Recollection of Horace Bignell

“Mr Jones was the Head. He was a good schoolmaster really. He was quite strict, and there was no jiggery-pokery up there in those days. You didn’t dare do anything you shouldn’t at school, or you had the stick. One day in February 1914, as the bell was being tolled for afternoon school, some of us scholars ran into a neighbouring field where hunters with hounds were gathering. When the hunt set off, seventeen of us boys played truant and followed it. Next morning we all had the cane.”
From: WINGRAVE A Rothschild Village in the Vale, by Ken and Margaret Morley
The log book entry for the 27th February 1914 reads as follows:

"As the bell was being rung for afternoon school, many of the scholars ran into a neighbouring field where hunters with hounds were dallying. 4 Boys and 1 Girl returned too late to be marked present, but 17 other Boys followed the hunt and played truant"

and the entry for the following day :

"The truant players were caned this morning"