Robert Havell after Edmund Havell.

View of Reading School & Playground
To the Rev.d R. Valpy, D.D. F.A.S. and the Gentlemen of Reading School by their very humble and respectful servant Edmund Havell.

22½ x 17 inches

A scarce etching and aquatint engraved by Robert Havell after Edmund Havell and published in London in 1816.

Reading School was founded as a part of Reading Abbey in 1125 making it one of the oldest educational establishments in England. At the time of this print the school was flourishing under the headmastership of Robert Valpy who remained at the helm for 50 years from 1781 until his retirement in 1830. There were around 120 boys enrolled at the school during this period and a good number of them can be seen in this print that focuses on the playground. No smart phones or iPads, just hoops, cricket bats and poetry books! Having said that, there appears to be a strange game going on in the centre of the scene involving a gaggle of boys tied up in rope and being chased by older pupils with whips! Maybe early C19th school life wasn't quite so idyllic after all!

£1450