Shuttington School magazines, event programmes and photographs, Warwickshire, 1935-1937

Red hard-backed, cloth-bound volume holding a number of roneo-type magazines, with hand-coloured additions.
The binding is handmade, and the lining paper is a bold gold and green pattern. Exercise book covers have been used to separate different editions of the magazines.
The first magazine dates from July 1935, and features a cover illustration of a boy and girl in a garden, viewed through a Norman archway.
The second magazine, from Christmas 1935, features a boy dressed in red, carrying a giant Christmas cake above his head.
The third magazine, dated July 1936, has a line drawing, uncoloured, of a large ship.
The fourth, from Christmas 1936, shows Father Christmas greeting two children and their mother.
The 'Coronation Number' from May 1937, is emblazoned with the King's coat of arms. This issue has been typed and printed on the 'Adana Printing Machine', and is supplemented by a number of photographs. One entitled 'Snow on the Coalfield', the next not titled but of the same scene without snow. The next is a photographic postcard of a row of toy soldiers arranged as though attending the coronation. The next reveals how the scene was contrived, with soldiers arranged in front of a large print of the Palace. The next is 'Illuminations', showing the school hung with lights, taken at night. Next, pupils and staff standing outside the school in fancy dress.
The next page is the printed programme for 'Shuttington and Alvecote Coronation Day', on May 12 1937. Then follows a photo of the Queen and one of the King, both cut into ovals. Then two hand-coloured pages of cartoons.
The remaining pages of the book are printed accounts by children of what they did on Coronation day, three photographs of decorated miner's cottages, and a photograph of the Coronation Committee.

Given by John Guyatt

Were written, compiled, bound and kept by Adrian Percy Bishop, Head teacher at Shuttington School.

A. P. Bishop became Headteacher at Shuttington on May Day, 1935. One of his first acts was to establish a school magazine, which he wrote with contributions from pupils and the local vicar. This volume charts two active and eventful years leading up to the Coronation of King George VI in May 1937.

The magazines include the facts of school life with interesting commentary and witticisms from the charismatic Head. In July 1935 there were 59 boys and 53 girls on the school roll. By Christmas 1935 this had increased to 60 boys and 60 girls. APB notes 'obviously equality of the sexes is not a vexed question with us'. He also proudly reported that in the whole of 1936, the children drank five large tins' worth of Horlicks with milk.

B.380-2012