Anthony Chenevix-Trench
Encyclopedia
Anthony Chenevix-Trench is best known as the Headmaster of Eton College
from 1964–1970.
(1807– 1886), Archbishop of Dublin
.
He was educated at Shrewsbury School
and Christ Church, Oxford
.
He fought in the Second World War and attained the rank of Captain in 1939 in the Royal Artillery
. At the fall of Singapore
in 1942, he was taken prisoner and remained a POW for three and a half years at Changi Prison
and working on the Burma Railway. He graduated from Oxford
in 1948 and became an assistant master at Shrewsbury, where he was a housemaster
between 1952 and 1955. He was Headmaster of Bradfield College
between 1955 and 1964 and, whilst there, he held the office of Justice of the Peace
(J.P.) for Berkshire
in 1960.
He was Headmaster of Eton College between 1964 and 1970 and, under his Headship, Eton was reformed with the introduction of sciences in the junior years, the end of corporal punishment administered by senior boys, and a reformed curriculum. In 1970, he was appointed Headmaster of Fettes College
, Edinburgh
, and died, in office, in 1979 shortly before the end of the summer term, when he was to retire.
, the journalist, had Chenevix-Trench as his housemaster at Shrewsbury. In adult life, Foot exposed the ritual beatings that Chenevix-Trench had given. As Nick Cohen
wrote in his obituary of Foot in The Observer
:
Nick Fraser, in his book The Importance of Being Eton: Inside the World's Most Powerful School, describes his own experiences of Chenevix-Trench at Eton. Reviewing the book, The Sunday Times
said that he "was subjected to a furtive sexual assault by the headmaster, Anthony Chenevix-Trench, whose proclivities in this area were not made public until after his death, and it damaged him, he says, 'more than I could ever have brought myself to express'".
Eventually, his fondness for beating boys and his drinking became so embarrassing that he was forced to resign from Eton. The Independent on Sunday reported in 1994:
Mr Card writes that staff at the school were embarrassed by Chenevix-Trench's drinking and that he "regarded corporal punishment not as a last resort, but almost as the first". He claims the head was forced to resign eventually and that the matter was hushed up."
However, Christopher Hourmouzios reminisced to The Times: "He once flogged the living daylights out of me with a strap on my bare backside, and my brother tells me that the "headman", as we called Trench, once beat him and a whole divinity class of more than twenty boys one afternoon!"
But, he went on: (he) "was the same man who abolished boxing at Bradfield, and later at Eton; who was a fine teacher who taught me Latin, just as he had his fellow PoWs after being captured by the Japanese in the Second World War; and who launched a modern, progressive appeal for new college buildings and facilities."
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
from 1964–1970.
Family and education
He was the son of Charles Godfrey Chenevix Trench (1877–1964) and Margaret May Blakesley. His grandfather was Richard Chenevix TrenchRichard Chenevix Trench
Richard Chenevix Trench was an Anglican archbishop and poet.-Life:He was born at Dublin, in Ireland, son of the Dublin writer Melesina Trench, his elder brother was Francis Chenevix Trench. He went to school at Harrow, and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1829. In 1830 he visited Spain...
(1807– 1886), Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
.
He was educated at Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
He fought in the Second World War and attained the rank of Captain in 1939 in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
. At the fall of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in 1942, he was taken prisoner and remained a POW for three and a half years at Changi Prison
Changi Prison
Changi Prison is a prison located in Changi in the eastern part of Singapore.-First prison and POW camp:...
and working on the Burma Railway. He graduated from Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1948 and became an assistant master at Shrewsbury, where he was a housemaster
Housemaster
In British education, a housemaster is a member of staff in charge of a boarding house, normally at a boarding school . The housemaster is responsible for the supervision and care of boarders in the house and typically lives on the premises...
between 1952 and 1955. He was Headmaster of Bradfield College
Bradfield College
Bradfield College is a coeducational independent school located in the small village of Bradfield in the English county of Berkshire.The college was founded in 1850 by Thomas Stevens, Rector and Lord of the Manor of Bradfield...
between 1955 and 1964 and, whilst there, he held the office of Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(J.P.) for Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
in 1960.
He was Headmaster of Eton College between 1964 and 1970 and, under his Headship, Eton was reformed with the introduction of sciences in the junior years, the end of corporal punishment administered by senior boys, and a reformed curriculum. In 1970, he was appointed Headmaster of Fettes College
Fettes College
Fettes College is an independent school for boarding and day pupils in Edinburgh, Scotland with over two thirds of its pupils in residence on campus...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and died, in office, in 1979 shortly before the end of the summer term, when he was to retire.
Abuse allegations
Paul FootPaul Foot
Paul Mackintosh Foot was a British investigative journalist, political campaigner, author, and long-time member of the Socialist Workers Party...
, the journalist, had Chenevix-Trench as his housemaster at Shrewsbury. In adult life, Foot exposed the ritual beatings that Chenevix-Trench had given. As Nick Cohen
Nick Cohen
Nick Cohen is a British journalist, author and political commentator. He is currently a columnist for The Observer, a blogger for The Spectator and TV critic for Standpoint magazine. He formerly wrote for the London Evening Standard and the New Statesman...
wrote in his obituary of Foot in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
:
Nick Fraser, in his book The Importance of Being Eton: Inside the World's Most Powerful School, describes his own experiences of Chenevix-Trench at Eton. Reviewing the book, The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
said that he "was subjected to a furtive sexual assault by the headmaster, Anthony Chenevix-Trench, whose proclivities in this area were not made public until after his death, and it damaged him, he says, 'more than I could ever have brought myself to express'".
Eventually, his fondness for beating boys and his drinking became so embarrassing that he was forced to resign from Eton. The Independent on Sunday reported in 1994:
Mr Card writes that staff at the school were embarrassed by Chenevix-Trench's drinking and that he "regarded corporal punishment not as a last resort, but almost as the first". He claims the head was forced to resign eventually and that the matter was hushed up."
However, Christopher Hourmouzios reminisced to The Times: "He once flogged the living daylights out of me with a strap on my bare backside, and my brother tells me that the "headman", as we called Trench, once beat him and a whole divinity class of more than twenty boys one afternoon!"
But, he went on: (he) "was the same man who abolished boxing at Bradfield, and later at Eton; who was a fine teacher who taught me Latin, just as he had his fellow PoWs after being captured by the Japanese in the Second World War; and who launched a modern, progressive appeal for new college buildings and facilities."
Further reading
- Card, Tim Eton Renewed (John Murray, London, 1994) ISBN 0719553091
- Fraser, Nick The Importance of Being Eton: Inside the World's Most Powerful School (Short Books, London, 2006) ISBN 1904977537
- Ingrams, Richard My Friend Footy (Private Eye Productions Ltd., London, 2005) ISBN 1901784428
- Peel, Mark The land of lost content: the biography of Anthony Chenevix-Trench (Pentland Press, Edinburgh 1996.) ISBN 1858214009