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OBA NEWSLETTER 2005
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO
In 1905, The Dolphin was already thirteen years old and
firmly on course towards the fine publication that it is
today. When the first edition appeared in the summer of
1892, the editorial spoke of an earlier attempt at
establishing a school magazine “some years ago”, but that
it had “expired at the second number”. However, on July
11th, 1892, “a meeting was held, Mr Norton presiding [by
now, the younger D.E.N., having succeeded his father in
1890], and the proposal to publish a School Magazine was
formally carried. It was further resolved that the paper
should be called The Dolphin, that it should contain
school news only, and that it should be brought out at the
end of each term, under the joint editorship of a
committee, consisting of one master and two boys.”
Copies, much the same size as our modern OBA
Newsletter, cost sixpence each or 2 1 ⁄2p.
The Dolphin is clearly an important historical source as
far as the School and the OBA are concerned, so I thought
it might be interesting to see what it had to offer about
Bruton a hundred years ago. It has to be said that the bulk
of every edition comprised extremely detailed reports of
football, hockey and cricket matches and of other
sporting activities like the House Tug, which in 1905 was
won by New House (Seniors) and Old House (Juniors).
Well, it had to be one or the other. The concerts also
merited a careful critique, although they occurred less
frequently and always ended with Carmen Brutoniense
(fresh off the presses then) and God Save the King.
The Easter Term edition includes a list of the members
of the OBA, an institution, like The Dolphin, comparatively
young in 1905. Of the 118 members shown, one was an
admiral, one a dean, one a peer and one (the fabled
‘Wacker’ Knight) was Headmaster of Sexey’s. By the end
of the year, the dean and the admiral had died, the latter,
Admiral Phelps, having entered the School in 1827 and
been given his nomination into the Royal Navy by none
other than Sir Thomas Hardy, Nelson’s captain on Victory.
Incidentally, the centenary of Trafalgar in 1905 was
“celebrated by a lecture and a half-holiday”. One Captain
Scott Willcox “very kindly came down and gave us one of
his excellent and instructive lectures.” The subject was, of
course, the Battle of Trafalgar, which also inspired “an
illuminating sermon” from the Vicar.
The concept of celebrating anything with a lecture and
a half-holiday establishes us firmly in this world of Stalky
& Co. as does the delightful report of the Field Society,
which had two outings, one to Stourton and the other to
Lulworth. The trip to Stourton was apparently spoilt for
the egg collectors as it was scheduled too late in the year
“to give them any chance of getting eggs which were in a
blowable condition”. Nevertheless, it was generally
deemed “ a most enjoyable afternoon’s outing”. July 8th
was the Society’s highlight, with a train journey (“too hot
for comfort”) to Weymouth where they arrived at 9.18
a.m. The boat for Lulworth didn’t leave until 11, so “there
was ample time for a bathe”. Most of the outing seems to
have been spent in or on the water. Then there was “ tea
at 4 o’clock…..the 5 o’clock boat back to Weymouth, and
thence home by train after a thoroughly delightful day”.
Prizes were awarded as follows: “Arnold and Matthew ma.
for Butterflies and Moths; Lemon ma. and mi. for Eggs;
Matthews mi. for Flowers; Burn for Butterflies
(consolation prize).” Good old Burn.
The editor of that summer’s edition of The Dolphin had
meanwhile dipped his pen into the purple inkpot and
come up with this: “It seems but a few days ago that we
were all looking forward to our return to Bruton for the
best and most enjoyable term in the year, with its cricket
matches and whole holidays; but now, as we look back,
time, which waits for no man, seems to have hurried
these enjoyable months to an almost too speedy close,
and as we consider the past days and weeks, the thought
of their rapid transit almost appals us, and appears to us
like a void dream, leaving behind it, however, nothing but
pleasant reminiscences.”
Back on earth, the Library showed a balance in hand of
£8.18s.0d, and the OBA agreed at their August meeting
that members of five years’ standing might be allowed to
make a one-off payment of a pound and thereby become
Life Members of the Association. Even back then, the
plaintive cries of the Hon. Secretary could be heard,
wailing that “he would be obliged if any member whose
address is incorrectly given would notify the fact”.
JOHN NEAL MBE
SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING
David Hindley
A service of thanksgiving for the life of John Neal
will be held in the Church of St Mary the Virgin,
Bruton on Saturday, May 21st, 2005 at 10.45 a.m. The
service will be conducted by the Revd Nigel Wilson-
Brown, School Chaplain, and an appreciation of
John’s life and work will be given by Tony Beadles,
former Headmaster of the School. Refreshments will
be available in the Memorial Hall after the service,
to which all will be welcome.
OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2005 3