PANCAKE DAY AT WESTMINSTER SCHOOL.
[To THE EDITOR or THE SPECTATOR."I
Stn,—The account of His Majesty's visit to Westminster on Shrove Tuesday recalls pleasant memories of Pancake Days when I was a boy. I became a Westminster boy at the age of nine in January, 1851, Liddell being then Head-Master. My happy time as a Westminster boy came to an end in 1860, so that I took part in ten contests for the pancake, for in those days all the boys joined in the struggle for it. In my first year owing to a bad shot on the part of the cook the pancake fell close to me by the side wall of the school, and overwhelmed by the rush of boys I saw it torn to pieces. This more often hap- pened than not. Markham in his recollections says the sovereign was only once claimed between 1899 and 1855, and not again, I think, till 1859. It was only given by the Dean for a stole and perfect pancake. In this condition I got it in 1859 and 1880—a feat which probably no other boy can claim, the odds being so much against it.
In 1859 I took my stand for choice in the centre of the crowd of boys facing the cook, who made a good shot as regards direction, and I saw the pancake coming to me. I did not attempt to catch it, and used my best endeavour to prevent other hands reaching it, so that it fell among us, and I dropped at once on the floor and secured it. Then having carefully placed it between my waistcoat and my coat I remained as quiescent ae the crowd of bop struggling and tramping over me would allow. When the Head-Master, according to custom, ordered the boys to disperse, I emerged somewhat the worse for wear, but with the pancake whole and perfect. With the pan- cake on a college plate I made my way through the Cloisters to the Dean, to whom I presented it, and was much disappointed when he told me that the Head-Master had sent word to him that the pancake had not gone over the lower Bar and I was sot entitled to claim the sovereign. At first we thought it shabby of the He-ad-Master. but soon agreed that Ile was right, as our traditions must be maintained. The pancake must have been so near the Bar that the cook'e failure to throw it over was not generally noticed, and no he escaped the euetomary POnelty of having all available books thrown at him.
In 1860 the pancake fell among the forms. I made my way at once to it on the ground, and placed it as before between my coat and waistcoat, and then clambered on to a form, laid clown 011 it, and held on with my arms and legs resisting all the effortd of the rest of the school to drag me off, until tha Head- Master called the boys away. On this occasion Dean Treonit "re mo the sovereign. With it I bought a small gold frying- doubt that the American collectors (wealthy manufacturer+. pan to hang en my watchchain, end on it scratched a record of the event. I gave this away, but it has come back to me, and is now in my possession again.—I am, Sir, &e.,
HANTESHAIT.
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