The Public School Word-book / A conribution to to a historical glossary of words phrases and turns of expression obsolete and in current use peculiar to our great public schools together with some that have been or are modish at the universities

by John Stephen Farmer

d. 1656. Hall, Satires, Bk. v. He that gave a GOMER to each.

1778. Inventory of Kitchen and Hall. Twenty-four GOMERS (amongst dishes and brass pots).

2. A new hat: specifically, a beaver when first introduced: but see quot., Peals, and Appendix.

1867. Collins, The Public Schools, 68. Top-boots are no longer considered, by young gentlemen of twelve, “your only wear” to go home in, although the term for them—GOMERS (i.e. go-homers)—still survives in the Winchester vocabulary.

Good-breakfast, subs. (Stonyhurst).—A breakfast given to those Distinguished (q.v.) every term: also called Distinction-breakfast. Cf. Do and Good-supper.

Good-creatures, subs. (Charterhouse).—Meat, vegetables, and pudding. [From a quaint old-fashioned “Scholars’ grace”—“Lord, bless to us these thy GOOD-CREATURES,” &c.]

Good-day, subs. (Stonyhurst).—A free day given at the end of the school year to those distinguished in mathematics. There is also a “Rhetoric GOOD DAY,” given to the Rhetoricians (q.v.), and a “Certificate GOOD DAY,” given to candidates for the Higher Certificate Examination.

Good-Four-o’clock, subs. (Stonyhurst: obsolete).—A repast similar in character to a Good-supper and a Good-breakfast (both of which see).

Good-supper, subs. (Stonyhurst).—A supper given for a special reason: e.g. the Choir-supper (that given to members of the Choir); the Actors’-supper (that given to the participants in Shrovetide-plays); the Eleven-supper (to the Cricket eleven after an “out” match), &c. Cf. Do and Good-breakfast.

Goose-match, subs. (Harrow).—A cricket match played between the School Eleven and a team of Old Harrovians on Michaelmas Day, or as near to it as possible. The Eleven opposing the School are called “the geese.” See Appendix.