Farringham School for Boys

Farringham School for Boys
Type:	School
First appearance:	Human Nature
Appearances:	TV: The Family of Blood

Farringham School for Boys was a school located in England, not far from the village of Farringham.

John Smith taught there as a history teacher. At this time one of the nurses was Joan Redfern. This school taught various lessons, such as history. Some staff such as Rocastle and John Smith wore mortarboards as a symbol of authority. At least one known corporal punishment was used—caning. In 1913, the pupils were trained as military cadets in the usage of firearms, both rifles and an automatic Vickers gun, and to adhere to rigid military discipline. Firearms training was practiced in front of the school building, utilising humanoid targets that were modeled on African tribesmen.

Housemaids, such as Jenny and Martha, were seen as inferior — even to the pupils; Baines and Hutchinson were addressed as "sir", even by them, and would comply if they were ordered around. At least Hutchinson was entitled to punish Latimer — with permission. Punishments available to hand out to others ranged from doing homework, polishing shoes, or even receiving a beating. As Rocastle puts it, "It's your class, Mr Smith." Smith granted Hutchnison permission when he asked him for it. (TV: Human Nature / The Family of Blood)

Known staff included Martha Jones, Mr Phillips, Matron Joan Redfern, Headmaster Rocastle, John Smith and Jenny. (TV: Human Nature / The Family of Blood) There was also Mr Snell and Mr Pool (The Time Travellers' Almanac). (PROSE: The Time Travellers' Almanac)

Known pupils included Armitage, Ashington, Jeremy Baines, Baxter, Hutchinson, Jackson, Jenkins, Timothy Latimer, Lockley, Pemberton, Peterson, Redfern, Smythe, Thwaites and Wicks. (TV: Human Nature / The Family of Blood) Further pupils included Morris and Williams. (PROSE: The Time Travellers' Almanac)

History

Farringham School for Boys was where the Doctor chose to hide from the Family of Blood, who were seeking his Time Lord consciousness in order to make themselves immortal as they only lived for three months. Knowing they could track him to any time and place in the universe owing to their powerful senses of smell and stolen time travel technology, the Doctor assumed human form through the use of a Chameleon Arch. He became John Smith, a mild-mannered and slightly awkward man who became employed at the school as a history teacher whilst his Time Lord consciousness was safely stored away in an innocuous fob watch. His human companion, Martha Jones, assumed the role of a servant who'd belonged to Smith's family and was in his service; Smith got her employed at the school as well, in the capacity of a housemaid. Though Martha did manage to make friends with another maid, Jenny, she found herself on the receiving end of numerous taunts and belittlements from some of the pupils regarding her social class and racial background, something which annoyed her considerably. Martha also clashed repeatedly with the more conservative social mores of the times, in contrast to the more liberated 21st century she was from, such as remaining deferential and remembering to knock before entering. Martha kept an eye on Smith and a lookout for any sign that the Family had found them, upon which she was to open the watch and restore the Doctor's Time Lord consciousness to him. Smith himself, blissfully unaware of his true nature, still retained memories of his Time Lord self in the form of dreams and also formed a romantic relationship with the school nurse, Joan Redfern, something which was not anticipated by either the Doctor or Martha.

The Family eventually did manage to locate the Doctor after two months, possessing the bodies of some local people to act more directly. Jeremy Baines, a pupil at the school, and Jenny the maid were two such hosts, possessed by the Family's Son and Mother, respectively. At the same time another pupil, Tim Latimer, came into possession of the Doctor's fob watch when he heard it speaking to him as a result of his telepathic abilities. This alerted the Family to the Doctor's presence and they targeted Smith and the school when Smith retreated back to it and rallied the pupils to its defence. The school came under attack from the Family's army of animated scarecrows but was able to repel them with guns. Upon witnessing Mr Rocastle, the headmaster, being killed by the Family's Daughter, however, the defenders spirit broke and they fled the school, scattering into the surrounding countryside. After the Family's defeat, members of the police and the British Army arrived at the school to investigate the strange happenings and the pupils were taken home by their parents.

At least two of the school's pupils, Latimer and Hutchinson, went on to fight in the First World War that broke out the very next year. Thanks to a prophetic vision granted to him by the Doctor's consciousness when he possessed the watch, Latimer was able to save himself and Hutchinson from dying in battle. (TV: Human Nature/The Family of Blood)

Behind the scenes

• According to Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia, the school was located in Herefordshire.