Alleyn Old
Boy’s sporting medals find
 Antiques
dealer, Peter Greenhalgh, father of year 12 pupil, Hugo, recently
found two medals commemorating an Alleyn’s pupil’s sporting
achievements during the First World War period. HH Farthing’s
name was inscribed on both of the medals, one for athletics and
the other for swimming (see pictures).
Intrigued as to who this sporting hero might be, I rifled
through back issues of the Edward Alleyn Magazine to see if
there was any mention of HH Farthing and his awards. It quickly
became apparent that these were not the only medals and
accolades he received whilst at Alleyn’s. As well as being the
school’s swimming champion for three years in a row in 1913,
1914 and 1915 (as commemorated in one of the medals), he was
also captain for the cricket, football and shooting teams. His
enviable list of achievements does not end there: he was House
Captain of Tulley's and, to crown all these achievements, was
School Captain when he left in 1916 whereupon he joined the
Royal Military Academy in Woolwich.
 Tulley’s
credited Farthing for its capture of the House Swimming Cup from
Brown’s three-year tenure in 1913. On each occasion Brown’s had
led the second House by a comfortable margin of points. In 1913
‘Brown’s were in front until the Championship race was decided
on July 25th, which HH Farthing, after a keen struggle with LFB
Thompson, won in the fast time of 2 mins, 15 secs (23 secs
faster than last year), and so gave Tulley’s the lead and the
Cup.’ This was the first time Tulley’s held the Championship.
Alleyn’s polo team depended heavily on Farthing. Following a
derisory polo match against St Olave’s Grammar School in 1914,
the editor of the magazine wrote: ‘the dislocation of the team
caused by the absence through illness of HH Farthing and LFB
Thompson probably accounts for our defeat.’
On the football field, HH Farthing was much admired. ‘H
Farthing’s remarkable shooting powers were displayed in such a
way as is rarely seen, five of his almost irresistible and
accurately placed shots resulting in the ball finding a
temporary resting place in our opponents’ goal’. As a cricket
player, HH Farthing ‘has an almost perfect defence and scores
all round the wicket with the greatest freedom; very fair
bowler; good field.’
In the July 1917 issue of the EA Magazine, Farthing is listed as
being one of ‘57 new members’ who ‘have been elected to the
Alleyn Old Boys’ Club during the past year’.
 The
Farthing trail at Alleyn’s does not end here as, I am happy to
report, I have located HH Farthing’s grandson, Richard. Readers
of the magazine may remember an obituary for Bruce Farthing ‘an
ardent advocate of British shipping for nearly 50 years’ in the
autumn issue of the EAC Magazine. In the obituary, Bruce was
described as being ‘the son of a distinguished army officer and
gained a scholarship to Alleyn’s’. I wondered whether there just
might be a connection and contacted Bruce’s son. Richard wrote
back to me saying ‘Yes, that was my Grandfather, Colonel Herbert
Hadfield Farthing.’ He pointed me in the direction of the
memorial website he set up for his father at
www.quarterpenny.net.
There is a slide show of family photos which includes school
photos showing HH Farthing and Bruce Farthing both as captains
of cricket in 1916 & 1943 respectively!
Click here
for more images. |
