The Town Boy Ledgers

Early in November this year a Sixth Town boy in Marshall’s house (Berners) had occasion to hide four fellows for making a row after being repeatedly told not to do so. One of them was seen leaving the room by Mrs Crowther- she shewed the matter up to Marshall. He asked me for a list of the fellows who had been hided before this half by us, and I gave it to him- there were eleven name; some had been hided by Berners some by Dowdeswell & some by me. Marshall shewed the whole affair up to Scott, and at the same time told us that he would have no one touched by any Sixth T.B. in his house, & that every one was to shew up to him if this rule was broken. Berners & I went to Scott & complained of this rule which would leave the house without any head at all. Scott gave us a fair hearing and told us after an hour’s conversation that he would make a new rule that no Sixth Town boy should use any stick or racket in hiding any boy; but he did not mind the use of a hairbrush of the hand. We thought that this was the last we were to hear of it; but next Tuesday evening (we went in to Scott on Friday) after third school Scott publicly put Berners Dowdeswell & myself down, depriving us of all authority in the house & in the school; making Shadwell Head T.B. & giving the management of the house to French & Hamersley the two next in order who are in the Remove. He gave as the reason for this that we had abused our authority.

*The Sixth did not consider that this entitled Shadwell to keep the T.B. ledger.

Next day we three went to Scott to ask for an explanation of this most violent measure; he could not mention any single case of hiding that we could not give a reason for- nor did he seem to have any strong personal feeling on the matter, but offered to reconsider it if we persuaded Marshall. Now this last was impossible, as he was exceedingly angry with Berners, who had been the worst in the row, & with me who had been in several rows of the sort previously. To Dowdeswell Marshall had nothing to say- he told him that if he had not insisted on being considered on the same footing as Berners he would not have been found fault with. We were put down before Dow. & I said that, so I cannot see how the two facts are reconcilable. We had a ballot in the house which was managed by French & Hamersley, to find out whether it was considered that we had been justly put down. Among twenty seven there was only one vote against us. All our endeavours however were of no use, and we were obliged to remain in our new position till the beginning of the next half (January 1858); when Scott privately told me to resume my place as Head Town boy, while Dowdeswell also resumed his. Berners had left.

We have not however considered ourselves responsible for order in the house, as we told Marshall on our honour that we would hide no one in his house except in case of personal impertinence, thereby resigning all responsibility.