Hoots from the Archive - An Old Boys' Dinner Song

MGS has had a number of songs claimed as *the* school song. In 2015, we took a look at their history as part of the 50 Objects project, which can be read here: https://www.mgs-life.co.uk/article/the-history-of-mgs-in-50-objects-8-school-songs?ref=64

However, it transpires that we missed out an earlier MGS song, which I noticed recently when I looked through the 1730 - 1807 printed admissions registers. Under an entry for Edward Chesshyre is the following:

Edward, son of Thomas Chesshyre, merchant, Salford, Lancashire. An attorney at 16, St. Ann's Square, Manchester. His name as the author of the grammar school song, composed by him, and sung for the first time in 1821, is inseparably connected with the anniversary meetings of the old scholars, at which he was a very regular attendant from the first meeting down to the year 1822, filling the office of steward in 1811 as colleague to Dr. Erodsham Hodson, the principal of Brasenose.

This song, which now always follows the toast "Floreat Schola Mancunionsis," was inserted in the records of the meeting in 1821, and is a literary curiosity.

This School song was referenced by Ian Bailey in a 1983 article for Ulula. However, there is no other reference to the song except in the record book of the Old Boys' Dinner, and so it is not clear whether the song was only sung once, if it endured beyond 1821 and if it was a song just reserved for Old Mancunians attending the Old Boys' Dinner. Certainly, by the time that High Master Glazebrook introduced "Hugh of the Owl" as a new school song in 1888 there doesn't seem to be any trace of it. It is perhaps not surprising, when you read the song, why it didn't have lasting appeal:

You have heard of great Manchester town, 
Once famous for smallwares and check, 
For fustians and cotton renowned; 
Some few studied Latin and Greek. 
There — stood an old building of stone 
As big as a country church, 
Grammar School it was called by the town, 
And fam'd for Greek, Latin, and birch. 
Fol de rol.

Many lads from all parts in those days, 
Sons both of mechanics and gentry, 
Having heard of Old Lawson's great praise, 
In the classics there made their first entry; 
'Mongst the rest, as a Manchester lad, 
I were sent to learn th' eight parts o' speech, 
"What my “caput” could never contain, 
Harry Jackson whip't into my breech 
Fol de rol.

My “propria quae maribus” then 
“Item” Jackson, “severus virorum”, 
Instill'd with the essence of cane, 
'Till I roared for “protectio divorum”; 
“Pavi excipe pastum” I felt, 
As I pars'd every noun in “quae genus”, 
Argument ”baculinum” he dealt, 
Oh! I fancy I feel it, “hactenus”. 
Fol de rol.

Then we construed and pars'd, sobb'd and cried, 
(“Quis temperet talia fando?”) 
Latin books, which I ne'er could abide, 
Even Caesar so great, “non amando”; 
When arrived at the banks of the Rhine 
To build a great bridge there, O lud, sir, 
Not a scholar could construe a line, 
And e'en Darby stuck fast in the mud, sir. 
Fol de rol.

In Terence so gay we began, 
In hopes to pass thro' it ridendo, 
But Jackson soon spoiled all our fun, 
Our laughter to sorrow “vertendo”; 
“Sub tegmina fagi”, so cool, 
We hoped to have left in the lurch, 
But th' grey mare, in the shape of a stool, 
I mounted “sub tegmine” birch. 
Fol de rol.

To teach me Greek lingo they thought, 
But soon I put in my πoùs, sir, 
For Lawson's great wig soon found out 
I lacked out “quantum suff": vόos, voûs, sir.
With Anacreon, sure we were pleased, 
As we sipp'd of his bowls and his glasses; 
But old Homer our heads almost crazed, 
With his "Πολυφλϸισβοιο Θαλάσσηѕ.”
Fol de rol.

"Come! a stick to that boy," was the call, 
From Lawson did often resound; 
“Timor occapat arbus" of all, 
When he thunder'd, " I'll whip 'e all round." 
'Tis true we had holidays gay, 
The Saints' days the year all about, 
With Thursdays' and Saturdays' play, 
And Tuesday, ofttimes, with a shout. 
Fol de rol.

Now we meet once a year with great glee, 
Ovid ne'er metamorphosèd “idem”, 
From restraint all alike are now free, 
The masters and scholars beside 'em; 
Then, “Magister”, tip us your “manas”, 
Without either grammar or rule: 
In bumpers of nectar bibamus, 
THE MANCHESTER FREE GRAMMAR SCHOOL. 
Fol de rol.

Rachel Kneale