Harrow History Prize
Encyclopedia
The Harrow History Prize or the Townsend Warner Preparatory Schools History Prize is a prestigious annual history competition for children at British preparatory school
s. It currently attracts around 800 entrants each year.
. He wanted to encourage a move away from purely classical education and offered a prize in history
to pupils of Elstree Preparatory School. In 1895 the Dragon School
also started to take part, and the competition had spread to thirteen other schools by 1905 with 39 entrants taking part that year. In 1905, George Townsend Warner head of history at Harrow (and father of Sylvia Townsend Warner
) took on the running of the competition until his death in 1916. Over many years the prize was repeatedly won by St Cyprian's School
whose Headmistress Mrs Vaughan Wilkes was a great believer in history teaching and in the prize itself. After 1916 administration was shared between Mr Henry of Harrow and Henry Marten
, later Sir Henry Marten, of Eton
and the prize was renamed after Townsend Warner. In 1940 the number of participating schools had risen to 40, by which time both Henry and Marten had withdrawn. There were difficulties during World War II
because of the disruption this caused to prep schools, but the competition was kept running by Major C F Letts until 1956 when the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools took over. By this time there were 70 schools and over 500 entrants in the competition. The competition has continued to grow since then, and a special centenary competition was run in 1985.
(1905) and Cyril Connolly
(1916), with his colleague Eric Blair (George Orwell
) in second place. Orwell later wrote scathingly of the prize as a "piece of nonsense". Another runner up was the historian Arthur Bryant
.
Also the child prodigy James Mannion, current student of Eastbourne College.
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
s. It currently attracts around 800 entrants each year.
History
The prize was established in 1885 by E. E. Bowen, a housemaster at Harrow SchoolHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. He wanted to encourage a move away from purely classical education and offered a prize in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
to pupils of Elstree Preparatory School. In 1895 the Dragon School
Dragon School
The Dragon School is a British coeducational, preparatory school in the city of Oxford, founded in 1877 as the Oxford Preparatory School, or OPS. It is primarily known as a boarding school, although it also takes day pupils...
also started to take part, and the competition had spread to thirteen other schools by 1905 with 39 entrants taking part that year. In 1905, George Townsend Warner head of history at Harrow (and father of Sylvia Townsend Warner
Sylvia Townsend Warner
Sylvia Nora Townsend Warner was an English novelist and poet.-Life:Sylvia Townsend Warner was born at Harrow on the Hill, the only child of George Townsend Warner and his wife Eleanora Hudleston...
) took on the running of the competition until his death in 1916. Over many years the prize was repeatedly won by St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School was an English preparatory school for boys, which operated in the early 20th century in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Like other preparatory schools, its purpose was to train pupils to do well enough in the examinations to gain admission to leading public schools, and to provide an...
whose Headmistress Mrs Vaughan Wilkes was a great believer in history teaching and in the prize itself. After 1916 administration was shared between Mr Henry of Harrow and Henry Marten
Henry Marten (educator)
Sir Henry Kennett Marten KCVO was the Provost of Eton and the private tutor of Queen Elizabeth II....
, later Sir Henry Marten, of Eton
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"....
and the prize was renamed after Townsend Warner. In 1940 the number of participating schools had risen to 40, by which time both Henry and Marten had withdrawn. There were difficulties during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
because of the disruption this caused to prep schools, but the competition was kept running by Major C F Letts until 1956 when the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools took over. By this time there were 70 schools and over 500 entrants in the competition. The competition has continued to grow since then, and a special centenary competition was run in 1985.
Winners
Notable winners, both from St Cyprian's, included Dyneley HusseyDyneley Hussey
Dyneley Hussey was an English war poet, journalist, art critic and music critic.-Life:Hussey was the son of Colonel Charles Edward Hussey and was born in India. He was educated at St Cyprian's School Eastbourne, The King's School Canterbury and Corpus Christi College, Oxford...
(1905) and Cyril Connolly
Cyril Connolly
Cyril Vernon Connolly was an English intellectual, literary critic and writer. He was the editor of the influential literary magazine Horizon and wrote Enemies of Promise , which combined literary criticism with an autobiographical exploration of why he failed to become the successful author of...
(1916), with his colleague Eric Blair (George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
) in second place. Orwell later wrote scathingly of the prize as a "piece of nonsense". Another runner up was the historian Arthur Bryant
Arthur Bryant
Sir Arthur Wynne Morgan Bryant, CH, CBE , was a British historian and a columnist for the Illustrated London News. His books included studies of Samuel Pepys, accounts of English eighteenth- and nineteenth-century history, and a life of George V...
.
Also the child prodigy James Mannion, current student of Eastbourne College.