Margaret Emily MORRIS [1124]

  General Notes:

Julius Jottings No 5.
June 1901
Margaret Morris writes "as we have heard a good deal about Rugby School in former Jottings, I thought perhaps you would like to hear a little about Repton, another of the large public schools of England. The first mention of Repton occurs in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the year 755, so you see Repton is a very ancient place indeed. It is not I believe commonly known that it used to be the capital of the kKngdom of Mercia.
The school itself was founded by Sir John Porte, who found the remains of a dissolved Priory well adapted to the purpose. In 1857 Repton School commemorated its Tercentenery, and 11 August in that year was a very great day, both for masters and boys. The school chapel was founded on that day; Earl Howe laid the foundation stone, assisted by Dr Pears, the headmaster, to whom the splendid Pears Hall was dedicated as a memorial. In this hall all the concerts take place, and various other items of importance, such as organ recitals, plays, etc.
Repton now is a very little place, boasting only of one long, straggling street, lined either side with cottages, a few tiny shops, and the masters houses. It does not even have a station to itself, but is joined to that of Willington a mile away. The greater number of the shops are "tuck shops" which are most extensively patronised by the "scholar lads" as the boys are designated by the villages. The amount of money invested by the boys in these shops is supposed to be tremendous; indeed, to proprietors have retired and live in ease and comfort on the proceeds of the tidy little fortune bought in by their brisk trade of cakes, etc, all those things so dear to the schoolboys heart.
These thoughts naturally lead me to the "Sanatorium" a commodious building only recently erected. It is the ambition of most of the boys to be only slightly ill and be ordered off to the San. Once there he considers himself in the lap of luxury, as the Matron is a general favourite and spoils them to their hearts content. Many are the little ruses and dodgers which a boy who is lazy, or getting tired of his work, will invent in order to have a most mysterious complaint, which neither Dr or Matron can make head or tail of. This leads however to a rest in the much loved "San" until his misdeeds are discovered, and he returns to school a sadder let us hope a wiser boy.
The great event of the school year is Speech Day, about June 22nd. Repton is very gay indeed just then, as all the parents, who are able, come down to see the boys act in their much rehearsed Greek, Latin or French plays, or receive a prize, if they are fortunate enough to get one. The village is very full then, all available rooms having been let to those who have taken precautions to order them about two months beforehand.
A new Head Master, the Rev Lionel Ford, an old Reptonian and famous cricketer, arrives this term; the last, Mr Burge, only stayed six months and was then appointed to Winchester.
Dear Mr Editor, I must not take up any more of your valuable space.
Believe me,
Yours very sincerely,
Margaret Morris.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 5 Apr 1891, St Thomas's Rectory Charlton LND. Margaret is recorded as a daughter aged 8 born Charlton LON

2. Census: England, 31 Mar 1901, Wythall Vicharage Kings Norton Worcestershire. Margaret is described as a daughter aged 18 born Old Charlton Lane Kent?

Margaret married Cecil Coleman FIELDING [1125] [MRIN: 356], son of James FIELDING [22759] and Martha Emma COLEMAN [22760], on 1 Aug 1909 in Kenilworth WAR. (Cecil Coleman FIELDING [1125] was born on 24 Apr 1874 in co Durham Ontario Canada and died in 1916 in France, Killed In Action..)