October 2011
This month we present a charming cartoon of the Provost's Lodge by Arthur Coleridge James (King's College Fellow 1860).
The cartoon is titled "An Evenynge Partye at ye Provoste Hys Lodge, Manners and Customs of ye Kyngesmen in 1861. No. 1". The picture, along with a note by James describing it, was presented to the Archive Centre by James' daughters in 1964.
In the artist's own words
James wrote:
This was drawn in some sort of imitation of 'Leeches' drawings in Punch, of which I was at that time a great admirer. It represents a 'stand up' evening party at King's, to which the Provost was wont to invite us once a term.
The Provost (Okes) is talking to George Williams in the foreground. S[eptimus] B. Phillipotts is trying to make friends with Miss Okes' dog. J[ohn] E[dwin] Nixon is decling tea from the 'buttons'. I [AC James] am standing awkwardly near the door. [Henry Williams] Mozley and [Henry]Gaselee in front of me and J[ohn] R[ikards] Mozley behind. J[ohn] B[radley] Dyne seats himself to appear at his ease. J[ohn] A[rmine] Willis (with moustaches) actually [has] the cheek to talk to a young lady on the sofa. W[illiam] Young, now Sir Mackworth, the late Lieut. Gov[ernor] of the Punjab, is singing to Miss Oke's (sic) accompaniment. The Bishop of Lincoln, [John] Jackson (afterwards Bp of London) is supposed to be administering to some rebuke to (sic) the Rev. Soley, our Dean at King's, and rather one of the old school. [Charles Francis] Routledge (afterwards Canon at Canterbury) is behind Phillpotts.
The artist as Kingsman
James came up to King's from Eton in 1860 where he had won the prestigious Newcastle Medal. He was named Bell's Scholar in 1861. Two years later, in 1863 he was elected to the fellowship. He returned to Eton shortly thereafter to take up the post of Assistant Master, a post which he held for 35 years. James was remembered as an inspiring teacher who was not adverse to employing unconventional and sometime odd teaching methods. He was an accomplished artist, a skilled wood-carver and a decent musician - hobbies which he maintained throughout his life.
