Patrick's education

[thekumquat.livejournal.com]

Trying to write a fic inspired by some of the recent AO3 additions and a nitpicking community post that came up shortly after. I've re-read Peter's Room and AT, but can't find my copy of RAH.

Am I right that in RAH, Patrick has been dragged to interview at Broomhill and tutors have been suggested, but nothing is confirmed other than the plan to sit his O-levels that June, which will be the same time as Ginty?
Will he still be 16, or turned 17 by then?

Prior to that, he was at his hated London day school from some time after Falconer's Lure to December in Attic Term, so is that one year and a term, or two? I think it's two and a term, so he would have been just turned fourteen and entering third year mid-year? (UIV, as Kingscote and my school would have it)

Presumably he was at a boarding school before that? Would he have been at a prep and then a Catholic boarding school for one year age 13?

Meanwhile, Dartmouth for Peter has the problem of not existing by RAH - is there any mention of Peter doing O-levels there? I'd like to think they push him towards science and practical qualifications and generally not being on their boats, just designing them Somewhere Else. I'm assuming he's then one year behind Ginty and one ahead of the twins, education-wise.

I don't recall either of their birthdays, but have an impression Peter's is spring and Patrick's summer - anyone know?

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Comments

Patrick's birthday - when?

[mheloyse.livejournal.com]

Just remembered a possible clue to the timing of Patrick's birthday - isn't Blackleg a birthday present from his godfather; and doesn't he first appear in the Easter of RMF? This would suggest Patrick's birthday is in March or April ...

Re: Patrick's birthday - when?

[(Anonymous)]

He's a present, but not necessarily a birthday present I don't think. Patrick tells Ginty he was a special present in the walled garden at the start of the Attic Term, and he tells Nicola he was a special godfatherly present as they're coming home from hunting in Run Away Home; there's a bit somewhere where Mr Buster has to wade through a stream somewhere and gets praised for it, to encourage Blackleg, but I can't find that scene. But I don't think it specifically says birthday anywhere.

Might as well be April as any other time, though.

Colne_dsr

Re: Patrick's birthday - when?

[mheloyse.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes - you're absolutely right, Colne_dsr, it doesn't link the present to any specific occasion. I suppose if Patrick has no canonical birthday, that leaves fic writers free to choose one for him ...

Re: Patrick's birthday - when?

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

March 17 is the obvious one. Possibly too obvious.