The little bits of history that fall out of books donated too Oxfam are many, and of course varied.

The £5 note that recently fell out of a clearly unread children’s book along with a note from his grandma.

This presentation plate didn’t exactly fall out but it had got separated from the rest of the book so I have no idea what the book was. 

Anyway……

Whoever Olga Portsmore was, she was a very bright girl. Given the date of 1930, I thought it quite possible Olga and her very good brain ended up doing something secret in WWII.

I wanted very much to think that she was recognised for her abilities and at least they did not get subsumed into a 1940s tradwife role……

However, a bit of a Google search (of course with added AI) turned up this….

After graduating from Oxford, Ethel Portsmore taught as an Assistant Mathematical Mistress at Clapham High School (as well as Abbots Bromley). 

Career Milestones

• Clapham High School: Worked as a mathematics mistress.
• Louth Grammar School: Served as Headmistress, where she also managed a boarding house.
• Chiswick High School for Girls: Her crowning achievement was founding this institution, where she served as its first Head Mistress. 

(Note: The name “Olga” in this context most likely stems from a cross-reference with Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia, a prominent artist who formally studied in the art department of Clapham High School around a similar historical era.)

Well, turning into a maths teacher I can buy, but her headmistress not knowing the right name of her so well-lauded prize-winning student was Ethel not Olga, which happened to be the art teacher’s name, seems pretty unlikely to say the least.

Any answers would be gratefully received.

The next item though is less of a mystery and altogether more snippy.

I would like to point out to (Mr, I am guessing ) L Tanner that if he going to get quite so cross with the laissez faire attitude of the choir, leave alone the atrocious behaviour of a guitar ladies to the very busy Mr J Davies, he might want to check his dates.

March 1th (sic) is indeed a Tuesday but March 11th which is probably what he meant, is a Friday….

Just saying.

And finally, we get a lot of books with bookplates and sometimes they make the book more interesting as the person who had it in their library may indeed be more interesting than either book or author. 

Mostly, they are rather cerebral, artistic and unsurprisingly, bookish.

Like this one.

But not this one.

Who on earth depicts themselves (?) nearly being mauled by a lion as a reminder that it is time to sit down and read a book – or maybe I have just answered by own question……