School-life at Winchester College : $b or, the reminiscences of a Winchester junior under the old régime, 1835-40.Mansfield, Robert Blachford
History
School-life at Winchester College : $b or, the reminiscences of a Winchester junior under the old régime, 1835-40.
Mansfield, Robert Blachford
Students -- England -- Winchester; Winchester College -- History
that we chalked up years ago in honour of “Young Sadnose’s” powers of
scanning. Log pond, with its Champions, still exists, but much shorn in
its dimensions, and a row of trees planted in front. “Non Licet gate’s”
hinges looked as rusty as ever, (it was supposed only to be opened
when a boy was to be expelled.) Spanish Poplar was gone,—blown down by
a gale. How well I remember, when a small boy twelve years old, on my
first appearance in Meads, seeing “Long John” and ten other men pulling
at a condemned limb which was half sawn through, when the rope suddenly
snapped, and they all in an instant subsided on their backs in the middle
of Turf; how I rolled with delight at the scene! Since then I have often
rolled with delight, as well as from other sensations, in the old green
Meads; one had one’s trials and difficulties, yet, on the whole, I doubt
if I have ever been much happier.
About two acres in the centre of Meads was slightly raised above the rest
on a chalk foundation, and covered with turf, which was most carefully
kept, and constantly rolled, and in winter fenced all round. This, which
was called _par excellence_ “Turf,” was kept sacred for the use of the
Præfects and the first eleven, (called Senior Match;) except two corners,
which were allotted to Middle and Junior Match,—the former consisting of
the second eleven and Senior part, and the latter of the third eleven.
But I must now proceed to Football, a game I like (or rather, used to
like) far more than cricket. The reason is simple; I was a tolerably good
hand at the former, and rather a muff at the latter. Of all the games
of football that I have seen, I think none can compare in interest to
the Winchester “Six and Six.”[8] I hate the crowded games of twenty or
thirty a-side, where for one kick at the ball you receive a dozen on your
shins. In “Six and Six” your powers of pluck, endurance, strength, and
speed are constantly called into play; it is not all weight and hustling,
but speed and scientific kicking, that win the day. Kicking the ball up
into the air was considered very bad play, except when the ball had been
previously caught before it had touched the ground, when it was allowed,
_i.e._, if the kicker could get the chance, before one of the other side
was down upon him.
Our costume consisted of a jersey, flannel trousers, “Beeswaxers,”
(lace-up boots,) or “High-lows,” (low shoes,) with two or three pairs of
“Worsteders,” (thick worsted stockings,) the feet of all but one pair
being cut off.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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