To Serve Them All My Days

A wonderful image of the heath of Devon from wikipedia:  the beautiful green countryside
of Devon added to the appeal of the television series "To Serve Them All My Days."  It
ceertainly would be nice to visit the place where the film was set and view the magnificent
scenery.   I did once visit Cornwell and the south of England which is quite beautiful. 

To Serve Them All My Days  (A review)

A wonderful thirteen part series from the BBC

set in the beautiful English countryside of Devon.

This story is written by R F Delderfield who also

lived in the south of England.

I have recently finished viewing the series and for people

who are interested in the old school system, the English public

boarding schools and education the series is well worth watching.

It is set during the peace time after the First World War over a

time span of many years before the Second World War.

The politics

of the time is very much also in the forefront as the lead character of

the series, David Powlett-Jones, (often referred to as PJ) is from a

coal-mining family from Wales and has endured hardships, tragedy

and also serving time during the First World War (the war which PJ

believed was the war to end all wars.)

PJ enters the

education system as a teacher at a young age.

His life revolves around the school and its pupils, the head-master

and teachers.

It is interesting that later in the series PJ is informed that Bamfield

School cannot be isolated and that what was occurring in Germany

was very close. The school gives refuge to a Jewish boy who has

been brought to England by the good intentions of a girl-friend who

at the time was involved in politics and contested a

nomination for a parliamentary seat but was unsuccessful. There

were difficulties at the time for women trying to enter politics. After

a second unsuccessful attempt she gave up politics, however, she felt

that on the second occasion it was because she had been too outspoken

regarding foreign affairs at the meeting. She could not see an amicable

peaceful solution

prior to the Second World War and at the time was not in favour of

disarmament. This may have been because she had

been in Germany and had seen the consequences of what was happening

to people.

The political background and dramas do not take over the film. It is also on a

more humanist and personal level.  PJ's life and  romances very much also

play a major role in the film and the authenticity of the subject matter,

the school, girl-friends, marriages, other teachers and another head-master,

their foibles and personality conflicts make this a very interesting drama.

PJ does at times spend more time often on school matters at the expense

of his elderly mother and also his wife.  At one time his wife may have felt

insecure and at a loss as to what to do with her day

until she became involved in school activities, Christmas concerts,

plays and also teaching. 

 Coming as he did from a coal-mining

family in a Welsh village, his life was quite a success story, of which he was told later

that his mother was always very proud of him, though he was not always enamoured of his brother who had remained in the Welsh village with his elderly mother. If there was not a letter one month for the mother to read to a visiting parish minister she would re-read a letter from a previous month.

The mother's pride in her son may have been a source of discontent with the other brother

who had remained at home or perhaps is was difficult for the brother to see PJ seemingly

leaving his socialist loyalties to live in a different world. However, in this different world

he was making a difference and contributing to the welfare of the school boys and the successful

running of the school, eventually becoming a Head-master.

Bamfield School became PJ's life.
It was a great academic institiution as well as focussing on rugby and cricket

for the boys.
 Humour is also apparent in the film, especially with speeches given from

the first Head-master also his cheerful manner and way of life at the school with his wife, which may have seemed like a closeted life but also happy, and also towards the end of the film when an elderly teacher told PJ that he believed

that he had spent many previous incarnations in cold class-rooms and draughty

corridors and that in his next incarnation he wished to be a lizard reclining on

a rock in the sun.

The film also portrays England from another time, a time which seemed

very different. Class distinctions were evident and I am reminded of a book

which I have been reading “The Shifting Fog” by

Kate Morton, which is also set in England during these times.

It certainly

was a time of change and it is fascinating to read and see films depicting

England in magnificent rural settings before the Second World War and

the vagaries and life-styles of people of different social classes.