From The Archive

I managed to get through my grammar school career without being sent to the Headmaster, so when Jane Sanchez’ PA said she wanted to see me, my initial reaction was to wonder what I’d done… My fears were dispelled when Jane explained that there was a need to relocate the archive in order to make extra teaching space. It’s one of those puzzles where you move piece A so you can move piece B, and so on until piece X is where you need it. The solution we came up with was to move the archive store into a converted office on the first floor of the main building, while I would be “hot desking” in the old Bursary – a much better situation than the isolated office I’ve occupied for the last three years.

After much measuring and calculating on my part, the Estates team constructed shelving in the new store and carried everything up to the new location, apart from the frequently used material (the MHS Magazine, photographs and reference works) which I will need to access from my new desk. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to supervise (I’m only employed during term time, and I had other commitments) so when I returned the following week I found that - understandably – material had evidently been put on the first available shelves. Order is finally emerging from chaos, but there is still much to do.

To fit everything in and leave room for growth, I need to re-pack much of the collection into boxes that make better use of the shelf space. Changing over 6000 catalogue records that show the location of each item has taken quite some time but in the process a few interesting items have come to light. Among these is the sheet music for Hurrah for the worth of Mill Hill – the school song composed in the late 1800s. It appears in Norman Brett-James’ history of the school but without the tune. The words are by Henry Child Carter (at School 1889-94) and the tune by Laurence Cane, who was Music Master for nearly 40 years. Most of the lyrics reflect the Victorian view of education, but the second verse is perhaps just as relevant (and not just to Mill Hill!) today:

We have studied and slacked, have rebelled and obeyed, We have laboured with book and ball, We have some of us plodded and some of us played, And a few have done nothing at all. May we all going hence be found taking our stand In the service of honour and right, And the treasure of fame that is placed in our hand Keeping ever unsullied and bright.

I’ve given a copy to Kevin Kyle, Director of Musical Performance - so we may hear it at a future Foundation Day - and as an Archivist I share the hope expressed in the chorus that the school’s records “might be glorious still”.

Peter Elliott

Mill Hill School Foundation Archivist