A Few Headmasters and Ronald Searle

It's a sunny day here in the rolling hills of horse country of Ocala, Florida, during what constitutes our rainy season. The forecast is remarkably similar every day, as you can see, especially in the afternoons and early evenings. The only thing that can prevent rain from falling during this time is if one absolutely counts on it. Failure to water outside plants, for example, can somehow steer clouds right around the entire area, which is how I'm sure the Sahara was created—soon-to-be Bedouins continually procrastinating about watering their foxgloves!

While we wait to see what our skies will become, I've been looking over the last couple of entries here and considering headmasters. Here's an amusing snippet on the subject [click to enlarge] sent recently by the indefatigable Barry McAleenan:



As always, thanks very much, Barry!

One wonders which of these stereotypes might resemble the headmasters we've met along the way here: Charles Scott Malden and Mr. H. D. L. Patterson of Windlesham House School; A. Max Wilkinson, F. R. Ebden, Joshua Goodland, and Bertram de Glanville of Warren Hill, William Snow of The Craig; Capt. William E. Mocatta of the English Preparatory School in Glion; E. A. F. "Tony" Roper of Ladycross School in Seaford; A. H. B. Bishop of Magdalen College School and Warwick; H. F. and David Chittenden of Newlands School in Seaford; and the fictional Dr. Howell "Peter" Stone of Leadham House School, the creation of author George Mills.

By the way, I love the work of Ronald Searle, and know I'll see it at least once a year, during the credits of the film version of the musical, Scrooge.

Searle's vision [below] of the classic tale, the characters and the setting, is what makes the art direction and cinematography so stunning. It's a must-see in my home every Christmas, even if I am usually the only one who actually must see it!

The Craig School in Windermere

Not much time to write today, but here’s another find: Images of a place that up until today I couldn't have been sure existed. Information from Windlesham House told me that "The Craig" in Windermere, Westmorland, Cumbria, opened its doors in 1899. For some reason, though, I'd been unable to connect with anything else about it.

That is until this morning, when I discovered:

The Craig School was founded in 1899 by William Snow in a house which had been built in 1833. The school carried on as normal during the war, with the upper and lower playing fields and the main building in use. There were between 40 and 60 boarders at a time. The School closed in 1966 and a housing estate now stands on the site.

George Mills would have taught there between 1926 and 1933, likely after his stint at Warren Hill School in Eastbourne, according to his dedication to Meredith and Co. in 1933.

I also happened upon this letter to the Cumberland & Westmorland Herald by Penelope Grierson (nee Hewetson) written on 29 January 2005:

"Sir, Many of your readers will remember a boys’ prep school in Windermere, called The Craig, which started in 1899 and closed in 1966. The two headmasters were William Snow (1899-1936) and his son-in-law, Edward Hewetson (1936-1966).

It was located in Lake Road between the police station and Beresford Road. The boys went on to public schools (St. Bees, Sedbergh, Rossall, Shrewsbury and St. Edward’s, Oxford, amongst others), some of them winning scholarships.

Cricket and football were keenly taught and played, and the boys had regular expeditions to the hills, especially climbing Helvellyn each summer to see the sunrise.

Geoffrey Fallows (1950-1955) is writing a book giving the story of The Craig and invites all old boys with memories of their time at the school to get in touch with him."

I hope their reunion went exceptionally well and was very rewarding…

And, as always, if you have any information about George Mills and the time he spent working under Headmaster William Snow at The Craig—or anywhere else—please let me know!