From THE CITY OF OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL MAGAZINE VoL. LVIII, ii April 1966 no 185
As promised in our July issue and thanks to Mr. I. H. Taylor’s copy of it, we are able to furnish the MAGAZINE with the photograph taken by T. E. Lawrence in which he himself appears.
We are indebted for it to T. O. Balk who has presented his original print to the School and who writes the following note:
“The photograph of the VIth Form 1906-07 was taken in July 1907 on the small lawn in front of the School. Ned Lawrence was the prime mover in making this record of a very pleasant year. He persuaded the Head to give his consent and also the time needed to arrange the group and to photograph it. He used his own (box – I think) camera fixed on a tripod and was able to take the photograph himself by connecting the camera by means of a length of rubber tubing to his bicycle pump which he carefully kept out of sight as he stood in the group. He also made the prints and presented them to the members of the VIth.
P.S. I always think when I look at this group, that the Head’s expression reveals his considerable doubt of the likelihood of the success of T.E.’s scheme!”
Lawrence and his Contemporaries
The names of those in the photograph – left to right – are given herewith. The VIth Form was of course a relatively small one in those days and embraced at least a two-year age group. This explains why T. E. Lawrence and his next younger brother W.G. appear in the VIth Form together. A few details of war service or subsequent careers are added:
Back row. –
J. E. A. Cranmer (1902-07), Pembroke College, Lieut. 1/4 O.B.L.I.;
A. H. G. Kerry (1896-1908), Exhibitioner of St. John’s, Captain R.E., a Housemaster at Eton, who gave hıs name to Kerry House, President O.O.C.;
R. C. Hadland (1901-08), St. Catherine’s, Lieut. 60th Rifles, Senior Mathematics Master, Ardingly College;
W. G. Lawrence (1898-1909), Exhibitioner of St. John’s, Professor of History, St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, 2nd Lieut. 7th Gurkhas, 3rd O.B.L.I., attached R.F.C., was shot down and killed near St. Quentin, October 1915;
C. F. C. Beeson (1902-09), Exhibitioner of St. John’s, D.Sc., Indian Forestry Service, Director Imperial Forestry Bureau;
A. Horniblow (1902-07), Captain, Special List, Dental Surgeon;
T. E. Lawrence (1896-1907), Exhibitioner, Jesus College, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, who took the photograph.
Middle row. —
T. O. Balk (1901-08), Wadham College, Captain
R. Warwicks, M.C., Headmaster, Andover; Henry Mellish and Hackney Downs Schools, donor of this print;
John Snow (1897-1901, 1901-07), Mathematics Scholar, New College, Solicitor, President O.O.C. 1930;
The Headmaster, A. W. Cave, M.A.;
E. F. Hall (1900-07), Mathematics Scholar, Jesus College, Canon of Exeter, Archdeacon of Totnes, President O.O.C. 1952;
J. C. B. Ellis (1899-1907), Jesus College, University Demonstrator in Agricultural Physics and Chemistry.
Front row. —
W. H. Browning (1903-07), Worcester College, Lieut. R.F.A., Senior History Master, Wallasey Grammar School;
J. H. Gare (1903-09), St. Edmund Hall, Artists’ Rifles, killed in action 1917;
Philip Moore (1900-08), Mathematics Exhibitioner, Worcester College, Chaplain to the Forces.