Dum and Dee

If you went to Eton you know what beaks are – if you didn’t, it is what the teachers are called. In 1959, in Bud Hill’s house, there were two extra beaks.

They belonged to Dum and Dee, two owlets rescued by Jonathan Franklin. He describes rearing them in his room and at home in the holidays in Two Owls at Eton. There is frustration when they refuse food, fall ill and have injuries, reminiscent of TH White’s The Goshawk. Jonathan was in his penultimate year at Eton when he had his owls to stay. My brother and I were both in Bud Hill’s house and I wish I had made more of an effort to get to know him; Bud I mean. He allowed Jonathan to have the owls and was supported by his wife (“Screech”), Dame (Eton for matron) and Jonathan’s long suffering (Irish) Boys’ Maid who had to try and clean his room.

I am not going to try to describe this memoir because I can only reach for hackneyed adjectives like charming, enchanting, etc. What shines through the book is that it was written in 1960 by Jonathan while he was still at Eton and supposed to be studying for Trials (exams). He must have enjoyed the creative process and he made a damn good job of it that many older, professional writers can only aspire to. Although it is superficially a simple story, I found it moving and more than once shed a tear. Later this year there’s a reunion of Old Boys from Bud Hill’s house (BJWH). I hope I meet Jonathan Franklin.

Now, before you read the book (highly recommended) meet Dum and Dee.