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Chapter 3 / Houses
door bursts open and a hapless individual rushes out laughing,
only to meet the gimlet gaze of his Housemaster.
A few minutes before the end of normal prep, the bell
sounds and all the pupils rush up to the games room, where
a mountain of meat has been laid out. Within seconds, the
sausages are consumed and the drinks glugged down. All
celebrate the combined efforts of the glorious team and the
cups are ceremonially placed back in the cabinet.
The prefect then starts the process of getting the
younger boys to go to bed. Teeth are brushed, nightwear
donned and lights extinguished. All is now immediate
silence. The Tutor reports back to the Housemaster that
all is well. After a sustained period of e-correspondence
the Housemaster shuffles into his House to remind himself
what his wife looks like and then carefully sets his alarm
in order that he can be awoken the next day by the same
penetrating sound … and so ends a typical day in the life of
the modern-day Field House!
Richard Murray
Housemaster, Field House (C)
Field House (C)
My precious sleep is rudely interrupted by the penetrating
sound of my iPhone, its nauseating jingle heralding the
beginning of another day. As consciousness slowly returns I
am suffused with a sense of ecstasy as I remember that I am
the Housemaster of Field House and that in 20 minutes’ time
I will be beginning my daily routine of waking the inhabitants
up. I pass from silent room to silent room, my presence
provoking sounds redolent of the farmyard. The grunting
presences appear 45 minutes later, now clothed, more or
less, in School uniform. Having called out their names (more
monosyllabic responses) I remind them of the race later in the
day. The pride of Field House then return to their rooms to
collect their books and files for the morning’s lessons.
Throughout the School can now be heard the inspiring
sound of the Field House pupil at work – quadratic equations
are cracked, battles explained and poems recited.
After a light lunch, we assemble again in the dayroom, all
pupils now dressed in the light-blue colours of Field House.
The Sports prefect ensures that all are present and I recite
some moving phrases reminiscent of elements of Churchill’s
1940 speeches; the Assistant Housemaster parades last year’s
cups, which we have, naturally, in our possession, and
everyone takes an oath to ensure that they will return again to
their natural home by the close of day.
I put on my boots and walk down to the starting line on
the lower pitches, to see a crowd of light-blue shirts bunched in
front of the massed ranks, and when the retort of the Warden’s
pistol is heard, a stream of turquoise is seen rushing on before.
An anxious wait of about half an hour ensues, as the pride of St
Edward’s does battle with the watery environs of Port Meadow,
a monster which can claim running shoes and careless limbs.
Eventually an athlete is spotted on the horizon; I peer into the
distance and pray that the front runner is wearing the right
colour. My breath catches and
then I see it for sure – light
blue – all is right with the world
– waves of Field House runners
surge forwards – the trophy
cabinet waits expectantly; ‘O
frabjous day!’ I phone up the
matron to give instructions for
the oven to be turned on – a
traditional feast, that celebratory
ritual beyond compare, is
clearly in order.
The pupils settle down to
do their prep, all working in
their own rooms except for the
Shells who work at the School’s
only remaining horseboxes
under the careful supervision
of their Tutor. I walk round the
House, inspecting the corridors
to see that all the scholars are
hard at work. Occasionally a
Far left: Field entrance.
Left: Richard Murray,
Housemaster.
Below: The Royal Wedding
– patriotic fervour reigns
supreme.
Bottom: Dinner with Corfe
– happy revellers.
Far left: Lobby cricket rules.
Left: Will Fish, Alex Holding
and Angus Atkinson play
Lobby cricket.
Below left: The Shell year
group with the Lobby Rock
and other Field House
impedimenta.
Far left: Future Head
of House Ollie Smith
competing in the 24-
hour Run.
Left: Pupils at work
in the Field House
horseboxes.
Right:The opening of a
classroominZimbabwe
in 2011, built using
funds raised by Field
House, following
24-hour running and
football events.