SD2857. Altham Surtees Altham to Mary Altham Altham
Listed in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 32, 353.
Southgate Hill
Winchester
December 6th 1866.
Thursday morning
My dearest Polly,
I received Papa’s letter yesterday afternoon, as usual, thank him very much for it; he tells me I owe you a letter and so I believe I do to all of you, Mama and Teddy and you, but as you were the first to speak I write to you first. Today is “Founder’s Commemoration day” commonly called a “Hatch |Thole|” we lie in bed in the morning till half past eight, chapel at eleven o’clock with full choral service; to-day is the annual football match of Commoners and College six and six, an awfully swell affair, punctually at about 2 or three minutes before 12 the six are all arranged College in blue jerseys with flannel knickerbockers and blue striped stockings, and Commoner in red jerseys, red striped stockings and knickerbockers; then as the clock strikes twelve they all put their heads down and “hot,” and the game begins. They have got a new six and six cap this year, an awfully swell thing, the Commoner cap is a red velvet sort of turban with two silver stripes round it with a silver tassel on the crown which hangs down and looks awfully smart, the price of the cap is 12 and 6d. College cap is a blue velvet sort of turban with a broad gold stripe round it and a gold tassel on the crown which hangs over; of course they do not wear them during the game as they have to put their heads down and hot, and of course it would completely spoil them. There is grave doubts if they will play to-day, as it has been raining all night and all yesterday and all the day before so that the ground is in a shocking wet state; however it looks brighter now over head and they will put lots of saw-dust down, so that I should think that after chapel, unless the ground is very bad they will play; I am desperately afraid Commoners will get licked; they have just about double as good a six this year as we have; if they do lick us, however, it will be the second out of about 30 matches that we have been licked in. Only a fortnight last Monday to the holidays, hurrah! I sent the Stoke Court Chronicle to aunt Mary last night, a very good number indeed. I believe we are to play our other house match next Monday with Mr Wickham’s, but I am not quite sure. I am afraid I am writing shockingly badly. No time for more, as it is just chapel time. With best love and many kisses to all I remain ever
Your very affectionate brother
A. S. Altham
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Altham Archive.
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