LMRMS, LOVEDALE IN THE 1940s

 

LMRMS, LOVEDALE IN THE 1940s 

July 3, 1942 was a red letter day in the history of The Lawrence Memorial Royal Military School, Lovedale. On that day, His Royal Highness Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester, younger brother of the reigning King Emperor George VI visited Lovedale. This was the very first visit by a member of the British Royal Family in the history of the school. 

Unfortunately, the heavy monsoon rains that day prevented the School from arranging an outdoor parade but His Royal Highness visited the Boys’, Girls’ and Prep Schools.

Shortly after, His Majesty, the King Emperor graciously acceded to the School’s request that His Royal Highness Prince Henry be the Royal Patron of the LMRMS.

The Rev C B Hall passed away in 1942. He was succeeded as Principal in 1943 by the Rev F R L Brooke MA Cantab who was no stranger to the School having been the Headmaster from 1940. 

The above picture of Rev Brooke and Mrs Brooke is from the collection of School pictures of OL Norman R Minus- so kindly shared with us by his daughter, Ms. Sharman Minus. 

Rev Brooke was a popular Principal as he was well-versed with the School system. 

In the last blog post, OL Peter Forkgen (1929-2017) who studied in Lovedale from 1935 to 1946 had written about the school uniforms of those times. 

Today, we share what he recalled for us of the School Routine in the Boys'School in the 1940s. He wrote:-

" A time lapse of about 75 years may have diminished my memory a little, so there will be readers of this who may rightly disagree with the exact times of events – but they are reasonably close to allow time for the progress of events through the day. Monday - Friday. 6 a.m. Reveille. Awakened by Sarge Nicholls, whose private apartment was located at one end of the Junior Boys’ dormitory, the selected boy from the School band would sound “Reveille” military style on the bugle at a couple of strategic locations in the dormitory areas. There were always those students who, in addition to the bugle, required a shout, or a snarl from the Prefect in charge, or even having all his bedding unceremoniously dumped on the floor beside his bed. Boys hurriedly did their toilet and dressed in sports shorts and shoes and “singlet” shirts, and went to the “mess"

(dining) hall for a half mug of slightly sweetened thin coffee and a bun. 6.45 a.m. Assembled in their respective platoons (according to age) on the parade grounds (Top Flat or Middle Flat) for P.T. (Physical Training - Calisthenics, various exercises, jogging, etc.) 7.30 a.m. Return to dormitories. Clean up and dress in the uniform of the day. Tidy dormitories to pass inspection from the Prefect in charge. 8 a.m. Breakfast. 9 a.m. - 12 noon. Morning classes. (with a 15 minute break mid-morning). 12 noon. Lunch 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Afternoon classes 4.30 p.m. – 5.45 p.m. Sports of various kinds.....Football, field hockey, cricket, gymnastics, field events (races, relays, high and long jumps, shot putt) The student body was divided up into four “Houses” – Lawrence, Murray Hammick (or just simply Hammick), Padfield and Hope Grant. Within each House, students were assigned to groups, referred to as “Elevens” on the basis of their age level. Throughout the year the several “elevens” in each House competed with their equivalent level in the other Houses in all sports activities (and other competitive events)........ with a view to accumulating the most points to win the coveted Board of Governors Shield, awarded to the “best” House. When an important event was pending, for which a full-dress military parade of the student body was included (e.g. the annual “Trooping of the Color” parade), and/or a visit by a dignitary, military or civilian, meriting a full military parade, then the “sports “ period in the evening was pre-empted on some evenings by “parade practice.” 6 p.m. Supper 7 p.m. - 8.p.m. – 8.30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Homework. Time depending on academic level. 9.30.p.m. Lights out. The assigned bugler would sound the “Lights out” on the bugle. There was a bath schedule set up for the different dormitories from the end of homework period to lights out time, and it worked out to two baths a week for the boys. In between those bath nights one did the best one could  during the morning ablutions, or post sports activities, to keep oneself clean ! Saturday/ Sunday schedule: Breakfast, lunch and dinner were at the regular times . No set “reveille” in the morning. Lights out 9 p.m. For those students who had run afoul of the regulations or their duties, their punishment frequently took the form of “Extra Parade” for a certain number of Saturdays; and they had to report to Top Flat at 7 a.m. Saturday morning for calisthenics, or parade and extra drill routines until breakfast at 8 a.m. Before breakfast on Saturdays, each dormitory in turn made the trip to the “kit room “ to exchange the week’s dirty clothes for a set of fresh clean clothes. Occasionally if Sarge Nicholls thought that the students’ parade performance was not measuring up to his high standards for a potential visiting dignitary, there would be general extra parade practices sometimes on a Saturday afternoon . Otherwise one’s time was free on Saturday. Sunday - 10A.M. - Compulsory morning Church service. Full Sunday dress. Formal parade and march to the church, and return , with the band, and with the formal “march past “ at the church after the service. Marching to the Church, 1943.  5 p.m. Evensong church service. Compulsory. In dress uniform, but marching to the church and back without the accompaniment of the band." --------------------------------------------------- The Second World War ended in 1945. The days of the British Raj in India seemed to be numbered, especially with a new Labour Government in power in the UK.  No one was quite sure what would happen to the School as the political situation in the country became more complex. The very future of the school was uncertain. A notification was received that the Grant–in-aid from the Central Government of Rs.2,10,000 would not be renewed after 31st March, 1947. In accordance with the instructions received from the government, action was taken to terminate all existing contracts with the Teaching, Administrative and Domestic Staff with effect from 30th November. 1946.  The Rev.F.R.L.Brooke resigned becoming the last of the long list of Church of England chaplains who were Principals of the School. You will recall that the very first was the Rev T Whitehouse appointed in 1862.   In his place, Maj A.V.Richardson was appointed as Principal in 1946.

CHISHOLM AND THE MOVE TO LOVEDALE

 CHISHOLM AND THE MOVE TO LOVEDALE

In an earlier post we have seen how Lt General Sir James Hope Grant, Commander-in Chief of the Madras Army threw his weight behind the choice of Lovedale as the site for the expansion of the Asylum.

Work commenced in 1863 and continued till nearly 1871. It was perhaps in the fitness of things that during the years when the new buildings for The Lawrence Asylum named after Sir Henry were being constructed in Lovedale, the Viceroy of India from 1864-1869 was none other than his younger brother, John, 1^st Baron Lawrence. 

The Girls Asylum was the first to be moved out to Lovedale- on April 24, 1867 while the Boys moved on April 1, 1869. 

The buildings at Lovedale, which we admire to this day, were designed by Robert Fellowes Chisholm, (1840-1915) the well- known architect of his time, who had made a big name for himself at a young age. 

He specialized in the  Indo-Sarcenic style. The characteristic feature of this style was a synthesis of Muslim designs and Indian materials which became very popular in British India during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 

Chisolm chose to design the buildings at Lovedale in the traditional Italiante style, more common in England than in India. It was said, “All his buildings had been constructed in oriental styles with oriental ornamentation. The Lawrence Asylum was realized in the Italianate style fashionable in England”. The rationale for this departure from his usual practice was attributed to the fact that this building was for the children of soldiers of the British Army personnel, the community it served was European and hence its architecture should be as well. The Chapel is designed in the Italian Gothic style, and is a two storied construction forming three sides of a quadrangle a feature of which is the campanile, 130 feet in height.

The chapel referred to here is our present Large Hall. This used to be the Old Chapel till the new one was built much later in 1911, the one near the current Girls School.

A campanile - in architect-speak is a bell tower usually attached to a church. Notice this memorable picture from the 1920s. 

In the segment of Glimpses of a Glorious Past, in the OL Assembly aired in January 2021,  OL Mark Warner, VIN 1969, a leading architect himself, speaks of Chisholm and his contributions to architecture in India.

We are indeed fortunate to have the recollections of George Webster, whom we have met before, when he described the early years at the Asylum at Ootacamund. 

He recalls the actual shift from Stonehouse to Lovedale. Webster writes, “I remember well the day we removed to Lovedale in 1869. The big boys marched the distance, but we, nursery boys travelled in carts. Previous to starting, at about 3 p.m., our tea was served, and on arrival at Lovedale each was given a loaf of bread. We suffered from great thirst after the journey, and eating the bare bread and no provision seemed to have been made of drinking water –at least, I was not aware of any-so fell to drinking the water that trickled in infinitesimal quantities from a barrel"

He went on to say, "The buildings at Lovedale were but half completed and work was being pushed on vigorously. There were over 500 convicts whose services were requisitioned for this purpose. The foundations of the tower were stated to be 15 feet deep and this I quite believe. We had a mangle in use at Stonehouse and the boys always washed their own socks, etc., but large articles of clothing were give out to the ‘dhobi’. This was moved to Lovedale, but continued in disuse in the stone passage till 1871 or so, when it finally disappeared into stores where, I have no doubt, it rests till the present time.

The "convicts" referred to by Webster were the Chinese prisoners from Neduvattam. We will cover them in more detail in a separate blog post. 

We are also informed by Webster: " The even tenor of our lives was, within a few months of our taking possession of the new building was rudely broken in upon by the untimely and greatly lamented death of Mrs. Annie Burrows in 1869, and in her, we nursery boys, lost our best and kindest friend. How shall I ever forget her many little nameless acts of kindness and of love? She was shortly after followed by Mrs. Bliss (the Rev. Principal’s lady), who died at Ootacamund and was buried in St. Stephen’s Church-yard. The big boys were permitted to attend her funeral.”

There were glad tidings too. Thomas Burrows, a teacher married Mary Stack on 4^th of July, 1870, the earliest recorded marriage in Lovedale - being solemnized in the Old Chapel.  

It is evident that much of the construction of the new buildings at Lovedale and the shifting of the asylum from Ootacamund took place under the first Principal’s watch. Rev. Whitehouse’s successor was Rev. T. Bliss, who managed the asylum from 1868 to 1871. 

Taking the liberty of interjecting some humour into what otherwise makes heavy reading, one might say, tongue firmly in cheek, that the occupants of The Lawrence Asylum on shifting to the beautiful new buildings and the much larger campus in Lovedale must have felt they had moved from Stonehouse through Whitehouse to Bliss!

We would love to hear your comments!! 

GENERAL SIR JAMES HOPE GRANT & THE CHOICE OF LOVEDALE

 GENERAL SIR JAMES HOPE GRANT & THE CHOICE OF LOVEDALE 

The episode of Glimpses of A Glorious Past in the OL Assembly of  January 9, 2021 tells us how Lovedale came to be chosen to be the site for the expansion of The Lawrence Asylum. You will recall that it had initially been set up in Ootacamund on September 6, 1858.

Do check out this video  in which OLs Prem Rao, NIL 1967 and Naomi Varghese ARA 2005 give you the details. 

Another influential voice supported the move to Lovedale. This was none other than Lt General Sir James Hope Grant (1808-1875) then the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for the Madras Presidency. 

A veteran who had fought in the relief of Lucknow,  Sir James Hope Grant supported the choice of Lovedale as the site for the new Asylum 

The School Archives had this Memorandum signed by him which is reproduced from Book 1 of Glimpses of a Glorious Past: An Informal History of The Lawrence School, Lovedale." 

                                          MEMORANDUM.

    I am of the opinion that it would not be advisable to select Bishop’s Down for the site of the Asylum. It is , no doubt, true that there  are 150 acres in the grounds; but very much of this lies in a valley  where it would not be desirable to erect dwelling houses, and the number of children that are likely to require accommodation must be considered.

     2.    Independent of the present Lawrence Asylum, it is very probable, in course of time, amalgamation will take place with the Madras Military Asylum. Under these circumstances, a large extent of ground should be kept available, and Bishop’s Down is, I conceive, a site quite unsuited for an Institution which may number between 6 and 700 children.

 

      3.    I also think it very unadvisable to place the Asylum in the midst of the station. Though there may not, at present, be many houses, still, in consideration of the easy access to the Hills, Ootacamund will, in all probability, increase greatly in size.

      4.    The expense of Bishop’s down is 40,000 Rupees. This I consider would be thrown away, as the present dwelling cannot be thought to be worth that sum, and it must either be built or undergo great alterations to make it a permanent residence.

      5.     The proposition that this expense would probably be covered by the sale of the house or the houses of the present Male and Female Asylums, is surely not an advantageous one, as it would be decidedly desirable to place whatever sum would be realized to the credit of the Building Fund.

      6.      I have again looked at the site of Lovedale, and, in my opinion, it appears admirably adapted for the Asylum in question. There seems to be not only ample extent for the large buildings that will be required, but also for cricket and play grounds, which are most indispensable for children; and combining the very desirable object of being near, but not in, the station of Ootacamund.

    7.       I would strongly advocate, however, that whatever site may be selected, should be decided  on without loss of time, as it is sad to know of urgent cases of admission being refused from want of accommodation which is now the case, and,. Especially, as the boys are so much overcrowded in the Asylum at present.

                                                             (Signed) J. HOPE GRANT.

                                       Lieut Genl. and Commander –in –Chief. 

OOTACAMUND,

26^TH September 1862

Many years later when the Rev W H G Padfield, the then Principal, brought in the system of Houses, “Hope Grant House "was named after General Sir James Hope Grant. 

Those interested in the military career of General Hope Grant can read, " Life of General Sir Hope Grant" edited by Col. Henry Knollys, published by William Blackwood & Sons, in 1894. 

He was commissioned in the 9th Lancers of the British Army in 1826. He served with distinction in India from the 1840 to 1858 when he was transferred as Lt General to be in command of British Troops in China and Hong Kong.  

We think it was this connection that resulted in Chinese convicts being shipped from the Strait Settlements to Madras Province in India when the jails became full there.

Some of these were confined in the Nilgiris and actually worked in the building of our School- but that story is for another day. 

He returned to India in 1861 as the Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army. In 1865 he went back to England as the Quarter Master General and became General in 1872.  He passed away in London in 1875.

His love for Lovedale is borne out by the fact that though he had left India a decade earlier, in his will he left some money for The Lawrence Asylum!