Page 5 - The 17th Percy French Festival: The Quest for Authenticity
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before boarding from %&+* to %&*% at Windermere College,
            which was run by the mathematician George Hale Puckle
            (%&#'–%),)).4 Puckle had pub lished what French called a book
            on Conic Sections and kindred spoil sports but this did not partic u -
            larly impress the young Irish pupil: French later commented that
           ‘I never got to know what Conic Sections were, but in my second
            term I was cham pion !ves player of the lower school’.5 Winder -
            mere College was followed by a year at a ‘grinding’ insti tu tion–
            Foyle College, in Derry, which was run by a relative of the French
            family, Reverend William Percy Robinson, DD. (%&('–%&&%)–in
            order to pre pare for entrance to Trinity College Dublin.6 French’s   Illus ".
            father was keen that Percy should become an engi neer by profes -  Above: Percy French painting a landscape with
            sion, which meant he !rst had to earn a BA before progressing    a shaving brush. The Sketch, %,th January %),+.

            to an engineering degree.-7 This proved to be an unexpectedly   Below: Percy French painting at Cloonyquinn.
            lengthy process, as Percy was much more interested in Trinity’s   Percy French Collection, North Down Museum.
            social life than he was in studying, as shown by the enthu siasm
            with which he attended musical theatres, enter tained at parties
            and ‘smokers’ (smoking concerts) despite his aversion to smok ing,
            played the banjo and piano, took up the fashionable sport
            of tennis and indulged his passion for painting watercolours,
            an interest he retained for the rest of his life.-- (Illus. #) In %&**
            he showed an early glimpse of his song-writing talent when he
            composed the humorous song, Abdallah Bulbul Ameer, a pirated
            copy of which soon became a popular ditty throughout the
            English-speaking world. This episode also demonstrated French’s
            frequent carelessness in his !nancial a3airs, as he neglec ted to
            take out copyright on the song and therefore did not bene!t
            !nancially from its success.-.


            The Cavan Years
            Graduating with a BA in %&*+ and a B.Eng. in %&&%, French was
            employed as a tem por ary teacher of art at Foyle Col lege before
            beginning an engineering apprentice ship with James Price
            (%&$%–%&)') of the Midland Great Western Railway.-/ French and
            a fellow apprentice, Charles Manners (%&'*–%)$') (real name
            Southcote Mansergh), the future famous opera singer and opera
            company manager, spent much of their working hours rehears -
            ing duets together. They also earned #& shillings by performing







            THE QUEST FOR AUTHENTICIT Y                                                                   •B•
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