Page 5 - The 17th Percy French Festival: The Quest for Authenticity

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•