Rupert's school days

[Nicholas]

Some new material mainly from the shool magazine has arrived from Summer Fields School, Rupert's prep school.

 Of particular interest is Rupert's part in the school play of winter 1913 Alexander the Great written by a member of staff.  Rupert  played Roxanne, the court architect's daughter, and had to sing the following song:
Roxana's song: Act 1. 'Wendy'

Where forests leafy clothe the mountains base,
Where floating ivory clouds veil the starry space,
Where the mighty river at its banks doth strain,
There is the realm, where Vila Quen doth reign.

Peaks own her sway, as on her chariot-cloud
On sweepeth mighty Vila: mid the pine woolds proud
Trees bend before her on her dappled fawn,
Queen of the Fairies, Queen of Glade and Lawn.

I don't know why Wendy gets a mention, but it adds a Barriesque  presence to the drama.  Rupert was probably chosen to play Roxana due to his musical ability.



The December 1918 number of the school magazine includes the following news from Harrow:

The only O.S.S. here who is worthy of mention is R.E.V. Buxton, and, as no doubt you know, he is in a very sad way.
On the evening of Sunday, December 1, Buxton disappeared and, after careful investigations had been made by detectives to no purpose, he returned home on Tuesday evening.  It appears that he had been working very hard for tha Brackenbury History Scholarship at Baliol.  His brain was not equal to the strain, owing to a cycling accident in 1912, and he is now in a critical condition.  It is feared that his brain will not recover.
He was Head of School and good at games, and was tremendously popular.

The blunt language suggests this was written by a young hand, and indicates that Rupert's problems were well known amongst his fellows.  There is also the following brief obituary in July 1921:

To our universal sorrow Rupert Erroll Victor Buxton (Harrow and Christ Church) was drowned at Sandford Lock on May 19.  He was a fine swimmer and is supposed to have lost his own life in trying to save that of his friend who was in difficulties.

Many thanks to Summer Fields for providing this,


Sir Jocelyn Buxton has informed me that that Rupert's correspondence, inclulding the important letter from Barrie to Lady Ann Buxton, is now held at Christ Church, Oxford.  He offered me Barrie's letter, and I was tempted to have it, but mindful of the curse, I thought it better that everything be held together in a safe place, open to future researchers.