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The Bronxville Review, August
31,1929, Page 6
Boy Scouts Camp Barnes
Bronxville Scouts Tour England
The following is a letter from Scout Executive Sherman Ripley telling of
the travels of the Bronxville Boy Scouts after the World Scout Jamboree at
Birkenhead, England came to an end.
The story of their trip will be completed next
week.
Editor, Bronxville Review:
The Jamboree is a memory and we are on tour! We
find travel conditions comfortable in both England and on the Continent
thus far. The trains are divided crosswise into compartments holding a
maximum of light. A narrow corridor runs the length of the train on one
side. At the ends of each car are lavatories, no distinction being made
between men and women. The lavatories include hot and cold water and
towels, something our trains do not have. This applies to this class in
England and second class on the continent. We broke camp very early in the
mourning, Tuesday, the 12th and toured the Shakespeare country, stopping
to see Warwick Castle. Here we saw our: first thatched-roof cottages.
Stratford-on-Avon seems; about the size of Bronxville, with a, street of
shops. The birthplace of Shakespeare is right on the main street. The
antiquity of the house is evidenced by the, old hand-hewn beams in the
upper rooms where he was born. The building is used as a sort of
Shakespeare museum, but we noted that most of the old manuscripts shown
related to him rather than being his own. The thing that impressed me most
was the autograph of “B Jonson" on the fly-leaf of an old volume displayed
there,
A Classic Tale
Our guide told us a story, of Shakespeare's youth.
We were passing a deerpark and he said, "When 'e was a lad ‘e stole a
door out of this park and a gyme keeper spotted 'im. 'E made a run for it
and awaye ‘e went. 'E dropped the deer and fell over this stile you see
beside the road . Poachin' bein' a ‘angin' hoffence in those days 'e ran
awaye to Lunnon and wrote one of 'is gryte plyes!
The theater at Stratford burned down recently and
another fine one is being constructed. We were interested to see the home
of Marie Correlli here, also the place where she is buried. A marble angel
stands over the grave. Anne Hathway's cottage, quaint and charming.
should have attracted Will even without Anne's charms. The garden is very
lovely. We were informed that no photos might be, taken and that a fine of
one pound one shilling would be imposed if the rule were disregarded. We
could understand the rule but wondered why the
extra shilling?
An Ancient Stronghold
An old-world castle is a show place now-a-days,
especially one so perfectly preserved as, Warwick. Of course it dates back
to the Romans and, in fact, to the daughter of Alfred the Great. The
grounds are beautiful. One is impressed, however, with the power of this
massive pile, as a, medieval strong hold. Cross-shaped peep-holes in the
parapets and niches in the ivy-covered walls bear mute testimony to the
war like purposes of this place,
The portions, shown (Lady Warwick and the young
Earl live here) are, much like an art gallery. The picture that impressed
me the most was Sir Joshua Reynolds’ portrait of Mrs. Siddolls. There
were several portraits by Rubens and others that I liked better Painted by
Van Dyck, notably one of Charles I and another of a pupil the artist.
A massive Roman urn, some twelve Feet across is
shown as an object of special veneration. It was found in a lake near Rome
and a conservatory has been built just to house it. On leaving the grounds
I was amused and more than a little thrilled by a tame peacock that
strutted up and ate chocolate out of my hand. This is the first friendly
peacock I ever saw.
I London From A Bus
With regret we left. Warwick behind us and
entrained for I London arriving at the Royal Hotel early in the evening,
The street lamps of London are odd to us many are
Continued on Page Seven)
Bronxville Scouts Tour England
(Continued from Page Six)
lighted by gas, which shows how dark it is. Much
furore was caused after leaving the train because Dan Matthaei had lost
his camera. 'On the following day, however, it was recovered.
To see London from the top of a bus, with stops at
the important places, is a rather good, way to see it. In a, short time,
one gets a good, general idea of, the city, its principal points of
interest, the nature of the traffic and vehicles, the general appearance
of the People and their method of doing things. Of course to attempt to
learn to really know a city in a day or two is absurd; on the other hand
how many people who spend their lives in any large city really come to
know it? London has a certain atmosphere (when you can see through it)
that is reminiscent of Boston-the same dingy buildings, crooked streets
and background of fascinating history,
Into this stronghold of English history, then, we
plunge on Wednesday, August 14, by just going to the Tower of London. On
the, way our guide showed us the statue of Sir "Enery Herving," the actor.
Our guide’s lapses and liberties with the letter "H" exceed anything we
have ever 'eard. Of this more hanon.
Cordially, Sherman Ripley.
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