Mr Vandervell & His Gift to Skating

It is quite impossible to over-estimate the value of theGardens, carried out most important investigations into
enormous amount of work done by Mr. Vandervell forthe major turns, the bracket, counter and rocker. It was
skating. By inventing tests, this great man made the Iceduring this winter that the young, but very energetic
Skating Association possible. What was true then isOxford University Skating Clubs members, did a great
true today. Tests are the life-blood of the N.S.A. for 99deal to advance figure-skating by introducing into what
per cent of the members, now as seventy years ago,was, and still is known as combined skating as
join the Association for the purpose of skating theopposed to solo skating, such movements as the
tests. Here I think I must reproduce part of a letterBracket and the Rocker. The rocking turn as then
written by Vandervell to his friend Monier-Williams onunderstood, was what is now known as the Counter.
October 31, 1900, who had dedicated his book FigureAs this is not a book of skating technique, to describe
Skating (The Isthmian Library):and explain the three above-mentioned complex turns
To my friend, H. E. Vandervell. As a token ofwould be out of place. The only justification for
admiration and respect.mentioning them at all, is to demonstrate the genius of
First, in the sixties, to lay the foundation of ScientificMr. Vandervell who invented the turn now called
figure-skating, and today still foremost in theCounter and to point out that the lovely, lilting,
encouragement of every progressive movement inquick-moving dance steps seen in the Champions free
the Skating World.skating programmes and in those performed by the
The letter in question contains the following:stars in the ice shows, which have become so great a
The first class test gave me a lot of anxiety. Thefeature of modern musical, artistic entertainment, are
object I had in view was to entice the skater... and tocomposed of combinations of those turns, worked out
give him a little pat on the back as he went forward toso many years ago in Kensington Gardens.
the desired end.... The N.S.A. figure tests were originallyIn the following year, on January 7, H.R.H. The Prince of
designed to take in the masses as well as the classes.Wales, afterward King Edward VII, became patron of
The former never appear to have caught on to anythe Association and since that day it has been
extent, but it might be well to remember that we hadhonoured with Royal Patronage.
their interests at heart if they knew what was goodAnd so, with the English Style, stiff, precise and
for them! I wonder who in these days dare write theextremely proper, firmly entrenched in Britain, we move
portions I have italicised, or who would be generousover to the Continent and see what was happening
enough to pay such a superb tribute as didthere during these resplendent years.
Monier-Williams to a contemporary, one who mightUp to 1864 the style if one could so flatter the rough
have been considered a rival.and ready method in use there was just as slipshod,
The tests had a wonderful send-off in that very hard,go-as-you-please as the Victorian English was
first winter of 1880 / 1801, when some fifty third-classhide-bound and exact. It was therefore a tremendous
badges were won. That which Vandervell has called ashock to all concerned, when a certain Jackson
first class, was re-named third class, as is the caseHaines, of whom vague rumours, mostly of a
nowadays.derogatory character had percolated through, was first
It was during this long winter that Vandervell,seen in Europe. Haines was born in Chicago of
experimenting mostly on the Long Water in KensingtonCanadian parents and was trained there as a dancer.