Ernest Tassart

Who was Ernest Tassart?

Ernest Maurice Tassart was a French competitor in fencing competitions at the 1900 Summer Olympics. He owned Tassart's Salle D'Armes at Margaret Street, Oxford Circus, London during the 1910s and regularly held the annual Varsity Fencing matches.

Alfred Parkins was born in London but lost both parents before the age of 14 years. He was taken on by Ernest Tassart as an apprentice at his salle d'armes in Margaret Street. Alfred was sent to international competitions in Europe, e.g. Ostend championships in Belgium but also fenced at Salles Bertrand and Paul in London. In 1928, Alfred visited Maestro Giuseppe Mangiarotti in Milan and obtained the Diploma Academia D'armi Cremonese. Around this time, Alfred was also awarded the Diplome de l'Academie d'Armes de Paris and the Diplome de l'Academie D'Épée de Paris. In 1930, Alfred married Catherine and sons John and Jeremy were born in 1931 and 1934, respectively. Both went on to be Maitre d'Armes and accomplished fencers in their time.

In 1930, Tassart died but Alfred continued under the business name of Tassart-Parkins fencing school, initially assisted by Prof. M. Wells at 11 George Street, Portman Square, London.