Archives

FORGOTTEN FAME No. 2 John Aislabie, O.P. (1670-1742) Chancellor of the Exchequer

Most people know of Guy Fawkes' association with the Tower of London; not many realise that John Aislabie, at that time probably the most hated man of all England, ended his public life as Chancellor of the Exchequer by ignominious expulsion from the House of Commons and imprisonment in the Tower.

He came from a family of Baltic merchants who were well known in York. He was at St. Peter's during the Headmastership of Rev. William Tomlinson and left in 1687. He succeeded his father as Registrar of the Episcopal Court of York. His mother, Mary, was the daughter of Sir John Mallory of Studley Royal, over whom a famous duel was fought which led to one of the many ghost stories connected with the Treasurer's House (See "Ghosts of an Ancient City".)

His political career began in 1695 when he became a Member of Parliament for Ripon. Patronage secured him a position as a Commissioner of the Admiralty in 1712, and in 1714 he became Treasurer of the Navy. By dint of changing sides politically after the death of Queen Anne he became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1718. On his advice the Treasury became involved with the South Sea Bubble in an attempt to pay off the National debt. Get-rich-quick mania swept the country, and when the inevitable crash came, thousands of families were ruined. In January 1721 he resigned.

Meeting on the 8th of March, a Parliamentary committee met to consider the conduct of the exChancellor. Despite a "long, submissive and pathetique speech" he was found guilty of "the most notorious, dangerous and infamous corruption" and was sent to the Tower. He was, however, allowed to keep his estate in Yorkshire and on his release he devoted himself to rebuilding the house at Studley Royal and laying out magnificent pleasure gardens. The house now belongs to the National Trust and can be visited.

The library has a full account of his life and further details can also be found in the Dictionary of National Biography.

J. V. Mitchell

THE SCHOOL ARCHIVES

One of the great advantages of the new Alcuin Library is the fact that the School at last has a special room where archives and momentoes of the past can be safely stored and displayed. The special exhibition for Commemoration weekend showed clearly the aims and purposes of our collection. The ancient desk holds exercise books, school rules, writing equipment, text books, conkers, tuck — and even the odd packet of Player's Weights!

Gifts of uniform items enabled us to show blazers, caps and a boater, whilst rugger shirts, a rowing vest and a fencing foil mark the period of the thirties in School history. Group, School and individual photographs continue to come in, and are much appreciated, especially when they are named. We are grateful to Nicholas Brown, O.P. of Brown's of York and W. Anderson's of Blake Street, for their help with the loan of display stands and the display model.

We are also extremely grateful to Mr. Peter Addyman and the staff of the York Archaeological Trust for lending us some of the items excavated from two previous sites of the School — the Horsefair and Bedern. One intriguing find was a buried hoard of clay marbles found on the Horsefair site. The School moved from there during the Siege of York in 1644. Did some pupil of the period bury these for safety, or was it just another case of a Peterite losing his marbles?

It is hoped that more and more items connected with the School will now be returned. We are grateful indeed for old magazines, toys, games, books, prizes, trophies, photographs, reports, letters, diaries, bills etc. However trivial the items may seem they are the valuable archives of the future.

In addition to items already acknowledged in the previous Peterite we acknowledge with thanks the following:

J. B. Dixon (1932-36): More photographs and documents and his rowing shirts to add to the prisoner-of-war scarf. R. S. Dixon (1934-38): Corps photographs, rugger blazer, rugger cap, play programmes, news cuttings etc. J. D. Madldowie (1923-28): Written memories, photographs and assorted ephemera. Dr. M. L. Smith (1918-20): Written memories and ephemera. Rodger Frost (1938-42): Straw boater, silk cricket square, photographs, old prospectus. Dr. C. C. Houghton (1925- ) : Written reminiscences, photos of Toyne wedding with other photographs and ephemera. The Old Peterite Club: Generous help with re-binding some of the dilapidated copies of the Peterite Magazines of the past. J. T. Harding (1933-38): Two swagger sticks O.T.C. 1938, Prize Book, School prospectus, commercial material, magazines, items r.e. John Dronfield Memorial Service, luggage labels etc. G. E. King-Reynolds (1932-42): Cox's Rowing Cap 1940, silk scarf of H. E. King Reynolds, Head of School 1913, and handkerchief of G. B. E. Reynolds returned from the trenches after his heroic death in 1916.

The display on Commemoration Day was extremely well attended, and our visitors, including earlier the Duchess of Kent, showed great interest in the exhibits. Several Old Boys mentioned that they had items at home which they would send to us, and for these, and any forthcoming items, we are extremely grateful. J. V. Mitchell