Macnaghten's House Michaelmas 1917

[Nicholas]

All material appears by kind permission of Mrs Laura Duguid and the Provost and Fellows of Eton College.

We came back without Graham, Vaughan-Johnson, Forest, whose places were filled by Erskine, Scrutton, and Debenham.  Senhouse was captain of games, Davies ma became captain of the house.  Peake, senior wet bob and captain of boats, also cadet officer.  Baillie-Hamilton managed the mission successfully amassing a total of [space left blank].
We had three members of sixth form: Lowry, Baillie-Hamilton, Davies ma, and others within sight of jam pots.  Davies ma and Lawson competed for scholarships at Trinity.  The latter is to be condoled with for only failing to secure his aim by a narrow margin.  Holland-Martin was 2nd in King's German prize whereby he is the richer by 10 quid. 
L. Johnstone won College chemistry prize.
In lower boy fives, the first three of six pairs reached 3rd round, very creditably, the first pair winning the cup against Rayner-Woods in the Final.
Sheldon & Davies mi - first pair
Adam & L. Williams - 2nd
Bowden & Bennet - 3rd
Eastwood & Floyd - 4th
Barber & Erskine - 5th
Jackson & Ashwin - 6th
Sheldon is a very good player, the best lower boy in the school.
Sheldon reached final of lower boy racquets.

We were lucky to avoid German-pox almost completely.
Jenkinson was away all the half.

Michael Llewelyn Davies

[ecb]

Ah Davies major and Davies minor! 
"Fives" is a specifically Eton game is it not?  Sort of like handball?  Wasn't Nico later on in a pair with Alec Douglas Home?

Thanks for posting!

[andrew]

Many thanks to Nicholas for researching and posting this! I have a feeling that ecb will be just about the only perosn on earth who'd be interested to know that I'm writing this from the Tomdoun Hotel on the shores of Loch Garry, where JMB stayed with Michael and Nico in August 1915. The hotel has little altered over the past 95 years, and I think we (my wife Karen and our little girl Emily) must be staying in Barrie's bedroom, being Room #1 with the best view of the loch.... if ghosts come forth tonight I'll let you know!

[TheWendybird]

*jealous*

[ecb]

I just googled the Tomdoun Hotel - looks like paradise!  Indeed Andrew I am delighted that you are there - I hope you and your wife and little girl have a wonderful holiday!

What a difficult holiday it must have been for poor Barrie - the first "war holiday" - with Peter away and George recently killed.  At least the fishing looks like it must have been marvelous, which had to have made the boys happy!

Good luck with the ghosts - we once stayed in an very old place in Vienna and my little girl was convinced that she would see one - and consequently spent all her nights in our bed - luckily it was enormous!