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

c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester (1866), 37. The duties of a FAG, in the days of which I write, may be more easily described by informing the reader what he had not to do, than by endeavouring to make out a list of his positive duties. I believe when I say that he had not to make the beds, nor to clean shoes, I have exhausted the negative catalogue.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xviii. Bob Trotter, the diminutive FAG of the studio, who ran on all the young men’s errands, and fetched them in apples, oranges, and walnuts.

1856. Hughes, Tom Brown’s School-days, vii. These were the principal duties of the FAGS in the house. From supper until nine o’clock three FAGS taken in order stood in the passages, and answered any præposter who called “Fag,” racing to the door, the last comer having to do the work. This consisted generally of going to the buttery for beer and bread and cheese (for the great men did not sup with the rest, but had each his own allowance in his study or the fifth-form room), cleaning candlesticks and putting in new candles, toasting cheese, bottling beer, and carrying messages about the house.... And besides this nightwork, each præpostor had three or four fags specially allotted to him, of whom he was supposed to be the guide, philosopher, and friend, and who in return for these good offices had to clean out his study every morning by turns, directly after first lesson and before he returned from breakfast.

1857. G. A. Lawrence, Guy Livingstone, ch. i. Is still enumerated among the feats of the brave days of old, by the FAGS over their evening small beer.

2. (Christ’s Hospital).—See quot.

1850. L. Hunt, Autobiography, ch. iii. Fag, with us [at Christ’s Hospital] meant eatables. The learned derived the word from the Greek phago, to eat.

3. (Stonyhurst).—A fielder: at cricket. Also FAGGER.

4. (Stonyhurst).—A bore.

Verb. 1. (general).—To do menial work for a schoolfellow in a higher Form. Hence FAGGER, FAG-MASTER, FAGGING, and FAGGERY.

1853. De Quincey, Autob. Sketches, i. 210. Faggery was an abuse too venerable and sacred to be touched by profane hands.