave's Grammar School on our own ground. In the Ranelagh Harriers' race at Putney, the School lost 50 pts. to 28 pts. The Invitation Race of Blackheath Harriers was a success. We sent in two teams : the "A" team came 5th and the " B " team 9th. The Senior Cross-Country relays were won by Duncan House, followed by School House, Lucas. The Senior Cross Country Race was won by A. G. Chappell in 13 mins. 23 sees.; P. M. Palmer was second, and H. G. Beverley third. The Senior Harriers House positions were : (1) School, 206 pts. (2) Lucas, 295 pts. (3) Day, 298 pts. (4) Glyn, 306 pts. (5) Duncan 326^ pts. (6) Bramley, 471|- pts. The Junior Harriers Was won by D. G. Gilbert, of Duncan. He was followed by B. H. White, of Bramley, and Duke, of Day. The Junior Harriers House positions were : (1) Lucas, 457 pts. (2) Bramley, 614 pts. (3) Duncan, 700 pts. (4) Day, 763 pts. (5) Glyn, 836 pts. (6) School, 920.
THE BOXING CLUB. A good season, although we had to fill serious gaps, owing to leaving of many of our best boxers. Galpin, whom we shall miss very much next season, proved a great captain, and was a constant inspiration to all members of the side. We fought five matches, against City of London (lost), Brockley (lost), Alleyans (won), Sutton (lost at home, won away), and also sent in eight entrants for the L.S.A.B.A. Secondary Schools' Championship. In this we had four finalists, three of whom won their championships—A. J. Lee, 6st. 7lbs. (Jun.) ; D. Lowry, 8st. (Intermediate); V. Mallett, 7st. 7lbs. (Sen.). We finished the term with an Exhibition of Boxing in the School Hall. ttbe Coltelan 71
The death of two Governors, who were very faithful friends of the School, is referred to elsewhere. On each occasion at prayers, the Headmaster paid eloquent tribute to their many services to the School.
During a high wind last term a big tree fell across the boys' entrance to the New Buildings, luckily about 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. Little damage was done to the buildings.
The new Greenhouse, a handsome adjunct to the Biology Department, is now in full use, but Old Boys who visit the School must not expect to find choice grapes and tropical palms in luxuriant growth, as the building is mainly used for experimental purposes and providing material for the classes. * * * * Two cinematograph performances were given in the Hall during December, including the very interesting " Conquest of Mount Everest " film.
In February, Professor Lander gave the Senior School a most interesting lecture on " Harnessing Explosions." Start- ing with the " Holborn Explosion," and explaining its disas- trous and cumulative effects, he proceeded to show how such explosions, when controlled, had their useful application in the petrol, oil, and coal-dust engines.
The Arts' and Handicrafts' Exhibition was a great success. Congratulations to Messrs. Preater and Stockbridge on the results of much hard work.
The Arts' Club had, amongst other exhibits, sixty lino casts. The Woodwork Club's chief effort was a model aero- drome. The usual display of work was shown in the Art Room and Woodwork Shop.
VAUJTE.—D. P. Galpin, K. S. Pipe, R. C. Warnes, L. R. Gibbs, F. S. Long, G. F, Conner, F. C. Hall, E. A. Hughes, F. B. Searls, R. A. Pittman, R. B. Shepherd, R. C. Thurlow, L. H. Wilson, J. S. Cooke, J. A. Harris, W. L. Harrison, E. M. Ling, C. Motley, G. W. G. Stockall, W. G. Thomson, F. A. Watt, A. W. Burton, F. R. Coysh, J. R. Dewey, B. M. Fahey, A. R. Reeve, G. H. Webb, — Godbold. 72 3be Colteian
doltctane' club Hotes, 1035. President: C. H. DODD, Esq., J.P.
Vice-Prerident: 0. BEZER, Esq.
THE COUNCIL. The President. Hon. Membership Secretary—B. P. BUTLER 74, Felhampton Road, S.E.9. The Vice-President. Hon. Magazine Editor—F. B. BENNETT, The Headmaiter.—G. W. MORRIS, Esq., M.A. (Oxon), 18, Stone Road, Bromley H.A. (Oxon). Directors ol Old CoUeian Club. Ltd.— Fait Presidents. C. H. DODD, J.P., I,. J. PIPER, W. S. PHILLIPS, H. G. HICHISSON, B. A. Hon. Gen. Secretary—I,. J. PIPER. REED. Hon. Secretary—N. A. JOKES, 43, Strath- aven Road, S.E.12. Hon. Secretary Sports Committee—P. M. MANNING, 1, Kinveachy Gardens. Hon. Treasurer—R. W. CREECH, B.A., S.B.7. 18, Stone Road, Bromley. Hon. Treasurer Sports Committee—B. Hon. Entertainments Secretary—I,. Tj HICHISSON, 78, Well Hall Road, HUSTON, 119, Footscray Road, S.E.9. S.B.9. Sports Section Representatives :- Cricket— Association Football— Rugby— B. P. BUTLER. W. A. PATTISON. B. LARKIN. S. P. BURGESS. L. J. H. DARK. w A. HARVEY. School Staff— I School Sports Representative— D. B. REYNOLDS, 16, Mayhill Road, S.B.7. Hon. Secretary Dance Committee— C. J. WALLER, 28, I Some interesting points were mentioned during the course of business. The membership totalled 632, the highest so far, made up thus :—" A " (Old Colfeians), 423; "B" (Hon. Associates), 5; "C" (Non-Old Colfeians Sports), 172; "D" (Non-Old Colfeians not Sports), 32. The start of the Badminton Club, with 70 members, was recorded. The Colfe Players have become a section of the Club. The meeting recommended that the Executive should appoint a sub-committee to advise them on the administration of the Club funds, particularly with regard to the Capital Account and Benevolent Fund. At a Council meeting held on February 22nd, there were present 20 members out of a possible 48. The Hon. Secre- tary, however, received 14 apologies for absence. These, at least, assured the Hon. Secretary that the notification cards sent out had reached their destination. The agenda con- tained, amongst the usual reports from the Executive, Dinner Committee, etc., a discussion on the Magazine. Suggestions were made that the form of the Magazine should be changed, that it should appear monthly, that it should appear only once a year, that more on Club House and O.C. news should be put in, and less copy of a semi- advertising type. The Hon. Editor, at the end of the discussion, replied to these suggestions. To the idea of a Year Book he was strongly opposed. Cricket and Football news would be stale reading nearly twelve months old; the whole character of the Magazine would have to be changed, and with extra illustrations there would be no gain in finance. Historically, the Magazine was unique, and the present chief features almost the same as when the Magazine was started in 1900, seemed agreeable to most readers. The plan of printing monthly parts—to be bound if one didn't lose the leaflets— was impracticable, and, again, was no cheaper. If members sent in contributions more frequently on O.C. subjects, or subjects of topical interest, no one was more eager to print them than the Hon. Editor. His chief difficulty lay in get- ting enough material—and in time—to fill the minimum number of pages. He mentioned here, the falling off in the number of letters from O.C.'s abroad. The discussion ended with a vote of thanks and appreciation of the work of the Hon. Editor. ttbe Golfe placers. (By THE CRITIC IN THE STALLS.) " I have often thought that a comment upon the capaci- ties of the players would very much improve the delight that way, and impart it to those who otherwise have no sense of it."—Richard Steele. 76 Cbe Coltctan " As I love to be advising, too, for advice is easily given, and bears a show of wisdom and superiority, I must be per- mitted to offer a few observations upon our theatres and actors, without, on this trivial occasion, throwing my thoughts into formality of method."—Oliver Goldsmith. The unfortunate critic recently read! the 'Criticism of the School Play in the School Magazine. With the best will in the world and, even at the end of the reading, still considering himself mildly intelligent, he gained a very foggy notion of the play. It was just as well that he saw it for himself! He therefore dug out of the depths of his classical—and other—learning the two extracts quoted above, as rather expressing the critic's duties, if any, and now cuts the cackle and comes to the horses. This was the Players' sixth season, and though the plays were, perhaps, all more technically perfect than previous ones, as most of the players have had a fair amount of expe- rience, yet the producing might have been improved. For instance, in the first play, the " Spectres " looked far too real to have been dead three hundred years; a white make-up and blue light might have given the necessary illusion, though this alteration would have dimmed the beauty of Ann, the abigail ("a sort of companion"), according to Bassett. The cast was : — Mortals. Reginald Smith .. .. H. C. Wilson-Bennetts Alfred Bassett (his man-servant) S. F. Burgess. Spectres. Don Pedro de Parambo .. R. J. P. Burgess. The Earl Fitzdoodle . . R. G. Allsopp. Ann B. P. Butler. Scene : a. haunted chamber at Roborough Castle, the seat of the Fitzdoodles. Wilson-Bennetts and Burgess were, each in his way, excellent, being just about the embodiment of P. G. Wode- house's Percy Wooster and Jeeves. Allsop, as always, spoke his lines very clearly, whereas Wilson-Bennetts rather rushed his, and so was not too audible. Don Pedro would have been improved with a moustache and small beard, as he looked rather too kindly to have stabbed Ann for unre- turned love and to have fixed the blame on Fitzdoodle. The scenic effect of wide curtains, simply hung in two alternate colours, was very good. The plot of the next piece, " The Perfect Plot," was the same in each scene—the wife, the boy friend, the husband, who enters and shoots both, and then notices, "Heavens, the wrong flat!" The three scenes are as if written by Barrie, Noel Coward, and Tchekhov. In the first, " Every Woman Goes," and last, " Gloom of the Sister who got to Moscow," the cast was the same, K. Gleave taking the wife, B. Gleave the Scotch husband, and R. Burgess the Russian boy friend, and later the ttbe coireian 77 husband in the Tchekhov version. Both these scenes are very amusing, though the Scotch accent used surely never came from any known part of Scotland. In " Gloom " was opportunity for increased laughter, by the use of the pistol which went off sometimes, but) not always as required, which was not taken advantage of by the producer. In the second scene, " Private Wives," as by Coward, Butler looked the part of a Garboish vamp to perfection, complete in pyjamas and super-length cigarette-holder, but played the part in rather a too matter-of-fact way. Her former husband, present husband, and future one (poor wretch), played respectively by S. F. Burgess, V. G. Curnow, and H. C. Wilson-Bennetts, were quite adequate, but the whole seemed to need galvanising into increased action. In " Count Albany " was the best acting of the evening. CHARACTERS. Father Mackintosh . . I,. T. Hinton. The Cardinal York L. C. Miller. Clementina Walkinshaw W. T. Constance. Prince Charles Edward W. L. Anthony. A Strange Gentleman V. G. Curnow. A Servant L. F. Miller. Scene :—Rome, Cardinal York's study. This playlet needed a precis for study before it could be enjoyed, and such things are nearly always a detriment. In brief, it shows Bonny Prince Charlie as he really was at the death of his father, the Old Pretender; a dissipated drinker, wandering about Europe with Clementina Walkin- shaw, who at least tried to keep him straight. The Prince's brother, York, has sent for Charles Edward to be present at the death of his father. He arrives, spends so much time talking that the death occurs before he can get to the bedside. The last part is certainly moving, when Prince Edward, hailed as King, finds that he has forgotten how to be a King. The humour is very slight, and some of it, we fear, unintentional, being mainly concerned with the variety of dialects and languages used. There was English, Latin, Italian, and (presumably) Scotch; we will charitably assume that Father Mackintosh, through long absence from his native shores, had lost his accent, though, when roused, he seemed to have a distinctly Welsh twang. Father M.'s bottle of Scotch was the most active ingredient in the whole show, as everyone else did nothing but talk and talk and TALK. The production left nothing to be desired, and brought out absolutely all there was in the piece. Anthony's part was a very big one, admirably taken. Miller, as Cardinal York, showed the man who had seen upon which side his bread was buttered, and had given up wandering about Europe for valuable church preferment. Clementina, by Constance, was remarkably lively and skittish, and really moving when recalling the old days with York; but the 78 Cbe aolfeian whole made one wish for such good acting and production to be put into a better metier. " CROOKS' CHRISTMAS." Sir John G. Bezer. Constable I,. E. H. Brunton. Columbine B. P. Butler. Pirate A. S. Wells. Roundhead B. M. C. Cleave. The casting of this piece was very suitably done. Bezer, at whose country house is the fancy dress party, mainly attended by crooks, did his smallish part very well. The constable, disguised in a pierrot's dress and a moustache, and especially detailed to look after the jewels, looked as far from being a " reveller " as anyone could look. * * * * The Jubilee was celebrated at the Club with a Jubilee Carnival Dance on May 6th; a Jubilee Bridge Drive on May 8th; and a Jubilee Motor Car Treasure Hunt, starting at 6.30 p.m. from the Clubhouse, and ending with a Supper. A popular clue was " Jock " in the middle of the island in Peter Pan's pond, Southend ! On May 6th the Tennis Club held an American Tennis Tournament. About 48 players took part, the winners being Miss V. Benyon and Mr. Grape. * * * * Of the several local battalions which helped line the streets, the 20th Battalion L,ondon Regiment is perhaps the one more closely connected with Colfe's. Several Old Boys are in it. (During the war about 43 Old Boys served at various times with the Battalion, of whom twelve were killed.) An Old Boy who was with another London Battalion sends his impression of the Great Jubilee procession. " To your Colours present arms!" The rattle of rifles and swords was heard above the Band's dignified rendering of Handel's " Scipio." The great Pageant of Tribute to Their Majesties' glorious reign had commenced. A few crisp commands and we were swinging through the gateway heading for St. Paul's. Everywhere happy crowds, streets garlanded like a garden party, and, above it all, that Spirit of I/oyalty to the Throne, to one's Country, that defies description, but brought a lump to more than one throat. Behind us the police, with that infinite patience which is the wonder of the whole world, struggled with the good- humoured crowd that surged and swayed. The fortitude of the crowd, most of whom had spent the night waiting, could be exemplified by a white-haired old woman who had seen the previous Jubilee celebrations as a young mother. Thrice she was overcome by the heat and the strain of waiting. Thrice she was carried to the back of the crowd by the St. John Ambulance workers. Each time she returned to her place by the side of the stalwart Birmingham policeman, her shrunken eyes sparkling, a tight little smile on her wan face. ttbe colfetan 79 Meanwhile a procession of cars, tail on tail, three abreast, was moving up Ludgate Hill. Famous men and fair women came to pay homage to their I/iege. How the crowd enjoyed the pageant and how they cheered Indian Princes resplendent in their jewelled turbans! The roar of laughter that greeted anyone whose dress was incongruous to the crowd! Suddenly above the now continual roar of the crowd a distant command was heard. The Duke of York's procession was approaching. A hush came over all, broken solely by words of command, and a dull thunder of cheering getting nearer and nearer. A few seconds later the world went mad and before one's eyes were passing familiar faces. How con- fident they all appeared, how royal, but how human! Princess Elizabeth trying to see both sides of the road at once and forgetting to wave her upraised hand! Her sister copying her every movement! The Duchess of Kent, looking a model of charming young girlhood, wrestling with an outsize in hats, whilst the Prince of Wales grinned from under what must be the world's largest bearskin. How the vicar's dog caused a humorous and unlooked-for interlude is now ancient history. Hardly had the ripple of laughter by this unrehearsed incident died down than the Bells of St. Paul's began pealing. An ever-growing roar, accompanied by a fresh sway and surge from the crowd, announced the approach of Their Majesties' procession, the most glorious climax to the greatest show of all time. Mere words are insufficient to describe the scene and the setting, the crowds cheering themselves hoarse and yet pausing to gasp at the wonder of it all, the majesty and splendour of the pro- cession, the regal bearing of Her Majesty, the kindness that seemed to emanate from their very souls. Perhaps the im- pression most dominant upon our minds is Their Majesties youthful appearance, their look of vitality and their love for the people. What did it matter that the crowd went mad, broke through the police cordon like water through a sieve, and ran up Ludgate Hill trying to get a last glimpse, we had seen the most momentous celebration ever staged in the Heart of the Empire ! Were I asked to name that atmosphere of jubilant rejoicing and heartfelt show of loyalty, I would call it after Elgar's immortal work " Spirit of Pageantry." tCbe Entertainments Committee. Since its inception in October, 1934, the Social Com- mittee of the Old Colfeian Club has taken over the onerous task of trying to find suitable amusement for members whose tastes range from the profound silence of chess to the melo- dious (?) cacophony of jazz in the small hours of the morning. so Cbe dolteian Now a committee may be a very useful object at which bricks and other missiles may be hurled, and it can plan and organise any and every sort of entertainment, but it cannot achieve its objectives with any degree of satisfaction unless it has the wholehearted support of all members and their friends, and unless there is a widespread body of helpers who will push the sale of tickets, and get people to come to our shows. Believe it or not—a certain member who is a regular user of the Clubhouse, and to whom notices and calendars had been sent, solemnly stood in front of the notice board on which the date of a function had been displayed for two and a half weeks, and said, " I did not know there was a dance this week—why don't you tell people?" We recovered our balance after a visit to the bar ! Many members want to know what we are driving at. Briefly we are trying (1) To make money to form a sinking fund for the redemp- tion of the debenture issue, so generously subscribed for the building up of the Club. (2) To provide members with good and varied entertain- ment, both in Winter and Summer, inside and outside the Club. (3) To enlarge the circle of our supporters, and to satisfy everyone. We are afraid that the millennium will have come before everyone is satisfied, but we'll do our best! We don't know if you consider that we have made any progress or not. In any case let us know, and give us sugges- tions which are more than welcome. We are quite prepared to try anything once ! We feel that you all enjoyed our " highspots," the New Year's Party, Jubilee Week, and the Blackheath dances. The scourge of 'flu wrecked one Blackheath dance, and we were very sorry that you did not support the wonderful show put up by the Colfe Players as strongly as it deserved. The Clubhouse dances are informal functions, well worth your regular patronage, but we must have the numbers to keep them on the present high standard. We have heard them called " Green Lights and Soft Music," and we can assure the ladies that their complexions will not be called upon to bear this strain in the future. On Jubilee night a large attendance toasted Their Royal Majesties with all the honours, and it was with great personal regret that Mr. Dood had to delegate the proposing of the toast to Mr. Bezer, owing to a cold which made his voice inaudible at more than two feet. The Treasure Hunt was a great success, over 80 members and friends attending the subsequent supper. We wish to thank, again, Mrs. Hone for her generosity in giving the prizes. These were much appreciated by the recipients, 3be Colteian 81 especially those victims of circumstance (mostly in two-seaters) who arrived back late enough to receive some fine cauliflowers as a reward for their efforts. During the summer informal Dances at the remarkably cheap price of 1/6 will be held on August Bank Holiday, and also on June 22nd, July 13th and August 24th. We want a round hundred at each dance, and promise you one of the best small dance orchestras in the district. Regular Bridge Drives start again in September, and we do want much greater support for these drives, at which in- quests are barred, and a bag of nuts awarded to the worst call of the evening. Finally on September 21st, the Annual at Home function will be held at the Clubhouse. Last year the sides of the Clubhouse bulged with the members present, and we are assured that the Company will gladly repair any damage caused by similar circumstances this year. L. T. H. Corresponbence. May 17th, 1935. Dear Mr. Editor, As a well-wisher of the Colfe Players, I would like to convey a few words of tribute to them. Many Old Colfeians may be unaware that this section of the Club has been in existence for about six years, and starting from what was considered at the time as something of a " rag," has now grown into a very live and active organisation. It has been stated that amateur theatricals were designed for the amusement of the players themselves, the audience being a secondary consideration, and sometimes rather to be pitied. Such an opinion is not shared by Old Colfeian audiences with regard to the Colfe Players, but, neverthe- less, still more O.C.'s and their friends would do well to see for themselves how good the performances are. Productions take place yearly, on two consecutive even- ings, and much time and trouble, not to mention money, is expended to give shows suiting everyone's individual taste. Local criticism has proved kind; even " A Critic in the Stalls " has been fairly mild in his remarks, confining them to minor details. Surely there is nothing very much wrong if the actors in a war-time scene do not have heavy mud clinging to their boots ! A good theatre does not insist that a photographic study must be presented, as long as the right atmosphere and suggestion are created. (Moreover, it may be a comfort to some to know that not every officer during the War sat down to breakfast in the mess smothered in mud). Neither does the absence of the noise of a lift going up or down detract from the good presentation of a play. Therefore, apart from such brilliant observations as exem- plified above, faithfully recorded by the low-brow critic (or 82 Sbe Colteian is he high-brow?), the Colfe Players go on, apparently, from year to year presenting various shows, so that everyone present may find something amusing, thrilling, or even interesting. Two names, among a host of other workers, seem to come readily to mind. The one, Mr. W. S, Phillips, who directs the whole thing — quite a C. B. Cochran in ideas (so it has been said) — the other, Mr. A. C. Denny, who looks after the box-office. In such hands the production must go well. O.C.'s should obviously, not ignore any future notices dealing with the Players' performances, but bring their friends, when by so doing they will be agreeably surprised at the excellence of the entertainment, and will be helping the funds of the Club. Yours faithfully, PENRYN. Ubirty Keats ago, We browsed amongst the two numbers, July and November, of The Colfeian for interesting jottings or points of comparison. The July number opened with a complaint from the Hon. Editor that his file was nearly empty. History repeats itself in 1935. Yet in 1905 (July) FIVE O.C.s had articles in the Magazine; two of them were as follows : — Canada as seen by a Colfeian, by E. A. Reed, and An Absent-minded Blunder, by C. H. Dodd. In the November number SIX articles were contributed by O.C.s ! Our average to-day is ONE ! It was recorded inter alia that the Rev. W. W. Hough was inducted to the living of St. Mary's, L,ewisham. Colonel Bevington presented a Cup to the School to be shot for yearly. W. J. I/arke was congratulated on escaping serious injury in the Cromer express wreck at Witham. Of the illustrations, a Rugby team of 1879 " looked a perfect scream "; whilst a School cricket team in the Past v. Present match contained such youthful cricketers as R. N. Curnow, L,. C. Miller. (Four of the team were killed in the War.) Last, and perhaps least, we discovered, with a shock at the passing of time, that we were in the Marriage Announce- ments. flottcea. The Hon. Treasurer acknowledges with many thanks the following donations : — W. I Bezer, Esq., j£l; Mrs. Morgan, 10s. 6d. To Benevolent Fund : D. Leese, Esq., 7s. 6d. To Illustrations Fund : E. A. Reed, Esq., £1 Is.; Philip Dean, Esq., 10s.; I. E. Ivockyer, Esq., £1 Is.; A. C. Denny, Esq., 5s.; J. P. Earnshaw, Esq., 7s. 6d. Would members kindly note change of address to 18, Stone Road, Bromley, Kent. Applications for Membership Forms should be made to B. F. Butler, 74, Felhampton Road, Eltham, S.E.9. 3be coltetan 83 1Tn HMam flDemortam. JOHN LAURENCE WILTSHIRE. We regret to record the death of John Laurence Wiltshire, which occurred on November 14th, as the result of a motor-car accident, in Malaya. J. L. Wiltshire entered the School in May, 1916, and left in July, 1922. He gained his Ph.D., M.Sc., and F.I.C., and was engaged in research work at the Rubber Research Institute of Malaya. A brilliant career for this young scientist has been cut short. We tender our deepest sympathies to his family in their great loss. JOHN GAY, M.D., D.P.H., M.R.C.S. We deeply regret to announce the death, which occurred with some suddenness, of Dr. John Gay. The news came to the School' as a shock, so soon after the death of Mr. F. E. Lander. For thirty years Dr. Gay was the Medical Officer of the Royal Hospital and Home for Incurables, Putney. He was closely connected with local public and municipal life, having served for six years as Alderman on the Wandsworth Borough Council. His association with the Leathersellers' Company extended over a long period. He was admitted to the Freedom of the Company in 1884. In 1929-30 he was Second Warden, and became Master of the Com- pany for the year 1930-31. His interest in the School was very great. Especially was he eager to develop the equipment of the School for athletics and sports, and his work in the acquisition and laying out of the Sports Field and Pavilion reached a climax when, as Master, he opened the Playing Field and Pavilion, on May 16th, 1931. His interest for the welfare of the School has never nagged. Often he was seen look- ing round the ground, and he was a frequent and welcome guest at School and Old Boys' functions. We shall miss his cheery presence, and the loss to the School is great. To his widow and family we tender our deepest condolences. 84 Cbc Colfeian In pfam flDemoriam. VICTOR MASLIN YEATES. We regret to announce the death of Victor Maslin Yeates, who died on December 15th, 1934, aged thirty-seven. He entered the School in April, 1907, and left in 1912. He joined up in February 1916, and served through the War in the R.A.F. as a Scout Pilot, " Camels." He crashed four times, being shot down twice. He died of tuberculosis, due to War strain. During his illness he wrote " Winged Victory." Mr. H. Williamson contributed a personal memoir of V. M. Yeates in John o' London's Weekly for January 26th, in which he writes : " His death passed unnoticed in the literary world; few had heard of his book. Yet it is one of the great books of our time. Not only is it one of the best War books, but as a transcription of reality, faithful and sustained in its author's purpose of re-creating the past life he knew, it is unique. The article was illustrated by a photo- graph of V. M. Yeates, and contained extracts from letters and incidents of the friendship and collaborative work of H. Williamson, who recalls him as a dreamy, pale-faced boy at School, who used to read Keats under the desk during Maths. We recommend all O.C.'s who knew Yeates to read this personal tribute. To his widow and children we offer our deep sym- pathies in their bereavement. ROLAND BELL. We regret to record the death of Roland Bell, B.A., of King Edward's School, Birmingham, late Head- master of the Huntingdon Grammar School and Cowley House, School, New Barnet, formerly of the Essex Regiment. He was an Assistant-Master at Colfe's in the " 'eighties," and Mr. S. G. Nelson, in forwarding the Press cutting, writes : " He was a master in my time; we knew that he had been an officer in the Army. He used to walk up and down the class-room, tearing up a piece of paper into very small pieces." We offer our condolences to his relatives. FRANK EATON LANDER. To Since page 85. ttbe Colfeian 85 fln pfam /iDemoriam. FRANK EATON LANDER. It is with very deep regret we chronicle the death of Mr. F. E. Lander, whereby the School has lost one of its greatest benefactors. He died suddenly, from heart failure, on February 24th, on his way to St. Margaret's Church. Mr. Lander, who was 84 years old, was a son of the late Mr. Edmund Lander, of Shropshire. Keenly interested in sport, he was for many years a member of the M.C.C., and played cricket and golf with the late W. G. Grace, with whom he was closely associated. In its flourishing days, Mr. Lander was ai member of the Granville Cricket Club, of Lee. He was always regarded as one of the club's best bats, and at the age of sixty he made a century. He was a member of the Royal Blackheath Golf Club, and a vice-president of the Blackheath Amateur Operatic Society. He will be best remembered in connection with Colfe's Grammar School, of which he was a Governor since 1924, for the interest he took in the boys, not only during their school days, but also in after life. He had a big influence in securing opportunities in firms of accountants and banks. Years ago he became an associate member of the Old Colfeians' Club, and at the Old Boys' Dinner, in October last, replied to the toast of " The Governors of the School." The function took place in the Club House, in Eltham Road, and Mr. Lander undertook to provide a Club- house clock. The Headmaster writes : — " His interest in, and unofficial connection with, the School goes back to the early years of the War, and perhaps the first of his many gifts to the School was a cup for cross-country running, in 1915. Dur- ing the War, when the School staff was very much reduced, he spared neither time nor pains to see that the boys should not suffer in their athletic activities. It was in memory of the many friends he had made, and whose loss he so keenly felt, that he presented to the School the turret clock, in honour of the Old Colfeians who fell in the War. Cbe Coltctan " His interest in the School games never flagged. There were very few half-holidays when he was not at the field, wet or fine. Cricket was his first love, but he was no less enthusiastic in his encouragement of all the active recreations of a boy. He regularly brought a chess team against the School; boxing and gymnastic competitions he was always delighted to watch. A keen lover of music, he invited others to become such; and his gift of a grand piano to the School, in 1932, in appreciation of the work done with the School orchestra, was a typically practical way of making his wishes effective. "He believed in a boy getting the best out of a School before he left it. As he often said, in a long connection with the City he realised of what value it was to a boy to have spent a couple of years in a Sixth Form, and have his Higher Certificate and Intermediate behind him. To mark this, in 1930 he founded the Lander Prize for the boy who obtained the best pass in the Intermediate B.Comm. Examina- tion." A memorial service was held in St. Margaret's Church, which was attended by many of his friends and representatives of the O.C. Club, the Staff, and the Leathersellers' Company. To his surviving two brothers and sister we tender our deepest sympathies. HORACE HAINSWORTH MOIR. With deep regret we record the death of Horace Hainsworth Moir, aged 19 years, as the result of his car overturning on the night of April 4th. He entered the School in January, 1927, and left in July, 1933. A good cricketer, he was generally the opening bats- man for the First Eleven. We offer our deep sympathies to his parents, of whom he was the only son. JOHN WILLIAM GILBERT. We regret to report the death of Sir John W. Gilbert, a former chairman of the L.C.C., and for 26 years a member of the Education Committee, who died, aged 63 years, on December 21st, 1934. Al- though he was Assistant Master at the School for a year only, about 1896, he maintained his interest in it, and was present at the opening of the Science Building in 1929. His work for education in the London Schools brought him a knighthood in 1922. We offer our condolences to his relatives. Gbe aolteian 87 aLetters from "inposte." A. C. J. Poole (1925-31) writes that he has just realised that he is not yet a member of the O.C.! However, he is remedying this. He goes on to say, " I went up to Cambridge last Saturday to run against the University, and exchanged greetings with Woodley and Salisbury—both in the best of health and spirits. The latter especially gave me this im- pression with his ever-shining nose! D. E. Reynolds is running exceptionally well at the moment." A. C. Salter (1927- ) has, evidently, had a narrow squeak through emerging quickly from behind a tram. Result —the letter and poetical effort which we print. H. E. Melvin (1899-1903), when enclosing his dues to the Hon. Treasurer, sends along an appreciation of the Magazine —printed, of course ! 102, Lewisham Road, S.E.13. Dear Sir, 6.12.34. I do not know if you, as Editor of the Old Boys' Magazine, can inform me whether the latter descends to frivolity. If it does, then the enclosed pseudo-humorous verse may be of use; if not, please consign it to the lowest depths of the waste-paper basket in Room 3—the verse, not the Magazine, of course. I expect you will remember me, if I can hope that I made some small impression, as a boy whose English was mediocre and whose History was weak. Fortunately for myself, the prospects of the Stuart and Hanoverian Houses do not enter into Insurance, in which dishonest occupation I am now engaged; else would I fear me for my job! . . . . I am, yours faithfully, A. C. SAI/TER. SAFETY FIRST. You may sniff your nose at beacons And Belisha's " safety lines," Disdain a greasy roadway, And the warning amber signs; You may even cheek a Bobby And thus pay enormous fines, But—Never cross the road behind a tram ! You may show your scorn of motors By just standing in their path, Or abruptly leave the pavement And incur a cyclist's wrath; You may even catch a cold Through remaining in your bath, But never, never cross behind a tram ! 88 CDe Oolteian You may borrow from your father And forget to pay the loan, You may ring up the exchange girl, And then not replace the phone; You can even sound your hooter In the City's silence zone; But never, never cross behind a tram ! If you have a rich relation Who may leave a tidy bit, Or a comfortable armchair Upon which you like to sit, If,. in short, you value living, And you don't yet wish to quit, You never want to walk behind a tram ! You can leap with gross abandon From a quickly moving train, Or go skidding on a cycle When roads are wet with rain; But if you have a family, And you're comparatively sane, Then never, never walk behind a tram! You may risk your life on railways, Or your neck in aeroplanes, And if you're a steeple climber In ascending weather vanes; But if you're just a human, Oh ! certainly take great pains; And never, never walk behind a tram ! Whitehall, Dear Creech, 21st Nov., 1934. ... It has been very pleasant to receive the Magazine and notices of O.C. functions, even though, so far, I have been unable to get along to any of them. I do, however, on high days and holidays allow myself the indulgence of wearing the Old School tie. And, in due course, I hope to appear at the new Clubhouse, which is a noble piece of work. I was very interested (and in some obscure way amused) to learn that Smorthwaite's daughter was on the way to becoming a film star. I hardly remember Pilbeam. We of the Board of Education are still pursuing the bright elusive form of the perfect educational system through the bogs and morasses of these difficult times. Sometimes I think we are getting nearer—anyhow I hope so. Another thing that interested me was to see that some verses, which I had already admired in Punch, were by an O.C. (Manser). . . Yours sincerely, H. E. MELVIN. Cbe coltcfan 89 Htbletics. RUGBY. HON. SECRETARY'S REPORT. So ends another season. For the O.C.s it must be looked upon as very satisfactory, when it is remembered that, owing to W. Harvey's hard work, our fixtures become better each year. As to the social side, that, too, has been satisfactory, although I cannot speak from personal experience. You will read reports of stout fellows of the playing fields, but of the skippers who write those reports you will read little; so let us take them in turn. Of Jim L,arkin there is little left to write except that he seems to have the knack of getting the most out of the chaps that play with him. Next we have " Fiddler " Falkner, who leads the "A" fifteen so ably both on and off the field. Then, under W. E. Miller, of the Ex "A," the team has had an extremely good season under his enthusiastic leadership. L/ast, but not least, we have Bobbie Butler, who, in that rather unenviable posi- tion of Captain of the " B " XV, wins our hearty congratu- lations. Rooking ahead, it is quite plain that we are going from strength to strength. We had installed, as is known, " flood lighting " at Horn Park, and certain members have taken advantage of it, but not enough. I do ask that others turn up on our weekly practice night. Before concluding I should like to take the opportunity of thanking B. L. S. Jones for all the work he did for me during my indisposition. F. B. DUNLOP (Hon. Sec.) [No account of the Rugger supper has reached the Hon. Editor. He feels sure it was as successful as the Soccer supper, and trusts that the proceedings were not too jolly to be reported !] 1ST XV. Played 27. Won 19. Drawn 3. Lost 5. Pts. for 355. Against 124. RESULTS. Points. Points. Opponents. Result. For.Agst. Opponents. Result. For. Agst. Old Bancroftians Sc H — — Old Albanians .. L H 3 9 Old Maidstonians Sc H — — Old Brockleians .. W H 13 8 Park House .. L A 14 19 National Bank of Standard Bank of India .. .. W H 19 0 S.A W A 23 8 Old Askeans ..DA 0 0 Old Westcliffians W A 21 5 London School of Old Masonians . . W H 21 0 Economics .. W A 12 0 Old Blues Extra Catford Bridge A. W A 14 6 1st .. . . W H 15 0 Richmond A. .. W H 8 0 Old Wyggestonians L H 3 6 Old Citizens .. W H 32 0 Old Croydonians W A 24 5 London University Old Brockleians.. W A 60 Vandals .. W H 14 3 Toe H .. .. W H 8 0 Sevenoaks .. D H 6 6 Harlequins A .. W H 19 3 Tunbridge Wells W A 30 0 Maidstone .. W H 6 0 London Welsh A. D H 33 London Rifle Old Timnians .. L H 311 Brigade .. W H 16 5 Mid Herts. .. Sc A — — Park House .. W H 9 5 Sutton .. .. L A 13 22 90 ttoe Colfefan The 1st XV has had a successful season which will be remembered by those concerned as one of the hardest as well as one of the most enjoyable in our seven years of existence. We have been rather unfortunate with injuries, especially during the last month of the season, when we had to play some of our strongest fixtures, and a glance at the results will show how close most of these games were. The backs were especially upset by these injuries and had little chance of settling down, although the material for a dangerous line was undoubtedly there. The full back position was a little uncertain after Edey was moved to the wing, but eventually Stone made a great " come-back " to the first fifteen and seemed to be playing better than ever. Bill Harvey, who toyed with the idea of becoming a full back, soon returned to the wing, where, although slower than of yore in attack, he still tackled splendidly. John Harvey in the centre started the season brilliantly and allied real thrust in attack with an ever-sound defence. Unfortunately, he seemed to fade away rather in the last two months of the season, although never losing his soundness—possibly the result of bearing the brunt of the attack early on. Reed was a newcomer who played quite often in the centre and showed a sound knowledge of the game. His defence was very good, and if he could speed up his attack he would be most valuable. Smith, who showed great promise last season, was unfortunately crocked just after Christmas. He ran very hard on the wing and when he learns to run round instead of into his man he should score a lot of tries. Dennis Edey soon showed that his true position is on the wing and his speed and determination in attack and sound tackling made him an outstanding member of the side. Ashdown started in the centre, but soon moved to stand off half, and, although dogged by injuries which kept him out for quite half the season, showed that he had regained his confidence. He is very quick off the mark and was be- ginning to time his passes really well—an attribute much appreciated by his centres. Swanson was again at scrum half, and he, too, had a brilliant first half of the season. His defence all through was as sound as ever, but later on he seemed to lose some of his accuracy in passing. With the backs somewhat unsettled, the forwards were the mainstay of the side. The packing was much improved and there was plenty of dash in the loose. As usual, we were seldom beaten in the line-out. The three back row men, Mayes, Webb and Coffer were, of course, most noticeable, but they pushed their weight and never shirked loose mauls. Webb had a splendid season and was outstanding in the line-out besides kicking some amazing long range goals. Mayes amply fulfilled his promise of last ttbc Colteian 91 season and showed a wonderful knack of being in the right place at the right time. Coffer was always on the ball and bottled up opposing scrum halves with unfailing regularity— he, too, was excellent in the line-out. The second row, Godden and Cawte, worked splendidly together, and their solid shoving in the tight scrums cannot be overestimated. In front of them Burgess, Wells and Jeffery soon settled down and formed a very solid front row. Burgess was, as usual, the complete footballer and a rare worker, besides taking most of the place kicks. Wells, even as a hooker, could never be subdued in the loose and was always well to the fore in dribbling rushes. Jeffery was a most valuable acquisition—very sound, and with a knack of break- ing quickly or coming through the line-out to the great dis- comfort of opposing half backs! Williams, who played a number of times, could pack in any position, and with Morley formed two most valuable reserves, who invariably proved themselves well up to the high standard of the rest of the pack. The first match of the season was a remarkable game. Our opponents, Park House, who had already played twice, put on nineteen points in the first half, whilst we settled down to such good purpose in the second that we scored fourteen ,and very nearly pulled the game out of the fire. The Standard Bank, the Westcliffians and the Masonians were comfortably defeated, the chief feature of these games being the splendid place kicking of Webb. Against the Masonians he actually scored ten of our twenty points. The side seemed to be settling down well when we defeated the Old Blues Extra 1st by fifteen points, despite some of the deadliest tackling we have ever encountered; but the Old Wyggestonians brought the rain with them from Leicester and proceeded to show us how the game should be played in wet weather ! An easy win against the Croydonians was followed by a splendid game with the Brockleians, which we just won on our merits, and incidentally inflicted on them their first defeat of the season. The forwards were now going great guns and rather more than held the Brockleians' pack, whilst the follow- ing week against Toe H they " went mad," and completely dominated the game. The Harlequins "A" was a new fixture, and it was a splendid performance to beat them by 19-3. The pack again laid the foundations, whilst John Harvey played one of his very best games and scored one of the finest tries of the season. We took due " revenge " against Maidstone for our worst defeat of the previous season, and the I/.R.B. and Park House were both defeated after enjoy- able games. The following week we were as usual troubled by " half-yearly " absentees, and the Albanians proved too good for us on the day. The return game with the Brock- leians was remarkable for two prodigious penalty goals kicked 92 ttbe Coltetan by Webb and a great drop goal by John Harvey, and, to their everlasting credit, our opponents merely maintained that two fixtures a,- season were too few ! The National Bank of India forwards put up a great fight, and our victory was due in no small measure to some hearty tackling by Reed in the centre. Over the Askeans' match it is perhaps kinder to draw a veil! It snowed prac- tically the whole time, and although the forwards appeared to enjoy themselves the backs on both sides slowly froze into a state of paralysis ! The London School of Economics and Catford Bridge A were both defeated, and with Ashdown back after an eight weeks' absence the side was beginning to show its best form again—which was just as well, because Richmond paid us the compliment of sending down their second team to play us. This was one of the best games of the season and our victory by a goal and a try was well-earned. Although the Citizens were beaten by the biggest margin of the season it was due more to the fact that the side was now playing at its very best, and, in particular, to some splendid backing up by Mayes, than to the weakness of the opposition. This was proved when the London University Vandals were defeated the following week after another splendid game, in which Stone gave an almost perfect exhibition of full back play and nearly broke the hearts of the Vandals forwards with some tremendous touch finders. A drawn game with Sevenoaks, which we nearly won with a strong finishing rally, was folio wed,'by an easy win at Tunbridge Wells. The London Welsh "A" had an excep- tionally heavy pack and our forwards put up a plucky fight after losing Jeffery with a damaged collar bone before half time. A splendid try by Edey eventually enabled us to draw our third game of the season. Injuries were now taking an alarming toll, and we did quite well to keep the score down to a margin of eight points against the Tiffinians, who were one of the best sides we met. In the last game of the season it must be recorded that Polke, who prides himself on his hooking in the " A," played a sterling game for us on the wing—a subtle piece of selection this! A great rally in the second half enabled us to catch our opponents at 13-13, but a penalty goal damped our ardour and two further tries gave Sutton a well deserved win after a rousing game. J. B. L. jfrom tfoe TToucbline. (By A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Before the season commenced, one or two of the more knowing of us Solomons of " The Line " weighed up the chances of the First Eleven in the critical, coldly calculating manner peculiar to retired old humbugs, and decided, cyni- cally, that they would be jolly lucky to pull through with JEbe Colteian 93 less than seven defeats, even presuming there were no serious injuries. Well, as far as statistics go, they've given us the lie, but on more detailed analysis of the conditions and results, we find that the laugh is on them. We are, naturally, pleased at being able to smile in our superior way at the downfall of the mighty, but we have cause for Intense Indignation and Great Grief. We con- sider that we, their privileged critics, have been let down badly. However, sinking our personal grievances, we will begin by presenting a few—a very few—bouquets. First, we heartily congratulate Jim Larkin and his team on the nineteen victories to their credit, as against five defeats and three draws. Second, we are indeed pleased at their magnificent wins over Richmond 1st "A," London University Vandals, Maidstone, and Toc.H., to mention the most creditable. These were the result of sound team-work, itself due to the excellent team-spirit and keenness shown. There has been a marked improvement in individual players and in the general knowledge of the game, while fitness and good leadership put an extra fire and intelligence into the play. There were, however, sad lapses, for very little apparent reason. Whisper the word " Wyggestonians" to large forwards of the august First Eleven, and they actually blush and creep unobtrusively away to a corner, to recover in solitude. Form is still too erratic for the team ever to achieve greatness until it realises that, if their opponents won't let them play their own game they must adapt themselves to the game best calculated to throw their opponents off their form. The Old Tiffinians gave them an object lesson in the desirability of being quickly on to ball or man. Now for our Grievance. Why the * * ! ! * * should a team capable of beating the Richmond Second Team lose five such matches as were lost, even allowing for injuries and staleness. Even a draw with a side inferior on paper does more to ruin the chances of a rising club than losing to an admittedly stronger club. The suggestion that effort is not required in an easy match is fundamentally wrong. Then is the opportunity for developing team work and confidence, particularly in an experimental arrangement or movement. Enough of this free and dogmatic counsel—it can be stored up with advantage until we write our authoritative text-book on " Games we know, and how to play them." Without doubt, good forwards and indifferent backs will beat the reverse combination. The Old Boys owe their season's success largely to the really excellent standard of forward play—in all but a few matches. Praise must be given here to the useful reserves (of whom Bill Williams was 94 (toe dolteian outstanding). Anticipation and position play earned for Mayes (the most improved member of the whole team) and Coffer the distinction of being among the chief try-scorers. Both did their share in the tight, where Wells (the most consistent forward), Webb, Godden, Burgess, Cawte, and Jefferies all proved themselves good, honest workers—when worked up—and solid scrummaging is, after all, the founda- tion of the more spectacular stuff. Had the backs been able consistently to produce their potential form, the team would have been really sound, fore and aft. It was largely owing to the disadvantages, due to injuries, under which the three-quarter line laboured, that so much of the onus and limelight fell on the forwards. No less than thirteen players appeared in the back division in the course of the season, and two of those were forwards. Notwithstanding, the backs put up some very good shows, and if they never attained brilliance in attack, they proved so hardworking in defence that their line was only crossed, on the average, once in each game, including Button's five tries, when there were five reserves playing. In the circumstances, there is little to be said worthy of note. Exception might be made of Swanson's magnifi- cent and unfailing defence, and of Stone's brilliant, long touch-finders, which so disheartened the opposing forwards. Special mention must ba made of Webb's amazing place- kicking, about which complaints are said to have been received from passing aviators. With the help of Godden and Burgess, he accounted for 174 points out of 355, but it isn't so much the number we are thinking of. The season was too full of tense struggles, to give rise to much in the way of humour, but it is worth recording that Walt Disney might have found the inspiration for the " Three Little Pigs " in a desperate race for the line between Jim Larkin and a large Richmond forward, who admirably filled the r61e of the Big Bad Wolf, and who, breaking the tradition, caught his Little Pig right on the line, and by a typical cartoon villain's effort, saved a certain try. We look forward to 1935-36 with confidence. " A " XV. Played 23. Won 10. Lost 12. Drawn 1. Points for 146. Against 217. The above figures may, or may not, convey a true idea of a very enjoyable season. Stronger fixtures may be re- sponsible, but, with one or two exceptions, at the tail end of the season, no games were lost by more than a few points. The one grouse of the season was " hard grounds." Most games were played on grounds baked hard by the sun Colfeian 95 and then left without rain, whilst one game was played on a snow-covered ground, frozen underneath. On one occasion, at Hendon, we had plenty of mud and water but, alas! only on one half of the pitch. Unfortunately, the state of the grounds had the effect of increasing injuries, mostly minor ones, beyond the normal quota. The standard of play, nevertheless, remained high. It is difficult to name individuals as standing out in a side which played consistently well until the very end of the season, when grounds became unbearably hard. Every- one, including the reserves called upon to fill vacancies through injuries, combined well to make the team into a well-balanced combination. " Ex A " XV. SEASON 1934-5. Played 26. Won 10. Lost 4. Drawn 2. Points for 223. Against 255. The above results indicate the position at the end of a very enjoyable season. Unfortunately, owing to many in- juries in this and the two higher fifteens (and also, very regrettably, a certain lack of keenness in some members for playing in away games), the personnel of the team varied considerably from week to week, and consequently there was not much opportunity for the players to get together. In spite of this, however, it will be seen that, on the average, the games were very evenly contested. Among the teams we managed to beat were the Old Tiffinians, Old Askeans, and Old Brockleians, the score of the latter game being 5—3. In conclusion, we should like to thank the men from School who turned out for us on several occasions, and hope that in the near future they will be playing for us as per- manent members of the O.C.R.F.C. jfoot&all. ASSOCIATION. (Hon. Sec., F. M. Manning, 1, Kinveachy Gardens, S.E.7.) The decision taken during the previous season to play in friendly games only (except for the A.F.A. and Old Boys) was amply justified this season. It affected the 1st XI mainly, but it also had its effects on the second, for the 1st XI kept a very regular side, steering clear of injuries, and so the second only rarely had to go outside its own quota of players. The games played were much more enjoyable than in the league days, when poor grounds, accommodation, and not 96 ttbe coltetan the best of spirit prevailed in a good many matches. We can say at once that at least half the list were most enjoyable games, and, what is more, were very even, for no less than 12 out of the 29 were won or lost by the odd goal either way, and five more drawn. The first Cup round was won, but we lost the second, losing two goals in the last few minutes. That loss cleared the way for the ordinary games right up to January, when we journeyed to Derby, by coach, for the Old Boys' Cup, and lost a good game with a somewhat scratch side. The Old Derbeians entertained us most royally, and we hope that we shall be drawn with them next season, but on our ground, when we will be able to return some of their hospitality. Outstanding games were with Crouch End Vampires, when, after leading 3-0, we lost 3-8; with Old Roan, on Boxing Day, when yet another draw was played. Inciden- tally, this shows that our strength is still about the same as the previous year, even without the spur of league points. A new game was with the A.F.A. Public Schools, kindly given us by the A.F.A., was very enjoyable. At one time the O.C.s led by 6-1, but within a few minutes by only 6-5; then the Schools tired somewhat on a heavy ground, and the O.C.s put on two more, including one by Biffin with a thirty yard shot. We hope the A.F.A. will be able to give this game regularly. Other good games were with Casuals A, in the second of which games three of their Isthmian League side were playing, Old Cholmelians, Maori, on their beautiful ground at Worcester Park, Old Citizens, H.A.C. (again two even games), and King's College. Turning to the individual players, Coomber established himself very thoroughly in goal in more ways than one, being very safe, and showing much improved handling of the ball, while opposing forwards found it practically useless to try and knock him over. Bareham played as soundly as for many seasons at right back. Poulter also did his share, but developed a penchant for scoring, but unfortunately in the wrong goal. The halves were from Mclver, Biffin, Hyde and Rokes, who was only available every third Saturday. With some speeding up, Mac could play in any football. Biffin tried both centre half and centre forward, sometimes both positions in the same game, when one would have sufficed. Hyde was the side's general utility man, playing in every line except goal, and as energetic as ever, despite being the one of the only two pre-war members still playing. The other members of the side were Short, Jones, Higgs, Pilcher and B. Cleave, a forward line that did not settle down for some time, but improved considerably after Christmas. Higgs scored some good goals at centre forward and might have done better by using two feet, not a right only. B. Gleave improved very much as the season went on, but also carried one leg and a swinger. OLD COLFEIANS F.C. 2nd XI, 1934-5. Back row.—II. G. SMITH, i,. A. MILLS, R. A. BOND, E. E. SLATOR, F. C. HIOGS, D. W. SHKAPNELL, R. BURGESS (Referee). Front row.—D. W. BARNARD, E. W. SARGENT (Vice-Captain), E. J. MARKS (Captain), G. S. JONES, K. BURDEN. OLD COLFEIANS F.C. 4th XI, 1934-5. Back row.—W. T. CONSTANCE (Referee), F. TOLLERTON (Club Steward), E. J. TALBOT, R. C. STONEHAM, W. N. BROWN, D. H. ELLIS, K. GLEAVE, R. I. SHAND, I,. REASON, I,. TAYLOR (St. John's Ambulance). Front row.—F. HARWOOD, R. E. FICKEN (Vice-Captain), F. M. MANNING (Captain), A. J. TOYNE, B. H. ALLARDYCE. To face page 97. ttbc Colfeian 97 1ST XI. Played 29. Won 9. Lost 15. Drawn 5. Goals for, 56. Goals against, 75. Goals Goals Opponents .esult For Agst Opponents. Result For Agst Gidea Park Won 1 1 A.F.A. Public *Great Western Rly. Won 3 1 Schools . . Won 8 5 Casuals A.. . Lost 2 5 JOld Derbeians Lost 1 3 Old Citizens Lost 1 2 Old Cholmelians Lost 0 6 *Old Tollingtonians Lostt 1 2 Maori Lost 3 4 Exiles .. Lost 1 5 Exiles Lost 0 1 Crouch End Vam- Old Citizens Won 2 1 pires Lost 3 8 H.A.C. Drawn 4 4 London School of King's College Lost 1 2 Economics Lost 1 2 H.A.C. Won 3 2 City of London Old Cholmelians Lost 0 3 College Lost 0 2 London Welsh Drawn 2 2 R.M.A Won 3 1 West Wickham Won 3 2 West Wickham .. Drawn 2 2 London Welsh Lost 0 4 Bexleyheath Won 5 0 Casuals A. . . Lost 1 2 fOld Roan Drawn 1 1 Bexley M.H. Drawn 2 2 Bexley M.H. Won 2 1 *A.F.A. Senior Cup. fCharity Match. JOld Boys' Cup. 2nd XI. This was the most successful of the four teams, and, like the 1st XI, had over half the games either drawn or only a single goal in it either way. The team rather fell away at the end of the season, but it was also the unluckiest regarding injuries. Hutchings and Stuart were so badly crocked that it is doubtful if either will play again, while Sargent was out several weeks with a bad ankle, and Shrapnell did not play after Christmas for the same reason. The success of the side was mainly in team-work, no one particularly outstanding, except, perhaps, E. Marks, who took the '' James'' r61e of inside left with considerable success. In the A.F.A. Junior Cup, the London Welsh XI won after a replay, and our side can congratulate itself, as this team went on to the semi-final. Particularly good wins were over Midland Bank, Abbey Road Building Society, Westminster and Barclays Banks IVs; the last of whom lost their only game in the season against us. This, unfortunately, rather spoilt the return game, as over-keenness to win resulted in one of the least pleasant games of the season. One dreadful defeat was against Hampton School, who were one of the best London School XIs of the year; the positioning and all-round play of these schoolboys was an object lesson. The goalkeepers were Pattison, till he was fit enough to play out, Powell, _and Sargent, who also played forward when his ankle recovered. Shrapnell was at back till Christmas, when Dark came into the side; Cullen started as left back, but seemed to lose confidence, probably due to being small, and getting knocked about at times. Smith played many useful games at right half, in an unobtrusive kind of way, ttbe Colfefan with Mills at centre half, who was anything but unobtrusive. Barnard had some really off days, and Bryant was unfor- tunately often prevented from playing, but made up for them at other times. Slator scored most, followed by Marks, Hutchings and Bond, who returned after several seasons out of the game, and Newton had several useful games at outside left towards the end of the season. K. Burden arrived late in the season, with energetic tackling, and his speciality of the wonderful screw kicks, which at times went backwards. 2ND XI. Played 30. Won 11. Lost 13. Drawn 6. Goals for, 60. Goals against, 72. Goals Goals Opponents Result For Agst Opponents. Result. For Agst Court's Bank .. Lost 0 3 Woolwich Equitable Midland Bank IV.. Lost 1 2 B.S Lost 1 5 Exiles II .. .. Won 4 3 Maori II .. .. Lost 1 4 * London Welsh II Drawn 1 1 Clan Line .. . . Drawn 1 1 *London Welsh II Lost 0 2 Old Citizens II .. Lost 2 4 Coutt's Bank .. Drawn 4 4 Southgate Wan- The Hale .. .. Won 4 2 derers II .. Won 3 1 Hampton Grammar Blount & Co. .. Lost 1 2 School .. .. Lost 1 7 Woolwich Equitable Bexleyheath II . . Won 31 B.S Lost 2 3 Bromley School .. Won 1 0 Old Citizens II .. Won 3 1 Montague . . .. Won 6 0 Westminster Bank Abbey Road B.S. Won 32 " B " .. .. Won 3 2 Southgate Wan- Barclay's Bank IV Lost 1 2 derers II .. Drawn 2 2 Westminster Bank Barclay's Bank II Won 32 " B " . . .. Lost 1 3 |20th London Regt. Won 3 0 Midland Bank IV. . Lost 2 7 Alleyn Old Boys III Drawn 1 1 Ibis III .. .. Lost 0 4 Ibis III .. .. Drawn 2 2 *A.F.A. Junior Cup. fCharity Match. 3rd XI. Although the results show a large excess of games lost, an analysis reveals that the margin of defeat was in many cases small. In the first half of the season constant changes in the forward line militated against good combination, but after Christmas, with a more regular side, a great improve- ment was noticeable. Bishop and L/ummis shared the goal- keeping early on, but the latter bore the brunt later, and proved himself a very sound custodian. B. L,eeke and Dark (captain) were a safe pair of backs, positioning and covering well, while N. L-eeke at right and Milner at centre half also played well, the latter developing a stylish game and tackling surely, if occasionally somewhat rashly. Simmons, a slow starter, improved at left half as the season progressed. Swales on the right wing was clever and speedy, though should endea- vour to centre sooner, whilst Newton on the left played a con- sistently good game. Burtt, at centre forward, was disap- pointing, lacking the effectiveness required and expected of him. I,ater Bishop adapted himself to this position well, and Colteian 99 showed an increasing ability to get through and score if given the chance. Thompson, originally at left wing, proved himself the team's " utility man," in playing afterwards at left half and left back (on Dark's promotion to 2nd XI), and could always be relied upon for a sound display in both defence and attack. I^angford, who succeeded Dark as captain in January, did useful constructive work at inside left. Cullen and Toyne assisted at back and half back effectively, and Meerendonk, a later recruit, showed, as inside forward or half back, great keenness, if a certain lack of style : he joined with Milner in that both were of the great minority in the club, they could kick with both feet. Two outstanding games were with Old Hamptonians 3rd in the Minor Cup, and two very even ones against Ackroyd and Smithers. The defence had a habit of collapsing on occasion, which ran up the " goals against " out of all pro- portion to the run of the games. Some revision of the fixture list for next season should ensure more even games in 1935/36. 3RD XI. Played 29. Won 6. Lost 18. Drawn 5. Goals for, 47. Goals against, 85. Goals Goals Opponents. Result. For Agst Opponents. Result For Agst Alleyn Old Boys IV Lost 0 7 Hon. See's XI .. Won 7 1 Ackroyd & Smithers Drawn 2 2 Ibis IV .. .. Lost 0 3 Old Chigwellians IV Drawn 1 1 Cuaco V . . .. Lost 0 8 Old Mercers III .. Lost 1 4 National Provincial Wallis .. .. Lost 1 3 Bank IV .. Lost 0 4 *Old Hamptonians Ackroyd & Smithers Drawn 1 1 III .. .. Drawn 1 1 Barclay's Bank VI Lost 2 5 Ibis IV .. .. Lost 1 3 Old Owens IV .. Won 5 0 *Old Hamptonians Old Templars .. Lost 0 1 III .. .. Lost 1 2 LensburyVII .. Lost 0 2 Old Templars .. Lost 0 6 Cuaco V .. .. Lost 1 10 National Provincial Barclay's Bank VI Lost 0 2 Bank IV .. Lost 0 4 Alleyn Old Boys IV Drawn 2 2 Carshalton Ex. "C" Won 3 0 Old Chigwellians IV Won 5 2 Martins Bank II .. Lost 3 7 Carshalton Ex "C" Won 3 0 Lensbury VII .. Lost 1 3 Westminster Bank Old Mercers III .. Lost 2 4 "D" .. .. Won 4 1 •A.F.A. Minor Cup. 4th XI. This was a side of abundant keenness, at once the apple of the Hon. Sec.'s eye, and his bane. Starting, as usual, with a scratch side, the team improved out of all knowledge, both collectively and individually, and at the end of the season was playing combined football, though not with very much success. For another season, some of the stronger fixtures will be transferred to the 3rd XI, though only against Woolwich Equitable II, Westminster Bank (an amazing game, by the way; the opposing goalkeeper had neither goal kick nor corner to deal with, and yet we scored two!), Hampton School and Barclays Bank, were we really out-classed. The results of many of the games were quite misleading, ioo ttbe Colfetan though generally our forwards could not get goals, and the opponents could. The main trouble with the side was that the forwards tried to dribble the ball in, through inability to shoot, and the defence was poor in positioning. Ellis im- proved very much in goal, and Ficken took his place very successfully, being the utility man of the side, playing in nearly every position at different times, though his best one was at back. Manning at back lent weight to an otherwise light team, using grey matter to save feet; Toyne also per- formed at back, rather more successfully than at half, though one-footed. The halves were Talbot, full of energy though rather wild, Brown, just about as good as when he played centre-forward, Harwood, another one too wild in kicking, and K. Gleave, almost indescribable at left half, a more suitable position than his former one of outside left. There were, of course, innumerable changes among the forwards. During the first half of the season the Shand Bros, scored all the goals, R. W. showing very good ball control, N. C. Ellis improved out of all knowledge when playing outside left, as also did Allardyce. Reason would do better to run with the ball, instead of booting it into the middle so much : his middle being sometimes back towards our own goal. Parvin and Humphreys only played occasionally through business reasons, but Stoneham and Foster, both of whom came into the side after Christmas, did very well, Foster having particularly good ball control, though rather weak in kicking. We may conclude by saying that the side did its best and thoroughly enjoyed the season. 4TH XI. Played 30. Won 6. Lost 18. Brawn 6. Goals for, 41. Goals against, 88. Goals Goals Opponents. Result. For Agst Opponents. Result. For Agst Woolwich Equitable Bardhill IV . . Won 1 0 B.S. II .. .. Lost 0 5 Barclay's Bank VII Lost 0 5 Old Mercers IV . . Drawn 1 1 National Provincial National Provincial Bank V .. Lost 1 3 Bank V . . Lost 1 4 Martin's Bank II Lost 1 4 Cuaco VI .. Lost 2 6 Old Parkonians V.. Won 5. 2 Barclay's Bank VII Lost 0 4 Midland Bank VIII Lost 0 2 Midland Bank VIII Lost 1 4 Old Parkonians V.. Won 3 0 Athlon IV . . Won 3 1 Lensbury VIII . . Lost 1 4 Hampton Grammar Woolwich Equitable School II .. Lost 1 7 B.S. II . . . . Lost 1 6 Cuaco VI .. . . Won 3 0 Alleyn Old Boys V Drawn 1 1 Westminster Bank National Provincial " E " . . . . Lost 2 6 Bank VI . . Drawn 2 2 Bromley School II Lost 2 3 Abbey Road B.S. II Lost 1 2 Old Mercers IV .. Drawn 1 1 Old Wilsonians V.. Lost 2 5 Ibis VI . . . . Lost 1 4 Athlon IV .. Won 1 0 Hon. See's XI . . Drawn 2 2 Ibis VI .. .. Drawn 1 1 Carshalton Ex " C " Lost 0 3 We must refer to the great loss to the club in the sudden death of our dear friend, Mr. F. E. Lander, our oldest Vice- President, and very keen supporter. He watched our games in all weathers, foul or fair, and one of the last letters he Gbe ttolteian 101 ever wrote was of regret that he did not feel well enough to attend the Annual Supper, but wishing everyone a good time. That was written on Friday, February 22nd, and he died on the following Sunday. Though there was nothing special to celebrate, except the 41st season of the Club's existence, the supper this season was the best yet. About 100 attended, and it was particularly pleasing to see some of the oldest members of the Club, A. C. Denny, H. W. Whibley, T. Simons, the Cordreys, H. W., H., and G., and J. P. Larke, who, in reply to the toast of the " Older Members," made a perfect little speech, which absolutely held the audience. There were numerous representatives of other clubs, including Midland, N.P., Barclays Banks, H.A.C., Old Chigwellians, Mercers and Alleyn, Lensbury and Ibis. Mr. Packington, of the Casuals, in replying to the toast of the visitors, mentioned that in a recent game he and Percy Sargent, also present, were playing together, and their combined ages are over 100 ! Mr. Sargent, by the way, played against us many years ago, for the New Crusaders, at Sidcup, one of the strongest amateur sides in those days, but long defunct. There were also crowds of former players, not old enough to be lumped into the toast of old members. It was announced at the supper that Bren Hichisson had promised a pair of new soccer boots to the most improved player in the Club this season. Nine names were later submitted. Winner, L. A. Mills. The Hon. Secretary wishes to thank the Hon. Referees, selected from Messrs. R. Burgess, Gil Hichisson, W. Hither- say, Philip Dean and Constance, for being so regular that no side was ever without a referee for any match. His thanks are also due to Eddy Marks and Pip I/angford, Hon. Assist. Secretary and Treasurer respectively, and Ficken, whose job of Hon. Team Secretary is the worst in any club. In spite of a good membership, he had several alarums and excursions on Friday evenings. To offset this, it may be interesting to note that Brown, B. Gleave, Langford, N. I^eeke, Manning, Marks, Pattison, Smith, Toyne, Talbot and Harwood (five of these being 4th XI, be it noted), did not once scratch if selected. In conclusion, we consider that the Club's policy should be : —1. Maintenance of numbers, for, no matter what the playing strength may get to, there will undoubtedly be Old Colfeians whose winter game will be soccer. 2. To look after every XI equally, as out of the present 4th XI will, we hope, be some 1st XI players in due course. TENNIS SECTION. The past Winter Season once again proved very suc- cessful, and, with the exception of the early part of the 102 abe Coltctan season, play was possible every weekend. Matches played by the ladies' team were keenly contested, and the reputation of the Club was sustained. All members are looking forward to a happy Summer Season, membership has increased, and our chances in the Kent Cup Competitions seem very much better than last year. At moment of writing we have got through 1st Round of the Junior. American Tennis Tourna- ments will be held on Bank Holidays, and it is hoped that all members will support these events. The Jubilee Tennis Tournament was well supported, and all competitors spent a very happy afternoon, one member of the " School " being successful in winning a " Motor Car " as the prize for the lowest score. The Dance on Jubilee night was well in keeping with the Great Day, the jollity being augmented by the well- decorated Hall. The Bridge Drive on Wednesday, May 8th, was well patronised, and skilful play was the order of the evening. BADMINTON CLUB. When the hall of the Clubhouse was completed, the members' thoughts turned to Badminton, and a General Meeting was called by the Hon. Secretary of the Sports Club. At that meeting (in September) the following officers were elected:—Captain, J. C Tate; Hon. Secretary, L,. F. Grape, of 71, Burnt Ash Road, S.E.12; and Hon. Treasurer, K. L. Keell, these, with seven others, forming the Com- mittee. The preliminary work was greatly assisted by H. Little and H. J. Tookey, who had had previous experience in running Badminton clubs. The total membership soon rose to seventy, and play was arranged for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday even- ings, Thursday afternoons (ladies), and Sunday afternoons. Perhaps the most progress in the game was by the Monday section (men only), of whom hardly any had played before, but who could put up quite a good game, energetic, if not particularly scientific, by the end of the season. It was first thought inadvisable to arrange matches, but after two months the Committee considered the club strong enough to play a few matches. Two of these were men's doubles against the Burrage B.C., who trounced us handsomely, the club being represented by Messrs. Tookey, Masters, Little, Shand, Higgs and Grape in the first match. In two mixed doubles matches with Petts Wood B.C. we were much more successful, win- ning both, the team being Mrs. Stannard, Mrs. Tate and Miss Buckley, with Messrs. Tookey, Higgs and Grape for the first match. We can look forward with every confidence to the 1935-36 season, but would like to remind Old Colfeians that the mem- bership, by the very nature of the game, is limited (it was twenty per night in 1934-35), and so very early application is advisable for next season. colfeian 103 BOWIES CLUB. It was a great disappointment that this section had not been started in the previous year, but the drought made the green quite impossible for play. The year's extra rest un- doubtedly improved the turf very much, but just before the season was due to start, the infernal leather-jackets (which also caused so much trouble at Lords) made their appearance; the situation was quickly taken in hand, but the resulting bare patches made the green look poor. It was obvious that not many Old Colfeians would be available to start this new section, but a preliminary meeting of gentlemen likely to be interested was called by F. M. Manning, the Hon. Secretary of the Sports Club, on March 21st, when fifteen attended. A small Committee was appointed temporarily, which met and drafted rules, etc., and the First General Meeting was held on March 29th, when the following office holders were elected. President, Mr. E. A. Reed; Cap- tain, Mr. J. Stanley Marks; Vice-Captain, Mr. H. J. Saunders, Hon. Secretary, Mr. G. Ramsey Short, 81, Burnt Ash Road, S.E.12; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. H. S. Ling. Com- mittee members, Messrs. M. E. Coochey, P. L,inley and L. Maxwell. The green was opened by the President of the Old Colfeians' Club, Mr. Dodd, on May 4th, who welcomed mem- bers, and also bowled the first jack and the first wood. The membership at the moment of writing is twenty, so nothing much will be done this season regarding tournaments and matches. Later there is no doubt that, with an increased membership and the attraction of a very good clubhouse, many good matches will be arranged. The Hon. Secretary will be very pleased to send full details to any interested in bowls, which will undoubtedly be one of the best sections of the Sports Club, when fully developed. THE CAR TREASURE HUNT. A new feature of the Club's entertainment was the Treasure Hunt, held on the Friday of Jubilee week. This was a most successful and amusing affair : twenty-one cars started, eighteen finished, thus three fell by the wayside. The cars went off at about two-minute intervals, the first clue being : — " Think of fairies and Pantomime, Because it's important in this rhyme, If you want to know just who I am, I may be Cinderella or Peter Pan. But the clue is hidden near something wet, And you hire a boat if there's one to let, The boat you'll find is a small canoe, So it's doubtful if there's room for two. Should you wonder which way to take, Turn to the left when outside the gate." 104 Gbe Colteian After much brain work, Peter Pan's pool at Southend seemed indicated, though we understand that one hunter went to the boating pond on Blackheath. At the last moment it was decided that the last part of the clue regarding the hiring of canoe, etc., to find the next clue on the island in the middle, would not be practicable, thus the possibility of the spectacle of elderly and/or respectable members of the Club rowing frantically in the children's boats was lost for ever. The second clue led to the Old Mill at Keston; from there to the bandstand at Shoreham. This latter bit was a journey where some knowledge of the country was a distinct advantage, quite a lot of time being lost both in reaching Shoreham and in finding the bandstand. The next leg of the run was to the Moat House, Wrotham, and the Pilgrims' Way between Otford and Wrotham can rarely have been traversed at such a pace before. From there to Farningham the route led along the main road, up Wrotham Hill, at the top of which one car gave up the ghost, having probably had enough for one night. From Farningham the next clue was Home, with no sparing of horses, the last lap being from the car park to the cricket scoring box, where was not treasure, but only Joe Kelleher, wrapped in newspapers and brown paper, trying to defy the cold for two hours. When the last competitor was home, except for the three unfortunates, the company adjourned to supper, over eighty being present. The prizes were very kindly provided and presented by Mrs. Hone, the winners being Mr. Hague, whose passengers were Messrs. Long and Dick Reed, and (second) Mr. Short, with Mrs. Short, Miss Belsham and L. Biffin. The latter did the fastest time, 1 hour 40 min. for roughly 45 miles, but Hague, having a smaller car, was con- sidered to have done the best. L. Reason would probably have finished first, but for a few minutes spent on filling up with petrol. Some of the also-rans—who rettirned on foot or by Green Line—were not forgotten, being presented with some fine specimens of vegetable. Like most things, a second similar event should be an even greater success, and we hope it will be held before the summer is out. The hunt rather resolved itself into a race, as the clues were quite simple : the Spring Poet who did the rhyming was suspected as being Sidnev Phillips, and in only one did the metre fall down somewhat, thus : — " In a road-house near Wrotham I'm hidden, Where strong drink for sale is forbidden, My address is a Farm House of rather good note, And my name it rhymes with the words goat or stoat." The organisers were Glen Sacre and the Spring Poet, with Rutherford, Mrs. Phillips, B. Gleave (and friend), Freeman and Bezer at the various control points. ttbe coltetan ios CRICKET. The Cricket Club had an unprecedented number of resignations this season, and so, despite the usual influx ot newcomers, is slightly down in numbers. It is hoped that a few more will join by the time the holiday season starts, so that the usual four matches per Saturday can be carried out. The tour in the West Country is practically as last year, and Old Colfeians will be welcomed at the " Old Bell," Axminster, at any time during the last two weeks in June. The new Hon. Secretary of the Club is B. F. Butler, 74, Felhamp- ton Road, S.E.9, who will be pleased to send any details about the Club. He is at present engaged on writing, " From Youngest Member to Hon. Secretary in Four Years : How I did it," which should have a good circulation. At the moment of going to press, news comes that H. Gimblett, of Somerset, hit 124 in his first county game, against Essex. He hit 127 for Watchet last season, against the "Old Carfenians " (according to the Daily Mail), who also happen to be the Old Colfeians. So our bowling is as good as that of Essex, or alternatively, that Essex bowling is as bad as ours! The following letter, with its reference to the late F. E. Lander, appeared in The Times of May 23rd. He was the survivor of the three batsmen mentioned. LONGEVITY IN CRICKET. (To the Editor of " The Times.") Sir,—With reference to the late O. R. Borradaile, during the War the M.C.C. made a spirited effort to keep cricket alive in public schools by sending teams to play them. The contests were usually Youth v. Experience, for naturally most available members were long in the tooth. The climax was reached at Vincent Square, where, against Westminster, the ages of the first three batsmen totalled 201. Campbell Hulton (72) died, not very long after, on the cricket field, as he would probably have wished. F. E. Lander (63) made a fine score, and a brilliant running catch, which would have done credit to a man half his age. O. R. Borradaile (66) claimed to be celebrating his jubilee, as he had played either for or against the School every year for 50 years. This is, I suppose, in its way, unique. Your obedient servant, M. M. an (SUL's IFUgbtmare. (Bv LAURENCE JONES.) I knew it was Bond Street, although it had changed fantastically. At least, the Ziegfield Follies' police-girl at the corner of Oxford Street assured me it was, and well— you couldn't gainsay such feminine charm. You know how it is when you are conscious through the back of your head 106 Cbe coltetan of people staring at you—you don't actually see them, but you kind of feel their eyes on you. So it was with me then, although for the life of me I couldn't see what they had to talk about themselves. One female, showing needless audacity, I thought, paraded arrayed in a beach-pyjama-cum-dance frock sort of affair; you know, the type that's described in Vogue as crushed lame-taffetta, or whatever it is. To crown it, this girl, with her mauve toe-nails and green lips, had around her neck a string of winkle shells, highly decorated. Any- way, I just tilted the Roman nose a little higher and walked on, unconcerned. Of course, I was proud of my O.C. sock suspender—who wouldn't be! I must say I'd thought Basil's idea a topnotcher right from the start, but convention dies slowly. I drifted down to Thing-a-me-jig's Emporium, where a Major-General-cum-Commissioner was shouting out, " Old Etonians first floor," in much the same way as they do at the Gaumont—" Seats 2/4 and 3/6; standing room elsewhere " ! Giving the old boy the straight-from-the-shoulder-look in the eye, I pushed through where a number of lesser satel- lites were directing the teeming multitude to the myriad departments of this great Store. Murmuring, •" Pyjamas," in sotto voce, and ignoring the suggestion of " Old Etonian " once more, I found myself literally drifting on one of those moving corridors towards a gorgeously decorated hall wherein was arrayed night wear of every hue and colour. Coming to anchor in front of an immaculate ex-Cabinet Minister, with whom I was very soon on intimate terms, I repeated my desire. " Uganda," replied that bright youth. Thinking that a compliment to my sunburnt complexion, I modestly answered, " Oh, no; only as far as Reid's, in Maderia." Whereupon, giving me a smile that only school- masters and such like give to the ignorant, he went on to explain that " Uganda " was the name of the texture of the jolly old pyjamas, and that most young men about town, etc., etc., ad lib. O course, being a true sportsman, I couldn't let the chap down and refuse them, although I must confess it gave me a jib when I heard the price was five guineas. " Let me see, sir," said the Professor of Salesman- ship, in his best Metropolitan College style, " You're a Weavil, aren't you?" Feeling quite upset at the idea of disappointing the dear chap, but full of that Public School spirit (whatever that is), I replied I was an Old Colfeian. " Old Golfer," acquiesced that genial sportsman. " Would you be R. and A. or Sunningdale? " Eventually, after a severe effort of the larynx, I managed to get him to grasp the name, which was obviously entirely new to him. We then consulted a sort of Burke's Peerage together, tite-aj-i&ie fashion, like two little flies on a lump of sugar, and after searching through lists of names, such as " Old Cabbages," ttbe dolfeian 107 Bow Street Old Boys, Old Crippens, we eventually found the O.C.'s under 1932 heading, with the correct colours appended. "Rather old, sir," apologised the P. of S., "I didn't know the Club was still in existence. I wouldn't like to say whether we've one in stock, but I could get you one sent down to-morrow." " Good heavens," I gasped, " it's only two years since they were put on the list." " Two years," repeated the P. of S., quite shaken out of his M.C. composure. " Aren't you forgetting this is 1948, not 1934?" " 1948," I gasped, shaken in turn, but showing less discom- fort than the P. of S., I hope. " So it is—how times flies." He disappeared through the back of the curtains, whilst I was glad to snatch at a " Pick-u-up," on the " Help Your- self " table next to the counter. The P. of S. returned in less than five minutes, so it seemed, bearing aloft, in tradi- tional style, a most gorgeous sleep-suit in O.C.'s colours. Whilst he put the creation in its tissue paper we each grinned at the other, like you do when you wish to impress the other person that you weren't really put out, but were just play- acting. After a short chat on Mushroom's chance in the Oaks, and one or two " Pick-u-ups" (or is it "Picks-u- up "?), I beetled off towards the exit. Under an archway the twin brother of the Major-General-cum-Commissioner took compassion on me, relieved me of my purchase, and suggested ordering a taxi. Knowing I had only a bob between myself and humiliation, but realising that the poor chap probably needed the tip for his wife and family, I re- trieved my parcel and slipped sixpence into his hand. For a moment his only movement was the bulging of his eyeballs; then his face became a crimson purple. Divining my presence was becoming embarrassing, I turned and walked down the moving strip of corridor, and was brought up short by a voice like a dozen sergeant-majors shouting, " Sir." With a frantic glance over my shoulder, I fled down the corridor, with his hot breath coming in spasms on the back of my neck. Unfortunately, two dear old ladies were aim- lessly chattering in my path. Quick as a welsher on Derby Day, I sidestepped on to the moving corridor going in the opposite direction, hoping to dodge my pursuer. Too late! Before I could duck, a hand, heavy as iron, fell on my shoulder. . . . " Are you playing in this game of snooker, sir? " re- peated the steward, his hand still on my shoulder. " They are all waiting to start." I rubbed my eyes and grinned sheepishly. 108 gbe Colfelan Hlumnt dolfensee being The Register of Scholars educated at Colfe's Grammar School (continued from No. 57, p. 43). ROSE, CYRIL, son of Fred. W. Rose, of Lewisham, b. August 13th, 1899 ; e. January, 1910 ; left July, 1911. Buff House. ROSE, ALBERT, son of Fred. W. Rose, of Lewisham, b. March 10th, 1901 ; e. January, 1910 ; left July, 1911. Buff House. BERRYMAN, MONTAGU L., son of Frederick Berryman, of Lewisham, b. July 21st, 1899; e. January, 1910 ; left December, 1912. Buff House. MASON, BERNARD W., son of Arthur Mason, of Lee, b. April 18th, 1898 ; e. January, 1910; left July, 1914. Blue House. Army, 1916 ; Private M.T., R.A.S.C. ; served in German East Africa, 1917 ; in- valided home, 1918. WHITNEY, NORMAN FIRTH, son of Edward C. Whitney, of Lewisham, b. May 3rd, 1899; e. January, 1910; left July, 1912. Green House. HYDE, HUBERT A., son of George Hyde, Eltham, b. August 14th, 1897 ; e. January, 1910 ; left December, 1918. Buff House. Navy, 1916 ; Air mechanic, R.N.A.S. PARSONS, HAROLD C., son of Alfred R. Parsons, of Brockley, b. January 2nd, 1897 ; e. January, 1910 ; left December, 1912. Buff House. REED, HEYWOOD JAMES, son of Joseph Reed, of Greenwich, b. May 12th, 1897 ; e. January, 1910 ; left March, 1911. Green House. Army, 1914 ; 34tb Battery R.F.A. ; served in France ; killed by shell fire, May 81st, 1917. REED, PHILIP GEO., son of Joseph Reed, of Greenwich ; b. March 21st, 1899 ; e. January, 1910 ; left March, 1914. Green House. Navy, 1917 ; served in seaplanes on the British coast. HAWLEY, HARRY, son of Henry C. Hawley, of Lewisham ; b. November 7th, 1901 ; e. January, 1910 ; left February, 1917. Buff House. JONES, GEORGE CHAS., son of Charles Jones, of Ladywell, b. May 27th, 1898 ; e. January, 1910 ; left December, 1912. Blue House. Army, 1914. Private, Royal West Kents ; Transferred in 1918 to 7th Essex Regt. Served in Palestine. Wounded April 19th, 1917, at Gaza. Qualified Instructor in Lewis Gun. HARRIS, GORDON, son of Gordon Harris, of Lewisham, b. August 6th, 1895 ; e. February, 1910 ; left July, 1910. Died. CHARLTON, FRANK TYSOE, son of William Charlton, of Blackheath, b. June 16th, 1898 ; e. May, 1910 ; left December, 1915. Red House. Army, 1916 ; Private, Artists' Rifles ; 2nd Lieut., 3rd Battn. South Lancashire Regt. Served in France ; killed in action October 3rd, 1918. TAYLOR, JOHN E., son of William Taylor, of Lewisham, b. October 23rd, 1897 ; e. May, 1910 ; left December, 1912. CROSSMAN, CYRIL JOHN, son of James Crossman, of Lee, b. August 7th, 1896 ; e. May, 1910 ; left July, 1912. Blue House. Army, 1914. Private, 20th Battn. London Regt. ; Captain, South Lancashire Regt. Served in France ; badly gassed in 1915. EDMEADES, ROBERT G., son of Robert Edmeades, of Lee, b. April 2nd, 1897 ; e. May, 1910 ; left July, 1911. Green House. EDMEADES, FREDERICK D., son of Robert Edmeades, of Lee, b. August 19th, 1898 ; e. May, 1910 ; left July, 1911. Buff House. COLLINS, ARTHUR S., son of Hubert Collins, of Brockley, b. July 2nd, 1899 ; e. May, 1910 ; left July, 1916. Blue House. Army, 1917 ; Private, 9th Battn. Northants Regt., and 44th Garrison Battn., Royal Fusiliers ; served in France. WHITFIELD, GEORGE E., son of George F. Whitfield, of Lewisham, b. May 25th, 1900 ; e. May, 1910 ; left December, 1915. Buff House. (To be continued.) ttbc colfetan 109 Xiterarg "Rotes. (On work of O.C.s published since last November.) F. H. Briant (1903-06) contributed an article to the Post Office Magazine, of December, 1934. It was a description of the work of the South Eastern Parcel Office. Copiously illustrated, it showed the progress in mechanisation during the last 100 years. Henry Williamson (1907-13). His book " The Linhay on the Downs," Cape, 7/6, was written of by Robert Lynd in John o' London as follows :—" Here, in a few pages, he uses his most conspicuous gifts to good purpose—his power of vision, his sensitive response to the beauty and tenor of nature, his peering sympathy with wild creatures, all ex- pressing themselves with a copious and communicative energy." In the various short stories that have been recently appearing in the Daily Press we liked best those that kept on the lines mentioned above. An amusing skit on his " Tarka the Otter " style and vocabulary, appeared in Beachcomber's column in the Daily Express, 15/11/34. Commenting on the escape of a peregrine falcon, Beachcomber writes : — " I will wager that if Mr. Henry Williamson—' Devon's Dandelion,' as we call him in the Junior Winged Things Club—were to hold out his wrist and give the peculiar whistle of the anxious falconeer, that bird would come back to roost before you could say mdglhhmjczcpszeltrnvrmbppp which is what falconeers say when, after a heavy fall of dew on the saltings and dirt-flats, a black-faced gerfalcon from Tarumti gets it beak caught in a door. " I shall never forget that early April morning long ago when Mr. Williamson and I went quietly down the swiftly- flowing Doodle in a duck-punt. The stars were still out, and on our left the badgers were croaking in the selvedge-bosses. An old heron went caumbling down to Widdenham Furlong. We could see the spindrift of dawn on his rosseted biceps. " Suddenly a peregrine, four foot by one, and seven by three, skoomed out of a gazzle-bush. We stood up in the punt and cast our nets at it. They caught in a wild horn- baem which grew by the bank, and the bird whopped on its way to Drivelham Bridge. " That night we had fermitty-pudden in the Cat and Daffodil." On January 26th, appeared in John o' London's Weekly a personal tribute to V. M. Yeates. H. W. wrote feelingly and with dramatic force on the career and work of V. M. Yeates (" Winged Victory "). Space forbids reproducing much of this two-page article, but some extracts from the letters show one Old Colfeian helping another., Yeates to Williamson, 19/3/33. " I have strung some words together and intend to call them a novel, and will you please give me two words of advice ? You can hardly refuse it to one of your own characters in " Dandelion Days." 110 Cbe Colteian Yeates became desperately ill, and references to this are frequent. Then " Winged Victory " was published, and he waited for success that would take him away from the smoke of London. But, in spite of a good press, the public bought less than a thousand copies. His farewell letter to H. W. is tragic. We recommend those O.C.s who knew Yeates and Williamson to get this number of John o' London's Weekly and read it. F. L- Lucas (1902-9) continues to contribute his verses to the Observer. We liked best the following : — JUNE ON CASTLE HILL. On its grassy brow Not a tower now, Not a stone : THE ENEMY. Not a trumpet-call, Swan-soft I was, lithe as a Not a hushed foot-fall— leopard, Alone And lynx-eyed to discover Wild parsley waves its white Wise mouse or wary blackbird. flags far unfurled On nightingales I dined, Above a warless world. Like Caesar. But night has fallen, The night that brings no lover, Earth sleeps in peace; Black as my fur, where even Yet without cease Eyes of green jade are blind. The sky Now blithe on bough above me Throbs angrily The Muses' songsters sing As the laden bee How here their hater moulders, Sails by, A limp, forgotten thing. And with a secret sting, that sullen hum Whispers of wars to come. ®utpost8. The O.C.'s overseas have forgotten the Old Folks at Home ! We have received letters only from R. L. Hill (1904-06), of Gambia, W. Africa; H. W. Walker (1900-04), of British Guiana, whose letter, written some long months ago, is, as usual, very interesting, with its account of life in a far-off land, and its description of the horrible, shudder-making tarantula. We print extracts from two letters of G. Sangwin (1918 —), who keeps us regularly posted about New Zealand, and who mentions a couple of O.C.'s he met again there. To those who forgot to write—PLEASE Do ! We want about 12 printed pagest to keep up our average. Fazenda " El Algodon," Rio Rupununi, British Guiana, September 26th, 1934. Estimado y Querido Seiior and Amigo, After serving six months of " hard labour " in sack- cloth and ashes, I feel that I have expiated my offence and can once again approach you on terms of equality. Obe Colfeian ill The June number of THE COLFBIAN turned up on the 12th of this month, being brought along by the District Commissioner, on one of his periodic visits to the back-lands. I had been waiting for it before writing to you, and my one great fear now is that, after seeing the note in the June number, that my letter dated February only just reached you in time for publication in the June number, that this letter, thanks to the vagaries of our Postal Service, will be too late for inclusion in the November number. Lit was.—EDITOR.] Having commenced late, the rainy season seems loath to leave us, the result being that all the creeks are full to overflowing, while most of the savannahs are under water, seriously interfering with the work of the Annual General Round-up of horses and cattle, for the purpose of branding all the new young stock. Insect pests are very numerous this year, putting in an appearance in places hitherto immune from their visitations. Big cow-flies and mosquitoes are especially numerous, and allow the unfortunate animals no rest, keeping them con- tinually on the move, the result being that, despite splendid pasturage, all livestock is not in too good condition, and we can only hope that the change of the moon on Sunday next will see the end of the rains and the departure of all insect pests for other climes. Vampire bats are also very plentiful, and not a night passes that several of the cows in the corral are not bitten; and this reminds me of a story, which may be new to most of your readers. The tale begins with a coolie who was bitten in the toe by a tarantula spider, and who, when he went to bad that night stuck his swollen, tortured toe outside the bedclothes in order to get what relief he could from the cool night air playing on it. In the night a vampire bat came, saw that big foot sticking out invitingly, and fastened on it for a meal. Morning found the coolie practically recovered from the tarantula bite, though weak from loss of blood which had been drained from him, along with the spider's poison, and with his foot reduced to normal size. Under his bed lay a dead vampire bat, the victim to gluttony and tarantula venom. These small bats are little more than tubes, through which the gore passes, for they eject most of- what they suck out of the veins of their victims. Consequently, they are capable, not of assimilating, but of extracting a quantity of blood altogether out of proportion to their size. Half a dozen of these parasites can drain an animal if it is already in bad condition, and if they attack the same beast two or three nights in succession, no amount of strength will save it. The average vampire measures ten to twelve inches between the wing-tips. It has two pairs of extremely sharp eye-teeth, with which it makes a cylindrical wound about an eighth 112 ttbe Colfcian of an inch in diameter and a sixteenth of an inch deep. It is supposed that there is some sort of anaesthetic in the creature's saliva, for it appears to be able to puncture the flesh of the lightest sleeper without waking him. The wounds heal at once, and some four or five inches away from it there is always a clotted, scarlet mess which has passed through the intestines of the bat while it was still feeding. The news that some busybodies have decided to change the name of Lewisham Hill to Wat Tyler's Road must surely be enough to make our Reverend Founder '' turn in his grave." It should be enough if every Old Colfeian, from every part of the world, wrote to the powers-that-be, protest- ing against such an act of vandalism, to cause them to revert to the original title. By the last mail I also received a parcel, with new shirts, socks, handkerchiefe, etc., brought up from Georgetown, which, thanks once more to our Postal Service (or want of it), had been months on the road; so much so, in fact, that the shirts I was reduced to wearing were mostly a series of patches, and a visitor, passing through the ranch and calling in for a cup of tea, was forced to enquire whether any of the original shirt was left, to which fair enquirer—she was the wife of a neighbour—I was able, truthfully, to reply, " the buttons." What a life! A few nights ago, when the District Commissioner and all his Indian droghers were putting up at my place for the night, a loud outcry from the fowl-house about nine o'clock at night brought everybody to the scene, and one of the Indians killed, inside the house, what was at first thought to be a fox, but which, on closer investigation, turned out to be a specimen of that much rarer mammal, a South American wild-dog, which was in a horribly emaciated condi- tion, and had evidently thought to improve its state by dining off one (or two) of my fat, maize-fed chickens. This nefarious little scheme was nipped in the bud, and his skin now adorns the wall of my cook's room. Also, a few Sundays ago, while the Indian-in-charge of a neighbouring ranch was partaking of his afternoon siesta, he was awakened by loud "swawks" from the Ite Palm swamp, which runs at the back of the house, and on going out to investigate, he found that an alligator had seized a small pig by the nose and was dragging it away to deeper water. Here, again, the marauder was slain, and to-day the little pig is running about, showing no signs of its thrilling experience. Again, I can only say, " What a Life ! " All good wishes and very kindest regards, I am, believe me, Yours, very Colfeianly, HENRY W. WALKER. ttbe colfeian us The Gambia Police Force, Bathurst, Gambia, West Africa, January 1st, 1935. Dear Mr. Creech, Going through my papers this morning, much to my horror I came across a letter of yours dated 3.11.33. I'm frightfully sorry that it has not been answered before, and do so hope you will accept my apologies. I have no excuse to offer It was just put away and slipped my memory. It is now about 25 years since I was at the School, and during that time I have had rather a varied life. For 17 years I was in the Army (Middlesex Regiment). Retired in 1931, on appointment to the Colonial Police. Quite an interesting job, and not bad prospects. Although I wish to be a member of the Old Boys' Club, I doubt very much if there are many members who were at the School in my time. Unfortunately, the War took a heavy toll of my old School friends. . . . Yours sincerely, R L. HILL. M.V. "Zealandic," Melbourne, Vic., 25.11.34. Dear Mr. Bennett, .... We have had a very hectic rush round the coast, this being the first port at which we have had a stay of more than forty-eight hours. By the time we leave Australia we shall have " done " fourteen ports. However, we are having a stay of five days here, so we shall do our best to make up a few arrears, both social and "morphine." (Hand that one on to Mr. Southern for classification). B. Willan, same time as myself, is still out here farming, though not having too good a time. All advertisements of a " Come-to-Sunny-Australia" nature are a snare and a delusion. It is supposed to be summer here, but if we get one really good day in four we consider that we are doing quite well. The only sign of the season seems to be the number of mosquitoes around. This dock is well known for them, and all hands are getting well chewed up. They are very fierce, and about the size of sparrows (nearly, and judging by the noise they make round your ear at night, twin-engined). . . . C S. BARNARD, F.B.O.A., F.S.M.C., F.I.O. OLD COLFEIAN, 1921 — 1924 Having taken over the practice of the HATTON OPTICAL COMPANY, LTD., 19, HATTON GARDEN, E.C.I Telephone ... HOLborn 8193 would like to be of service to any OLD COLFEIANS who require eye examination or optical treatment. The con- sulting rooms are equipped with modern instruments required for the accurate measurement and correction of all refractive errors and mus- cular anomalies of the eyes. Treatments for manifest and latent squint in children and adults. Fees are moderate and a re- duction will be made to all OLD COLFEIANS. REGISTERED BY THE JOINT COUNCIL OF QUALIFIED OPTICIANS FOR SIGHT-TESTING AND OPTICAL TREATMENT UNDER THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE ACTS. 19, MONTPELIER VALE, Telephone : BLACKHEATH LEE GREEN 4823 FURS COATS -TIES - COLLARS REPAIRS A SPECIALITY In all Fur Matters CONSULT KILLS STONE & MARTEN Proprietors : JAMES BILLS & COMPANY, LTD. JOHN C. TATE INSURANCE BROKER, Wishes to advise his friends that he has left Messrs. Muir, Beddall & Co., Ltd., and has joined as a Partner the firm of:— J. LAYTON&C? INSURANCE BROKERS, BANK CHAMBERS, 329, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C.I HOLBORN 0447. and hopes that he can rely on their support in the future as he has done in the past. We transact ALL CLASSES of Insurance. Especial!/ :— MOTOR—LIFE—HOUSE PURCHASE- HOUSE COMPREHENSIVE, etc., and hope you will allow us to quote for your Business. ESTABLISHED 1906. H. GRAY & CO., LTD. Secondhand and New BOOKSELLERS, 188, Lewisham Road, (Opposite the School) S.E.I 3 TELEPHONE No. 3710 LEE GREEN. The most recent NEW BOOKS and a Large Stock of CLASSIFIED SECONDHAND BOOKS :: in all Departments of Literature :: CATALOGUES ISSUED frequently and :: forwarded FREE on application Libraries and Small Collections of BOOKS BOUGHT. TAILORS, OUTFITTERS, HOSIERS, HATTERS, GREENWICH 0433 SPORTS REQUISITES. 0* LOCAL & CLUB-HOUSE AGENT FOR ALL OLD COLFEIAN COLOURS BY APPOINTMENT TO "OLD COLFEIANS" CLUB "Colours" IN TIES SQUARES SWEATERS BLAZERS MARTIN & CO. &LONDON> WC2 R. A. MARTIN, O.C. WHItehall 1319