1895–1896

Dent’s walk through the Gatehouse at King’s College that October, 1895 was not simply a rite of passage, more the first such step in a lifetime of travels that afforded escape and the fresh, foreign ideas that stimulated his boundless curiosity. ‘Life only really begins at university’: Dent often quoted Bismarck’s view, remembering the tall, gangly younger self who had entered King’s with such purpose and sense of liberation. The purpose was not the one for which he had been awarded his Classics scholarship of 80 pounds per annum, but music; the liberation was from his loving family, who – especially his mother – continued to disapprove of his stated career choice. But Dent was separated from Ribston by more than the 150 miles (240 km); the family nickname ‘Joe’ was quickly ditched, and his Eton ‘speaking bags’ sold to Sydney Waterlow. King’s was his first real taste of adult freedom; with his King’s scholarship even more than his Eton scholarship Dent could enjoy some sense of independence, though until his majority most of the bills would still be sent to his mother. ‘Madame’, as he referred to her, found such loose ends vexing, and for years Dent would be on the receiving end of her constant disapprobation: