Aspects of Housey 1984-90

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simongibbs
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Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by simongibbs »

Older readers may remember VHS video cassettes. (For younger readers, these allowed films to be viewed in the comfort of one’s own home before it was possible to store films on round shiny discs or view films on a zob machine.)

Anyway, I’ve come across one of these technological curiosities entitled “Aspects of Housey 1984-90”. This was a CH produced video recording featuring scenes from Horsham and Hertford during this period.

It looks as though this was recorded on a VHS camcorder, edited on basic equipment and then copied back onto VHS for sale. Those familiar with this format will know it would never have been ideally suited for viewing on large flat screen high definition TVs. The quality of the images therefore leaves something to be desired and I doubt I have lost anything in quality converting this to digital (and suspect there is nothing that can be done to enhance this unless the original master tapes can be found).

Nevertheless, this is of some historical interest, particularly the scenes from Hertford. I suspect any video footage of life at Hertford is scarce.

The audio to the video is rather limited in content and of equally suspect quality. I have therefore taken the liberty of replacing much of this with a combination of other contemporaneous CH music recordings and other music that seemed to be an appropriate soundtrack to the period. This is a largely an arbitrary selection but the kind of thing you might have heard at the time blaring out from stereos if walking down the back avenue. (Sorry, no Bros or Rick Astley.)

Here is Part One: http://youtu.be/dUMxZkIQ7bI
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by Fjgrogan »

Thank you for that. No sign of Hertford yet, but I guess it will appear in later parts. To think that all those fresh-faced little boys are now hardened middle-aged men! Unfortunately now I shall need to climb back into the loft to see whether the VHS tapes that I have up there include this material, or is what I have something quite different? There is certainly one of Hertford taken shortly before merger when somebody with a camcorder went in and out of just about every nook and cranny at Hertford. As part of the perennial and perpetual declutter we recently consigned all the old VHS tapes to a huge box until such time as we can edit them - in fact the box was too big to carry up to the loft so had to be emptied and shifted a few tapes at a time. I guess I shall have to unload the contents onto the (only partly boarded) loft floor now! Am I still going to be able to edit using two VHS recorder/players when we are about to be go digital, I wonder? I shall certainly not be attempting to add contemporary music - sorry, I found that a bit intrusive - it was a great idea, but I think I am turning into a grumpy old woman. (Loud cries of 'wrong tense'?!)
Frances Grogan (Haley) 6's 1956 - 62

'A clean house is a sign of a broken computer.'
michael scuffil
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by michael scuffil »

simongibbs wrote:Older readers may remember VHS video cassettes.

It looks as though this was recorded on a VHS camcorder, edited on basic equipment and then copied back onto VHS for sale. Those familiar with this format will know it would never have been ideally suited for viewing on large flat screen high definition TVs. The quality of the images therefore leaves something to be desired and I doubt I have lost anything in quality converting this to digital (and suspect there is nothing that can be done to enhance this unless the original master tapes can be found).
Maybe OT, but actually it is sad that so much was recorded on VHS, which, digitalized or not, is of very poor quality on large screens (marginally better on CRT than LCD, but not much). If people had stuck to Super 8, we would enjoy much better quality now. One of technology's dead ends.

Incidentally, the video cannot be watched in Germany because of the music rights.
Th.B. 27 1955-63
simongibbs
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by simongibbs »

For those of you who are aren't music lovers ( :wink: ) or who live in Germany ( :cry: ) here is the video with original audio: http://youtu.be/Xw0fkig5KLU
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by michael scuffil »

Thanks. Now I have watched it.

It is curious. Between 1902 and 1963 when I left, almost nothing changed. Here, only 20 years later, all that hasn't changed is the noise in the Dining Hall and (most of) the views at the end (around 8'00).
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by pinkhebe »

wow, the bedrooms are slightly different now! And fathers wearing ties on the first day of term!! But I bet they're still the same pool tables :D
fra828
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by fra828 »

Loved this! Wonder if there is anyone on this forum who recognizes themselves? Be fascinating to see Hertford.
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by Atticus »

Thank you for putting it on YouTube. As the mother of a current second former, it brought back those first day feelings... It's amazing how little has changed - except the dorms :)
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by Vonny »

fra828 wrote:Loved this! Wonder if there is anyone on this forum who recognizes themselves? Be fascinating to see Hertford.
I didn't spot myself but I did recognise people from my era. Looks like some of this was filmed in BaB :)
2's 1981-1985 2:12 BaB 1985-1988 BaB 41
Avon
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by Avon »

Weren't these filmed by the bloke that ran the Theatre?
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by simongibbs »

Closing credit names Terry Clark.
Avon
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by Avon »

simongibbs wrote:Closing credit names Terry Clark.
Oh yes, that's the bloke. Nice guy.

I remember a bizarre night at CH when some old bloke donated a movie to the school. Apparently it was some tradition from Hertford. Anyway the second and third forms also got a can of coke and a choccy bar too but us older ones just got the film. The theatre was pressed into service and on the night this beaming beneficiary sat at the back whilst the audience settled down to watch the hitherto unheard Beverly Hills Cop.

Within the first 5 minutes there's more effing and m-effing than anything else - highly entertaining. As was looking back at the old guy who was turning puce.

The next year I think the exercise was repeated with something like The Smurfs Movie. Anyway, I was watching Terry Clark dissolve in tears of laughter by the back door - hilarious.
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by cstegerlewis »

Haven't watched the film yet Si, but love the descriptor of 'zob machine' - very evocative :lol:
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simongibbs
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by simongibbs »

Part 2 now uploaded. This features some Hertford footage: http://youtu.be/DwyIa94e0yI
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Re: Aspects of Housey 1984-90

Post by Fjgrogan »

What a pity it is too fuzzy to recognise faces, but I think I spotted Vonny right near the end. It all looks so scruffy now compared to 25 years previously! Sauntering up to lunch in small groups? I think somewhere else on the tape there may by Hertford's version of dinner parade - not a patch on Horsham's, of course! Nice to have an 'action' shot of Jean Taverner (who was after my time, but very much part of my daughters' lives at Hertford.) Now I shall really have to go and tip out that box of video tapes in the loft! Again, thank you for that!
Frances Grogan (Haley) 6's 1956 - 62

'A clean house is a sign of a broken computer.'
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