The following notes by my father,
John Renouf, are his recollections of life as a student at
Oxford prior to the Second World War.
These were written in 1987,
fifty years after he began his studies at Pembroke College,
where he read for a law degree.
John Renouf,Pembroke College, Oxford 1937-1940
Admittance to Oxford
The day started with the sounds of the scout laying the fire, (most of the year, at any rate), and setting things out for breakfast. Basic foods such as bread, butter, cereal were kept in the sideboard. Ablutions took place in washbasins, (cold water in a jug), all emptied into a slop pail.
If hot breakfast was required this was ordered the night before and served by the scout - quite often a group on the same staircase shared this meal for convenience and conviviality.
Roll call or chapel was compulsory a number of days per week.
All lectures were delivered in the morning, (in my case all at different colleges because no lecturers or tutors in jurisprudence were in college). The afternoons were free and mostly occupied with sports (see below). Occasionally a tutorial was arranged for late afternoon.
Tea was usually the social highlight of the day. Tea was made in rooms, the kettle being boiled on the fire - electric kettles were unheard of. Usually toast, with honey or gentleman's relish (Patum) and cakes were ordered from the scout's pantry. Usually some work was indulged in after tea until dinner in hall. A minimum number of dinners had to be attended but as this was the cheapest way of eating, this was no hardship. Special tables were allocated to scholars in order of years along the east side of the hall. Grace was recited by C of E scholars in turn. (I as an RC never said grace.) Dinner was three courses served by long-suffering scouts, (who presumably were available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.), while on Sundays a fourth course (a savoury) was served. Beer was available in 1/2 or 1 pint silver pots.
'Sconcing', or payment of a fine for a social error, consisted of paying for a 2 quart sconce pot of beer to be consumed by the table of the one proposing the sconce - unless the culprit was prepared to consume the 2 quarts at a draught when the sconcer would be obliged to pay. Normally sconcing was only indulged in on more festive occasions. After dinner one might adjourn to the JCR for a port and nuts before departing to work or attendance at club or social activities. The gate was closed at 9 p.m. but entrance could be gained until midnight. If an excess of late entries, as recorded by the porter, was noted by the Dean a reprimand or even a gating was delivered. If the evening was spent in work or other in-college activities, it usually terminated in a get-together with others over tea until bedtime.
The J.C.R.
My recollection is that this place was chiefly a reading room and after-dinner club room. It was not the centre of most people's activities. The daily papers were supplied. The furnishings were chiefly old sofas and chairs, though efforts were made to improve the relevance of the rooms.
Sport
Sport was of great influence in most people's life. I took up rowing, the centre of activity for five days a week. Every afternoon irrespective of weather, the rowers of all grades foregathered after a walk, (in rowing togs), through Christ Church meadow, to the college barges. Thence, the senior crews were usually ferried to the boat house on the Right bank to pick up their boat.
Instruction to beginners was given in "tubs" - wide heavy training boats with fixed seats, with instructor coxswain. A time at this kind of rowing - (mostly in the Cherwell) - prepared the embryonic crews for the torpid eights heavy boats in the Hilary term. Thence to the "shells" in the Trinity term culminating in Eights week.
The exercise concluded with the daily bath, overseen by the bath scout, who saw to it that no one overstayed his welcome in the tub and that hot water was available for all. This was quite a social occasion as conversations could be carried on between the cubicles.
I think that rowing was taken more seriously than other sports and the rugby and soccer people were not under such a rigorous timetable.
At any rate the result was that our 1st and 2nd eights did very well in 1938 and '39.
Tutorials
Our law tutor was Mr. Davidge at Keble. He was reputed to have been chosen as a nephew or protégé of Holmes Dudden the Master of Pembroke College. Actually tutorials were usually only weekly occasions and all of each year reading law were taken in a group. One sat around in the study being quizzed on the essay subject submitted the previous week. Collections (mock examinations) were held a couple of times a term. In retrospect it seems that by no means the brightest lights of the college were law students and that instruction was perforce geared to the needs of the lowest. In my last year when I was alone in law, all the others having gone in the first year of the war, I benefitted much more from tutorials taken one to one. Those reading Greats,(Greek and Roman History, Philosophy and Literature), among my acquaintances, seemed to derive much greater benefit from the tutorial system.
Social Life
For most of my contemporaries, "social life" was very basic, because of financial stringency. The highlights were sherry parties, the occasional dinner with old school people at other colleges and, of course, beer drinking parties at "safe" pubs and in college - always associated with sporting events. As to alcohol, beer, sherry and port after dinner were the staples. Spirits were non-existent.
For me, the Labour Club and the French Club were the main attractions out of college. For a small number the Union was popular. After Munich (Munich Agreement 30 September 1938) the University by-election with Lindsay, the Master of Balliol College, and Quintin Hogg as his Conservative rival produced a lot of enthusiasm. Hogg was elected.
I joined the Labour Club more from curiosity than from political commitment. I recall talks by the Dean of Canterbury (known as "The Red Dean" as a prominent supporter of the Soviet Union) and G.D.H. Cole (English political theorist, economist and historian) in my first and second years. Members were addressed as "comrade" and the atmosphere was that of the far left. My recollection is that the Club's activities in 1939-40 were much diminished and I cannot recall attending any meetings.
I had to survive on about £100. a year, (after my scholarship of £100.). I recall winning a prize of under £2 at a dinner and rejoicing that I would be able to fly by plane to Jersey for the vacation.
Among extra expenses were four dinners per term at the Middle Temple (Middle Temple, London, one of the four Inns of Court entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers), travelling usually with G.D.P. Gurney on the 4:30 train and returning on the 10:30. This dinner was 2/6 (2 shillings and sixpence) including wine and the fare was 4/- return. This provided a pleasant break but the Dean's permission had to be obtained.
Relations between the sexes were practically non-existent except at sherry parties and tea parties.
Relations between junior and senior members were restricted to sporting life, chiefly because of the rigid segregation in Hall. Class conflict was absent. but those from upper Public schools were mostly monied and carried on a somewhat different way of life.
Apart from tutorials, relations with senior dons consisted of the termly breakfasts (buttered eggs and sausages) with the Vicegerent (H.L. Drake), the bursar (L. Salt) and with the Master and his wife (Mr. and Mrs. Holmes Dudden).
The outbreak of WW2 coincided with my going out to live in lodgings. All meals were also eaten in lodgings but I was lucky - my landlady was a superb cook! I do not recall any warlike activity in Oxford until 1940. My finals (June 1940) were written at the New Bodleian Library under a pall of black smoke drifting over from Dunkirk.
Religion
As a Roman Catholic, I attended Sunday mass at the Old Palace (Bishop King's Palace, Catholic Chaplaincy for the University of Oxford). I have distinct memories of the get-together before mass with Monsignor R Knox ("Ronnie" Knox) greeting all with a carton of good quality cigarettes in his hand. Mass was usually said by Fr. Matthews and the sermon preached by Fr. Knox. Another social occasion was dinner with Fr. Knox once or twice a year, usually attended by one or more of his lodgers such as Lord Oxford (Earl of Oxford and Asquith, Julian Asquith).
I cannot recall any anti-Catholic prejudice or being cut off in any way from other undergraduates. It occurs to me that there was little religious commitment shown by the majority: e.g. roll call was substituted for morning chapel by a large number. Mind you, I had been educated at "Protestant" schools in London (Colet Court) and Jersey (Victoria College) so that from an early age I was accustomed to the segregation idea at prayers, although my parents insisted that I attend the school prayers, (this being frowned upon by the RC authorities at the time). But when I came up to Oxford, I withdrew from the religious establishment college activities.
Examinations
As a Channel Islander I was exempt from National Service in the U.K. and as I wished to join the Royal Navy, which was not accepting volunteer recruits at that time, I came up for my third year. Much abbreviated exams were held at the end of each term and I sat for these in December '39 and March '40, thereby earning my degree. As I was still waiting for acceptance in June '40, I was persuaded to sit for the regular finals by my tutor on the off chance that I would get a good class. Alas I obtained a 3rd in jurisprudence. My finals result in "The Times" coincided with my call up into the navy and its impact was pretty muted in light of the events of 1940.
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Five years later...
