Oct /50
The Eunuchus was the play fixed to be acted here next Xmas, but owing to the absence of one of the Q.S. who was to have taken one of the principal characters, it was changed to the Andria which would have been acted last year but for the death of Queen Adelaide. V. 368
J Murray
Prin Opp
In consequence of Rigaud’s leaving Westminster his friends proposed last term to present him with a piece of plate. This was accomplished this half, & it was sent to Ipswich. It cost I believe £22.
J Murray
Prin. Opp.
When we came back after the Bartholomewtide Holidays, 1850 I found Liddell had taken upon himself to alter every thing – In the first place he had taken the house wh Rigaud had, (before he left for the head mastership of Ipswich school) into his own hands & had put a master in it, to manage it for him. This he ought never to have done, as it had never been the case so to do & besides gave offence to the old Westminsters. The hours of School were also altered, for whereas, Monday, Wednesday & Friday were whole school days & the rest half so the present changes, make all whole schooldays except Wednesday & Saturday thereby causing a great addition of work. We have a French master (Dupont) and a mathematical master (Hose). Liddell has divided the original 6th into 6th A, 6th B & the 7th & now there are more than a quarter of the school in the ci-devant 6th & two masters to that one form. We go on the water on Wednesday & there are also ‘Fields’, but there being no bats hinders the fellows from enjoying what is falsely termed a “half holiday”. I said ‘falsely’ as we have a copy of verses to do wh take up two or three hours of the time. In my opinion & I believe in that of most others, these changes have caused general dissatisfaction & discontent.
J. Murray Murray
Princeps Oppidanus.
List of the sixth at Bartholomewtide 1850
Macready
Evered
Murray
Browne
Whitaker
Milman
Berens
Waterfield
Henty
The last four came up at the end of the term.
Everard R. F. Evered
Prin. Opp.
On Saturday Aug 10th a match was played at our ground between our eleven & an eleven of Grimstone’s. It was won by the latter (our usual good luck) by 1 wicket to go down.
Everard Evered Prin. Opp.
Macready’s reasons for giving up the Headtownboyship to Evered who subscribes himself “Prin Opp”, were, I think, because (Macready) thought that there was going to be a row with the QS, and therefore being a great coward thought that it was better for him to be out of the row altogether. This is I am sure a true account of the matter altho’ Murray had not mentioned it in the preceding page.
R.B. Berens Prin Opp
(Aug 9th)
On Friday the race for the silver rudder (vid. No 281) came off. Six boats entered, but only 3 were on station viz
Evered (1)
Wright (2)
Cox Waters
Steward (2)
Galloway (1)
Cox Southey Jun.
Henty (2)
Hammond (1)
Cox Horne
The course was from Battersea to Westminster. Steward’s boat took the lead: but Wright’s was picking up and was ½ a boat’s length in advance of Stewards when a foul took place the fault of Steward’s boat. We (Wright’s boat) might have claimed the prize, but as Steward seemed dissatisfied we agreed to pull again on Saturday (10th) This race …[ing] by came off between the … Steward’s boat took the lead, and we did not get ahead the whole course. At Westminster bridge a barge was across the arch which we had intended passing thro’ & of course we lost much by it. We were picking them up fast when they came to Hungerford about ½ a boat’s length ahead of us thus winning the race.
Everard Evered Prin. Opp.
On Thursday Aug 8th a match came off at our ground between our eleven & the Charterhouse. The challenge was given on our part; but some of the eleven thought it too low on the ground of Charterhouse not being a publick school. Blagden (Captain) & Ingram (1st Mon.) refused to play; but afterwards agreed, as Liddell on hearing it refused to give the early play on the following Saturday if they persisted in not playing. Liddell, I suppose, took it personally being a Charterhouse fellow. The match was not terminated but we had much the best of it when the wickets were drawn, as may be seen in Cricket Ledger
As Macready and Evered were both going to leave at the same time, the former it appears gave up this book to Evered the 2nd T.B., by which means Evered seems to have thought himself entitled to subscribe himself Prin. Opp. but I cannot imagine how he could be head when Macready was above him, nor upon searching through this Ledger can I find any precedent to it although Macready seems to have thought it an old custom so to do. It seems to me that the office of Head TB is a mere farce, if it can be given away for a week to the 2nd T.B. For if this is allowable, I see no reason why the 3rd T.B. (if he chances to be leaving at the same time as the Prin. Opp.) should not have a taste of the Head Townboyship; I think that Evered’s name cannot fairly be inscribed among the real Prin. Opps
Added by J.M. Murray Prin. Opp.
As Macready & myself were both going to leave this term, the former very civilly handed over to me the ledger & head town boy ship to hold for 5 or 6 days till the end of the term, and thus I can subscribe myself
Everard Evered Prin. Opp.