FROGSMILE Posted 20 July Share Posted 20 July (edited) This photo shows a wonderfully earnest looking cadet in a WW1 era cadet corps supported by a school. I’m not sure if it’s a public school or some other type. If the former he would be Junior Division of the Officer Training Corps (extraordinary as that must seem to the modern eye), but if it’s a local authority or charity school then he would be a member of the sponsored Army Cadet corps. Can anyone identify which Hospital School this might be? I am unfamiliar with what institution the two preceding letters to the H.S. of his shoulder title might refer to. He stands correctly at ease with a wooden rifle of a type purchased by schools specifically to practise their boys in drilling. Edited 20 July by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 20 July Admin Share Posted 20 July Not seeing any obvious candidates in England or Wales schools - might it be an overseas institution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 July Author Share Posted 20 July (edited) 19 hours ago, DavidOwen said: Not seeing any obvious candidates in England or Wales schools - might it be an overseas institution? No I don’t think so David, it’s in this case the combination of cadet pattern SD uniform, slouch hat and even the waistbelt that - when considered together - are all very British. It’s post 1910 too given the woven thread shoulder titles that are directly on the strap, so it’s a well founded school. Slouch hats were very popular for cadets in the lead up to the war. Perhaps the H.S. isn’t hospital school, but something else. Of course many such schools haven’t survived up to the present day. Edited 21 July by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 20 July Admin Share Posted 20 July 11 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: No I don’t think so David, it’s in this case the combination of cadet pattern SD uniform, slouch hat and even the waistbelt - when considered together - are all very British. It’s post 1910 too given the woven thread shoulder titles that are directly on the strap, so it’s a well founded school. Slouch hats were very popular for cadets. Thanks FS Then, as I say a general search for schools beginning with U and having T H in their names or titles has come up blank so far.... Uckfield, Ulverston, Uppingham, Upton upon Severn, Uttoxeter, Uxbridge - none seem to fit exactly. Uppingham Cadet Force was founded in 1889 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 July Author Share Posted 20 July (edited) 4 minutes ago, DavidOwen said: Thanks FS Then, as I say a general search for schools beginning with U and having T H in their names or titles has come up blank so far.... Uckfield, Ulverston, Uppingham, Upton upon Severn, Uttoxeter, Uxbridge - none seem to fit exactly. Uppingham Cadet Force was founded in 1889 Thanks for looking David, it’s really frustrating, as his uniform suggests a well founded establishment and the answer must be out there somewhere. At first I wondered if there might be some connection with a University, but he’s far too young. Edited 20 July by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 20 July Share Posted 20 July (edited) Hi, totally unfamiliar with these shoulder titles I wonder if HS could stand for something else than Hospital School? Best, GreyC Edited 20 July by GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 20 July Admin Share Posted 20 July 6 minutes ago, GreyC said: Hi, totally unfamiliar with these shoulder titles I wonder if HS could stand for something else than Hosptial School? Best, GreyC I had a similar thought. However a search for the abbreviation UTHS has proved fruitless both on FMP and the tinternet in general... unless you count United Township High School in USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 20 July Admin Share Posted 20 July From Westlake's A Register of Territorial Force Cadet Units 1910 - 1922 (courtesy Internet Archive) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 July Author Share Posted 20 July 1 minute ago, DavidOwen said: From Westlake's A Register of Territorial Force Cadet Units 1910 - 1922 (courtesy Internet Archive) Brilliant David and I have that book and it escaped my mind to look! Upper Tooting [High] School seems a possibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 20 July Admin Share Posted 20 July Indeed it is now Upper Tooting (Independent) High School Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 July Author Share Posted 20 July (edited) 4 hours ago, GreyC said: Hi, totally unfamiliar with these shoulder titles I wonder if HS could stand for something else than Hosptial School? Best, GreyC We were, all of us, revising our thoughts to think along similar lines around the same time it seems 👍 Edited 20 July by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 20 July Admin Share Posted 20 July Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 July Author Share Posted 20 July Just now, DavidOwen said: Indeed it is now Upper Tooting (Independent) High School Brilliant! Thank you for your help. The original photo was for sale online but with no suggestion as to what it was. I wonder if the school has retained recognition that it ever had such a cadet corps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 20 July Admin Share Posted 20 July According to Gov.uk it closed in 1999 No linked establishments listed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 July Author Share Posted 20 July (edited) 4 minutes ago, DavidOwen said: According to Gov.uk it closed in 1999 No linked establishments listed. Ah yes I should’ve guessed. Perhaps that’s how the photo entered the public domain. The cadet corps would’ve come under the local County Territorial Force Association for administrative oversight during the course of the war. Edited 20 July by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 20 July Admin Share Posted 20 July From South Western Star 23 December 1915 (courtesy FMP) From Wandsworth Borough News 24 December 1914 taken from the speech by Mr T Magee - Principal Wandsworth Borough News 24 December 1914 Page 6 | findmypast.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 July Author Share Posted 20 July (edited) Fascinating stuff David, thank you for digging it up. After reading it I couldn’t help but reflect on the near hysteria among the TikTokers and Twitterati when there was recent mention of National Service (including military) as a possible requirement. There was much more collective endeavour back then rather than the narcissistic individualism that undoubtedly prevails now. I wonder what happened to the earnest young lad in subject photo. Edited 20 July by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 20 July Share Posted 20 July Glad the photo could be assigned to a school. Great work! GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave66 Posted 20 July Share Posted 20 July Excellent result👍👍👍. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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