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Rothschild School photos, c. 1921

The first shows his grandfather Bill Healey's class (Class 7) in their classroom. Tony and Sandra believe Bill is 4th row back, 3rd from right.

Sandra Ireland, another descendant, provided a very higher resolution scan in May 2012, allowing names on the art work on the back wall (map drawings) to be confirmed: A Beck, C Collis, C Crisp, P Dear, H Gill (2), H Hill (2), D Padbury, L Sheppard, A Tomlin (these boys may not be in the class in the photo of course).

I counted 42 boys in the photo, plus a master in a dark suit standing to the left, and in the corner opposite the photographer is another master. The desks are in pairs with inkwells and a recessed area for pens and pencils, no storage space for books. I'd estimate the boys age as 11 or 12, which dates the photo to c. 1920 or 1921.

The classroom is very high, with windows on the two walls shown, I think they are internal with either another classroom or corridor on the other side. The classroom has gas lighting.

There is no school uniform evident, many boys wear jackets and ties, a few have jumpers with collars instead and trousers are short.

The second photo was taken outside the school (in the playground?), and shows a violin class of 20 boys with three masters on the back row. I'd guess the rather flamboyant adult with the bow tie to the back right is the violin teacher rather than the adult centre back; or it could be the older man, back row on the left.

The boys are arrayed in rows, front sitting, next kneeling, next sitting on chairs then a back row standing. All the violins are held for righthanded playing, but that might be for the photo composition. The boy at front right has a new romantic look to him.

The boys are in short trousers and the photo shows the sturdy ankle boots worn at the time.

Page published May 2012; updated June 2012