Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Has anyone information on precisely how the giving of Leaving Bibles and Prayer Books to departing Old Blues is administered and financed? When did it start and what must it now cost ? A Bible is not something one would discard lightly and there must be many thousands still in existence.

How many get the Prayer Book as well? At Hertford it was only the Monitresses who did. If a girl was not an Anglican, she was given a concordance instead, I don't know whether she had a choice.

In my days (1950s) at Horsham every leaver was given a Bible. All monitors were also given the choice of a Concordance or a Prayer Book, whether they were Anglican or not.

Once, in an interview on a BBC radio programme Baroness Deech, OB, was asked about her time at CH and leaving it, etc. She mentioned that Miss DR West told her that she did not need a Leaver’s Bible and so was (uniquely?) and hurtfully singled out in this way at the Leaving Service. By chance John Franklin, at that time the Horsham headmaster, heard this interview, or its content was reported to him. The same day he contacted her, apologised and told her that her Bible was already in the post.

The Leaving Bibles were paid for out of the Prize Fund.


One acquaintance of mine, who left in mid-term, was summoned to Seaman to receive his (and receive the Charge). In view of the recipient's known atheism, Seaman asked him: 'Perhaps something more secular would be appropriate, say a Bradshaw?' (The offer was not taken up.)

I wonder if any CH Bibles or any other CH books ever turn up at secondhand book sales these days. I remember once buying three 1920s bound volumes of The Blue at a sale in Tenterden which must have been some twenty five years ago. Their price was £1.50 ! They had the Old Blue's name in it which was R.S. Symons BB MA 1917-23.

Kit Bartlett wrote:I wonder if any CH Bibles or any other CH books ever turn up at secondhand book sales these days. I remember once buying three 1920s bound volumes of The Blue at a sale in Tenterden which must have been some twenty five years ago. Their price was £1.50 ! They had the Old Blue's name in it which was R.S. Symons BB MA 1917-23.

There are two CH leaving bibles currently going on Abebooks:

http://www.abebooks.de/servlet/SearchRe ... t&tn=Bible

Kit Bartlett wrote:I wonder if any CH Bibles or any other CH books ever turn up at secondhand book sales these days. I remember once buying three 1920s bound volumes of The Blue at a sale in Tenterden which must have been some twenty five years ago. Their price was £1.50 ! They had the Old Blue's name in it which was R.S. Symons BB MA 1917-23.

Some years ago I was at the Great Dorset Steam fair, and while looking at a second hand book stall noticed some CH memorabilia (can't remember what!) and commented that I had been educated there. The woman said that she had never attended an event with her stall not to meet an Old Blue. She had even learnt the term!

Katharine wrote:

Kit Bartlett wrote:I wonder if any CH Bibles or any other CH books ever turn up at secondhand book sales these days. I remember once buying three 1920s bound volumes of The Blue at a sale in Tenterden which must have been some twenty five years ago. Their price was £1.50 ! They had the Old Blue's name in it which was R.S. Symons BB MA 1917-23.

Some years ago I was at the Great Dorset Steam fair, and while looking at a second hand book stall noticed some CH memorabilia (can't remember what!) and commented that I had been educated there. The woman said that she had never attended an event with her stall not to meet an Old Blue. She had even learnt the term!

Interesting - If she had no connection with C.H., where on earth was she getting this Housey memorabilia frtom ??

Katharine wrote:How many get the Prayer Book as well? At Hertford it was only the Monitresses who did.

I got a bible and a prayer book in 1988. I was a house monitor and think they were only given to those who were monitors. I stand to be corrected though!

Yes in 63 everyone at Hertford was given a leaving bible and monitresses given prayer books as well, all with gold CH badge on the front. My "Robertson (ex head) Gift prize and others all had gold badges too.

1954, choice of Prayer Book or Concordance for monitors.