MC:F21 The Papers of James Elwin Millard
Introduction
How and when the manuscripts arrived in the archives is unknown It is likely, however that it came to the archives via J.R. Bloxam, as his name is inscribed on the front cover. James Elwin Millard (1823-1894) was admitted Chorister of Magdalen College in 1835 which office he resigned in 1841. In the following year he was matriculated at Magdalen Hall. He was elected Demy at Magdalen College in 1848 and a Fellow in 1853. He took the degrees of BA (1845), MA (1848), BD (1855) and DD (1859). Millard was ordained deacon in 1846 and priest in 1847. In 1846, he was appointed Master of Magdalen College School and curate of Bradfield, Berkshire. He served Magdalen College as the Junior Dean of Arts in 1855, Bursar in 1856, and Dean of Divinity in 1863. Millard was appointed to Basingstoke in 1864 and made an Honorary Canon of Winchester in 1882. Millard resigned his Basingstoke office in 1890 when he removed to Oxford. He died in Oxford 20 Sept. 1894, aged 71. [See Macray Vol. 6 pp 159-60 and Bloxam Vol. iii pp 286-92.]
Catalogued March 2005
MC:F21/MS1/1 1840
A small handwritten notebook (113 pages) containing A History of His Own Times –By a Chorister 1840. Included within the text are a number of sketches and illustrations by Millard. Two letters from Millard to Bloxam, written in 1881 and a letter from F.T.D. Wintle to Bloxam, dated 24 April 188[2] are bound into the volume.
[Frederick Thomas William Wintle: chorister at Magdalen in 1842-47 and matriculated from the college in 1849. He served the college as clerk in 1849-54. Wintle took his BA in 1853 and his MA in 1858. He was appointed head-master of Callington Grammar School in 1864, rector of Rame in 1866, vicar of Maker, Cornwall in 1867, and rector of Bere Ferrers, Devon in 1875.)
[See also Bloxam vol. i. p. 222]
Contents of notebook:
Chap. I: ‘Introduction’ – ‘Traditions of Former Days’ –‘The School-house formerly and now’
Chap. II: ‘Barnett and the battles of his times’ – ‘Smoking and drinking propensities of the Choristers’-‘The Campaigns of 1837-38’ – ‘R. Sparrow & his Companions’
Chap. III: ‘Gradual improvement in morals & increasing refinement’ –‘The Library’ –‘Weekly Visitor’ –‘Monthly Magazine’ – ‘Monthly Gazette’ – ‘Weekly Gazette’ –‘Daily Express’ – ‘Prizes of half yearly Commemorations’ –‘The Theatre’ –‘Martyr’s Memorial’ – ‘Publication of the School Poems’
Chap. IV: ‘Disposition for “larking” still existing’ – ‘Barrings out’ –‘Handcarts & barrows’ – ‘The “President’s Garden”’- ‘Cannonading & fire-works Expulsion of Lucas’ – ‘Secret-Rooms & Panels’ –‘Common Rooms’
Chap. V: ‘Amusements’ –‘Cricket-Matches with the New College’ – ‘”Lily” boat-club’ –‘Skaiting’-‘ “Mayday”’-‘ The “Gaudy”’
Chap. VI: ‘Statistics of the School’ – ‘Dr. Ellerton’ – ‘Mr. Jenkyns’ – ‘Walker Grantham Lancaster’ –‘Vicary’ – ‘Lockey Senior’ – ‘Lockey Junior’ – ‘J. Morton’ – ‘The School Song The Choir’
Chap. VII: ‘Advantages & Disadvantages’ –‘Salary’ –‘Lodgings’ –‘Bible-Clerks’ –The “Nonsense Verses”’ – ‘Apprentice Money’ – ‘Chaplains’ – ‘Eminent Persons who have been choristers’ –‘Disreputable Persons lately admitted’ – ‘Conclusion’
