Give me an H!

I was delighted to watch my friends' son take two wickets for Harrow at Lord's on Saturday, thereby contributing to their 51st defeat of Eton since the fixture began in 1805. There was much barracking by the spectators, particularly by the Etonians in the photo. Nevertheless the overall behaviour did not stoop to the lows reached in 1939 which provoked this newspaper report:

"Top hats were smashed in, umbrellas were broken, ties were torn and trousers were ripped off after Harrow had defeated Eton in the annual cricket match at Lord's yesterday for the first time for 31 years. 

As the winning run was hit, Lord's became a well-dressed bear-garden. Grey-haired men from the City and pillars of county society had their top hats kicked out of their hands when they took them off to cheer Harrow. A distinguished old Etonian punched a clerical old Harrovian on the nose, whereupon two other old Harrovians set on the Etonian, threw him to the ground and tore off his trousers.

At first the fighting was confined to old boys, but schoolboys soon overcame the awe inspired by their masters' presence and joined in. Many of them afterwards had bleeding noses and blackened eyes. An elderly woman was knocked down and a girl's frock was badly torn."