Memories from the 1920s

Kenneth Baggs and "The West Wind"

In late 2001 we were contacted by Donald Baggs (a leaver of 1931) who recounted that he and his brothers Kenneth and Gordon had attended Wells Cathedral School in the 1920's and ‘30's, and all three had joined the armed forces during the War. The brothers were separated by service during the war - sadly, Ken became prisoner of war of the Japanese while serving in Hong Kong, and suffered terrible mental and physical hardships. He had been trained in a Naval medical unit and spent the long years of imprisonment doing all that he could to alleviate the sufferings of his fellow prisoners. After the war Ken spent some time in the USA to recuperate and it was not until June 1946 that he returned to the UK. He had recovered physically, but the effects of his POW years left him with very serious mental scars which still result in periodic periods of deep depression.

About 50 years after the War Ken rang his brother Donald with the story of a melody that he had developed in his mind during his imprisonment, and how the melody was imagined as an accompaniment to the John Masefield poem - The West Wind. Ken has no musical knowledge to speak of, but he does have a good ear, and as Donald was musically trained, the two of them sat down with Ken humming the tune and Donald setting it down on paper. After a few months of work the piece was completed and Ken penned the following words as an introduction :

"What, you may ask, is the connection between John Masefield's poem - The West Wind - and the poem when set to music?
During WWII it was my fate to spend nearly four years as a Prisoner-of-War in dreadful Japanese prison camps. During part of this time, to try and maintain a degree of sanity, I learnt, day-by-day, John Masefield's poem "The West Wind" by heart. As the days went by, I found myself beginning to sing the poem to a melody which little by little was complete. The poem and the melody helped me to overcome some of the unpleasantness of the prison camps.
It puzzled me somewhat that I could have composed a melody to go with the poem because I had little musical knowledge, and certainly could not write music. Yet the melody stayed very dear in my mind and I came to the conclusion that God was doing this for me so that I could do my job - nursing - in the prison camps.
This was 50 years ago and now with the melody still dear in my mind I wish to thank everyone who has contributed in any way and made it possible for the poem and the music to finally come together.
I am grateful also to the Society of Authors as the literary representative of the Estate of John Masefield. Without the poem the music might never have been heard."

In December 2001 Donald contacted the Association and asked if we could arrange for appropriate musical talent from the Music Department to develop further his arrangement work.

This was duly done and in June the Music Department kindly arranged for the piece to be performed as part of a Singers Concert. The concert was attended by Donald and his wife; unfortunately Ken himself was not well enough to attend. The soloist, Maiko Suzuki, accompanied by Lucia Leung, gave a perfect performance of what turned out to be a hauntingly beautiful melody.

At a small reception given by Elizabeth Cairncross, Donald spoke of how Ken's memories of the Cedars with its tennis court and playing fields, of Munday's Meadow and Tor Hill were amongst the very important images of "home" that had helped him to block out the hardships of his imprisonment. Donald also recalled being picked up by Gordon Wicks in a rowing boat at the foot of the steps from St. Andrews Street and rowed across the Cathedral Green following a particularly heavy thunderstorm, which resulted in the Cathedral being flooded to a depth of about three feet! Sadly Ken passed away in 2004.

Jack Messias (OW of 1919 - 1926)

Jack wrote these Memories for us in 2001. Sadly Jack passed away in 2003 aged 93.

I left Wells in December 1926 having been in the choir since November 1919, seven years singing all the treble solos that Canon Davis could direct me so to do. In the October 2000 Newsletter I notice the name of Georgina Hatch of Havyatt Glastonbury! My happiest single days out of School were spent at Havyatt, the home of the Pearce family. The two boys, Willie and Alan, followed their father into farming. They are no longer with us, but I keep in touch with Jessie, Alan's widow who lives in Poole. The Jotting by the Revd. Norman Morris about John Goddard, now The Right Rev'd Suffragen Bishop of Burnley, was very interesting for me as our parish priest, Rev'd Martin Fredriksen, is a close friend of the Bishop, and took part in his Consecration Service in York Minster on 7th December 2000.

Some of my contemporaries with whom I have kept in touch: Dr. Conrad Eden (chorister & organist); Sydney Chapman, Vancouver B.C.; Prof. Maurice Miles (Music); Donald Baggs (Army 1939 / 45, Civil Service and a parish church organist in Bristol); Haydn James (conductor of Welsh Philharmonic choir). My Headmasters, in order of appearance, were: Rev. Rupert Lewis, Rev. W.H.Tate (Oh dear!), Rev. Smith (temporary only) and finally Rev. A.F. Ritchie.

I was the first House prefect at The Cedars when it was taken over by Rev. Ritchie, but cannot remember which year. My objective on leaving Wells was to read for the Bar or Law Society. The two reasons for failing were (a) lack of money in the family purse and (b) I learned very little at the Wells Grammar School!! However, I did learn to absorb without flinching a few beatings on my backside by Lewis and Ritchie, and on each occasion experienced a grave miscarriage of justice!! November 1927, I worked in various solicitors' offices hoping to gain a place in the Civil Service (legal departments), and at the age of 21 I was successful, and gained a place on the administrative side in 1930. I remained here for 40 years, retiring in 1970.

My wife, Beryl, and I have been married for 65 years and in 1995 Her Majesty graciously decided that our Diamond Wedding celebration was worthy of Her Majesty's recognition. We have a daughter and a son, four grandchildren, and six great grandchildren: Beryl is 89 and I am 91. But for the insistence of my family, I would still be driving the car, but retired from that hazardous occupation in March 2000!

Back to Wells: I knew Richard Kenny's father, rather short with auburn hair, and a very good tenor voice. I also remember his house in Vicars Close opposite Ronnie Dawton, also a chorister. I note that there is now a House named De Salis, no doubt after the Suffragen Bishop of Taunton. I knew Jimmy Carl from Bristol, one of the best. Despite my "regular" beatings, I was awarded the Choristers' Prize in 1924, 1925, and 1926.
Jack Messias