In praise of Lord Williams

Thanks to the good folks of the “Old Thamensians Association” for publishing the an online history of their old school (variously known over the centuries as Lord Williams’s, Lord Williams’s Grammar School and Thame Grammar). It contains more than a few entries to keep the likes of us interested..

Take 1872:

The Grammar School closed following the disastrous Headmastership of Dr T.B Fookes, a man of ‘ungovernable temper.’ He had been appointed in 1841 and was a man of a violent manner, who seemed to spend most of his time thrashing and expelling boys, playing the violin, and growing potatoes in the School’s playground.

I’m guessing it was the potato-growing that proved to be the final straw.

Still, the school quickly re-opened. By 1881, a certain George Plummer was Headmaster, although in 1888: “Rumours at School suggested that Plummer might be Jack the Ripper.” I can imagine how the originators of said rumour were dealt with!

The 1901 population census returns for the school are fascinating. Alfred Shaw was by then Head; other residents included Sarah Davies, aged 25, the cook. The two housemaids were Alice Heath, 19, and May Webb (17). And then there was Maud, the 16-year-old kitchenmaid. Is it stretching my historical imagination too far to wonder whether servants were subject to the same disciplinary measures as the pupils?

I also loved the account of the school inspection regime, from 1919:

Occasionally, the Area Inspector visited. Dr Shaw merely introduced him to each master, and then marshalled him into his house for a quiet drink and a polite goodbye.’

In 1924, “Each form room had its ‘stars and stripes’ board: on this were recorded stars for outstanding work and stripes for bad work, and disorder stripes for bad behaviour. Those who got two of these were then rewarded with two strokes of the cane.”

More to follow!