Games in the 1860s

Edward Rimell was at Campden Grammar School in the 1860’s and wrote some memories in 1931:

“The cricket pitch was Dovers Hill, and the football pitch near Mickleton Tunnel. They were crude and hectic games in those days, for records will prove, as boys fainted at the flow of blood at football matches, and attacked the bowling and every other conceivable thing at cricket. Games were on Thursdays as we went to school on Saturday mornings. We also had a Sports Day and races at the end of each ‘quarter’.

One sport was of great importance. Every winter the Elementary School (which was then in Church Street and much bigger in numbers than the Grammar School) was challenged to a pitched battle at snow-balling. This standing fixture was properly arranged and occurred in the street, as the inhabitants always watched from their windows. The latter did so for pleasure, so I’m told, and not from a sense of danger. The writer well recalls how an opponent sent a snowball (suitably biased with a stone) through Mr. Taylor’s window, when the girls (it was then a school) were at prayers, and how, after a successful explanation of lateness to Dr. Hiron, a kindly comrade scraped the ice out of his ears with a penknife.

One could go on relating how the sun alone did not tan us in summer, nor the hail alone hail us in winter; how the contents of skilfully manipulated water-jugs stopped a serious ‘tough’ fight on the pavement below the dormitory windows; how – but one must desist.”

Edward (Ned) Rimell remained in Campden all his life: he and his brother were local farmers and involved in town activities and he became Clerk to the School Governors. As he grew older he rode about on his tricycle with his crutch under his arm. He died in 1936.