No . 134 The Trusty Servant
SR Humby ( Co Ro , 21-53 )
proceeded to set one of the shrubs alight . Perhaps he optimistically presumed that a conflagration of the bush might result in his developing Moses like qualities of wisdom , wealth and world domination . But this was not to be . A most excellent don , Jacques Whittaker , viewed the whole incident from the first floor of his house , now the Headmaster ’ s residence , and soon after the young man returned to Kenny ’ s , retribution involving a whippy , whistling wooden instrument of correction was swift and unforgiving .
It was shortly after this incident that one even more regrettable occurred . At the western end of the passage were two bollards , erected probably in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century , successfully preventing vehicular access for a century or more . To us they were known as Humby ( on the left as you travelled up to books ) and Goddard . The Science School at Winchester , Stinks Block to some and dating from 1904 , is a far sighted educational development and a building of some architectural merit although sundry extensions on the Kingsgate Road sign have never been in danger of winning the Pritzker Prize . Freddy Goddard and Spencer Humby were
FW Goddard ( Co Ro , 17-53 )
the modest yet huge talented doyens of Win Coll Science teaching in the early to mid-20 th century , working together for a notable thirty two years . Not in any way overlooking the strengths of Goddard who was Head of Department for eighteen of those years , we need to concentrate on Humby and his valedictory notice in The Wykehamist of 1959 ; ‘ Here he stands like a rock , stubbornly courageous , steadfast in his deep religious faith , infinitely kind to others and regardless of himself .’
It was doubtless encouraging to the spirits of Humby and Goddard that they should receive no less an accolade than having the white Michla Passage bollards named after them , this to be reinforced by frequent friendly pats on their pates administered by respectful Wykehamists of subsequent generations . However , all such reverence involves risk and on a sharp May morning in 1962 a somewhat uncouth Kennyite gave dear Humby an unreasonably energetic blip on his smooth and innocent dome with disastrous consequences . His neck creaked and cracked ; his head was crudely severed from his torso ; an unintended but calamitous decapitation had occurred .
Humby ’ s head had to spend a quiet morning up to books ; he had to lie low and could not be paraded in the style of John the Baptist , Holofernes or King Charles the Martyr . Late in the day he was consigned to the sliding panel which existed at seat level in Kenny ’ s toys . He moved house with his keeper at the end of the academic year and some time in 1963 the weighty skull of Humby disappeared , not to be seen again .
There the story might end but , for reasons passing the bounds of human understanding , Henry ’ s torso has remained in that ugly headless state for sixty two years . Perhaps he is regarded as a priceless statue from the world of antiquity while Goddard in a state of full and original health stands proudly beside him and doubtless provides encouragement with long ago tales of scientific derring-do . Other houses , attempting to gloss over the tragedy , have changed their names to Adam and Eve , while others still have daubed them with red or brown paint on significant Win Coll Football ( NB ) days . They have now been painted a deathly black , appropriately mournful in the circumstances with a touch of the graveyard about them .
Michla now belongs to Win Coll ; the Passage is as busy yet tranquil as ever it was ; the Headmaster ( perhaps the title Informator would cover a multitude of difficulties from autumn 2023 ) is close at hand to serve as Keeper of its permanent inmates . Humby might now appreciate a facelift or indeed having a face at all , while Goddard might be happy to enjoy his colleague in genuinely renovated splendour . I am told with a reasonable degree of reliability that the wayward Kennyite of 1962 , now clambering into his slippered pantaloon , would like to make amends by providing the necessary for a full restoration .
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