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PREFACE By A. c. HADDON T Arthur Bernard Deacon was born of British parents on 21st January, I903, at Nicolaiev in South Russia, where his father was the representative of an old-established shipping ï¬Årm, but home and fortune were lost in the great upheaval in Russia in I917. Deacon always said he owed his love of learning to his father, who began his home tuition when the boy was eight years old. He learnt English, Russian, music, some French, and other subjects. He came to England in I916, and attended the Nottingham High School under Dr. G. S. Turpin, when he was about fourteen years old. Dr. Turpin writes that he considered , him “ the ablest pupil, everything considered, that I have ever had; as you know, he was no narrow specialist but shone in more than one ï¬Åeld of study: his powers of work were extra- ordinary, yet his interest embraced the whole ï¬Åeld of human life and his personality endeared him even to those of his fellows whose interests were chiefly in games". Somewhat later the Rev. A. Lloyd Phillips, Vicar of Blyth, came to know Deacon, and was much struck by his ability and repeatedly said “ that for sheer brilliance I have never met Bernard's equal, it was impossible to place him, he was a class by himself â€ù. Thus even as a boy and a very young man he impressed all who came in contact with him. It is therefore not surprising that when at school he took several prizes and passed. various examinations} ‘ The following Iist of achievements is taken from the “ School List " of the Nottingham High School for September, 1921, p. 38 :—A. B. Deacon : Scholarship of £80 a year for three years for Natural Science at Trinity College, Cambridge, 1920 ; State Scholarship of £80 a year for three years, awarded by Board of Education, 1920; Old Boys’ Exhibition of £60 a year for four years, 1921 ; Sir Thomas VVhite Senior Scholar, 1918 ; Lower Sixth Form A, 1919 ; Science, Set 6b, 1919; Mathematical, Set 60, 1919; Science, Set 6a, 1920; Mr. Durose's Prize for Geography of British Empire, 1919; Mr. C. E. R. Fraser-‘s Prize for Science, 1919,‘ 1920 ; Duke oi Portland’s Prize for English Essay, 1920 ; Mr. ]. T. Spaldirig's Prize for History, 1920 ; Prize for Distinction in Higher Certiï¬Åcate Examination, 1920, 1921 ; Newham Prize for Shakespeare, 1921 ; School Certiï¬Å- cate of Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Board, 1919; Higher Certiï¬Å- cate of Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Board, with Distinction in Pl-iysics, 1920; and with Distinction in German and Russian, 1921; Prize for First Place in Examination for Certiï¬Åcate “ A ", 1921 ; London University xiii _
