Bever days were a former custom at Eton college on which extra bread and beer were served during the afternoon in the College Hall to scholars and their friends they brought in. Research Bever Day
Eton College, properly called the College of the Blessed Mary of Eton, is one of the great public schools of England. It was founded at Eton in Buckinghamshire by Henry VI in 1440. The building, which was commenced in 1441 and finished in 1523, received important additions subsrquently in the shape of mathematical and science schools, a museum, etc. Research Eton College
Fagging is a custom which formerly prevailed generally at most of the English schools, and was still practised at Eton, Winchester, Harrow, Rugby, and one or two other places at the start of the 20th century. It consists in making the junior boys act as servants or 'fags' in the performance of multifarious menial offices for the elder boys, such as carrying messages, preparing breakfast, etc, for their master, in return for which the elder boy accepts a certain responsibility for keeping order, and becomes the recognized adviser and protector of his 'fags.' Research Fagging
Sir Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home is a British Conservative statesman. He was educated at Eton and Oxford. He entered Parliament in 1931. In 1960 he became Foreign Secretary. In 1963 he became Prime Minister. Research Alexander Douglas-Home
Algernon Charles Swinburne was an English poet and dramatist. He was born in 1837 at London and died in 1909. The eldest child of Admiral Charles Swinburne he was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford where he refused to conform and left Oxford without graduating. He was later to declare that he learnt most from Lamb's Specimens and the Bible. Research Algernon Swinburne
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, was a British politician. He was born in 1848 and died in 1930. Educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, he represented Hertford in 1874 to 1885, and then was member for East Manchester representing the Conservative party. For a time he was private secretary to his uncle, LordSalisbury, under whom he was president of the Local Government Board, and afterwards secretary for Scotland (1886-87), with a seat in the cabinet. He showed much firmness and ability as chief secretary for Ireland during Lord Salisbury's administration in 1887-91. He succeeded Mr. W. H. Smith as leader of the House of Commons and first lord of the treasury in 1891-92, and held the position again from 1895 until 1900, and from that year until 1902. On the retirement of LordSalisbury in 1902 he became prime minister, a position which he retained until December 1905. Under him as premier were passed the new English Education Act (which owed much to his personal influence and exertions), that for London, and a new Licensing Act, and he advocated a change of fiscal policy, at least as far as having recourse to retaliation, denying that he in any way favours protection. He was given to studies bearing on philosophy and religion, and published a Defence of Philosophic Doubt (1879), Essays and Addresses (1893), and The Foundations of Belief (1895). He was president of the British Association in 1904. As foreign secretary from 1916 to 1919 he was responsible for the Balfopur declaration of 1917 which promissed Zionists a national home in Palestine. He resigned from parliament in 1922, was made an earl, and served again as Lord President from 1925 until 1929. Research Arthur Balfour
Sir Cecil Arthur Spring-Rice was a British diplomat. He was born in 1859 and died in 1918. Educated at Eton and Oxford, he was British ambassador to the USA during the Great War and conducted the British side of negotiations leading up to the USA's participation in the war. Research Cecil Spring-Rice
Earl Charles John Canning was a British statesman. He was born in 1812 and died in 1862. The son of George Canning, ne was educated at Eton and Oxford. In 1841 he was appointed under-secretary of state for foreign affairs in Peel's government, and in 1846 commissioner of woods and forests. In the Aberdeen ministry of 1853, and under Palmerston in 1855, he held the postmaster-generalship, and in 1856 went out to India as governor-general. Throughout the mutiny he showed a fine coolness and clear-headedness, and though his carefully-pondered decisions were sometimes lacking in promptness, yet his admirable moderation did much to re-establish the British Empire in India. He was raised to the rank of earl and made viceroy, but returned to England with shattered health in 1862, dying in the same year. Research Charles Canning
Charles James Fox was an English statesman. He was born in 1749 and died in 1806. The second son of Henry, first LordHolland, he was sent to Eton, and subsequently removed to Hertford College, Oxford. His father procured him a seat in the borough of Midhurst in 1768, before he was of legal age, and in 1770 he was appointed one of the lords of the admiralty, which he resigned in 1772, and was appointed a commissioner of the treasury. After being a supporter of the administration for six years, a quarrel with Lord North threw Fox into the ranks of the Whig opposition, where along with Burke and others, he steadily assailed the government, especially on the score of their American policy. In 1780 he was elected member for Westminster, and on the defeat of the administration of Lord North, and the accession of that of the arquis of Rockingham, he obtained the office of secretary of state for foreign affairs in 1782.
The death of the Marquis of Rockingham divided the party and when the Earl of Shelburne became prime minister, Fox retired. He subsequently led a strong opposition to the Pitt government and supported the efforts of Wilberforce against the slave trade and moved the repeal of the Test and and Corporation Acts. He welcomed the breaking out of the French Revolution, and his views on this subject led to a memorable break between him and his old friend Burke. Charles Fox firmly opposed the principle on which the war against France was begun, and strenuously argued for peace on every occasion; but eventually, on becoming secretary for foreign affairs in 1806, acquiesced in its propriety. His health, which had been impaired by his loose manner of living, now began rapidly to decline, and he died the same year a few months after the death of Pitt, his great rival.
As a powerful and purely argumentative orator he was of the very first class; although as to eloquence and brilliancy he perhaps yielded to Pitt, Burke, and Sheridan; nor were his voice and manner prepossessing, although highly forcible. He was of an amiable nature, and a sincere friend to all broad and liberal principles of government, His History of the Early Part of the Reign of James II was published posthumously. Research Charles Fox
Charles Grey (Earl Grey) was a British soldier. He was born in 1729 and died in 1807. A major-general, he accompanied Howe from England in 1775, surprised and defeated General Wayne's force near the Schuylkill on September the 20th, 1777, had a command at Germantown and Tappan, and destroyed the shipping and stores at New Bedford in 1778.
Charles Grey (Ear Grey) was an English statesman. He was born in 1764 and died in 1845. The eldest son of Charles Grey, the first earl Grey, he was educated at Eton and at King's College, Cambridge. In 1786 he was returned to parliament as member for Northumberland. On the accession of the Grenville ministry in 1806, Charles Grey, now Lord Howick, was made first lord of the admiralty, and on the death of Fox succeeded him as secretary for foreign affairs and leader of the House of Commons. The death of his father in 1807 raised him to the House of Peers, and from this period up to 1830 he beaded the opposition in the Lords, and especially opposed the proceedings against Queen Caroline. On the accession of William IV and the retirement of the Wellington ministry, Earl Grey was summoned to office. The great event which marks his administration is the passing in 1832 of the first reform bill. In 1834 Earl Grey resigned, and was succeeded by LordMelbourne. The remainder of his life was chiefly spent in retirement. Research Charles Grey
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Bever Day
