Mrs Turing paid a visit to Sherborne before Alan went there and was able to see the headmaster's wife. She gave Mrs Nowell Smith 'some hints about what to expect' and Mrs Nowell Smith 'contrasted her description with the more favourable accounts given by other parents of their boys.' It was probably at her suggestion that Alan was put down to board at Westcott House, whose housemaster was Geoffrey O'Hanlon.

The summer term was due to start on Monday 3 May 1926 which was, it so happened, the first day of the general strike. On the ferry from St Malo Alan heard that only the milk trains would be running. But he knew he could cycle the sixty miles west from Southampton to Sherborne:

So I cycled as programme left luggage with baggage master started out of docks about 11 o'clock got map for 3/-including Southampton missing Sherborne by about 3 miles. Noted where Sherborne was just outside. With an awful strive, found General Post Office, sent wire O'Hanlon 1/-. Found cycle shop, had things done 6d. Left 12 o'clock had lunch 7 miles out 3/6 went on to Lyndhurst 3 miles got apple 2d. went on to Beerley 8 miles pedal a bit wrong had it done 6d. went on Ringwood 4 miles. The streets in Southampton were full of people who had struck. Had a lovely ride through the New Forest and then over a sort of moor into Ringwood and quite flat again to Wimborne.