Figure 1.--Here we see part of the St. Edmund's school portrait in 1915, during World War I. All the boys wear suits, but there is no uniform style. Wystan as a new boy is in the front row, the third from the right. He is sitting in front of Mrs. Ivo Bulley. Immediately behind her is Christopher Isherwood. Click on the image to see the rest of the school. |
The boys attended St. Edmund's Preparatory School which was a boarding school. He was there during much of World War I (1915-1920). Wystan got on well at school and was particularly attached to the headmaster's daughters who looked after the younger boys. A school mate looking back describes him as "clever and precocious" and aware of it. He also had a finely honed since of justice. [Smith, p. 35.] Wystan interesting at St Edmund's seemed more interested in science than literature. He was also very knowledeable in history, once giving the other boys an impromptu discourse on the late 14th century. He was not particularly interested in sports, very important at English boarding schools at the time. Even so he got on well and was well liked by the other boys. He showed continued interest in his music. It was at St. Edmund's that Wystan met Christopher Isherwood who also attended the school, but was 3 years older. In his final year he was appointed Head Boy. After St. Edmuns's, Auben went on to Gresham's School, another boarding school. He just missed getting a scholarship. Gresham's was considered to be a modern school and did not have the cachet of Harrow, Rugby, and Winchester where most of the St. Edmunds' boys went. The curriculum wa more modern and bulkying and snobery not prevalent.
The boys attended St. Edmund's Preparatory School which was a boarding school. It was founded in the 1870s as a family institution. Wystan was there during much of World War I (1915-1920). Wystan got on well at school and was particularly attached to the headmaster's daughters who looked after the younger boys. A school mate looking back describes him as "clever and precocious" and aware of it. He also had a finely honed since of justice. [Smith, p. 35.] Wystan interesting at St Edmund's seemed more interested in science than literature. He was also very knowledeable in history, once giving the other boys an impromptu discourse on the late 14th century. He was not particularly interested in sports, very important at English boarding schools at the time. Even so he got on well and was well liked by the other boys. He showed continued interest in his music. The piano teacher reportedly wielded a large red pencil over the students' knuckles which reportedly resulted in a "staccato style of playing". Bulley, p. 31.] There does not seem to have been a uniform at the school. All boys wore short pants suits, but there are long pants even among the younger boys. Most boys had stiff Eton collars, but we also notice soft collars as well. The only uniform item seems to to be a tie with horizontal stripes. I'm not sure if they had caps. There does not even seem to be a strict rule about hair cuts. One boy has rather long hair. It was at St. Edmund's that Wystan met Christopher Isherwood who also attended the school, but was 3 years older. He is behind Mrs. Bully who was a cousin (figure 1). Isherwood does nor remember the school as fondly as does Auden. Mrs Bully who was the Headmaster's daughter had attended the school as a girl beginning in the bottom form at age 7 and "loved every minute of it". It was later that they became close friends, a friendship that persisted throughout their lives. In his final year he was appointed Head Boy.
After St. Edmuns's, Auben went on to Gresham's School, another boarding school. He just missed getting a scholarship. Gresham's was considered to be a modern school and did not have the cachet of Harrow, Rugby, and Winchester where most of the St. Edmunds' boys went. The curriculum wa more modern and bulkying and snobery not prevalent. Once there Wystan once there was given an "open scholarship". Wystan generally liked Gresgam's except for the honors system which he saw as repressive. [Medly p. 37-41.]
Bulley, Rosmira. "A prep school reminiscense," in Stephen Spencer, ed. W.H. Auden: A Tribute (MacMillan: New York, 1975), 255p.
Medlym Robert. "Gresham's School, Holt," in Stephen Spencer, ed. W.H. Auden: A Tribute (MacMillan: New York, 1975), 255p.
Smith, Harold Llewellyn. "At St. Edmund's 1915-1920," in Stephen Spencer, ed. W.H. Auden: A Tribute (MacMillan: New York, 1975), 255p.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Cloth and textiles]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Topics]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]