When Christopher James Bowles left Emanuel in 1905 to pursue a successful career in banking, he could never have imagined that one of the trophies he was awarded as a pupil would find its way back to Emanuel well over a century later!

 

We were delighted to welcome Christopher’s grandson, Mr James Bell, to Emanuel to present their family heirloom to the School Archive. According to James ‘The Chairman’s Prize 1905’ cup, uniquely inscribed with Christopher’s name, had been in his possession for well over thirty years having been handed down by this mother. He recalled that the trophy was very well travelled, but he was happy to return it to the school to be a part of our history after so many years in his family.

 

At the time, The Chairman’s Prize was awarded by Sir Sydney Waterlow, Chairman of Governors for 33 years leading up to his death in 1906, as well as a distinguished Liberal politician and philanthropist. Sir Sydney usually attended the annual Speech Day events and presented these trophies. We have an identical uninscribed 1906 Chairman’s Prize on display in the glass cabinet in the main reception, so it is lovely to receive a second very similar example.

 

At Emanuel, Christopher had both a successful academic and sporting career, culminating in him being awarded the Chairman’s Prize for the ‘Half-Mile Handicap’ (scratch race) in his final year in school. The Portcullis magazine notes he passed several sets of local Cambridge exams and was awarded various shorthand certificates. He was also awarded other prizes for good conduct, punctuality and in 1904 a certificate for “faithfully discharging the duties of a Monitor” in the era before we had prefects. Christopher won both Mathematics and Music prizes and returned to Emanuel in 1908 to sing in a musical event involving OEs. For the 1901 Mathematics prize he was presented with Tales from Shakespeare, a book still in the possession of his family.

 

Christopher obviously loved his sport and participated in cricket, football, athletics and swimming at different levels. Interestingly, in 1904 he came second behind George Littlewood Hirst in a two length ‘Swimming in Clothes’ race. His conqueror, George, later became the first OE to play full international rugby (for Wales). In Sports Day, Christopher was an all-rounder, competing in multiple events, including high jump, 220-yard race, hurdles, and the 100-yard race. For both the 1904 and 1905 seasons he was captain of the second football XI.

 

Christopher was in Lyons Dormitory in the days just before the House system was formed. These were the final days of Emanuel as a boarding school when the boys competed for the coveted Dormitory Shield, which is now on permanent on display at the bottom of the Archive stairs. His Dormitory Master notes in The Portcullis: “Bowles did well with the bat in Dormitory matches; should do well next year.”

 

After leaving school, apart from war service, Christopher worked his whole life with Westminster Bank rising to Chief Cashier of the Holborn Circus office/branch. Although our First World War Pro Patria lists Christopher as serving in the Army Service Corps (ASC), his grandson James believes he also served with the City of London Yeomanry, known as the “Rough Riders”. We are very grateful to James and his family for a gift which has so much Emanuel history connected to it and will now be on permanent display in our School Archive.

Mr Jones, Senior Librarian and Archivist