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I School Caning

Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. This is from a recent biography of Clement Attlee, British Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951:

"Attlee joined his fellow schoolboys in a protest against the headmaster for his failure to grant a public holiday in celebration of the victory [at Ladysmith in the Boer War]. They marched down to the neighbouring market town of Hertford and "indulged in a patriotic celebration". Clement was one of the SEVENTY-TWO [my emphasis] caned that evening."

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HarrietteSpeedy · 61-69, F

Somebody had a powerful arm!

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MartinII · 70-79, M

@HarrietteSpeedy And a sturdy cane, or maybe several!

SensibleJulie · F

@MartinII and perhaps more than one master's arm was deployed.

SensibleJulie · F

@HarrietteSpeedy perhaps the caning of the seventy two wasn't a solo event.

Denise61 · F

@HarrietteSpeedy i would guess with that many involved it would be 2 or even 3 doing the caning
If just the headmaster then make sure your at the back of the queue and hope hes tiring

HarrietteSpeedy · 61-69, F

@Denise61 That is probably true

MartinII · 70-79, M

@SensibleJulie Yes, special duties for all housemasters, probably.

Denise61 · F

@MartinII delegating the duties lol

Alfred22

@SensibleJulie Do we know how many strokes each received?

SensibleJulie · F

@Alfred22 i suspect they got whatever the maximum was

Denise61 · F

@SensibleJulie probably 6 strokes

SensibleJulie · F

@Denise61 unless tbe maximum was more

Alfred22

@SensibleJulie Wow, 432 strokes. Ouch! Even is shared among 72 students, 432 represents a heap of swishing and thwacks! Where were they likely to be administered?

SensibleJulie · F

@Alfred22 a good question.

Denise61 · F

@SensibleJulie imagine the length of that queue outside the headmasters study lol

Alfred22

@Denise61 maybe a special assembly?

Denise61 · F

@Alfred22 maybe
Or done in a hall

sarahcs · 56-60, F

@Denise61 extremely good organisational skills to carry out a caning of that number

Denise61 · F

@sarahcs yes extremely good skils but you wouldnt want to have been the last in that queue would you!!

sarahcs · 56-60, F

@Denise61 @Denise61 not at all .is there a good part of the queue to be in 😭

Denise61 · F

@sarahcs first to get it over with i think

sarahcs · 56-60, F

@Denise61 I agree

barney1 · M

@sarahcs there is not a good place to be really, but i would prefer to go first and like denise says get it over with,

sarahcs · 56-60, F

@barney1 watching must of been frightening

Denise61 · F

@sarahcs yes knowing that your turn was coming

Denise61 · F

@Denise61 did you see boys caned barney

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