W D Blackburn Allsop’s/Beevor’s 1927 – 1932
School House was divided into Odds and Evens – it was twice as big as other Houses.
Allsop’s, Gilbert’s and Mead’s each had about 45 pupils each.
All pupils attended Chapel (close to Gilbert’s House) at 8.45am each morning before lessons and 11.00am to midday and at 7.00pm on Sundays. You could go out with parents or an adult on Sundays between services if permission was obtained.
Fridays was OTC Day (Officer Training Corps) when all pupils wore khaki uniform and were taught to parade and learn military matters. There were approximately 8 platoons of 30 members – 4 sections of 7 men and section leaders. Full parade was 2 companies of 4 platoons each. Drill was practiced regularly culminating each year in a ceremonial march to Aldenham Church for a service to commemorate the dead of the 1914 – 1918 War.
An odd thing is that we originally paraded in 2 ranks and “formed fours” (every second member of the rank took a step back and a step to the right, to make 4 ranks. Sometime during this period the army changed to the present 5 rank and all the drills had to be relearned.
I have dealt with this rather fully because I finished up as Contingent Sergeant Major, the top student appointment in the OTC.
In Allsop’s House the 40 – 45 pupils were split into Junior and Senior Common Rooms and matching dormitories with beds on either side and a continuous long table down the middle with a jug of water and washing bowl for each boy. We washed in cold water each morning. There was also a bath room with 6 baths with hot water and we each had a hot bath once a week.
Each House had an assistant Housemaster to help with the discipline and supervision necessary. Corporal punishment was routine both in classes and in the Houses.
A Mr English (who taught French) was notorious for it and scarcely a class went by without a pupil getting his hand canned or even his trousers dusted!
In the Houses (out of class) discipline was exercised by Prefects, usually 2 School Prefects and 2 House Prefects who only had power in his own House. In Allsop’s House Prefects had their own room when they weren’t on duty (settling quarrels, supervising prep time, being matey). If they considered punishment was necessary to uphold discipline, the Prefects could administer strokes of a sawn off cricket bat, but always over the fully clad bottom of the offender, usually 4 strokes. If there was serious indiscipline it was always referred to the Housemaster or his assistant.
Weekday afternoons until 4.00 – 4.15pm? were spent on sports: soccer, rugger, cricket, hockey, hand fives and non players wore shorts and gym shoes and trotted round the countryside as they wished. One vivid memory is of skating on Lord Aldenham’s lake in his park on the road to Elstree which 1 year lasted 6 consecutive days, maybe more. I had 3 brothers F H, J & N Blackburn who all attended Allsop’s House. They must have had Blackburns for up to 12 consecutive years, what a patient man Mr Allsop must have been!