Our next document dates from October 1912. By this time Herbert is a fifteen year old pupil at Tollington Park College not far from the family home in Hornsey. The event took place in the later remodelled and now abandoned Hornsey Road Baths. According to the pencilled notes inside the programme it appears that Herbert enjoyed a quite successful evening. He came second in the 'plunging' and the 50 yards while obtaining firsts in 'swimming on the back', the 100 yards open and the 25 yards, although it seems he was later disqualified from this final event.
Entertainment later in the evening included 'walking the pole in custume', 'hunt the bellman' and the 'lantern and balloon race'. We can only speculate on the nature of these events, although 'walking the pole' brings back images of Herbert's father Frederick as a school boy ruining a new flannel suit climbing the 'greasy pole'.
