Category: Persons

Written in 1962 by Louis Vere Steadman:

Is there any former scholar of Sambourne School [Warminster] alive today who can remember the old schoolmaster Crispin? He was leaving in a few months after my delayed entrance to the Boys’ Department. The delay was requested by my mother who feared I might be a victim to his harsh, even brutal methods of teaching – cane, ruler and knuckles, and knuckles, ruler and cane – no part of the body escaped his blows, and his assistants followed his example.

I remember him shouting to his assistant, “Give it to him, Oliver,” when Oliver was using a cane. Even if the boys made mistakes in arithmetic, down came the cane on the fingers and palm of the hand. It filled me with horror and loathing which has never left me. It was purgatory to attend school. Yet we ought to forgive them, if only for the reason that the masters’ salary depended on the number of passes at the annual examination. A horrible system of payment, and the examination was often, but not always, carried out by gentlemen snobs who knew little about teaching or children.

When Crispin retired, the managers decided that his successor should be more humane and their views were made known to the new master. How did he begin? On the very first morning he began his task he produced at the main entrance of the school, facing the playground, a bag of nuts and started a scramble for nuts! All appeared to enjoy the fun. This beginning was intended to create a good feeling between scholars and master. An excellent idea, but the change was too sudden and contrasted so far from what the boys had been used to, that it was regarded as weakness. The bag of nuts did not produce the mental attitude and behaviour hoped for by the new master and discipline was bad.

I relate one incident concerning myself. I remember I did not approve of the behaviour shown by many boys. One day I noticed the master sitting in a chair, holding his head in his hand as if in pain and distress. I looked at him and as I thought and meant, gave a smile of sympathy to him. He came across and gave me such a smack on the left ear with the palm of his hand. Oh my word! The thought even now rekindles the burning tingle but not the tears which flowed down. He could not read characters. The mind of a child can be read in the face, and a teacher who knows his job and studies children ought to be able to read it.

Discipline got worse and the master gave up the task and left. For a few weeks, awaiting another master, straight from Winchester Training College, the assistant tried to carry on but knowing that corporal punishment would be regarded unfavourably by the Managers. The Attendance Officer, who had a long beard, came in one day and when examining the registers with the assistant, some unruly boys began singing, “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night”. I remember I did not join in nor did I show any visible sign of sympathy with the assistant. The managers were bound to modify their views on the use of the cane. The new young master on his first morning had a cane in his hand and everyone who came in late, received a stroke on the lumbar region. Such a beginning was more effective than the bag of nuts. However, the new man had no easy task – there were some roughs from the Common, Pound Street, and West Street. One day the master locked a boy named Titt in the room for the dinner period 12 to 2 p.m. To the master’s amazement and ours, the boy Titt proved to be like a Tomtit, he got through the small flap window and went home and had his dinner. His descendants, I believe, still live in West Street.

In my early school days Sambourne Hospital was a Workhouse. Elderly people were cared for, and tramps could get a night’s lodging for some wood chopping in the morning. There were some boys resident there. They came to school dressed in long corduroy trousers, often too big for them, a long white smock and some sort of tie, and heavy ill-fitting boots. Poor boys. How could they help their misfortune? And to be made wear the garb of Poor Law Relief was a shame. People know better now. Christ’s teaching has slowly, too slowly, made its influence felt, and now, no one would dream of inflicting such indignities upon innocent boys and girls. Neat clothing was supplied to the boys of the Orphanage in Vicarage Street.

The deaths of the two nonagenarian sisters Minnie and Connie Hawkins brought letters from some past scholars of Sambourne School. A farmer, Mr. Reginald Wright, of Mount Farm, Denham, Bucks, writes: “I can picture Miss Hawkins when I was in her class – and then I was under that unforgettable James Bartlett who was surely the most interesting Headmaster boys could wish for; he was so keen on ornithology and wild flowers and sports for boys – a very loveable Jimmy he was. Although I am almost a total cripple and cannot now take nature rambles, yet I should love to ramble round Warminster. I still enjoy long distance pigeon racing and get around by motor.”

Those words of Mr. Wright express what very many boys of Sambourne School thought of Jimmy. When I was with him as a Pupil Teacher I found he was always on the side of the boys. He wanted to get to the right side of his scholars and gain their co-operation in all the work. He changed the attitude of teachers to scholars. He came at a difficult time and though he may not have pleased all observers of his work, yet the attitude he chose is now generally accepted. He changed hatred of school to a desire not to stay away. Playing the hop almost died out in his time.

I left Sambourne School in 1896, and after two years at a Training College and teaching in London for six years, with a class of 80 the last year, I was glad to return to Wiltshire as Head Teacher of Bromham Church School, where I spent 34 happy years, and my wife, who was loved by all, helped me for 22 years. She was a Pupil Teacher at the Minster School (Warminster) and later was a certified teacher. We tried to make school life happy for all, teachers and scholars.

Two of the happiest events in my life were, first, when three girls, sisters, appeared at my home and said they wished to make me a present as a token of their appreciation of the very happy school life they had had; the second, was when Dr. Sutherland, then H.M. Inspector of Schools for Wiltshire, came into the school when we were enjoying a laugh about something. I said to him, “Oh, we are just getting over a good laugh,” and he said “I was very pleased to hear it as I came across the yard.” Afterwards he said, “In the old days that would have been considered bad discipline, but not now.” Dr. Sutherland did more than anyone I know to make school life happy for children and teachers.

I rejoice that I have lived long enough to see school life change from the purgatory to the heavenly. All the Warminster schools have been for many years happy places of learning under kind and qualified teachers.

Note:-
Louis Vere Steadman was born in Warminster in 1877. After serving as a pupil teacher at Sambourne School he did his teacher-training at St. Mary’s College, in Bangor, between 1896 and 1898. He then taught in Middlesex and London, before being appointed Headmaster of Bromham Church School, Wiltshire, in 1904. He held that position there until 1938, “occupying a distinctive niche in the sphere of education and gaining a reputation for firmness but fairness in his dealings with pupils, staff, parents and everyone he met in life.” For several years he was a member of Devizes Rural District Council, retiring from office in 1950. He was noted for the useful work he did, “bringing sound judgement to bear on matters of importance and taking a lively part in debate.”

After his retirement from teaching he made a second career for himself as a Diocesan Reader at Chittoe, near Bromham; which he continued at several churches in the Warminster area including the Parish Church of St. Denys, the Minster. It is said he gave over 500 services as a Diocesan Reader, at every church in the Warminster vicinity except for those in the Deverills. He kept this work up until he was 87. “Lithe and lissom,” he was remembered for his enthusiasm and great activity. He was an inveterate motorist and was still driving at the age of 91. Despite his advanced number of years he would think nothing of being behind the wheel for long periods, driving to holiday destinations in Wales and Scotland. A regular jaunt (usually with his son at the wheel though) was to Bangor, every Easter, for his annual College Reunion, which he attended right up until 1974 (by which time he was the oldest guest). Modest and assuming as he was, he was proud of the fact he had driven for so many years without an accident.

Louis Steadman spent his final years living at Imber Road. His wife, Margaret Alice, was formerly a Miss Cockrell, and she was a native of Warminster. They had two children (a son and a daughter), and two grandchildren. Son Harold attained his B.Sc., at Bristol University and became a physics master at Andover. Louis and Margaret’s daughter was Mrs. H. Sherwood. Margaret Steadman died, on 11th March 1961, at St. John’s Hospital, Trowbridge, after a long and painful illness. Her obituary notice described her as “one of the sweetest of women.” The Rev. P. F. Tambling officiated at her funeral held at St. John’s Church, Warminster, followed by cremation at Salisbury. Louis Steadman passed away, aged 98, in Sambourne Hospital, on 2nd January 1976. His funeral service and cremation was at Salisbury.