Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Third Supplement.djvu/580

 American passenger were killed. His body was brought to England for burial in Brompton cemetery.

 WARRE, EDMOND (1837–1920), head master of Eton, born in London 12 February 1837, was the second son of Henry Warre, of Bindon, Somerset, by his wife, Mary Caroline, third daughter of Nicholson Calvert, M.P., of Hunsdon House, Hertfordshire. Born a puny infant, he went a high-spirited boy to the Rev. Edward Wickham's school, Hammersmith, whence came other great head masters, and later he passed to Eton, then under the enlightened sway of Edward Craven Hawtrey [q.v.]. With his elder brother Francis, who had been there two years as the pupil of Charles John Abraham, afterwards first bishop of Wellington, New Zealand, he boarded first at Miss Vavasour's, next at Mr. Vidal's, with Edward Coleridge for tutor. Edmond in his last year was removed to Mr. Marriott's, where he had Redvers Buller [q.v.] for fag. His energy and concentration of purpose were remarkable; though a devoted ‘wet-bob’, he was Newcastle scholar at seventeen, and with John (Jack) Hall (neither of them in the eight) won the Pulling in the same year. A fine drawing by George Richmond shows Warre as a lad of great beauty of feature, keen-looking, with light hair, and a delicate complexion. In 1855 he went up as a scholar to Balliol College, Oxford, where he won first classes in moderations and ‘greats’, and in 1859 a fellowship at All Souls. Meanwhile he had won the sculls twice, the pairs three times, and had helped Balliol to be head of the river and to win the ladies' plate at Henley. In 1856 he refused to row in the Oxford eight because of his reading, but next year was No. 6 in the boat which defeated Cambridge, and with J. A. P. (Heywood-) Lonsdale won the Goblets at Henley. In 1858 he was president of the university boat club. The Oxford university rifle volunteer corps was founded in his rooms without help from government or university. As first officer he attended a musketry course at Hythe, and gradually secured 500 members and War Office aid; also with the fifth Earl Spencer [q.v.] he helped to launch the National Rifle Association in 1859.

So far Warre's future career, whether it was to be the bar or the army, was undecided. But he had already met his future wife, Florence Dora, second daughter of Colonel C. Malet, of Fontmell Parva, Dorset, and it chanced that his Eton tutor, Marriott, fell ill and asked his temporary help. He went, and found his vocation. Dr. Goodford [q.v.] offered a mastership: the income enabled him to marry at the cost of his fellowship (1861), and to his elder sister he wrote ‘I feel education is my work in life and the one in which I shall show God's work to this generation’.

For Eton that was a critical time. The Public Schools Commission (1864) impended, ‘new schools’ were building, chapel and hall were being gothicized, mathematics introduced, and in 1871 new statutes partly suppressed the college and altered the government of the school. On his marriage Warre boldly built himself the house called ‘Penn’. Next year Edward Balston, though a fellow, became head master, and Warre received some of his Manor-house boys. Warre's Oxford reputation and the pains and ability spent on his new work naturally attracted distinguished pupils. One of the first, Sir William Anson, writes ‘We all thought it creditable to work, a new idea to most of us’. Warre started with good material: of twenty-one boys whom he sent to the university in 1864 three became fellows of colleges; a Tomline and Oppidan scholar came next year. In the 'nineties all three of the Indian governors and two governors-general were from his house. No less remarkable were its athletic successes. And yet with Warre duty and learning always came before athletics: he hated ‘pot-hunting’ and competition, avoided Henley when it became a huge picnic, and shunned fashion and crowds. In 1867 he took up the Volunteer movement at Eton. He instructed the shooting and secured for the corps the Chalvey range. But the corps often languished, and Warre rejoined to reorganize it. It now flourishes as the Officers' Training Corps.

Not less demand was made on him by the river. He became river master, with charge of watermen and bathing, and at the special request of the captain of the boats undertook the training of the eight, involving hard physical work, as well as much delicate tact to avoid infringing the liberty or authority of the boys. This, with schoolwork conscientiously prepared, was too much even for a very strong man. He sketches a day to his sister … ‘rise at 6.30 and, but for breakfast, be on duty till 2; half an hour's rest after lunch, and then two schools; corps drill and Duffers (pacing crew) till 8; dinner and boys till 10; nap till 11 and work till 2.30.’

In March 1867 Bishop Samuel Wilberforce ordained Warre deacon and gave him priest's orders in December. That month 554