Notions (Winchester College) - Notions Books

Notions Books

Notions are traditionally recorded in manuscript books for the use of new men. (A decision of the Head Master in 1876 lays down "1. That Prefects are to understand that they have no power to compel juniors to copy 'Notion-Books'. 2. That any Prefect infringing the above rule will be punished by the loss of his power.")

Old examples, now in Wiccamica Room, include:

• R. Gordon, Winchester College Notions Book (1842),
• F. Fane, Winchester College Commoner Word Book (1843)
• Thomson, Winchester College Commoner Word Book (c 1855)
• J. A. Fort, Winchester College Commoner Word Book (1874)
• A. L. Royds, Winchester College Commoner Word Book (1867)
• Cripps, Winchester College Commoner Word Book (1868–72)

Printed versions are Wrench's Word Book and Three Beetleites: see Bibliography. The latter of these was long considered authoritative in Commoners.

The fullest College notions book is that by Stevens (Bibliography). This book is unusual in that it reflects the usages of the 1920s, when the author was at school, but appears to have been continually revised by the author from a scholarly point of view and typed out in the 1960s. It was edited by Christopher Stray and printed in 1998. Other manuscript books are those of Steadman (1955), Foster (c. 1969), Tabbush (1973-4) and Gay (1974). These were generally kept by whatever senior man was most interested in notions, and circulated shortly before Notions Examinā in each year. In the late 1980s this was formalized, and the custodian was known as "Keeper of the Notions and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sutton Scotney".

A slim brochure, containing only the most basic notions in common use, is printed by P & G Wells and distributed to new men. In earlier times these were available for sale, but were confined to Commoner notions (as recorded in Three Beetleites) and never seen in College.