A W M Rooke Allsop’s / Beevor’s 1921 – 1924
Aldenham in the early twenties – A few reminiscences.
I was at Aldenham from 1921 to 1924 in Beevor’s House, or more precisely, in Beevor’s then Allsop’s. Teddy Beevor was an excellent Housemaster, ably supported by Mrs Beevor, a motherly sort in whom we all had confidence. After my first year Teddy retired and Mr Allsop became Housemaster. He was known as “Lopper” and one day my parents made the awful mistake of calling at the House and asking to see Mr Lopper. At that time the Houses were Allsop’s, Gilbert’s, Mead’s, School House Evens and School House Odds. Later the Houses reverted to the names of their original founders.
I was no good at games but had to try my best at soccer in winter and cricket in summer. An alternative was a run “round the res”, (the Aldenham reservoir).
The Headmaster, Mr Beck, taught Latin, Greek and Scripture. The School Chaplain was Rev. Harker, who also taught Maths. He was a venerable elderly clergyman with a white beard, who regularly addressed his class as “Boys”. “Boy, why haven’t you done your homework?”. “Sorry, Sir, but I didn’t have time”. “24 hours, boy, the same as everyone else”. French was the province of Mr Gilbert. Corporal punishment was still in vogue then and the standard weapon was the “Potty Bat” (Fives Bat) and I don’t think we were any the worse for it. Bertie would go round the class one by one. “Only seven for your homework? Then bend over” Eight…, nine…, ten… “Now do better next time”. By the time I left, enough French had been beaten into me to get me through a holiday in France.
“Boko” (Mr Boakes I suppose) took us for English. He delighted us one day by starting one session with “Now, boys, you must remember that things are not always what they appear to be. On my way here from the Battle Axes (a pub in Letchmore Heath) everything looked blue to me”.
Lighting was by gas, not electricity. In the evenings a time was set aside in each House for homework, supervised by the Housemaster or his Deputy. One enterprising chap discovered that by going to the lavatories (“Please Sir, may I be excused?”) and blowing really hard down the gas pipe, the lights in the Prep Room could be extinguished. This gave a welcome break while the unfortunate master in charge fumbled about for matches to relight the burners.
The dormitories had fanlights above the doors. After “lights out” the Housemaster used to do a round, carrying a candle. The flicker of the light could be seen on the ceiling and led to a muted “Cave, Light”. This sent everyone scurrying back to bed and pretending to be asleep.
In the morning the routine included “going down”. This ceremony, required of all, consisted of plunging into a bath of cold water. I used to emerge blue and shivering, but eventually got used to it and almost enjoyed it. It was supposed to “harden” us, but at least it made us hurry up to get some clothes on. The classrooms were usually very cold in winter so we all felt chilly except the boy whose desk was next to the radiator. I was troubled by chilblains, which was not surprising.
A highlight of the month was the visit of the Barber. One chap used to prime himself beforehand with all the current sports news and scores as he said the barber was more interested in finding out what went on inside our heads than in tidying up the outsides. This same chap’s pet hobby was railways. So, when following some misdemeanour, he was given as an “impot” to draw a map of Britain showing all the main railways, this was no punishment! It was just about that time that the numerous railway companies were amalgamated into the Big Five: 1) Great Western: (I don’t think any major companies were added to it); 2) Southern Railway: London & South Western, London Brighton & South Coast. South Eastern and Chatham; 3) London & North Eastern: Great Northern, Great Eastern, Great Central; 4) London, Midland & Scottish: Midland, London & North Western; 5) Caledonian (comprising various Scottish companies).
Another popular activity was the Officer’s Training Corp (Aldenham School OTC). So soon after the end of the First World War this was taken very seriously. Our C.O was Lt. Col. Wadmore, who also taught Chemistry. Every year, during the summer holidays, we went to Camp, usually at Tidworth, where we learned the techniques of living under canvas and queuing “at the cook house door”.
Chapel was a somewhat formal affair. I sang in the Choir but remained unaffected. My conscience was touched however in a Scritpture lesson when Mr Beck read Revelation 3, verse 16. “Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot”. I knew that that described me, but it was not until some 6 months after leaving school that I gave myself to the Lord Jesus Christ and He became my Saviour. I have never regretted that move throughout the ensuing 76 years.
After leaving Aldenham I trained as a Medical student at University College London and University College Hospital, all the Consultants then were honorary, as were the Residents (corresponding to Senior House Officers in the NHS). I then joined my father in his General Practice in a London suburb. We had no sulphonamides or antibiotics but dispensed liquid medicines, many of whose ingredients were probably inert.
The General Strike in 1926 interrupted our student routine for several days. Public transport – trams, buses and the underground – was kept running by volunteers including most of the students. The only job I could get was as a Special Constable, but we never had to “go into action”. When we were disbanded our Officer donated to each of us the truncheon with which we had been issued. Mine saw service for many years afterwards as a rounders bat.