FROM THE ARCHIVES

Alley Jordan (Staff 2023–present)

My name is Dr Alley Marie Jordan and I arrived at Fettes this January 2023. Originally from California, I came to Edinburgh to do a PhD in Classics, which I finished just before starting my new position as Archivist. I have worked at many archives and museums, including the US National Archives. In addition to my archival work, however, I am also a garden historian and frequently publish on the topic, so I am particularly interested in Fettes' gardens! Here are a few of my favourite finds in the Fettes Archives so far:

Rugby Jersey, ca. 1940

I found this knitted jersey during my first week here at Fettes! It was made by Greensmith Downes and Sons, Edinburgh. The jersey dates to around pre-WWII, possibly the 1940s.

The jersey is in a very delicate condition, as the fibres have lost much of their natural oils and have become stiffened. The colours are magenta and chocolate brown, though the pink has faded a lot, which is typical with textiles because pinks are always the colours to fade the quickest. What I love most about this item is the quick, crude mending done by hand, most likely by a student. The stitches are not precise, but were hastily done, which I love because the student saw their jersey as a thing to play in, whereas we

It is rare for such items to be found in the Archives because students usually keep textiles and clothing to themselves, or the items get thrown away after they are worn out. It is unknown how this jersey came to the Archives and by whom. But it gives us real insight into the tangible history of student life at Fettes because we can imagine a student wearing the jersey, match after match, we can imagine him struggling to mend the holes made from rough play or getting worn on the grass. That the jersey is not in perfect condition speaks to its usage, which tells us more about life as a student here at Fettes than if the jersey were never used.

If anyone has a similar jersey or is aware of its provenance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me!

Excerpts and commentary from the Debating Society Minute Book, 21 May 1953

Debate: ‘This House deplores the introduction of Television to Fettes’

‘Mr Angus commenced by saying that he was a Conservative diehard with strong objections to all mechanistic inventions, including motor cars, atom bombs, radio, telephone and television. He could sum up his objection to this latter in the one word, “Passivity”’. I have to admit, Mr Angus’ argument for ‘Passivity’ while watching television is a good argument! ‘Mr Angus concluded his speech by saying that the American name for T.V. is “Vidiots’ delight”’.

Much amusing to your dear American Archivist, the interlocutors took great fun at poking the Americans and their relationship with television. Mr Boyd retorted: ‘He also dismissed commercial television in the U.S.A. with the surprising statement, “That is not television.” He referred us rather to the BBC programmes and in particular to one on that very night, “Historic Houses of England”. It seems that the Fettes debate on television contrasted British television with the entertainment-driven American television. After accusing Mr Angus of ‘being Victorian’, he proceeded to argue that television is good for the British Empire.

When the debate opened to the floor, Mr Potts ‘considered T.V. suitable for the aged and infirm, but not for Fettes which he said was alive.’ In the end, Mr Williams ‘said that the continued London theatre bookings indicated the superiority of the theatre. […] In his opinion, people would abandon television for the theatre. […] The motion was carried by 24 votes to 20 with three abstentions.’

A lively debate indeed! I am not convinced that television is good for society. Then again, I have the benefit of hindsight.

5 November 1953

The debate circled the notion that ‘This House believes in Ghosts’.

The minutes begin with: ‘Mr Rhodes regaled us, as we sat in the dim light of the room, with various tales which he hoped would be of a scary nature.’ The debate began with Mr Rhodes providing tales of ghost-encounters across Britain, including a story about ‘two men in Cassel who had met a phantom in armour, while a red-faced nun, who had apparently had an affair with an ex-communicated monk hundreds of years before, had to be exorcised from a rectory in England.’

Mr Kirsop, after providing an ad hominem attack on Mr Rhodes, stated logically that ‘the word ghost meant in many languages fear and continued by saying that belief in ghosts was caused by fear, hallucinations and imagination.’ After poking fun at his opponents, Mr Kirsop continued ‘and went on by saying that the evening’s large attendance was caused by people wishing to listen to such an excellent person as himself. He finished off with his truest remark yet, that he needn’t have spoken, since, as he said, there were NO GHOSTS.’ It seems the Society Secretary was not taken with Mr Kirsop’s showmanship!

Mr Williams, when the debate opened to the floor, claimed that ghosts are ‘connected with the 4th dimension, while Mr Potts claimed that ghosts were merely sounds from the past coming through a strange frequency.’ After Mr Kirsop objected to these theories and cried out, the other members of the Society ignored him and continued to tell ghost stories they themselves had heard, such as ‘a woman in Salford, who saw a ghost and left her home which was subsequently bombed, and a man with a poltergeist in his house.’ Mr Williams ‘then told us about Anne Boleyn’s ghost at Hampton Court’.

In the end, the debate was won in favour of phantoms, 38 to 31 with five abstentions. What do you think? I myself am convinced on the existence of ghosts. Down in the Archive, I have noticed a particular teddy bear that wanders around whilst I am gone…

The recent return of a spoon

This spoon was ‘borrowed’ from Fettes in 1956 by Alan B Gordon (Ki 1952–1956) (Deceased). Alan carried the spoon with him all of his life and kept it safe in a box in his home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Shortly before passing away in 2017, he located the spoon in his belongings and asked his family that it be returned to Fettes. During a visit to Fettes on Thursday 13th April 2023, his daughter Dawn, along with her husband, Jonathan and son, Jonah, returned the spoon to its original home. Dawn believes that Alan took the spoon so he would always have a reason to return to Fettes.

If you would like to share any archival information with our Archivist, please email archives@fettes.com or phone 0131 332 2281 during term time.

Did you know that we now have a Digital Archive? This can be accessed via the Fettes Community Portal: fettescommunity.org

All copies of the Fettesian magazine dating back to 1878, OF Newsletters from 1971 and over 1,300 scanned House, sports and school photographs can be browsed or searched.