"So began an association with Oxford which has, perhaps, been one of the happiest and most formative influences of my life" - Slide Rule p.15
Friday 12th May
The throng assembled at the Galaxie Hotel 1 early Friday evening. There to greet us was John Anderson, with a file of information for each and a Shute-related crossword which we attempted to solve - with help. Initial greetings exchanged, the party left to find victuals on the surrounding Summertown main street. This presented an assortment of dining genres: Chinese, Greek, Thai and Indian while the hardened core marched steadily onwards to the Dewdrop Inn. Base camp established, and the furnishings rearranged to seat the group together, the true purpose of the evening was revealed: to help Joost graduate from ordinary “bitter” beer to respectable CAMRA 2-endorsed brews. Adnam’s “Broadside” and Timothy Taylor “Landlord” became the foundation of the evening’s refreshment. However, the ancient tradition of Beer Street 3, upon which England’s greatness was nurtured, was unable to meet the approval of everyone’s palate and so Pepsi, wine and Sloe Gin were also on the list. (The fact is that batch brewed, cask conditioned, “proper” beer needs to be kept and consumed at room temperature [not “warm”] to enable the flavour to be enjoyed. This is irrelevant to the drinkers of Continental transatlantic and Antipodean process-created lagers which of course rely for their undoubted popularity simply upon slaking prodigious thirsts in high temperatures: it is axiomatic that iced beer needs no flavour.) The Great Divide was not beer related but between Mushy Peas (rendered by long cooking into a puree of green pottage) and whole Peas, as an accompaniment to the traditional Fish and Chips4. The story here has to be re-told of Peter Mandelson, aesthete and metropolitan, visiting a north country constituency for canvassing duties and, at the end of the evening, going with the party stalwarts to the chippie. To accompany his F&C, he said, “I’d some of the guacamole”
Saturday 13th May
10:30 The group assembled at the Galaxie Hotel and walked from there to the Dragon School (10 minutes walk) with a short detour to view the house in Park Town where Shute lived with the Sturt family. The house where the Sturt family lived is one of a crescent of similar houses, somewhat ugly with concrete faced ground floors and brick uppers. No blue plaque graces the house; still the assembly of Shutists resembled the crowd outside the Helena Road, Portsmouth, house we visited in 2003. The North Oxford resident is made of sterner stuff than the Southsea: no curtain twitching revealed nervous residents.
11:00 Arrive at the Dragon School.
We were welcomed to the School by Miss Gay Sturt, the niece of Shute's school friend Oliver Sturt. She is also the School's archivist and curator of their Museum. She outlined the development of the buildings of the Dragon School and its gradual extension into what once were riverside meadows in the late 19th century, with land granted by the landlords St John’s College5 (A common story known to many of the Shutists is that it is said that one may walk from Oxford to London without leaving land owned by St John’s College. This story is also told in relation to other colleges in Oxford and Cambridge). The original building soon was outgrown and the School House was designed in a double y shape ( >-- --< ) by the architect father of the Lynam Head teachers Hum and his brother the inspirational ‘Skipper,’ so named from his passion of sailing his yacht Blue Dragon including a long passage up the coast of Norway to the North Cape. Later in the museum we were able to see published copies of his log books.
When we reached the former Dining room, which Shute would have known, Miss Sturt gave us a succinct history6 of the school from its beginnings as the Oxford Preparatory School, to “Lynam’s” as it was known in Shute’s time, and its place in British education. It was interesting to see books still on the shelves behind her which Shute would have recognised: volumes with pictures on the bindings, by G.A.Henty and P.C.Wren, of ripping yarns and derring do; the background of Marazan, So Disdained and Lonely Road.
The Dining Room was where all the school and teachers would eat together, digesting values with their vittles. The ethos of the Dragon School, founded by Oxford dons at the time of the creation of National Board schools, was to ensure that their own children would learn the required classics to enable them to go on to ‘good’ schools and then university study. The school, in its North Oxford district, was a seedbed of the Fabian movement which informed much of left wing political thought. The founders had the extraordinary notion, then, that children should enjoy their learning. It was considered radical for Skipper Lynam to introduce the first woodworking shop in a (preparatory) school to teach the children crafts, in the ground floor of the Museum building built to the memory of a former pupil killed in the Boer War.
Miss Sturt explained that often Old Dragons (Old Boys and some Old Girls) would return to revisit their youth and chat and play, and could be relied on often to beg the Head teacher to grant a half holiday so that the pupils would be released to pursue their own devices: rowing, fishing, exploring, cycling were all encouraged to make the youngsters independent of thought and action. The system of two full days followed by a half day on Wednesday, then two full days and another half day on Saturday, laid down a framework of routine with sufficient variety so as not to stale pupils or teachers and ensure that the free time available was not too much, too often. It was clear from the activities going on while we were there that the half day of school was still followed by a variety of sports by the children aged between 8 and 13 or 14. The school is still non-competitive in admissions, taking a number of youngsters with dyslexia, dyspraxia or dyscalculia or other specific learning needs whom other prep schools, jealous of their records of achievement, would not take in; and taking pains with those children who still found it difficult to fit in even to the relaxed ethos of such a school so that they could find a berth in a more suitable school for their needs and talents, rather than merely expelling them as other schools might.
We visited the Indoor Rink, a veteran structure which enabled ‘outdoor’ play even in inclement weather, with mesh sides to contain wayward balls and let in the fresh air and flush doors to minimise disruption to play. There is currently discussion whether to rebuild to provide additional classroom space upwards but for now the very popular rink lives.
The original Hall is now the well appointed Library. A simple cross was installed in the Hall but it was not considered as a Chapel but had secular uses as well for assembly and religious services. A photograph taken around Shute’s time showed the stairs to the gallery where older pupils would have stood for assembly. The librarian explained that a collection is now being made of books and works by Old Dragons; a core collections provided by donations by some former pupils but other books being sought out. In this beautifully appointed library John presented to Miss Sturt a picture of Nevil Shute Norway scanned from a photograph in Balliol Library of him in the rowing eight.
We visited the new roofed space constructed out of polypropylene in a tented form over struts which allowed the whole space to be kept free of pillars or other obstructions. In this area was a display of numerous extracts from the school records: for each year there were age, height and weight charts showing the growth of each child as they progressed through the school. Nevil’s data were highlighted; there were also photographs from plays and performances made by the pupils, as well as reports of fancy dress parties with the costume of each child noted.
From there we went by turns to visit the small Museum, which housed a number of interesting artefacts as well as Skipper’s sailing logs, mentioned earlier.
Shute made a number of bequests to the school including his star globe, which was on display in the museum. Photographs of the notable pupils included four old boys who, some posthumously, were awarded the Victoria Cross7. Among the four was Gp/Capt. Leonard Cheshire – the connection between the ethos of the school and his later career as founder of the Cheshire Homes becoming clear8.
Also on display was the earliest embroidered Dragon badge – and the question still remains why and how did the school come to be known as the Dragon? Speculations have been made but a possible reason was that pupils found when they were playing sports matches against other schools that they wanted a symbol and, having a master named Mr St George declared that they were his ‘Dragons’ and soon were asking parents to embroider dragon motifs on to their sports kit. This sounds to me sufficiently tangential to have a kernel of truth. Suffice to say that there were scores of Dragon posters, models, drawings and sculptures all over the place.
We were taken to view some recently extended lawn tennis courts and the far courts were pointed out: these were said to be the site, once clay courts, of the very first All England championships, now played annually at Wimbledon. It was at one time proposed to build upon these courts but it is expected that, with the historic connection now established, they will not now be built over.
How did Shute come to stay with the Sturts? I was unable to hear all the explanation but believe it to be as follows: the Sturt family were, like the Norways, connected with Cornwall: they holidayed at Polzeath9 near Padstow which was not far from the Norway family home at Wadebridge and there is similarly a Betjeman10 connection also through the Sturts; the Dragon School is celebrating this year the centenary of the former Poet Laureate, who holidayed as a child at Trebetherick.
We later enjoyed a splendid lunch in the staff dining room at the school before heading towards the city centre. We walked along graciously laid out streets with houses built in more spacious times to house the dons (newly liberated from celibacy in their traditional roles and allowed to marry), and, more likely, the wealthy tradesmen of Oxford11. We passed Crick Road, home of the young Janet Prentice, and Norham Gardens (where the Lockwoods' house was in An Old Captivity). At the far end of Norham Gardens was LMH, Lady Margaret Hall, the college which Janet would have attended but for the war.
We paused at the signboard of the Jenkin Building of the Department of Engineering Science12. Shute would have studied here during his Engineering Course in 1919-22 and the building looks as though he might have recognised it. The next door building is plainly of a much later era, built in the raw concrete with which Charles Simon of Most Secret would have been familiar.
From there we wandered down St Giles, past the Eagle and Child, spiritual home of the Inklings including Tolkien and C.S.Lewis and the Martyrs’ memorial in St Giles to arrive at Balliol College in Broad Street; possibly the second oldest college in the university13. John had taken pains to ensure that the entrance fee had been waived for our party. Although we were unable to squeeze into the library, we were able to walk into the quads and the college chapel, where an obliging musician practised his organ voluntary while we sat and absorbed the atmosphere. Outside, we assembled by some fragrant wisteria for a group photograph in the courtyard. The grass here was beautifully mown; in an inner quad it was almost as high as an elephant’s eye; an anarchistic touch which could be appreciated as, possibly, an environmental statement. Graffiti celebrated the success of a women’s rowing eight in some recent regatta.
From Balliol we sauntered along Broad Street, past Blackwell’s bookshop and the new Bodleian to the Sheldonian theatre, built by Wren in the style of the Theatre of Marcellus in Rome. There are certainly busts of Roman emperors protecting the building. Around the corner we came upon the Radcliffe camera, with the parapet where Stephen Morris and Helen Riley met at the beginning of "Stephen Morris." We can’t get into this reading room for the Library, unless we matriculate into the University, so we made the best of it by taking pictures instead. Retracing our route brought us to the famous Bodleian Library, which is one of the six copyright libraries in UK, entitled to a free copy of every publication produced in the country. Consequently the collection of volumes has spread mazelike, book stacks underpinning the City like the tunnels in The Great Escape. Gangs of rusticated students spend decades pent up, loading barges and toting bales, sorting and reshelving huge piles of the books, their clothing gradually deteriorating into shreds of formerly finest barathea dinner jackets and white-tie-and-tails, finally coming to the surface blinking and squinting in the unaccustomed daylight…
So we went next into the courtyard of the Bodleian, and into the Bodley gift shop, from where you can peer into the Divinity schools, its ceiling pendent with bosses like some stalactite-heavy cavern. Some great souvenirs for sale in the gift shop: I particularly liked the “Instructions for British servicemen in France 1944” and will share passages if required.
Walking back up to the end of Broad Street we passed the carved elephants of the Indian Institute façade and carried on into Holywell street. A quieter, more reflective road than most city centre streets, found an attractive roof line with beautiful variety of house fronts, door cases, gables and jettied upper stories. We passed the Holywell Music Rooms, probably the oldest purpose built concert venue in Europe. Is it possible that Alix Lockwood came home from playing ‘the Sibelius thing’ here? On the right we passed the entrance to New College, attended by Commander Malcolm Stevenson (of Lonely Road) after school at the other foundation by William of Wykeham, Winchester College. At the end of the street we found ourselves in Longwall street, with the shop window of William Morris14. Here is the site which Shute describes in Slide Rule of Morris’s car factory, with a Morris ‘Bullnose’ still in the window.
We were able to take tea in Debenham’s, and while some walked back others sampled the bus service to Summertown.
At seven o’clock we met and went down to the Cherwell boathouse for dinner, adjacent to the Dragon School and overlooking the river. Despite the intermittent drizzly weather, parties of youngsters were punting along the river past the boathouse; more boats were tied up than in use by this time however. Along this stretch of river Shute first went boating and fishing.
Sunday 14th May
After breakfast Laura Schneider, who has been in Alice Springs on a planning trip for the 2007 Nevil Shute event, brought us collectively up to date on her trip and the planning so far. As the only latecomer this morning, due to abject failure to consult the programme, I cannot comment upon the plans for Alice 07 except to say ‘Ghan, here we come!’ The summary sheet said it all, though. I was in time to pore over the copies of correspondence liberated from the Balliol archives concerning Shute’s admission to the College. Letters from his father, A.L.Smith the Master, references from Shrewsbury school and a couple in Shute’s own hand told their own fascinating story. In addition John brought copies of other documents from the National Archives gathered from his raids there.
11:30 By cars to the Trout Inn at Godstow15 (about a 15 minute drive) for lunch. The Trout Inn is mentioned in "Pied Piper" where Charenton asked Howard to "Go there and drink a pint for me..sitting on the wall and looking at the fish in the pool, on a hot summer’s day". The Trout also featured in the Inspector Morse TV series. Lewis Carroll first told the story of Alice in Wonderland boating up the river to Godstow one hot summer’s day. We had a lovely lunch in the oldest part of the inn, followed by reading the Charenton passage from Pied Piper. There were plenty of fish in the weir pool, and quite a few peafowl around the paths. Just inside the front door was a page from the visitors’ book with Alan Cobham’s signature.
After lunch the gradual departure of members of the party was like the Farewell symphony – one by one and two by two people left for their next destination. The Old Lags determined to carry on one last pilgrimage: to Bladon churchyard. In the bustling village we were able to park by a tearoom and walk up to St Martin’s church16. There we found a simple gravestone commemorating Winston Churchill, with those of other family members glossed with their relationship: ‘son,’ was Randolph’s; ‘mother’ was Jennie Churchill’s. We were eventually able to open the door and inside the church were a number of interesting features, including a board marking the peal of over 5000 changes, of muffled bells, on the occasion of Churchill’s burial in January 1965. A board on the wall lists the priests; including the name of an early Vicar 1470s – one Philip Morgan.
In a final gesture, we forced ourselves to consume Tea and scones, clotted cream and jam at a teashop which did not call itself ye Olde Tea shoppe, thank God, but was definitely a Mollie Lenden -type establishment. Many thanks to John Anderson and Mike Meehan for their meticulous planning and timetabling of what was a memorable weekend in Nevil Shute’s Oxford.
Links
3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_Street
4http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,9950,877008,00.html
5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John%27s_College%2C_Oxford
6 http://www.dragonschool.org/history.htm
7 http://www.dragonschool.org/Archivist/Museum%20trial.htm
8 http://www.leonard-cheshire.org/?lid=19 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_School
10 http://www.johnbetjeman.com/
11 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Oxford
12 http://www.eng.ox.ac.uk/World/Info/History/index.html
13 http://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/history/history/
14 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morris,_1st_Viscount_Nuffield
15 http://members.lycos.co.uk/troutinn/
16 http://parishes.oxford.anglican.org/bladon-woodstock/stmartin.html