A Small Act of Kindness

Ian Wilmshurst

Headmaster

150 years ago, the then Headmaster of King's, D.E. Norton, presented a book at Speech Day to Clement Newsham Trotman, a prize for mathematics. This book has turned up in Saratoga Springs USA.

Friday 13th November was actually World Kindness Day, and it was on this Friday that I opened an email addressed to ‘Headmaster Wilmshurst’. I started reading this email with a slight feeling of trepidation, as some of my emails do bring bad news, but this one was very apt for World Kindness Day. It was sent from the USA by Alexander Apicella, and Alexander wrote that he had bought a book, as a present for a member of his family, in a local book store and that the book dated from 1887. It was given as a prize to a King's Bruton pupil, Clement Newsham Trotman, at Prizegiving by the then Headmaster, DE Norton. The subsequent email exchange with Alexander has been fascinating and it is wonderful to know that this book will be treasured by Alexander’s family from now on.

So, this small act of kindness was a great way for me to start that Friday, and who knows where the books I present at Prizegiving will end up in 150 years’ time?

Hello Headmaster Wilmshurst,

My name is Alexander Apicella, I hope this email finds you well. I’m sending you this message because I recently came across and purchased a book that has some relevance to your school.

I currently live in United States in a town called Stillwater, which is in upstate New York. In Saratoga Springs, which is a historical town about 10 minutes away from me, there is an old bookstore that has books dating back to the 1600s. For Christmas this year, I thought it would be a good idea to get everybody in my family a unique book. Whether it is a first edition book, or a book dating back 100+ years. In my search, I came across a rather interesting book titled “Making of England”, and inside the first couple of pages there is a message written to a student who won a mathematical prize in the year 1887.

The individual who wrote and signed the message was the headmaster of your school in 1887, D. E. Norton. The book is a red leather bound book with a picture of the King's seal. A gold dolphin lies on the front in a gold circle. Above the dolphin reads Deo Juvante. The message that the headmaster, D. E. Norton, wrote at the time is still as visible as if he wrote it yesterday.

I never heard of your school until I did a little research into the headmaster and the writings on the cover of the book. Your school seems to have a deep history that is riddled with tradition and integrity. Ultimately, I just wanted to let you know that this book is in very good hands, and will stay well preserved at my families estate here in Stillwater, New York.

Regards, Alexander Apicella.

The Headmaster looked Clement Newsham Trotman up in the King's Bruton Pupil Archive. Clement was at King's 1886 to 1890. Our School Archivist, Andrew Leach, found this picture of him in cricket attire.