Archives
39
A PREP SCHOOL in SOMERSET
by Garth Pedler OA, Carpenter 1964
he story of the Junior School of King's College, Taunton to 1982.
Founded in 1522 the school was taken over by Nathaniel Woodard
in 1880. he book features a substantial genealogy of benefactors;
memories by 25 former juniors from 1925 to 1981; 30 rich
appendices drawn from school archives; and 128 photographs.
Available from the School shop
email: schoolshop@kings-taunton.co.ukgs-taunton.co.uk" target="_blank" title="Visit kings-taunton.co.uk">kings-taunton.co.uk
Price: £15.00 (excl. postage and packing)
Ask the Archivist - 'Aluredian'
I am often asked why former pupils of this school are called
Old Aluredians. My usual response is that Alured is an old
form of Alfred but the real origins are somewhat more
complicated.
Most people know that the school was dedicated by
Nathaniel Woodard to King Alfred, if only because of the
extra King Alfred Holiday in October. Fewer perhaps realise
that the formal title of the school is King Alfred's School or
College. Why not then call former pupils Old Alfredians?
My personal view is that the answer has more to do with
the Victorian love of antiquarianism rather than having any
solid basis in Anglo-Saxon or Latin. he few Anglo-Saxon
written references to King Alfred record the name of Aelfred
(as does the Alfred Jewel) or a latinised version as in Bishop
Asser's contemporary biography 'Vita Aelfredi Regis Angul
Saxonum'. Furthermore the Anglo Saxons had a strong
oral tradition and if we disregard spelling and stick to the
phonetic roots of a name there is definitely something odd
sounding about Alured.
Yet later antiquarian scholars of medieval documents found
Alureds in medieval documents everywhere; as Bishops,
knights and landowners. Perhaps the name Aelfred was
actually transformed into Alured, however alternatively;
perhaps Aelfred was transformed into Alvred. As anyone
who has had to read early handwriting will have learnt, the
letters u and v were often represented by the same letter
strokes and could easily be translated as u for v by later readers. Whatever the truth, the persistent reference to
Alured led to its perception as an Alfred alternative and to
its adoption as a boy's name amongst the more educated
classes.
he Victorian fashion for the romantic medieval may
therefore have encouraged the original OAs to adopt the term
Aluredian. With the name Alfred in the top 50 most popular
boys' names of the 1880s and 1890s perhaps too there may
have been an
attraction to
adopting a
form of name
which was
slightly more
obscure and
exclusive.
Colin C Smith (Meynell 1951) Found!
In the January 2013 edition of OA news we appealed for
news of the whereabouts of Colin and subsequently received
a number of enquiries from his contemporaries asking for
information should he be found.
Colin's granddaughter Rachel discovered the appeal in the
digitised OA Club News on the aluredian website and has been in touch. Colin moved to Bolton after King's where
his sister was living. He too had a family and remains in the
area to this day. Sadly Colin was diagnosed with dementia
ten years ago. Rachel and her father Stephen Smith visited
King's in March this year to see the school which Colin
had told them so much about. hey were also able to take
photographs to take back to show him.
Drawing of King Alfred by the school Chaplain Rev F M Trefusis OA from
an autograph book recently acquired by the Archives