112-476: Eton fives , a derivative of the British game of fives , is a handball game, similar to Rugby fives , played as doubles in a three-sided court. The object is to force the other team to fail to hit the ball 'up' off the front wall, using any variety of wall or ledge combinations as long as the ball is played 'up' before it bounces twice. Eton fives is an uncommon sport, with only a few courts, most of them as part of
224-467: A "dame", who became responsible for the physical welfare of the boys. (Some houses had previously been run by dames without a housemaster.) Each house typically contains about 50 boys. Although classes are organised on a school basis, most boys spend a large proportion of their time in their house. Not all boys who pass the college election examination choose to become King's Scholars, which involves living in "College" with its own ancient traditions, wearing
336-427: A Bridght Boy Can Do describes gameplay as: The first player takes the ball, and strikes it against the wall with his bat above the line on the wall, and so that it may fall outside of the line on the ground. The other then strikes it, and the players then continue to hit it against the wall, either before it comes to the ground or at the first rebound, until one of them missing it, or driving it out of bounds, or beneath
448-786: A Fives and Squash court complex at the former, which together form the Jock Burnet Fives centre. However, the first real public courts have recently opened in the Westway Sports & Fitness Centre in London's White City , marking a possible change in fortunes for Eton fives as a minor sport. Public school Rydal Penrhos currently has the only Eton fives courts in Wales. Only a few courts exist outside Britain, most notably at Geelong Grammar School in Australia (the school
560-619: A black gown worn over the top of their tailcoats , giving them the nickname 'tugs' (Latin: togati , wearers of gowns); and occasionally by a surplice in Chapel. The house is looked after by the Master in College . Having succeeded in the examination, they include many of the most academically gifted boys in the school. As the school grew, more pupils were allowed to attend provided that they paid their own fees and lived in boarding-houses within
672-508: A buttress attached. During this period, John Cavanagh , reputed to be the greatest fives player of all time, gained popularity. However, after around 1855, the sport experienced a serious loss of players, due to the prominence of other "more sophisticated" sports, such as squash , and was seen as old-fashioned due to its agrarian roots. As described the Badminton Library : The number of those who continue fives players after
784-482: A fist), the other that an earlier form of the game, as described by Nichols , used five-a-side teams. Fives is generally considered to have originated from early forms of the French Jeu de paume . Games were most often played against the walls of the north ends of churchyards , or against the walls of belltowers . This often damaged window glazing , so many churches adapted their exteriors to protect against
896-712: A fives court on the Recreation Ground of the University of Melbourne is noted in the Council minutes of Trinity College in 1873, and there were newspaper reports of an "annual tournament in connexion with the University Fives Club" in 1881, when Professor Herbert Strong acted as judge. A double-handed tournament and a single-handed handicap tournament were played there in August 1883. Fives
1008-451: A gown, and therefore a degree of separation from the other boys. If they choose instead to belong to one of the 24 Oppidan houses, they are simply regarded as Oppidans. However, they may still earn a non-financial award that recognises their academic capabilities. This is known as an Oppidan Scholarship . The title of Oppidan Scholar is awarded for consistently performing with distinction in school and external examinations ("Trials"): to earn
1120-423: A history of Eton fives. The book is titled "Eton Fives: A History." The co-author is Peter Knowles. An Eton fives court consists of three walls, with the left-hand wall interrupted by a buttress approximately halfway up the court. There are also two levels to the court, the front being around six inches higher than the back half of the playing area. On the front wall is a vertical black line about three-quarters of
1232-449: A house captain of arts. All house positions are entitled to "Stick-Ups" (a white bow tie and winged collar). Some houses may have more house captains than the standard rule. House prefects were once elected from the oldest year, but this no longer happens. The old term "Library" survives in the name of the room set aside for the oldest year's use, where boys have their own kitchen and living space. Similarly, boys in their penultimate year have
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#17327942839981344-420: A large nation standing. This was because it had a tradition of being a recreational sport played in free time, the large number of varieties of the game in play, and because the "more sophisticated" game of rackets was already established. Several regional varieties of fives exist; however, most games played are either Rugby fives or Eton fives . Of the two, Etonian fives is the older, being played since
1456-648: A large number of endowments, including much valuable land. The group of feoffees appointed by the king to receive forfeited lands of the Alien Priories for the endowment of Eton were as follows: It was intended to have formidable buildings; Henry intended the nave of the College Chapel to be the longest in Europe, and several religious relics , supposedly including a part of the True Cross and
1568-625: A long first-floor room where conditions were inhumane. Following complaints about the finances, buildings and management of Eton, the Clarendon Commission was set up in 1861 as a royal commission to investigate the state of nine schools in England, including Eton. Questioned by the commission in 1862, Head Master Edward Balston came under attack for his view that in the classroom little time could be spared for subjects other than classical studies . As with other public schools,
1680-403: A metre from the right wall; this is used during the serve and return process detailed later. There is a diagonal ledge that circumvents the entire 'top-step' at about chest height; it is this ledge which the ball has to hit or go above to be 'up'. Below this ledge, at knee height, is a horizontal ledge about two inches wide, and which is only present on the 'top-step'. This is merely here because of
1792-420: A model, visiting at least six times (in 1441, 1444, 1446, 1447, 1448, 1449, 1451, 1452) and having its statutes transcribed. Henry appointed Winchester's headmaster, William Waynflete , as Eton's Provost , and transferred some of Winchester's 70 scholars to start his new school. There is a rumour that he also had carts of earth from Winchester transported to Eton. When Henry VI founded the school, he granted it
1904-428: A number of factors, including: the dissolution of the house lists, which allowed Old Etonians to register their sons at birth, in 1990; harder entrance examinations as the emphasis on academic attainment increased; a sharp rise in school fees increasingly beyond the means of many UK families; and increased applications from international, often very wealthy, families. There are three academic terms (known as halves) in
2016-468: A quarter, and vary in material – leather and rubber are most commonly used. As shown before, court dimensions vary greatly between different versions of Fives; however, modern day court construction is relatively uniform. Two main types of courts exist; traditional ones, and pre-cast courts. Traditional courts are built by bricklaying a form, which is then coated in a cement render , which consists of concrete and sharp sand (alternatively grus ), which
2128-473: A range of bursaries and scholarships. A recent Head Master, Tony Little , said that Eton was developing plans to allow any boy to attend the school whatever his parents' income and, in 2011, said that around 250 boys received "significant" financial help from the school. In early 2014, this figure had risen to 263 pupils receiving the equivalent of around 60% of school fee assistance, whilst a further 63 received their education free of charge. Little said that, in
2240-461: A room known as "Debate". There are entire house gatherings every evening, usually around 8:05–8:30 p.m. These are known as "Prayers", due to their original nature. The house master and boys have an opportunity to make announcements, and sometimes the boys provide light entertainment. For much of Eton's history, junior boys had to act as "fags", or servants, to older boys. Their duties included cleaning, cooking, and running errands. A Library member
2352-402: A scheme was devised towards the end of the 19th century to familiarise privileged schoolboys with social conditions in deprived areas. The project of establishing an " Eton Mission " in the crowded district of Hackney Wick in east London was started at the beginning of 1880, and it lasted until 1971 when it was decided that a more local project (at Dorney ) would be more realistic. However over
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#17327942839982464-455: A shortened back wall, which has a height of 4'10''. Rugby fives is most commonly played in gloves , using a leather-clad ball with a rubber core. This ball is harder than that used in Eton fives, which increases the speed of play in the game. Fives is played at several public schools throughout England, including Rugby School , Bedford School , and St Paul's School (London), as well as by
2576-425: A specialised set of rules. The majority of fives-playing schools have only one type of court, although three schools have historically had both Eton and Rugby courts: Cheltenham , Dover , and Marlborough . Eton fives is a form of the game which, unlike Rugby fives , is played only in doubles form. The sport was first created at Eton College (hence the name) by boys playing handball between two buttresses of
2688-441: A square greene court before her majesties windowe, did hang up lines, squaring out the forme of a tennis-court, and making a cross line in the middle; in this square they (being stript out of their dublets ) played five to five with hand-ball at bord and cord as they tearme it, to the great liking of her highness" – John Nichols , The Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth, Volume II. The version of fives played here
2800-456: A third receive some kind of bursary or scholarship. The name 'King's Scholars' refers to the foundation of the school by King Henry VI in 1440. The original school consisted of the 70 Scholars (together with some Commensals) and the Scholars were educated and boarded at the foundation's expense. King's Scholars are entitled to use the letters 'KS' after their name and they can be identified by
2912-630: Is a member of the G30 Schools Group. Eton today is a larger school than it has been for much of its history. In 1678, there were 207 boys. In the late 18th century, there were about 300, while today, the total has risen to over 1,300. The school is included in The Schools Index as one of the 150 best private schools in the world and among top 30 senior schools in the UK. About 20% of pupils at Eton receive financial support, through
3024-632: Is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the school is a member of the Eton Group of independent schools in the United Kingdom. The school appointed its first female Lower Master (deputy head), Susan Wijeratna , in 2017. She was succeeded by Paul Williams in 2023 as she took on the role of headmistress at Latymer Upper School. Eton has a long list of distinguished former pupils. In 2019, Boris Johnson became
3136-415: Is an English handball sport derived from jeu de paume , similar to the games of handball , Basque pelota , and squash . The game is played in both singles and doubles teams, in an either three- or four-sided court. The origin of the name "fives" for the game is uncertain; but two main theories are commonly presented. The first is that it is derived from the slang expression "a bunch of fives" (meaning
3248-517: Is an example of Wessex fives , the common ancestor to all modern fives games. The first known fives court was built at the base of the church tower in West Pennard , Somerset, in 1813. By this time, fives had achieved some popularity in Wales , where it was referred to as "Ffeifs" – many courts and matches were referred to as "fives courts", although whether these were for playing Welsh handball
3360-614: Is often referred to as the 'Eton of Australia'); there are also courts in Geneva , Zürich , Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz , Switzerland, St. Paul's School, Darjeeling , India (the school is often referred to as the 'Eton of the East') and Malay College Kuala Kangsar , Malaysia, while two brand-new courts have recently been completed in the South of France, in the village of Grillon , Provence . Fives Fives (historically known as hand-tennis )
3472-517: Is played in some secondary schools in New Zealand, for example Nelson College , New Zealand's oldest state school. Eton fives is played in Malaysia, being introduced to Malay College Kuala Kangsar by Charles Ernest Bazell , the school's Oxfordian fourth headmaster, in 1923. Two Eton fives courts exist, reopened in 2014, after 50 years of disuse. These courts are speculated to have been
Eton fives - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-450: Is possibly unique in being a state run comprehensive school which houses two fives courts. Matches have been undertaken on the courts between Eaton & Eton, but in the 1990s the courts were used as car parks for teaching staff, however since 2013 one of the courts is being used for fives, whilst the other is now a boiler room. Dale Vargas, a retired teacher at Harrow School where he was master in charge of Fives, has written and published
3696-523: Is situated. Houses occasionally swap buildings according to the seniority of the housemaster and the physical desirability of the building. The names of buildings occupied by houses are used for few purposes other than a correspondence address. They are: Godolphin House, Jourdelay's (both built as such c. 1720), Hawtrey House, Durnford House (the first two built as such by the Provost and Fellows, 1845, when
3808-487: Is the most common variant of the sport, played in both singles and doubles. The variant is derived from Wessex fives, and was brought to Rugby in the 19th century by Thomas Arnold , the then headmaster of Rugby School, who had learnt the game playing at Warminster School . Rugby fives is attested to in Thomas Hughes ' 1857 Tom Brown's School Days , centered on the author's own experiences at Rugby, which align with
3920-574: Is then coated in Keene's cement plaster . Precast concrete courts are also available, which are more cost-effective , and faster to build (traditional courts take 4–5 months, concrete courts can be erected in weeks) than traditional courts. There are some well-established clubs overseas, such as the Zuoz Fives Club in Zürich , Switzerland. Eton fives is the only version of Fives played in
4032-505: Is unclear. In the beginning of the 19th century, fives was played as a pub game especially in Somerset , and many courts were built alongside pubs , attracting large numbers of spectators. Gambling was often present at these matches. The courts at these pubs were different from those used later in the century, consisting of a free standing wall (which were, as such, referred to as either "fives walls" or "fives towers"), occasionally with
4144-576: The Competition Act 1998 (see Eton College controversies ). In 2011, plans to attack Eton College were found on the body of a senior al-Qaeda leader shot dead in Somalia . The coat of arms of Eton College was granted in 1449 by the founder King Henry VI, as recorded as follows on the original charter, attested by the Great Seal of England and preserved in the College archives: Thus
4256-699: The Crown of Thorns . He persuaded the then Pope , Eugene IV , to grant him a privilege unparalleled anywhere in England: the right to grant indulgences to penitents on the Feast of the Assumption . The college also came into possession of one of England's Apocalypse manuscripts . However, when Henry was deposed by King Edward IV in 1461, the new King annulled all grants to the school and removed most of its assets and treasures to St George's Chapel, Windsor , on
4368-640: The University of Cambridge in 1920, with varsity matches beginning in 1927. The sport is regulated by the Eton Fives Association , which promotes the sport and runs tournaments annually. While Eton fives has historically been a male-dominated game, due to the public schools it was played in being single-sex , in recent years, women have begun to take a larger role in the sport, accounting for approximately 20% of games played as of 2016. Rugby fives , nominally developed at Rugby School in Rugby
4480-480: The aristocracy , having been referred to as "the nurse of England's statesmen". The school is the largest boarding school in England ahead of Millfield and Oundle . Eton charges up to £52,749 per year (£17,583 per term, with three terms per academic year, for 2023/24). Eton was noted as being the sixth most expensive HMC boarding school in the UK in 2013–14. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI as Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore, making it
4592-492: The blazon is: Sable, three lily-flowers argent on a chief per pale azure and gules in the dexter a fleur-de-lys in the sinister a lion passant guardant or . The three lilies are also evident on the coat-of-arms of Eton provost Roger Lupton . Although the charter specifies that the lily flowers relate to the founder's hope for a flourishing of knowledge, that flower is also a symbol for the Virgin Mary , in whose honour
Eton fives - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-734: The mud walls of the courts", and gloves are not used. In Nigeria, fives is popular; the Emir of Katsina , Abdulmumini Kabir Usman plays, and has a court inside the Gidan Korau [ ha ] Katsina Royal Palace. Fives in Nigeria is regulated by the Fives Federation of Nigeria Several inter-state tournaments are run, which include the Sardauna cup and Dan-Iyan Zazzau Super Cup . The organisation also works to popularise
4816-426: The school governors include: Statute VII of the College provides that the board shall be populated as follows (in addition to the Provost and Vice-Provost): The current Provost, William Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill , has made public that he will be stepping down as Provost after the 2024 Summer Half (summer term). The school contains 25 boys' houses , each headed by a housemaster , selected from
4928-835: The town hall to protect its windows. The Racquet Club of Philadelphia built a set of Fives Courts in 1900, but these were quickly used for playing squash . Fives courts also existed at the old location of the Racquet and Tennis Club in New York City before it relocated in 1918, as well as at the Chicago Athletic Association . Fives has received little attention in America since the early 20th century; however, American handball players such as Timothy Gonzalez and Mathieu Pelletier have brought attention to fives by playing it. Like in England, fives
5040-401: The 'home team' will often have an advantage over a visiting side because of their knowledge of the court's characteristics and layout. Fives has many rules that are similar to other court type games, such as tennis or squash: However, there are a large number of rules unique to the game of Eton fives: A point operates thus: At the start of the play, the server stands between the buttress and
5152-427: The 17th century. The two major variants of the game differ primarily in the construction of the court, with Eton fives including a buttress and inside the court, and an open back wall. Other variants of the game include Warminster and Winchester fives; Winchester fives has similarities to both Rugby and Etonian fives in regards to court construction, while Warminster fives dates to the late 18th century, and uses
5264-445: The 18th-oldest school in the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC). Originally intended as a sister institution to King's College, Cambridge , Eton is known for its history, wealth, and notable alumni, known as Old Etonians . Eton is one of four public schools , along with Harrow (1572), Sherborne (705) and Radley (1847), to have retained the boys-only , boarding -only tradition, which means that its boys live at
5376-606: The 20th British prime minister to have attended the school, and the fifth since the end of the Second World War. Previous Conservative leader David Cameron was the 19th British prime minister to have attended the school, and recommended that Eton set up a school in the state sector to help drive up standards. Eton has been described as the most famous public school in the world, and has been referred to as "the chief nurse of England's statesmen". Eton has educated generations of British and foreign aristocracy, and for
5488-534: The Royal Works. The last important addition to the central college buildings was the College Library, in the south range of the cloister, 1725–29, by Thomas Rowland. It has a very important collection of books and manuscripts. The Duke of Wellington is often incorrectly quoted as saying that "The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton." Wellington was at Eton from 1781 to 1784 and
5600-468: The age of twenty-five is very small; and, for obvious reasons, these veterans are usually schoolmasters . Again, fives is entirely a game for amateurs. It has no professors who make their living and their renown as its teachers or exponents. It has no matches to be reported in newspapers with a minuteness of detail suitable to events of international importance. No fives player, as such, has ever had his portrait published in an illustrated journal , or has had
5712-489: The ball off the buttress. The game is played in doubles, with matches being played to either 11 or 15 points. The sport has no organisation of its own, but The Schools' Winchester Fives Doubles tournament is run yearly by the Rugby Fives Association . Warminster fives , also known as West Country fives, is played at Lord Weymouth School, now Warminster School . An 1860 fives court still stands at
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#17327942839985824-660: The brother of one of the school's former rectors as a gift to the school. Court also exist in Kodaikanal , as well as at the Laxmi Vilas Palace , but these are not in use. Fives has been played in the United States since the 18th century, first attested to in a by-law in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 1791, where several forms of ball games were prohibited from being played within eighty yards of
5936-570: The championships changes every year between Eton and Shrewsbury . There are championships for every age group, ranging from the Under 10s to the Open (Under 18s). Within these championships are the Main Tournament, Plate A and Plate B. The following have won eight or more Kinnairds: The "Keeper of Fives" is the equivalent to the captain of any particular sport at any particular establishment
6048-455: The collar stud, but some senior boys are entitled to wear a white bow tie and winged collar ("Stick-Ups"). These include boys part of select prefect bodies, those who represent their house as a type of House Captain (general, sports or arts) and those who are "keepers" of areas of the school. There are some variations in the school dress worn by boys in authority; see School Prefects and King's Scholars sections. The long-standing belief that
6160-538: The college was founded, with the number of three having significance to the Blessed Trinity . The motto of the college is Floreat Etona ("may Eton flourish"). The grant of arms to King's College, Cambridge, is worded identically, but with roses instead of lily-flowers. The school is headed by a Provost , a vice-provost and a board of governors (known as Fellows) who appoint the Head Master. As of 2022
6272-527: The court, at a height of 15 cm, creating the "upper" and "lower" parts of the court. A sloping ledge runs around the walls of the court, roughly four and a half feet from the floor, of which the bottom line is dubbed the "playline", above which shots have to be played. The upper limit of the court is the "coping" – stonework that lines the top of the walls. The first purpose-built fives courts were built at Eton College in 1840, by then headmaster Edward Craven Hawtrey , who constructed four courts mimicking
6384-426: The court, but once they do it is usually very effective for winning a point. Between the buttress and the top step is a small rectangular area about 10 cm sq, often referred to as the 'pepper pot'. If the ball is hit into the pepper pot it is almost always point-winning. Each of the courts at varying schools differ in some way, leaving room to modify how your school's courts are built to a certain extent. In this way
6496-496: The earliest written testaments of the game are directives by clergy taken to prevent playing of the game. Actions against the game (then referred to as either "hand-tennis" and "hand-ball") have been found as early as 1287, when the Synod of Exeter banned the game due to the damage it caused to church buildings. Other notable examples of wall ball games being banned include Robert Braybrooke , Bishop of London , who in 1385 prohibited
6608-407: The end of the 19th Century, fives had become a well-established sport for British public schools. In the 1920s, the sport began to be played at Cambridge University . The first recorded fives match was played between Eton and Harrow in 1885 (F. Thomas and C. Barclay of Eton beat E.M. Butler and B. R. Warren of Harrow). Fives continued to be played through the 20th century, but failed to develop
6720-405: The exception that they are obliged to wear a white neckcloth. Lord Clarendon: Is the colour of their clothes much restricted? Edward Balston: We would not let them wear for instance a yellow coat or any other colour very much out of the way. Lord Clarendon: If they do not adopt anything very extravagant either with respect to colour or cut you allow them to follow their own taste with respect to
6832-409: The facilities of the independent schools in the United Kingdom . Eton fives is a sport developed in the late 19th century at Eton College . The shape of the court used now is taken from the chapel at Eton College , where A. C. Ainger and some of his friends developed a simple set of rules in 1877. The rules have been modified since that time to those seen now, but the essential components are still
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#17327942839986944-829: The first in the country; however, a report by The Straits Times from 30 April 1920 references fives courts at the Padang Polo (polo ground) in Penang . Eton Fives teams from Malaysia have been entered into tournaments – in March 2015, two teams were sent to the UK National Eton Fives Schools Championship at Eton College , reaching the Plate Quarter Finals. In India, Eton fives is played only at St. Paul's School, Darjeeling , where there exist two courts built in 1899 by
7056-567: The first time, members of the British royal family in direct line of succession: the Prince of Wales and his brother the Duke of Sussex , in contrast to the royal tradition of male education at either naval college or Gordonstoun , or by tutors. The Good Schools Guide called the school "the number one boys' public school", adding that "The teaching and facilities are second to none." The school
7168-492: The front wall. The receiver, known as a 'cutter', stands in the backcourt, along with the other two players (the cutter's partner stands behind him, with the server's partner in the bottom right corner). The server throws the ball high so it bounces off the front and right wall, landing after the step and roughly in the middle of the court (note: different players like the ball to bounce at different points in order to get varying types of spin on their 'cuts'). There are no rules about
7280-516: The game " Necnon ad pilam infra et extra ecclesiam ludunt ." (English: Neither inside not outside the church .) The name "fives" was applied to the game by 1591, as when Elizabeth I visited the village of Elvetham in Hampshire, she was entertained by the Marquess of Hertford by a game played by his servants : "about three o'clock, ten of his lordship's servants, all Somersetshire men, in
7392-401: The game. It is very similar to the game of rackets , and can even be considered an early form of the game, differing in the shape of the bat used, and the slightly smaller ball used in rackets. The game was played using a willow bat with a curved bowl, measuring around 21 inches by 4 inches, with the end wrapped in leather. Bat fives was played mostly at Radley and Westminster , but
7504-628: The game. This often came in the form of shutters and pintles inserted into walls, as well as latticework over the windows themselves. The sport also influenced the layout of several churches; at some churches, saplings were planted where Fives would have been played, at the Church of St James, Ashwick , a cross was moved "to the Vifes place... to prevent the Young People from spending so much idle time in that sort of exercise." As such, many of
7616-460: The important interiors of the Parlour, Election Hall, and Election Chamber, where most of the 18th century "leaving portraits" are kept. "After Lupton's time, nothing important was built until about 1670, when Provost Allestree gave a range to close the west side of School Yard between Lower School and Chapel". This was remodelled later and completed in 1694 by Matthew Bankes, Master Carpenter of
7728-451: The introduction of the sport at the school was previously a teacher at Warminster before joining Rugby. The Warminster variety of fives also differs greatly in its rules: teams play three-a-side ; one on the left, center and right sides of the court (referred to as "squif", "centre" and "skunk"). The court has dimensions of roughly 8 metres in width and depth. Bat fives is a form of fives predating Rugby, Eton, and Westminster forms of
7840-570: The last went to Canada. The purpose of the tours was to encourage Empire settlement, with the boys possibly becoming district officers in India or imperial governors of the Dominions. In 1959, the college constructed a nuclear bunker to house the college's Provost and fellows. The facility is now used for storage. In 1969, Dillibe Onyeama became the first black person to obtain his school-leaving certificate from Eton. Three years later Onyeama
7952-488: The late 19th and 20th centuries were Cyril Alington , Robert Birley and Anthony Chenevix-Trench . M. R. James was a Provost. Between the years 1926 and 1939, Eton pupils were included as part of a group of around 20 or 30 selected public school boys who travelled yearly to various British Empire countries as part of the Public School Boys Empire Tour. The first tour travelled to Australia;
8064-463: The meanest article of dress in the hosiers ' shops named after him. Indeed, the game is not one that tends to exalt the individual player. At the end of the 19th century, fives was gentrified from its origins as a rural sport to an elitist sport at public schools ; codified forms of the game such as Eton fives and Rugby fives were introduced in the 1870s, which spread to schools such as Highgate , Westminster , Charterhouse and Harrow . By
8176-533: The more senior members of the teaching staff, which numbers some 155. Almost all of the school's pupils go on to universities, about a third of them to the University of Oxford or University of Cambridge . One boarding house, College , is reserved for 70 King's Scholars, who attend Eton on scholarships provided by the original foundation and awarded by examination each year; King's Scholars used to pay up to 90 per cent of full fees, depending on their means. This financial incentive has been phased out. Still, up to
8288-573: The nineteenth century. A court was opened at the Hutchins School in Hobart, Tasmania, in November 1877, The court was described as "the only one, we believe, in the colony", and its dimensions as: "Length of floor, 21 ft.; height and width of court 14 ft. each. The court will be an open one, with a flagged floor, the walls will be built of brick, and cemented on the inside." The erection of
8400-609: The north of Nigeria , and is especially popular in Katsina State , being more popular in Nigeria than in England itself. The sport was introduced in 1928 by former Eton pupil J. S. Hogden, who was teaching in the state of Katsina (in the Provincial Secondary School) and in Birnin Kebbi . The version of the game in Nigeria is played using a tennis ball , as traditional balls "take chunks out of
8512-519: The one attributed to him by Count Charles de Montalembert's C'est ici qu'a été gagnée la bataille de Waterloo ("It is here that the Battle of Waterloo was won"). The architect John Shaw Jr (1803–1870) became a surveyor to Eton. He designed New Buildings (1844–46), Provost Francis Hodgson 's addition to provide better accommodation for collegers, who until then had mostly lived in Long Chamber,
8624-532: The origins of Eton fives as the ledge is present at the chapel in Eton College. The diagonal ledge drops vertically at the edge of the 'top-step' and then returns to normal at a slightly lower height on the bottom step, running to the back of the court. At the back are brick columns that jut out slightly into the court, which vary in width from school to school, these "buttresses" are usually anywhere from 2 – 10 inches in width. Shots very rarely hit this part of
8736-467: The other side of the River Thames . Legend has it that Edward's mistress, Jane Shore , intervened on the school's behalf. She was able to save a good part of the school, although the royal bequest and the number of staff were much reduced. Construction of the chapel, originally intended to be slightly over twice as long, with 18, or possibly 17, bays (there are eight today) was stopped when Henry VI
8848-433: The period in with Arnolds was headmaster. The sport is governed by the Rugby Fives Association , which stages multiple tournaments for the sport annually. Rugby fives uses an enclosed court free from "hazards", with a hollow board running across the front wall, similar to that of squash . The court has a width of 18 feet and a length of 28 feet, with the front wall having a height of 15 feet. The Rugby fives court uses
8960-423: The present uniform was first worn as mourning for the death of King George III in 1820 is unfounded. In 1862, Edward Balston , Head Master, noted little in the way of uniform in an interview with the Clarendon Commission . Lord Clarendon: One more question, which bears in some degree upon other schools, namely with regard to the dress. The boys do not wear any particular dress at Eton? Edward Balston: No, with
9072-521: The preserve of their students and alumni. The only known court to be owned by a private individual in the UK is on the Torry Hill estate in Kent. The University of Cambridge, St Olave's Grammar School, Bryanston School, Charterhouse School , Lancing College , Emanuel School and Summerfields Prep school house the only indoor Eton fives courts in England, with three Rugby Fives courts being part of
9184-530: The same and are described below in the 'Rules' section. Much earlier than the formalisation of Eton fives, a court was built in the grounds of Lord Weymouth's Grammar School, now Warminster School , in 1787, the School's 80th year. It is claimed that Thomas Arnold a pupil here took the game with him to Rugby School leading to Rugby Fives. The court at Warminster School survives but is rarely used. City of Norwich School (formerly Eaton (City of Norwich) School)
9296-478: The school and was in regular use until the 1970s. The court used in Warminster fives is unique in its construction: the court is similar to a fives wall, except for two small walls jutting from the front wall at 45° angles. The court itself is a grade II listed building , first being listed in 1978. Warminster fives is likely to have inspired Rugby fives : Thomas Arnold , headmaster at Rugby responsible for
9408-456: The school chapel with rules for the game being created in 1877 under the title " Rules of the Game of Fives as played at Eton ". Eton fives is played in three-sided courts around the size of a squash court mimicking the sides of the school chapel, with a buttress (referred to as a "pepper-box" ) on the left-hand wall, and a raised step at the front of the court, extending around 80 cm into
9520-413: The school on a 100% bursary. Registration at birth, corporal punishment, and fagging are no longer practised at Eton. Academic standards were raised, and by the mid-1990s Eton ranked among Britain's top three schools in getting its pupils into Oxford and Cambridge . The proportion of boys at the school who were sons of Old Etonians fell from 60% in 1960 to 20% in 2016. This has been attributed to
9632-456: The school seven days a week during term time. The remainder of them, including Charterhouse in 1971, Westminster in 1973, Rugby in 1976, Shrewsbury in 2015, and Winchester in 2022, have since become co-educational . Eton College was founded by Henry VI as a charity school to provide free education to 70 poor boys who would then go on to King's College, Cambridge , founded by the same king in 1441. Henry used Winchester College as
9744-407: The school suffered reduced income while still under construction, the completion and further development of the school have since depended to some extent on wealthy benefactors. Building resumed when Roger Lupton was Provost , around 1517. His name is borne by the big gatehouse in the west range of the cloisters, fronting School Yard, perhaps the most famous image of the school. This range includes
9856-443: The school was increasing in numbers and needed more centralised control), The Hopgarden, South Lawn, Waynflete, Evans's, Keate House, Warre House, Villiers House, Common Lane House, Penn House, Walpole House, Cotton Hall, Wotton House, Holland House, Mustians, Angelo's, Manor House, Farrer House, Baldwin's Bec, The Timbralls, and Westbury. In addition to the housemaster, each house has two house captains, two house captains of games and
9968-660: The school's memorial to the Etonians who had died in the Boer War . Many tablets in the cloisters and chapel commemorate the large number of dead Etonians of the First World War . A bomb destroyed part of Upper School in World War II and blew out many windows in the chapel. The college commissioned replacements by Evie Hone (1949–52) and by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens (1959 onward). Among Head Masters of
10080-402: The serve but as a cutter can reject any serve, there is little benefit in a serve which can not be easily hit. The cutter will then often play the ball overarm so that it is 'up', usually into the corner, so that the ball hits the right then the front wall and goes straight back at the server. The best way to follow up this 'cut' is to follow the ball in and stand on the step, ready for a volley if
10192-415: The server returns it high. From here the cutter and the server will try to volley the ball, while the other two players will sweep up anything that they miss. This continues until the ball is either hit 'down' or out of the court. There are now a huge number of championships and tournaments that take place at various times throughout the fives season. The Kinnaird Cup is an open tournament for any age. Over
10304-422: The short term, he wanted to ensure that around 320 pupils per year receive bursaries and that 70 were educated free of charge, with the intention that the number of pupils receiving financial assistance would continue to increase. The Orwell Award is a sixth form scholarship awarded to boys in UK state schools whose academic performance may have been held back by personal circumstance. Boys who earn this award attend
10416-496: The sides of the school chapel. These courts varied in a few specifications; the distance between the front wall and the buttress was increased, and the floor's slope was reduced, which quickened play speed. The courts were built of sandstone , to reproduce the effect's of the chapel's walls, which are made of Taynton stone . The first Eton fives match was played on 12 February 1885, between Eton and Harrow School , playing at Harrow's fives courts. Eton fives began to be played at
10528-472: The site. The court used is almost identical to that used in Rugby fives, except for a 45° change in wall direction for almost 10 inches on the left wall. This makes the back of the court narrower, and creates a very small buttress similarly to that of Eton fives . This buttress also serves to diversify gameplay by allowing winning shots to be made more easily: sharp changes in direction are created by bouncing
10640-721: The sport at the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz . Fives also has a history in Brazil, several fives courts were built by the Western and Brazilian Telegraph Company , although these were closed in the late 1920s. Courts also existed at the São Paulo Athletic Club , which were eventually converted into a swimming pool. Finally, a set of fives courts were built at St Paul's School in São Paulo in 1934. Bat fives
10752-602: The sport in Southern Nigeria. The Eton Fives Association has run multiple tours in conjunction with the Nigerian Fives Association to Nigeria to play the sport: one in 1965, and a second in December 1984 (after which the Nigerian Fives Association visited England), and most recently, a second tour by Nigerian players in 2019. Fives was played in schools and universities in Australia in
10864-838: The sport is played at. It is one of a number of minor officer positions to be held at Eton College. Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe , St Bartholomews School, Newbury , St Olave's Grammar School , City of Norwich School and Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet enjoy being the only non-private schools with Eton fives courts in the UK. Other schools with Fives courts include Alleyns School , Aldenham School , Shrewsbury School , Highgate School , Harrow , Berkhamsted School , Cranleigh School , Sunningdale School , St Bees School , Eton College , King Edward's School, Birmingham , Westminster School , Wolverhampton Grammar School , Marlborough College , Oswestry School , Oakham School , Wrekin College , Repton School and Ipswich School , University College School ; consequently, it has been primarily
10976-414: The title, a boy must obtain either three distinctions in a row or four throughout his school career. Within the school, an Oppidan Scholar is entitled to use the post-nominal letters OS . Each Oppidan house is usually referred to by the initials (forenames and surname) of its current housemaster, a senior teacher ("beak"), or more formally by his surname alone, not by the name of the building in which it
11088-517: The town of Eton, outside the college's original buildings. These pupils became known as Oppidans, from the Latin word oppidum , meaning "town". The houses developed over time as a means of providing residence for the Oppidans in a more congenial manner, and during the 18th and 19th centuries the housemasters started to rely more for administrative purposes on a senior female member of staff, known as
11200-495: The universities of Oxford and Cambridge , which participate in an annual varsity match in the sport. As of 2022, Rugby fives is played in two state schools, namely Stoke Newington School (whose courts were renovated by The National Lottery in 2007 ) and Derby Moor Academy . Winchester fives is a version of fives very similar to Rugby fives, played originally at Westminster School . The sport has been played at Westminster since July 1886, when two courts were opened at
11312-518: The wall-line, loses or goes out. The ball may fall anywhere within the side boundaries, after once being struck up by the player who is in. Fives is generally played wearing a leather glove , the practice of which dates from the 18th Century – in John Newbery 's 1744 children's book A Little Pretty Pocket-Book , two fives players can be seen wearing white gloves on their right hands. The balls used in fives generally weigh around an ounce and
11424-417: The year: They are called halves because the school year was once split into two halves, between which the boys went home. The School is known for its traditions, including a uniform of black tailcoat (or morning coat ) and black waistcoat , a starched stiff collar and black pinstriped trousers. Most pupils wear a white " tie " which is a narrow strip of cloth folded over the joint of the collar to hide
11536-483: The years it has become more and more competitive, and is now the most sought after trophy of them all. Other tournaments include the Northern Championships and the Eton fives Association (EFA) Trophy, where teams of 6 players (3 pairs) compete against one another in one-set matches. The Schools National Championships are the highlight of the season for school players across the country. The location of
11648-592: The years much money was raised for the Eton Mission, a fine church by G. F. Bodley was erected; many Etonians visited and stimulated among other things the Eton Manor Boys' Club , a notable rowing club which has survived the Mission itself, and the 59 Club for motorcyclists. The large and ornate School Hall and School Library (by L. K. Hall) were erected in 1906–08 across the road from Upper School as
11760-479: Was also played at Rugby , Cheltenham , and Aldenham . It used courts similar in size to squash courts , with an open back, and with no buttress, step or hazards. The sport ceased to be played around 1903, in favour of Eton fives , and most courts were demolished in the 1920s. When playing, a line was drawn on the ground around 10 feet in front of the front wall. Games were then played to either fifteen or twenty-five points. The 1914 book Three Hundred Things
11872-410: Was also played in prestigious preparatory schools, most notably Groton School and St. Mark's School, Massachusetts . Of these, only Groton still plays, where three Rugby fives courts, built in 1884 by Endicott Peabody , are in use as of 2016. Until 2001, eight courts had existed at St. Mark's School, Massachusetts , built by William Greenough Thayer , and an annual competition between the two schools
11984-430: Was banned from visiting Eton after he published a book which described the racism that he experienced during his time at the school. Simon Henderson , current Head Master of Eton, apologised to Onyeama for the treatment he endured during his time at the school, although Onyeama did not think the apology was necessary. In 2005, the school was one of fifty of the country's leading independent schools found to have breached
12096-525: Was deposed. Only the Quire of the intended building was completed. Eton's first Head Master, William Waynflete , founder of Magdalen College, Oxford and previously headmaster of Winchester College , built the ante-chapel that completed the chapel. The important wall paintings in the chapel and the brick north range of the present School Yard also date from the 1480s; the lower storeys of the cloister, including College Hall, were built between 1441 and 1460. As
12208-507: Was entitled to yell at any time and without notice, "Boy, Up!" or "Boy, Queue!", and all first-year boys had to come running. The last boy to arrive was given the task. These practices, known as fagging , were partially phased out of most houses in the 1970s. Captains of house and games still sometimes give tasks to first-year boys, such as collecting the mail from the school office. There are many inter-house competitions, mostly in sports but also in academics, drama and music. The Head Master
12320-579: Was held until at least the 1980s. In March 1979, a tour of England was made by players from St. Mark's School, the first ever by American players. Several other courts exist scattered throughout the country, for example one near Kezar Lake , and several others at the Union Boat Club in Boston . In 2021, Mexico's first Eton Fives court was built in Oaxaca by Emilian Ruiz Ayala, a player who learnt
12432-619: Was played in Uruguay at the Montevideo Cricket Club , where there were two courts. Eton College Eton College ( / ˈ iː t ən / EE -tən ) is a 13–18 public fee-charging and boarding secondary school for boys in Eton, Berkshire , England. It is noted for having educated prime ministers , world leaders, Nobel laureates , Academy Award and BAFTA award-winning actors, and generations of
12544-451: Was to send his sons there. According to Nevill (citing the historian Sir Edward Creasy ), what Wellington said, while passing an Eton cricket match many decades later, was, "There grows the stuff that won Waterloo", a remark Nevill construes as a reference to "the manly character induced by games and sport" among English youth generally, not a comment about Eton specifically. In 1889, Sir William Fraser conflated this uncorroborated remark with
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