To Orwell Today,
re: ORWELL ETON POEM DISCOVERED & WHO CAN SPOT ORWELL AT ETON?

Hi Jackie,

...Also attached is the College List for 1921 listing the King's Scholars.

My grandfather had marked what looks like a grade by each boy's name. Seems our Eric only got a "B". However it might be something else entirely.

Best Wishes,
John Johnston

Greetings John,

Thanks so much for sending your grandfather's list of King's Scholars and their grades for the summer of 1921.

Actually, that "B" grade wasn't too bad, considering that Orwell "rested on his oars" academically (his words) for most of his six years at Eton, having worked so hard in his prep-school years (at St Cyprian's) to earn that scholarship to Eton - one of only fifteen boys in all of Britain who qualify every year.

That's not to say that Orwell didn't excel in other areas at Eton - for example, he was a writer and editor for two student-run publications - THE COLLEGER and THE ELECTION TIMES. And he made it onto the infamous WALL GAME team and scored a goal his final year - no small achievement.

Looking through your grandfather's COLLEGE LIST I recognize a few of the names - besides Blair's - having come across them while reading Orwell biographies.

Names that stand out, off the top of my head, are Mynors, Runciman, Eastwood and Connolly (but missing is Kings-Farlow, so perhaps there was another page to the list).

I'm still in awe at how in 2004 I godcidently stood on the exact same spot as Orwell had 83-years previously - and am now communicating with the grandson of the teacher who was there on the steps with him. The first photo below is of College Chapel seen from inside the school yard. The steps can't be seen but they are in the very far right of the photo of the building (leading up to a side entrance, the black door at the top of the stairs, used by the students):

Your grandfather, John F Crace, is mentioned in the Master in College article on Wikipedia, and I've inserted my photos at the pertinent passage below:

"Master in College" is the title of the master responsible for College, the oldest boarding house at Eton College, which is reserved for the seventy King's Scholars. King's Scholars attend Eton on scholarships provided under the original foundation by King Henry VI in 1440 and awarded by examination each year. The school originally consisted of only seventy scholars, half of whom had previously been educated at Winchester College, and all of these boys were educated at the King's expense. The boarding house in which Collegers live is in the central area of the school off School Yard, the fulcrum around which the school revolves, where both Eton College Chapel and Lupton's Tower are situated.

It includes New Buildings and Chamber. Chamber, the older section, includes rooms which look out onto School Yard, while New Buildings is on the reverse side and contains the majority of the boys' living spaces. The position of Master in College dates from around 1845 when the new buildings were finished. Prior to that the Headmaster was responsible for the Scholars.

Again, thanks so much for sharing your grandfather's treasure trove with ORWELL TODAY readers.

All the best,
Jackie Jura

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ORWELL TODAY ETON POEM GENUINE (reader Richard had poem verified by Orwell scholar and auther Peter Davison)

WHO CAN SPOT ORWELL AT ETON?

ORWELL ETON POEM DISCOVERED

ETON COLLEGERS REMEMBER ORWELL

ORWELL'S PUNISHING SCHOOL DAYS

ORWELL & HARRY AT ETON

THE LION AND THE LAMB

ORWELL GREATEST ETONIAN OF ALL

ORWELL TRULY A GLOBAL FIGURE

WHO'S THE GREATEST OLD ETONIAN?

LOOKING FOR ORWELL AT ETON