A nice little anecdote about a young Malcolm Sargent at his primary School.
‘Many readers will remember Sir Malcolm Sargent as a schoolboy, both at the Bluecoat School, Stamford and at Stamford School, and an acquaintance recalls an incident concerning young Sargent while at the former.
As is the custom among new boys at the beginning of a new school term, he received the inquiry from another lad “What’s your name?” “Sargent,” he replied, “what’s yours?” Apparently his interogator halied from Rutland, and his reply, “Watchorn,” came to Sir Malcolm’s ears as “What’s yourn?” Somewhat nonplussed, the young Sargent repeated his name and also his own question. My informant tells me there were several such exchanges before the lad Watchorn established his identity.
Sir Malcolm, by the way, once publically stated that his first appearance on a stage was with the Stamford Amateur Operatic Society when, as a boy, he had a part in the “Mikado,” but a friend of mine informs me that doubtless unknown to himself, Sir Malcolm once had a “carrying on” part – as a baby in an entertainment in which his father took part, at the All Saints’ Church-room, Stamford.’
Stamford Mercury, 4th June, 1948.