‘A terribly cold north-east wind and a slight fall of snow, looking threateningly for more … it seems still very uncertain when the school return, maybe 21st (but probably not), or 28th or 4th February’, wrote Mrs Hodgkinson from the Lower School to her daughter just after New Year. With the trustees' meeting a fortnight later came the decision that it would be on 28 January: ‘Pray God keep us this term’, wrote Thring in his diary: ‘Masters’ meeting this morning. Had to speak to them strongly about tittle-tattle.’ For a passionate and sometimes excitable man, he was surprisingly at peace at this time – outwardly at least. At Christmas he had bidden farewell to one of his most stalwart housemasters, Theophilus Rowe, departing to become headmaster of Tonbridge – a man whose organizational skills, diverse talents and encyclopaedic knowledge on many topics would be greatly missed. But after the busy and frustrating weeks of presiding over an empty school, Thring could now get back to proper work. He had received Haviland's report just before term began. In between bouts of raging at its perceived injustice, he seemed almost resigned: