The Juniors did not get much fun out of the regular games, as their part consisted solely in kicking-in the ball, and receiving divers kicks and “clows” in return for their vigilance; in the afternoons on holidays, however, they used to get a kick at a ball on their own account, as there was a kind of perpetual scratch game, without chosen sides, going on; this was called “SS and Trees,” from two trees being the goal at one end, and two iron clamps in the shape of two SS fastened in the wall at the other.
Football at Oxford, (where Winchester, Eton, Harrow, Westminster, Rugby, and various “T’other Schoolmen,” i.e., those who had not been at a public school, used to play together, each with different rules,) occasionally gave rise to some amusing incidents. On one occasion I saw a Rugby man catch the ball, and, with a complacent smile, was then taking a little run to give impetus to his intended kick off, when Podder, hot from Winchester, darted out, and with one dexterous turn of his leg, laid the Rugbean flat on the ground, and before he could scoop the mud out of his mouth, and compose himself to articulate ejaculation, Podder had carried the ball to the other end of the ground. It subsequently appeared that by Rugby rules no one was allowed to interfere in such a case, whereas at Winchester he who had caught the ball might kick if he could, and if any one ran at him to interfere, he might then run away.
Football, though a splendid game for boys, does not do in after life, as it requires constant practice both in running and the art of kicking. About three years after I left, I was passing through Winchester, and went down to College to play football, expecting to enjoy myself immensely, and to explain to the degenerate youngsters how football used to be played in our time. The first fair kick I got at the ball I missed it altogether, and nearly kicked my own leg out of its socket; the second time, remembering my previous failure, and determining to be more careful, I buried my toes in the ground, just short of the ball, which never moved, while my ancle nearly snapped across with the shock; the third time I kicked well into the back of the tendon achillis of my other leg, and was carried off howling. Since then I have confined myself to looking on at football.
Fives we used to play against the back of school, which formed a spacious “Ball Court.” The bat used is, I believe, peculiar to Winchester; it was about two feet and a half in length, the part with which the ball was struck expanding to about the size of a small lady’s hand, and immediately above it the wood was planed thin, thus forming a powerful spring. With this instrument the ball could be driven with great force; and I have known it used for other purposes, for which it was very effectual, though not very agreeable to one of the parties in that game. One boy, I remember, kept a bat which he consecrated solely to this amusement, and to the back of it he had nailed a donkey-shoe, which gave great weight to his arguments. The balls used were small, about the size of a large grape-shot, and cost sixpence a piece, which made the game an expensive one; as, if the ball passed to the right or to the left of the school wall against which we played, it vanished altogether from our ken,—if it went to the left it went into Long-meads or Commoners, and if to the right into Cloisters. We could, however, generally purchase back at half-price from Long John about one quarter of those lost. Long John was the College mason, who was always wandering about with a satellite looking for something to do, but beyond occasionally scratching a brick, I scarcely ever saw him doing anything like work. If asked what he was doing, he always said, “Nothin’, sir;” at which occupation the satellite was a most efficient coadjutor.
The Winchester “Bat-fives” was amusing enough when played in a promiscuous way, but not, I think, a really good game, as it was too difficult. I have scarcely ever seen even the best players return the ball more than three or four times. The Fag’s share of the game was to stand round the edge of the court and pick up the balls as they rolled off; it was not nearly such hard work as watching-out at cricket, or kicking-in at football, and the work being easy it did not entail so much punishment; but it was far from pleasant, owing to the blinding glare from the white concrete of which the floor was made. Mr Ridding, formerly second Master, has most liberally built some excellent racket courts, in what used to be “Long Meads,” but is now thrown into “Meads,” to the great advantage of the boys.
A long red brick wall ran across Meads on the west side, in which there was a door that led to “Sick-house,” situated in a field called “Sick-house Meads.” It was presided over by a worthy old matron named “Mother Maskell.” Her kind face is no longer there to soothe the invalid; and I hope, for the sake of the boys, that her successor inherits, with her other good qualities, her receipt for gooseberry fool. How we used to scent it from afar; and the moment a fresh brew was ready, what a rush to Sick-house! How we slid over the gate, which formed no barrier in such a case! There were two kinds, “Husky” and “Non-husky;” the former was decidedly the favourite, and the consumption was really alarming. Notwithstanding this there were few of us ill in those times, and one half of the number “Continent” were generally “Shuffling,” and the other laid-up with wounds received in athletic exercises. One boy, I remember, broke his arm three times in one year; the last time, the Master under whom he was made him write out all the lessons that he would have had to do if he had been in school, suggesting that he had broken his arm on purpose to escape them. Certainly being “Continent” was an agreeable change for a Fag, as he had no lessons to do, and escaped all fagging, except from such Præfects as happened to be Continent also, and he also got a “Thoke” in the morning till nine o’clock. When a boy was really ill he slept at Sick-house. I only remember doing so on one occasion myself, and that was when I caught the measles in the remarkable way above mentioned, (vide [p. 127].) This was a very jolly period. I had them very slightly, and there were four of us in a room together—Rasper, Badger, Bumpus, and myself, and I was then, for the first time, initiated in the mysteries of the science of Whist; one of us, who was the least unwell, used to deal and collect the cards, which we threw into the middle of the room as we played.
As I mentioned before, when a boy felt ill, or inclined to quit school for a period, he had to get leave Continent,[10] which was done by sending a boy in the morning first to get leave from his tutor, and then from the Head Master; and when he returned to his school duties he was said to “come abroad.”
During Long half all the unoccupied rooms in Sick-house were occupied by the senior Præfects as private studies; and each of them chose a boy as a “Reader,” whose nominal office was to read aloud the “English” of any Greek or Latin author his master might be studying. This was a much coveted appointment, as the fortunate possessor was exempt from all fagging.
There was another field between Sick-house Meads and Commoners belonging to College, called “Long Meads,” which, to the best of my belief, was only used to feed the Fellows’ cows. This is now thrown into Meads; and if Sick-house Meads could also be added, what a magnificent playground it would make!
It has been, I believe, often suggested that the boys at Winchester were not allowed sufficient exercise in the open air. I do not think there was any ground for this complaint as regards the College boys at any rate, who were sent at least three times a week to the top of Hills, besides having Meads close at hand during all play hours. Commoners were not so well off, as they only had one hour on school-days to breathe fresh air, in which time they had to walk half a mile out and back to the indifferent field forming their gymnasium; doubtless they now have access to Meads.