 |
| Oak Eggar Moth Lasiocampa quercus It is going to turn into apparent on studying this text why a {photograph} of this species is an applicable one to keep in mind the topic From Wikipedia ©Entomart |
Whereas William Rowan was on the lookout for a strategy to make a zoological residing he labored a schoolmaster, latterly for a faculty yr at Bedales in 1918-19.
Marianne Ainley in her biography wrote that Rowan arrived at Bedales College in Hampshire on 19 September 1918. She present in Rowan’s notes an account of the tragic dying of a boy on the faculty:
…He preferred all his colleagues and lots of of his pupils. He felt a particular affinity for Woolacott, one of many massive boys, a intelligent, reserved lad, eager on pure historical past, who had already printed notes within the Entomologist. The 2 spent a lot time collectively, and from their discussions Rowan discovered the boy was virtually a misogynist. This, he famous, “appears unnatural and requires a deeper rationalization.” Due to his busy schedule, nevertheless, Rowan needed to postpone investigating the causes of the boy’s perspective. Understandably, Rowan was distressed when, just a few weeks later, Woolacott knowledgeable him he would in all probability be expelled. Rowan promptly organized to see the headmaster [John Haden Badley who had, with his wife, founded the school] to intercede on Woolacott’s behalf, however was too late. Woolacott shot himself that afternoon. Rowan blamed himself for not attending to the basis of the boy’s drawback, and was most deeply touched to search out that Woolacott had left a pile of fantastically made entomological slides, representing many hours of cautious work, on Rowan’s desk.
Who was this budding entomologist, Woolacott? And what did studies of his dying should say?
First although it’s price declaring that Bedales was a uncommon instance on the time of a co-educational secondary faculty and I take it that the ‘misogyny’ on the a part of Woolacott, was associated to the presence of feminine pupils on the faculty and, maybe, considerably of a practice of the boys who had objected to the presence of women once they first appeared on the scene some years earlier.
It should even be borne in thoughts that the tragedy occurred on 4 November 1918, solely six weeks after Rowan’s arrival. He had clearly obtained to know the boy’s curiosity within the pure world however had not had time to grasp a lot of Woolacott’s previous.
The Hampshire Telegraph of Friday 8 November had a brief account of the coroner’s inquest held the day earlier than.
STUDENT OF 17 SHOT DEAD.
A surprising tragedy occurred at Bedales College, Petersfield, on Monday afternoon, when a pupil named Harold Kingsley Woolacott, aged 17, was discovered lifeless in a dormitory with a bullet wound in his temple.
It seems that the deceased lad was about to go away the college, and on going to pack up his garments we given a small rifle, which the Matron had been retaining for him for about two years. Shortly afterwards he was discovered as described with the rifle at his toes. Dr. Brownfield was summoned, however may solely pronounce life extinct.
At an inquest yesterday afternoon a verdict of “Suicide while non permanent insane” was returned…
The college journal, the Bedales Document for 1918-19 additionally had an account:
The time period was saddened by the dying of Woolacott, as instructed on a later web page. He was buried in Steep Churchyard, the place now lie a number of of our boys, the coffin being carried by his fellow prefects and adopted by his schoolfellows.
H. Okay. Woolacott joined the College in 1916 at a later age than most. He was a quiet introspective boy, given to melancholy moods, which have been deepened by the absence of his dad and mom in India and by the conflict. He would usually have left the College final Summer time to start his army service, however requested to remain on one other time period with a view to be a prefect and attempt to do extra for the College than he had finished. However he didn’t show robust sufficient to be in so accountable a place, and in the beginning of November it was determined, together with his personal concurrence, that he ought to depart then and start his coaching directly. Whereas packing his issues, amongst them a miniature rifle which, like many others, he had introduced right here for apply on the vary, and for which, unknown to us, he had some cartridges of his personal, he should, in a second’s impulse, have shot himself by means of the pinnacle; when discovered, just a few moments later, he was previous all assist. On the inquest neither the proof nor his personal diary may throw any mild upon the motive, aside from the boy’s unusual nature and his sense of failure at College, and no form of blame was felt to connect to anybody else.
I might recommend that Rowan’s extra succinct rationalization for Woolacott’s departure from the college is the proper interpretation; he was being expelled and thus required to hitch the military seven days, because it occurred, earlier than the Armistice of 11 January.
Harold Kingsley Woolacott had certainly had notes printed in The Entomologist. I’ve discovered two, each within the January 1918 version.
Within the early many years of the twentieth century novice entomology and particularly lepidoptery was in its heyday.
Lasiocampa quercus is the Oak Eggar Moth. Melitaea aurinia, the Marsh Fritillary Butterffly, is now Euphydryas aurinia. Phragmatobia fuliginosa is the Ruby Tiger moth. Macrothylacia rubi is the Fox Moth. Manulea lurideola is the Widespread Footman Moth
As talked about by the report within the faculty journal Harold Woolacott’s dad and mom have been in India. He was born in Brixton, London in 1901 to John Evans Woolacott and his second spouse, Angiolina Maria Emily Seneca. John Evans Woolacott (1861-1936) is described on his Wikpedia web page as journalist, newspaper editor and political activist who labored first in London for the Central Information Company as foyer correspondent after which in Eire, Morocco and Egypt. in 1895 he stood, unsuccessfully, for parliament as a member of the Impartial Labour Celebration within the Rollox Division of Glasgow. In the course of the Nineties he labored on The Democrat and was assistant editor of the Weekly Dispatch. His first spouse died and he married Angiolina Seneca in 1897; he was 34 and she or he was 21. By 1903 he was assistant editor of The Economist. In 1908 he was elected president of the Institute of Journalists however then left for India the place he was assistant editor of The Statesman in Calcutta. 1913 noticed him as editor of the Bombay Gazette. That publication quickly closed and he returned to UK. He swapped political allegiance being adopted as a potential parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Celebration however due to the outbreak of conflict no normal election was held. Woolacott returned to India in 1916 (the yr his son was despatched to Bedales) working for The Pioneer in Allahabad and as a correspondent for The Occasions of London. By the point he had returned to UK in 1925 his politics had modified once more, writing books against political change in India. In 1929 he was appointed editor of The Bioscope, a weekly journal dedicated to the cinema. John Evans Wollacott died in Surrey in 1936.
Harold Woolacott’s mom, Angiolina, was the daughter of Alfonso and Eliza Seneca. Alfonso Seneca was Italian, an expert singer who seems within the native London newspapers of 1877 and 1878 performing often and incessantly in concert events. Alfonso died in 1880. So far as I can see from the information John and Angiolina had no different youngsters. Angiolina died in Surrey in 1934.
I’ve been capable of finding nothing else in regards to the sad and clearly disturbed Harold Kinglsey Woolacott. I have no idea if he ever accompanied his dad and mom to India. It’s clear that he entered Bedales when his dad and mom left UK for the second time however the place had he been educated till then? It was the norm for kids of oldsters in India to both ship or depart their youngsters in UK once they have been seven. The one clue as to younger Woolacott’s location at any time is the deal with given in one of many articles in The Entomologist; in the summertime of 1917 he was in St Merryn in Cornwall.
I’ve discovered a household tree on-line which features a brother and sisters of John Evans Woolacott however not together with John Evans himself. I have no idea if Harold would have been in contact with members of his prolonged household whereas his dad and mom have been in India.
Harold Kingsley Woolacott’s tombstone will be discovered within the graveyard of All Saints within the village of Steep, close to Petersfield. Studying his notes to The Entomologist I believe the budding entomologist was a younger scientist within the making. I can see why William Rowan, fondly remembered for his instructing and encouragement of birdwatching and pictures within the faculty, was so upset by Woolacott’s totally tragic dying 106 years in the past at this time.
 |
| Headstone of Harold Kingsley Woolacott from findagrave.com |
Ainley MG. 1993. Stressed Power. A Biography of William Rowan 1891-1957. Montreal: Véhicule Press.