The Bitter South

Undated but circa 1910.  294pp, with monochrome plate frontispiece and 11 further similar plate illustrations.  Full smooth calf’s leather binding with gilt lettering and decoration, five raised bands to spine.  Upper panel embellished with the arms of St Michael’s School, Westgate on Sea.  All edges marbled.  Marbled endpapers. 8vo.  Covers are a little marked and unevenly faded, rubbed at spine ends.  Rear panel very loose and wobbly.  Hinges cracked.  The ink on the prize presentation plate on the front free endpaper has run a little.  Some mild toning around margins of pages else internally neat and clean with a tight text block.

The prize presentation plate indicates volume was awarded as a school prize by  Edward M Hawtrey in 1914.  Hawtrey’s Preparatory School was founded as a boy’s private school in Slough in 1869, later moving to Westgate on Sea in Kent in 1883.  It was known as St Michael’s School until 1916.  Edward Hawtrey was the son of the founder, Rev John Hawtrey and served as headmaster of the school from 1873 to 1916: he was also a first class cricketer, playing for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). He was also brother to footballer  John Hawtrey, who won the FA Cup with the Old Etonians in 1881 and won two national caps; and to the actor Charles Hawtrey.