Welcome to the first episode of ‘Within the Archives’, a new podcast series where we look at aspects of Eton College life throughout the decades through our archival collections. This month we start by looking at school exams. School Exams podcast exams-podcast-transcriptDownload An article from the Chronicle on how to avoid Trials (Issue No. 3247,... Continue Reading →
St Andrew’s Day at Eton College
St Andrew's Day traditions viewed through the Eton College Collections St Andrew's Day, celebrated in the Michaelmas half, has become one of the two biggest holidays marked at Eton College, the other being the Fourth of June which takes place in the summer. (In one of Eton's quirks, they are not held on the actual... Continue Reading →
Remembrance in the Collections
This year Remembrance Sunday commemorations will be fairly different to tradition as the nation observes social distancing. Despite restrictions on crowds and gatherings indoors, there are many socially distanced events scheduled to honour the service and sacrifices of the armed forces, and their communities, in conflict. There are a number of holdings in the Eton... Continue Reading →
Eton Fives
Eton Fives court PA-53-146-2013 Eton fives is a unique form of the handball sport because of the architecture of the court. The boys did this in the space between the buttresses of College Chapel and found that the ridges and the intrusive buttress made for a distinctive game. It was so popular that in 1847... Continue Reading →
Education, Education, Education: 500 Years of Learning at Eton College
This article was written by Eleanor Hoare, College Archivist, for the History of Education Society, and was first published by them on the 29th April 2020 at historyofeducation.org.uk/education-education-education-500-years-of-learning-at-eton-college/ It builds on an earlier exhibition of the same name, curated by Eleanor for the Tower Gallery in 2016-17. Images from this exhibition have been used to... Continue Reading →
The Attempted Assassination of Queen Victoria
Roderick Maclean attempted to take the life of Queen Victoria in 1882. This was one of several attempts of its kind made throughout her sixty-three year reign. It remained merely an attempt, in part due to the swift actions of two Eton boys: Gordon Wilson and Leslie Murray Robertson. Published register entries for Wilson and... Continue Reading →
What’s in a name? Sophia and the origin of ‘Angelo’s’
What's in a name? Read about Sophia Angelo, one of Eton's longest-serving Dames in this blog by Eleanor Hoare, College Archivist #ExploreYourArchive #PhotographicArchive #NationalArchives #ArchivesAugust
Fourth of June through the years
The Fourth of June is the occasion when Eton College celebrates the birthday of George III, a great supporter of the school, with a grand festival of speeches, cricket and the procession of boats. 2020 has brought unique circumstances and with these, a unique Fourth of June, as we celebrate from our homes and connect online.... Continue Reading →
Pick of the Collections: Podcast
Pick of the Collections: Weekly podcast segment for Eton College Radio
A School at War: WWII Home Front at Eton
Collections Learning school workshop: in focus The Chronicle, January 24, 1941 Did Adolf Hitler actually address the boys of Eton in their own newspaper? No – it was the humorous ramblings of an anonymous boy, but the bombing the author referred to was only too real. Bomb damage, Upper School. Photograph by an Eton boy... Continue Reading →