Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

As I started changing the clocks this evening, I had a sudden memory of Hertford days. Somebody in town had the contract to look after the school clocks. He came in with his step ladder each week to wind them up, it wasn't a Saturday evening but I think it was a weekday evening, possibly Wednesdays. Presumably he made his lonely way around all the classrooms, I only remember him coming into the dayroom, don't think I ever saw him elsewhere, and just suppose he wound clocks other than Sixes!

When it was time to change the clocks, he would come in during the Saturday evening and do it. In the Autumn we used to argue to go to bed half an hour later than usual, but kept very quiet in the Spring when it was suggested we went half an hour earlier!

What happened at Horsham? Presumably 'clockwork clocks' that needed winding have long gone from the premises.

I honestly don't remember, Katharine !

Maybe David or John H can enlighten us.

I don't know how the Big School clock was run, but I suppose someone had to alter it in the spring and autumn.

Winding the dayroom clock would have been a typical house trade, I imagine, though never mine.

The only other clock I remember was in Harry Spurrier's classroom. I suppose he wound it himself.

Katharine wrote:As I started changing the clocks this evening, I had a sudden memory of Hertford days. Somebody in town had the contract to look after the school clocks. He came in with his step ladder each week to wind them up, it wasn't a Saturday evening but I think it was a weekday evening, possibly Wednesdays. Presumably he made his lonely way around all the classrooms, I only remember him coming into the dayroom, don't think I ever saw him elsewhere, and just suppose he wound clocks other than Sixes!

When it was time to change the clocks, he would come in during the Saturday evening and do it. In the Autumn we used to argue to go to bed half an hour later than usual, but kept very quiet in the Spring when it was suggested we went half an hour earlier!

What happened at Horsham? Presumably 'clockwork clocks' that needed winding have long gone from the premises.

Interestingly, during my time at Hertford the clocks were only changed once, as there was a national ?5 year experiment to keep summer time all year round, late 60s/early 70s. Don't remember any benefits of this, and it we walked to breakfast in the hall in the dark at 8am. Does anyone else have any memories of this experiment?

michael scuffil wrote:Winding the dayroom clock would have been a typical house trade, I imagine, though never mine.

The only other clock I remember was in Harry Spurrier's classroom. I suppose he wound it himself.

Perhaps the powers that be thought the young ladies might fall off the necessary step-ladder, whereas boys would be quite safe. (Tongue firmly in cheek!)

I think all our classrooms, labs etc had clocks. I'm sure they were used at exam time etc, written in the blackboard would be the time the exam started, to the minute, and also the time it would end.

Sorry - this is definitely off topic, but .......... Katharine's tongue on cheek comment produced an instant flashback to the preparation for my daughter's wedding reception in her back garden; five of us 'girls' - all Hertford Old Girls - were busy setting up, including all the electrical stuff, whilst frantically trying to think of ways of keeping our respective partners occupied but out of the way!

Fjgrogan wrote:Sorry - this is definitely off topic, but .......... Katharine's tongue on cheek comment produced an instant flashback to the preparation for my daughter's wedding reception in her back garden; five of us 'girls' - all Hertford Old Girls - were busy setting up, including all the electrical stuff, whilst frantically trying to think of ways of keeping our respective partners occupied but out of the way!

..and it all ran like clockwork

mvgrogan wrote:

Fjgrogan wrote:Sorry - this is definitely off topic, but .......... Katharine's tongue on cheek comment produced an instant flashback to the preparation for my daughter's wedding reception in her back garden; five of us 'girls' - all Hertford Old Girls - were busy setting up, including all the electrical stuff, whilst frantically trying to think of ways of keeping our respective partners occupied but out of the way!

..and it all ran like clockwork

Oh Dear !!