Extract: Teddy Lester in the Fifth

Posted by Traditional School Discipline August 20, 2025

Extract: Teddy Lester in the Fifth

Teddy Lester and his friends at Slapton, a fictitious English public school were invented by author John Finnemore. The stories have a strong sporting focus, with Lester excelling at rugby, cricket and other games. They also featured their fair share of canings as this short extract from Teddy Lester in the Fifth demonstrates.

The senior prefect ran his eye over the crowd and his glance fell on his fag, Bridges.

“Bridges,” said Newton, “go to my study and fetch the cane which stands in the corner near the bookcase.”

Bridges departed joyfully, and the onlookers grinned at each other. They were going to see the bully and the sneak get just what such fellows deserved.

By this time Teddy had released Stanton, and the latter had joined his chum Cleaver, and both were pushing for front places in the crowd.

“I shall flog you publicly in the hopes that a little decent behaviour can be knocked into you,” remarked Newton; and the pair of boobies looked on the ground and appeared as foolish as any two boys ever did.

“Long,” said Newton, “take out that chair into the corridor” - and the senior prefect pointed to a chair which had stood beside the table now overturned - “and place yourself over it.”

Long was greeted with a howl of delight as he marched slowly and unwillingly into the corridor with the chair of execution.

Slowly and reluctantly over went Long and received a really terrific caning. Newton as a rule was not a hard hitter, but this time his contempt for the sneaking pair was so great that he put out his strength and laid into Long in such a style as he had never been seen to display before.

“My hat,” chuckled Cleaver to his friend, “he is getting it hot for basting you, Billy! Long won't want to sit down in a hurry without a cushion about a foot thick under him. Now for old Foxy.”

And Cleaver chuckled with unholy joy as Long limped back into his study, and Foxy went over the chair of justice and waited for the cane to descend.

Down it came, and six good thumping cuts made Foxy writhe like an eel, and when he straightened himself up he was purple with the effort he had made to restrain his groans.”