Happy New Year!
Even though it is now 2015, I’m continuing the series of 1914 Register posts. Many thanks to Claire, one of the volunteers, for researching the post.
Joseph Mennell (1815-1863; at school at Lawrence Street prior to 1829)
At school was known as Wm. Simpson’s (the Head Master’s) lieutenant, and used to fetch and load the former’s gun for him when he shot rats in the moat ditch on the opposite side of the Foss Islands Road from the schoolroom window during lessons.
Joshua O’Brien (1858-1931; Bootham 1871-73)
Apprenticed at Manufacturing Stationery business with Marcus Ward & Co, Belfast. Landed in Sydney, N.S.W., 1887: Brisbane, Queensland 1888. Established paper bag manufactory in 1891, which now (1913) is the only power paper bag factory in the State of Queensland. One of the first in the State to experiment in the use of hydrocyanic acid gas for the destruction of scale insects on fruit trees, and also to experiment in use of cotton netting for the protection of growing fruits from the Queensland fruit fly: both methods being successfully employed in the State.
Gilbert Porteous (1894-1917; Bootham 1908-11)
At time of the General Election on 1910 was a member of No. 5 Bedroom. Being interested in the results of polls in his native city, on the night that result was being announced, he, along with several others, kept awake, and when a boy came along Bootham selling the midnight edition of the evening paper, he threw a penny on the road, and letting down a string pulled up the paper. Hardly had they digested the results when they were deprived of their booty by an unexpected visitor.
Thomas Binns Robson (1843-1925; Bootham 1856-60)
“Fielden Thorp”, he says “was constantly remarking on the awkward way I walked, and my answer always was “Why don’t you drill us?” So one day he put me through my facings which, of course, created a crowd of spectators, and he made them all fall into line and we had a drilling lesson, which was followed by others under the same tuition, and later a military drill instructor was obtained who, I am afraid, did not strengthen our Quaker peace principles. In number 2 we had a store of sticks up the chimney, which we had broadsword exercises when we ought to have been in bed”. Hobbies – After 4 or 5 years of failure, 3 years ago, succeeded in introducing the Fig Wasp (Blastophaga Grossorum), which breeds only in the male or Capri-fig and carries the pollen into the female or Edible figs, in its search for the dormant female flower in the ovaries of which it lays its eggs, which only occur in the male fig. He says “It is the only case I know of where a flower is fertilised through an insect making a mistake. The common sorts of figs grown for eating do not need fertilising, though improved by it, but the Smyrna drying and other figs of that class drop all their fruit when half grown, unless fertilised, and it is the drying fig that I am going for now.”
