Articles

tHe GuarDian of tHe courtS: ceLeBratinG 150 yearS of tHe ScHooL cuStoS

Charles Scott, Custos 1870-1910 Amongst the many innovations that Headmaster Hugo Harper introduced at Sherborne School, the role of School Custos is perhaps the one that 150 years later is still as vital to the running of the School as it was when it was first introduced in 1870.

By 1870 Harper had been Headmaster at Sherborne for twenty years and the School was thriving. The School roll had risen dramatically from just 40 pupils in 1850 to 252 in 1870, and the size of the School site had grown considerably with the acquisition in 1851 of the former monastic buildings and the land to the north-west of the original schoolroom (now the OSR). Harper was keen to stake out the boundaries of the enlarged site and in 1853 a gateway and Lodge were built adjoining Abbey Road at the north entrance to the Courts.

The evident need for someone to guard the gates of Harper’s growing empire was set out in a letter written in September 1869 by assistant master, Mungo Travers Park, in which he described the School’s relaxed attitude to security: ‘They have rather a good system here of having no bounds and no locking up. Any boy can go out wherever he likes and pretty nearly at all times.’

On 3 May 1870, Harper wrote to the School Governors proposing the appointment of Charles Scott as ‘School Porter’. He recommended that Scott should be paid a salary of £40 a year and live at the Lodge, which had recently been vacated by the School gardener.

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Alwyn Lugg with the Band of the Devon and Dorset after the Beating of the Retreat on The Upper 1974

Harper had known Charles Scott since 1855 when as a seventeen year old he had come to Sherborne from Bedfordshire to work as Harper’s private servant. Charles proved to be an excellent appointment and for the next 40 years, until his retirement in 1910, he served the School faithfully, working under five headmasters (Harper, Young, Westcott, Wood, and Smith) and two monarchs (Queen Victoria and Edward VII).

The word ‘custos’ means a keeper, warden or guardian, and was not used at Sherborne until the 1890s, prior to this the job title was ‘School Porter’. It seems highly probable that the title of Custos was introduced to Sherborne from Harrow in 1892 by the new Headmaster F.B. Westcott. According to Tace Fox, the Harrow School archivist, the role of Custos, which still exists at Harrow today, dates back to at least 1817. Prof. Brooke Foss Westcott, also taught there for many years.

Since 1870 the Lodge has been the home of the School Custos. All eight of Charles and Elizabeth Scott’s children were born at the Lodge, including their third son, Arthur who in 1910 succeeded his father as Custos.

The duties of the School Custos have over the last 150 years been many and various, though the current holders of the role will no doubt be relieved that they no longer have to tidy up after the School ravenswho enjoyed scattering textbooks and hymn books around the Courts, or teach boys how to swim by dangling them in a harness over the outdoor swimming bath.

The security of the School has always been the Custos’s primary concern. Traditionally, as ‘the keeper of the keys’, the Custos has been responsible for locking and unlocking the School site and ensuring the safety of the boys and staff. In February 1871 it was Charles Scott who rescued assistant master William Hetheringtonfrom the School House Studies when a fire broke out in the building, and during the Second World War the Custos Sergeant Norton not only acted as an Air Raid Warden, manning night fire watches from the top of the entrance gateway, but also played a crucial role after the bombing of Sherbornein September 1940 by ensuring that everyone was safe and giving the ‘All Clear’ when the siren failed because the electricity supply had been cut.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, enforcing School discipline also fell within the remit of the Custos, with Charles and Arthur Scott being required to assist the Headmaster when birching boys in the Upper Library. H.B. Stallard (g 1914-19) recalled in 1964 how the boys believed that Arthur Scott’s role during the birchings was ‘to maintain elevation of the victim’s shirt tails and later callously to mop up the trickle of blood which flowed gently down the library steps from the site of execution.’

On the 31 July 1910 Charles Scott retired as School Custos, having worked at the School for a total of 55 years, with 40 of those as School Custos. It is perhaps fitting that Charles Scott’s last Commem was attended by Canon Westcott, the Headmaster who brought the title of ‘Custos’ to Sherborne School.

racHeL HaSSaLL School Archivist

BOW AWARD

When I suggested writing an article on the Bow Award, I had no idea of the journey on which my research would take me. I have learnt a great deal about what makes Shirburnians special and why so many people tell me about the OS that they know.

As many readers may not know much about the Bow Award, a little history may help. The Bow Award was created by the School Pastoral Committee in 2003, although nobody admits being the actual creator, which possibly reflects the award’s concept of unsung heroes. It is given to a boy who, over the course of the school year, has cared the most for other boys through unobtrusive pastoral care. It is awarded at the last School Assembly, or Lists as they are known, of the academic year when only the School staff and boys are present. It is the one award where the boys play a major part in nominating their own choice and is therefore very much a whole School celebration. Until it is announced only the Headmaster is aware of the name of the successful candidate and often the award winner himself will have no prior idea. The award has become so prestigious that the winner is applauded as if he had been a legendary master who had served the School for 40 years.

So, what are Bow Award winners like? I have had the pleasure since 2003 of having met all the winners and I also have the joy of calling some of the older ones my friends. They tend to be modest, unassuming and quiet, caring boys. Although always present, they are not necessarily leaders and don’t overly promote themselves but have a gentle capacity to be the power behind the throne. You could say that they have so many of the best Shirburnian characteristics.

Whilst they have these characteristics in common, their stewardship takes different forms. Many of the senior winners have won for looking after junior boys who have duly nominated them for the award. Others have looked after contemporaries who have been through life-changing challenges as caring friends, whilst some have overcome their own issues whilst continuing to care for others and one winner won just for smiling and being friendly to everyone for five years!

To this day they are all, like most OS, men you would want to have a beer with, but they are also something special. They are interested in you and not themselves and have an unassuming self-confidence even when in many cases they doubt themselves. None wanted to be specifically profiled for this article and those featured in the photos here are unnamed because that is their wish and a simple reflection of the men they have become. If you want to know the winners, they are listed on the back wall of the BSR.

One other thing that grew on me when talking to them, and often the interview lasted hours because they were so chatty, was the fact they are all now doing jobs that are people related, whether in business, the charity sector, the armed forces, the stage, medicine or veterinary services. Whilst not necessarily natural leaders, all are team players. If you want to employ someone with a big heart and who will be a team player and an understated manager, look for a Bow Award winner!

aDrian BaLLarD Head of the Sherborne School foundation

TALENT AND TIME WEEK

The week of the 7 to 15 November saw us launch our first Talent and Time week. We asked OS and parents to offer a little of their time but a lot of their talent to help with, our currently virtually delivered, careers offering and to help with academic enrichment.

We were also keen to make use of that talent to support our current undergraduates and recent graduates as they try to find a pathway in the challenging world of work.

We were bowled over by the incredible response with over 100 OS and parents emailing to offer help across the career range and from around the globe. We were able to sit down with the careers team confident of helping to deliver their programme which is spoken about at length by Rob Marston on page 7.

Thank you to all of you who offered to help and we look forward to welcoming you all to Sherborne soon, virtually or in real life.

aDrian BaLLarD Head of the Sherborne School foundation

a Winter in DarkneSS Hetta - ounaSJärVi - finLanD

The idea of training huskies in the Arctic began quite a few years prior whilst travelling the horse racing world; I was working for top trainers in places such as Sydney and Miami. My logic was simple - if I can train horses in hot places, then surely, I could train dogs in cold places.

I had known for a while Hetta Huskies was the farm I wanted to go to due to its world-renowned welfare ethics and the fact that it ran the top Arctic guide training programme. Hetta sits deep inside Finnish Lapland not far from the Norwegian border and is about as remote as settlements get in Scandinavia.

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I arrived at Hetta at the start of November 2019 for my three-month stint in the Arctic Circle. I was dropped at the farm’s guide house by the region’s only daily bus. A small Finnish cabin, that was full to the brim with 17 guides from all over the world which was not dissimilar from Sherborne 3rd form dorms, was my new home. The first major challenge was learning 260 Alaskan huskies by face as you can only really become useful with the dog tasks once you know who each dog is (and who they might fight with) and where they live on the farm. On day two I was thrown straight into meat prep which is a standard induction for all new guides. The farm gets through around 100kg of frozen meat a day, this gets chopped into 260 chunks with a cleaver and the process takes around three hours. Strangely enough towards the end of my time this was one of my favourite jobs although it is not for the faint hearted. The other major issue I had to tackle was the noise, when that many dogs are excited and barking it is incredibly hard to even think, let alone communicate, with your fellow guides. The training was thorough and fast paced: learning the equipment, how to run a dog team and even being shown how to treat frostbite was a real wake-up call that this was going to be vastly different to looking after wealthy clients at Goodwood for the afternoon.

By the time December arrived we were down to around four hours of daylight a day and the sun would not break the horizon now until mid-January, which is an incredibly daunting concept as you are not sure how you are going to react. I had now moved four hours south to open Hetta’s satellite farm in Yllas with 60 of the female dogs and a handful of other French speaking guides to take on the Christmas tourist rush. A stint at Hetta is challenging in so many ways it’s hard to focus on just one thing, but the lack of sleep during that month was what I really recall struggling with. On top of the -20c temperatures, the constant darkness and the never-ending instant mash potato for dinner, the five hours of sleep we were getting each night was making things physically and mentally punishing.

However, through all the brutal demands that Hetta throws at you, dotted throughout your time there are some truly unparalleled highs and memories that will last a lifetime. After a long day leading up to Christmas, seeing the northern lights for the first time whilst driving a 14-dog team back through the tundra night somehow made all the lows seem worth it.

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By January, temperatures were regularly dropping below -30° which makes things rather challenging to work in. I was constantly looking for ways to keep moving and keep the blood pumping and you would only under pack your backpack with thermals once. Eyelids freezing shut whilst driving your dogs was a real issue and hard to rectify with three pairs of gloves on. By now I had my favourite dogs on the farm and had built good rapports with certain lead dogs, so I would be looking for their names on the day’s team list. Hetta is striving to have sled dog farms regulated and humanely run worldwide, by promoting its zero-kill policy and the knock-on effect that will have on a farm’s reputation with tourists. They are leading the way for traditional husky farms to move away from their “disappearing older dogs” attitudes.

Going into my final month, the expeditions were stepping up in distance and the wilderness survival aspect of the job was becoming more real. With some of the big polar trips covering 300km, the need to look after your guests and dogs was of paramount importance and knowing that if something were to go wrong, it would take a helicopter over four hours to reach you. This really adds on pressure that you could do without, whilst also ensuring the expedition clients are having a magnificent experience. My finest hour (and the moment I will always remember from the Arctic) came whilst out on one of these trips when I had to “Indiana Jones” jump from a full speed snowmobile onto a loose dog sled and bring it to a stop in the middle of a frozen lake!

Leaving Hetta I had mixed emotions - on the one hand I was hugely looking forward to the end of three months of frankfurters and instant mash (I cannot emphasise enough how dull Arctic food is). But on the other hand, I was all too aware that I would miss the dogs and the demanding Arctic lifestyle before too long. I am certain I have never been pushed like that before but as a result of the Hetta process I now know my mental and physical limits stretch far further than I originally thought.

These items may be purchased from: THE OLD SHIRBURNIAN OFFICE, SHERBORNE SCHOOL, SHERBORNE, DORSET DT9 3AP Tel: 01935 810558 • Email: oss@sherborne.org Prices exclude P and P CUFFLINKS (town and country colours) £35

OS SOCKS (town and country colours) OS TIE (town and country colours) OS BOW TIES (town and country colours) PILGRIMS TIE £10 £20 £18 £20

MANyATTA.CO OSS BELTS (town colours) Manyatta belts are traditional and personalised Kenyan beaded belts handmade by the Maasai. Every belt purchased directly helps the Maasai and the Tusk Trust. £70

For more information and to order a belt please visit their website: https://manyatta.co/products/old-shirburnian WILLIAM ANSTICE BROWN (g 47, Staff 53-67) Port of Sherborne – Print: £10 • Framed: £65

FRANCIS PHILIP BARRAUD (1824-1901) Small Print (watercolour) of the Courts: £10 • Large Print: £15 • Framed Print: £65 JOHN WESTERN Print (pen and ink) of the Courts (signed): £10 • Framed: £65 JOCELYN GALSWORTHY The Upper - Sherborne v Winchester (Signed limited edition print unframed): £50 • Framed: £105

BOOKS

VIVAT SHIRBURNIA £30 Sherborne School and the Great War, 1914-18 By Patrick Francis SHERBORNE REGISTER £20 8th Edition 1925-2015

SEAGLIMPSE

LUXURY SEASIDE APARTMENT

Beautiful ground floor apartment, looking down to the sea. Perfect for a couple’s coastal getaway, just steps from Swanage Bay’s gently sloping white sand beach on the Jurassic Coast. Ground-floor seaside apartment Dog permitted Beach - 100 yards Easy level walk into town centre Garden and parking

www.dorsetcoastalcottages.com/cottage-details/148 THE APSARA HOTELS, LAOS

Visit the World Heritage City of Luang Prabang in Laos. Ivan Scholte (d 80) is offering a discount of 15% at either hotel for all OS and staff. See his hotels at www.theapsara.com To book, email Ivan at ivan@theapsara.com CAROLINE HARDEN

Family History Research

A wonderful present –Caroline Harden has both the experience and the software to compile your family tree. If you would like further details, please do not hesitate to contact her on: 01963 250251 harden.caroline2018@gmail.com

LIVING THE DREAM

Charles York Miller (f 86) runs a real estate business in Jarnac, the home of Courvoisier in the heart of Cognac country (the sunniest region in France after the Côte d'Azur). If any OS are considering either a permanent move to the Charente or buying a holiday home here, please contact Charles to find out how he can help with the entire process. Accommodation etc. can be arranged for house-hunting trips.

charles@charente-immobilier.com www.charente-immobilier.com Extensive Fish & Shellfish, Farmyard and Wildlife designs on ceramics, textiles, boards and tablemats by artist Richard Bramble (h 86). These can be seen and purchased at his London Borough Market stall, Sherborne working studios or his website. 20% reduction (excludes existing offers) for all OS and family, just quote code: OS20 when ordering. All ceramics can be personalised by the artist making unique gifts. info@richardbramble.com www.richardbramble.com ADVENTUROUS APPETITES LTD

Jock Fraser (c 94) runs a tourist service in Madrid and Seville taking people off the tourist track to experience the authentic, local ambience. Adventurous Appetites will take you to sample traditional Spanish cuisine in some of the hidden corners of central Madrid and Seville, helping with language difficulties, advising on local specialities and imparting interesting local facts about the tradition, history and myths of these beautiful cities. They also offer a Roman bike tour from Seville for any historical cyclists. 0034 639 331 073 adventurousappetites@yahoo.es www.adventurousappetites.com

OSS CHARITABLE TRUST

The OSS Charitable Trust continues to award meanstested bursaries to the sons of Old Shirburnians. Details and application forms are available from the OSS Hon Treasurer, Robin Brown at robjen.brown@btinternet.com The Trust has been greatly helped over the years by generous bequests and we remain indebted to our many supporters who have kindly left a legacy to the Trust thus enabling sons of OS to follow in their fathers’ footsteps. The OSS Committee advises that, if you would like to leave a legacy to this worthwhile cause, the following wording is suggested: “I give free of all tax and duty to the Old Shirburnian Society Charitable Trust 1975 (Charity No. 271592) the sum of £… (…..... pounds) and declare that a receipt from the Treasurer or other proper officer of the said charitable body for such gift shall be a sufficient discharge to my Trustees who shall not be bound to see the application thereof.” HOUSE TO RENT NR ST TROPEZ

La Bergerie is a magical stone-built house, set in 11 acres, 2 kms, from La Garde Freinet, St Maxime and St Tropez are a short drive away away. It has stunning views, overlooking the vineyards of St. Clement, and onto the Mediterranean, in the distance. A new swimming pool and pool house/bar have recently been built, with a fridge, ice making machine and BBQ, next to the boules court. We have our own website, www.villasinprovence.net. Please take a look as ‘pictures are better than words.’ Rental times are between early July and late August. O.S./and friends will receive a discount. Any enquiries please contact Ali Holding-Parsons (g 70) on 07970 010 512 or hp@stocksandchairsantiques.com SKI INSTRUCTION IN COURCHEVEL

Rob Sewell (g 72) has been living in the French Alps near Courchevel for over 25 years. He is an internationally qualified and much respected ski instructor who would be very happy to ski with or simply meet up with any OS who may be taking their winter holidays in the area.

0033 610144762 rob.sewell@orange.fr

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SHERBORNE CONNECT

I am delighted to announce that we have done it again! We have just heard that for the second year running Sherborne Connect has won the Graduway Impact Award for Outstanding Network Growth and Engagement!

Daniel Cohen, Founder and CEO of Graduway wrote, “Sherborne has shown consistent platform growth with a remarkable percentage of contactable alumni engaged and active on Sherborne Connect. This is a fantastic achievement and testament to both the hard work of the team but also the amazing affinity and connection that Sherborne alumni have for their school. Congratulations for this achievement!”

Our award-winning online platform was launched in 2017 and from the outset we were amazed at the enthusiasm with which it was embraced by the whole Sherborne Community, parents, Sherborne International Alumni as well as OS. Now, as the platform enters its fourth year, we have over 3,300 members, which represents over 1/3 of our total network, of whom over 77% have indicated their willingness to help with careers advice. We still have the highest percentage sign up rate of any of the 1,000 plus schools and universities worldwide for whom Graduway hosts a platform.

The platform has really come into its own during lockdown and the new normal. Our ever-popular Business Breakfasts have transferred seamlessly online and recordings of the talks and Q&As with Luke Baker (c 91), International Affairs Correspondent with Reuters, who spoke about Brexit and Tony Quainton (d 52) Diplomat-in-Residence and a professor of U.S. Foreign Policy at the American University, former diplomat and US Ambassador who gave us his take, on the then forthcoming, US elections, can now be downloaded from the Resource page on the platform. Weekly newsletters have enabled us to keep in touch with the wider Sherborne Community and a host of reunions (house, year group and International) have been organised using it. During the Trinity term we decided to give the sixth form limited access to the platform so that they can seek advice about universities and courses from OS undergraduates and more general careers advice. They are able to look for individuals they would like to contact but that contact is initiated through the OSS Office or the Foundation with parental consent. Alternatively, parents who have joined the platform can contact members on their son’s behalf.

In November as part of National Schools Giving Week, we launched a new initiative, Talent and Time week. We were looking to tap into the considerable talents of platform members to help enhance the current provision for the boys in both the academic and careers spheres. Over 150 OS and parents volunteered to help.

Not wanting to sit on our laurels, in January we are planning a Mentoring campaign to help, in particular, our undergraduate OS and recent graduates.

Thank you to those of you who have signed up and if you haven’t please do so, it is a great platform, just for you.