Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
Carpentry was once a major activity at prep schools. It is now much less important as a club or hobby activity. This reflects the much larger range of activities now availavle to children at the schools which this page reflects. Some schools still have carpentry or wood working shops as they are commonly called. The adoption of Craft, Design and Technology to the curriculum has recived carpentry at some schools. Here the probem is usually finding a skilled staff member. Some of the skills are a little difficult for the younger boys at a prep school, but the olders boys are capable of quite high standard work.
It is often not appreciated that the work done by the boys is often based on their own design. Even measurements for fitments and portable benches have been constructed to be assembled at home. Some parents have produced designs which have been discused with their sons before bringing them to the 'Cop Shop'. Every encouragement is given to those who decide to try something new. However, the majority of the workis based on the basic joints, dovetails, mortice and tenon, lapped-halving and bridle joints. The most notable work over the last carpentry sessions have been as shown below:
Fairfax Hall -- Tennis raquet stand and oak coffee table
Timothy Porter -- Rifle rack
Timothy Pratt -- Table lamp and mahogny cassette holder
Ben Davis -- Beside locker
Stephen Butler -- Tool box
William Jones -- Pair of steps
George Edward-Collins -- Pair of steps
William Ashworth -- Letter box
Thomas Wright -- Arrow box
The prize for the most industrious and capable boy was awarded this year to Tim Porter, with Srephen Butler a close second.
Ken Cloud, Fanfare (Mount House School), Autumn 1988
"When is a cheese-grater not a cheese-grater?" Answer: "When it's a Surform plane". However, cheese-grater has stuck, no matter how often I say "Use the Surform plane to take out the marks left from the saw." Blank look from pupil -- then the light dawns: "Oh, you mean the cheese-greater, Sir." Mr Bawtree calls the Workshop "The Great Walstead Boatyard" when he shows visitors round the school. Ralegh, Studd, Geoffrey, "Jock" Foster, and Jamie Anderson-Slight have completed numbers 4, 5 and 6 of the dinghy I designed and made 3 years ago. Boats are not the only product from the Workshop. Beautiful desks have bee made by Mark Bawtree, Robert Watts, Simon Ridgway and Ben Burwood. Malin Carlsson has produced a bench, a table, and is now making two chairs. Stefan and Angie Collins produced a tea trolley; Richard Fletcher is busily refurnishing his parent's house from coffee table to cabinents. These are only the highlights, and there are many more budding carpenters I could mention. Clocks of all shapes and sizes, made with the help of Mrs Horspool, have been popular targets. Relief carving has also become popular -- Oona Grahan-Taylor, Alex King, Nickola Fowler and many others too mumerous to mention, have produced some very good work. A new prize for Carpentry in the form of a Cup has been presented to the school by Ralegh Studd's parents , and the first winner of 'The Studd Cup for Carpentry' is Richard Fletcher. Jason Kundin won the Hemmings Prize for the third year running. Congratulations to both Richard and Jason for their excellent work.
CRB, Great Walstead Magazine 1987.
