French, Jack (c.1844-1912), College Butler

1912 - Jack French died at a dinner of the Conservative Club. He had served the College for fifty years, since the age of 17 or 18, first employed as a servant in 1862, before rising to Under-porter, Porter, Butler, Kitchen Manager, and sometime caterer.

College Magazine, No. 12 March 1913
“The other loss was a very severe one. The newly-appointed President [AC Benson] had signalised his accession to his office by a supper to the College servants, and the Butler, Jack French, presided at it with his accustomed tact and good humour. He was forced to leave it rather early, in order to keep an engagement, and walked down to the Conservative Club, where he was a very familiar figure; he spoke to a couple of friends, and in a moment rolled over from his chair, dead: the cause was afterwards found to be valvular disease of the heart. He was buried on the 27th and the first part of the service took place in the College Chapel, the Master officiating; besides the family and private friends, including the Mayor, were present.
Man and boy, Jack French had been a devoted servant and friend to the College for fifty years. His father was once Head Porter, and he too, started at the gate, but was comparatively soon transferred to the buttery, where he spent the rest of his life, rising finally to be Butler and Kitchen Manager. He had many interests outside the College, such as politics, and a share in a catering business, which very successfully supplied the Royal Show for some years, but his heart was above all things in the welfare of Magdalene, and it is certain that nobody rejoiced more at its latter-day prosperity than Jack French. A neat brass to his memory has been placed in the Ante-Chapel by the President.

See MCCA/MCPH/3/1 32a for a photograph