Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Browsing this booklet, I have been amused at a few words that have different meanings today.

CLAP v (Hertford) To push in front of.
FAG n. 1790 Food, eatables
FAG UP v to learn
KNAVE n. 1820 A dunce
KNOCK UP v 1830 To change places in class
MASH n A school friend
MOB n A form promotion
v To break into a queue
OFFICIATE v To eavesdrop
SCOUSY adj. 1876 Mean. A Scouse. A mean fellow.
SHAG n 1910 Share "Let's go shags"
SHARK n 1890 A cadger, a beggar.
SHUFFLE v 1902 To cut, malinger, get out of.
STIFFEY n 1880 A small missile
TIGHTASSED v Caned or birched

I wonder if they still sell this booklet or maybe it would not be acceptable today.

I very vaguely remember 'bonfast', but for the life of me, can't remember exactly what it referred too. I think it was when I was in Prep B.

I suspect that the "outside" meaning of knave was pretty similar
"a surly knave" as Shakespeare put it = an idiot

Bonafast was the beating on the back of an individual to the number of days to the end of term corresponding to his house number. again this only done to me when in the Prep in 1941-42. I was Prep A 2. it was not usually done until towards the end of term when everyone was obsessed in counting days left until we went home.It was not done in Coleridge A to my recall

Spadge.
This was originally, I believe, applied to two Grecians walking together. I can remember from my time that it was applied to two boys (not necessarily Grecians) walking side-by-side. For some reason I can recall discussing this with Mr Archbold (senior housemaster Lamb B and never mentioned without the prefix 'Mr') who gave it as his opinion that it was somehow derived from the German verb spazieren = to walk.

Secret Language. Can anyone recall a 'secret language', much in vogue in the early 50s, and particularly popular in Maine B. It seemed to consist of adding the letter 'g' to words, preceded or followed by a vowel.

David

my recollection of bonfast was that it was a semi-secret feast following the arrival of a tuck parcel.

In a bid to include the distaff side in this discussion - on the whole there seem to have been very few slang expressions at Hertford but there were some mysterious ceremonies. In 6's we celebrated midsummer revels; at least the juniors did. Two more expressions which spring to mind were 'locker birthdays' - similar to the boys' thing about counting down according to your house number, but without the violence! Also 'chocolate bunnies', but what that was totally escapes me! Perhaps Katharine can help?

I have just joined this Forum on the recommendation of a friend and find its content immensely varied. Are all final year pupils now called g----s? Surely not, even if many university degrees and other things have been devalued in the last few decades, the term g---- an has retained its esteem. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to pose the question for would-be members of the Forum, ‘What is the sixth (or highest) form called?’ rather than ‘What is a final year student called at CH?’

My experience of Housey slang included a word not mentioned yet, ‘chas,’ as in the phrase a ‘chas boy’ or ‘to have a chas on someone’. It refers to the liking of a boy (the chas boy) by a somewhat older boy. The pair were also called, big boy and little boy.

My first contribution to this thread curiously omitted 'skiffage'. I say curiously, because one of its derivatives, 'skiff plate', has become a family word with us as no other appeared to be available. A skiff plate at CH was a plate passed down a table during certain meals (most especially kippers) to collect the skin and bones. By the time it got to the bottom it was piled a foot or two high.

At home, we use 'skiff plate' in a similar meaning for a plate on which the inedible parts of a meal (again, mostly fish bones, but not exclusively) can be deposited.

And yes, I do remember 'skiffage pie'.

As for Baden Powell: then again, any man that wears a funny hat, neckerchief, woggle, shorts, and spends his time with young boys..... Not to mention writing a book called 'Scouting for Boys'.

michael scuffil wrote:My first contribution to this thread curiously omitted 'skiffage'. I say curiously, because one of its derivatives, 'skiff plate', has become a family word with us as no other appeared to be available. A skiff plate at CH was a plate passed down a table during certain meals (most especially kippers) to collect the skin and bones. By the time it got to the bottom it was piled a foot or two high.

At home, we use 'skiff plate' in a similar meaning for a plate on which the inedible parts of a meal (again, mostly fish bones, but not exclusively) can be deposited.

And yes, I do remember 'skiffage pie'.

As for Baden Powell: then again, any man that wears a funny hat, neckerchief, woggle, shorts, and spends his time with young boys..... Not to mention writing a book called 'Scouting for Boys'.

Quite so, Michael ! I rest my case !!