A History of Giggleswick School from its Foundation, 1499 to 1912

by Edward Allen Bell

The School Museum occupied the place of the Library in the Old School, and in it were some particularly interesting specimens. The Victoria Cave which had been discovered in 1837, was carefully explored by Mr. Tiddeman and other experts, and after five years' work the results were presented in 1878 to the School Museum. In 1893 Mr. J. Walling Handby sent a Collection of Forty-one Skins of New Zealand Birds, and Mr. Clapham, of Austwick, gave a valuable Collection of British Birds. In addition there were Collections of Minerals (notably the Keate Collection), Fossils, Eggs, and South Sea Shells. The Museum was open at certain times to the public. School Societies flourished. The Photographic Society was instituted in 1876, the Debating Society in 1877, and a Literary Society in 1879.

Cricket, Football, Golf, Fives, Swimming, and Athletic Sports, all found their place in the School year. The School Colours—Red and Black—were worn by most of the School, but, as is common, distinctive colours were assigned to members of the first two elevens in Cricket, and the two fifteens in Football. Inter-School and Dormitory Matches were also played.

BANKWELL.

In September, 1897, an Old Boys' Club was formed under the presidency of the Headmaster in order to maintain a closer union between past and present members of the School, and to organize Meetings and Athletics. The Scheme met with considerable support, and from time to time meetings and dinners have been held.

For the most part of the last twenty years of the century the numbers of the School had been too great for the Hostel to include them all. In 1894 there were two hundred and eight boys in the School, of whom only twenty to twenty-five were Day Boys. Craven Bank had consequently been used as another Dormitory. Bankwell, and for a time Hollybank, were filled with some of the younger boys. The great difficulty under which the School laboured was the frequent change of Masters, especially of those who took the higher forms. It was therefore suggested that the House System as opposed to the Dormitory System should be given a trial. Hollybank was no longer needed in 1900 to take the overplus from Bankwell, and a Master was put in charge of it, in the hope that older boys would come. The attractions were twofold. In the first place it was intended to give the Master in charge of it an opportunity of marrying and the expectation of a sufficient income to make him content to continue at Giggleswick. In the second place it was hoped that the fact of a man being married would tend to induce parents to send their boys more readily. Unfortunately the scheme was not wholly successful, and was soon abandoned.

Every boy in the School attended the Gymnasium, which since its opening in 1887 had been under the superintendence of Sergeant-Major Cansdale. Many boys also learned carpentry in the Joiners' Shop, which had been fitted with benches and lathes, and other necessary materials in the upper room of the Old School.

This brief summary of the School life was depicted at the Educational Exhibition and it was a worthy record for a small School. It will be seen that the main characteristic of the School was that it was amongst the first to adapt itself to modern needs. It is probably no exaggeration to say that at that period no school in England could approach Giggleswick in the practical teaching of Science; to this was due a great measure of its success. In every branch of school life excellence was attained, an unusual number of Scholarships were won and the Football Fifteen for two successive seasons in 1894 and 1895 never had a single point scored against them in any School Match.

Throughout the history of the School there have been very few signs of literary exuberance. Only one School song has been written, called "Now Reds" by Mr. J. R. Cornah for the Giggleswick Chronicle, April, 1898. The Giggleswick Chronicle was begun in 1880 but it was edited by Masters and was intended rather to place on record the terminal life of the School than aspire to literary eminence. As such it has achieved its purpose and is a valuable and interesting record. But apart from official matter boys have shewn themselves very loth to summon forth their energies and write. With one exception no paper, written by boys alone, has been published since the Olio caused Sir Walter Scott to smile.

The Boer War claimed a certain number of Old Boys, some of whom did extremely well. Captain H. H. Schofield distinguished himself at the Battle of Colenso, and helped to rescue two guns, for which he gained the Victoria Cross, while Lieutenant S. A. Slater was largely responsible for a clever and daring capture of Bultfontein. Altogether at least nineteen boys went out.