Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

His leaving was certainly unexpected and never explained.

His departure was certainly unexpected and never explained.

Did he depart twice then, David ??

Great Plum wrote:I thought Baker was a very popular headmaster by all accounts...

The entertainment accounts, presumably?

Vièr Bliu wrote:

Great Plum wrote:I thought Baker was a very popular headmaster by all accounts...

The entertainment accounts, presumably?

Do I take that as a possibilty of 'Sticky-Fingers', Vier ??

J.R. wrote: Do I take that as a possibilty

My team of on-call highly-remunerated ninja-skilled libel practitioners advise me not to elaborate.

Vièr Bliu wrote:

J.R. wrote: Do I take that as a possibilty

My team of on-call highly-remunerated ninja-skilled libel practitioners advise me not to elaborate.

I'll take that as a ....................

VERY WISE !

At the time the rumour was he annoyed the powers that be by not being a yes man and they used the fact he had moved monies between accounts (the full rumour was from headmasters entertaining fund to extra grants for classics trips etc). But that could be just a rumour - I do remember a spate of people chalking BBB all around the school,

One of Handsworth's first and least popular rule changes was a move from progressively steeper punishments for drinking (you got a couple of chances before rustification) to "random punishment" which saw a first time offender caught in possession of alcohol getting a worse punishment than someone admitted to the sicker with alcohol poisoning

I was Senior Grecian undr baker and in all respects found him to be a good bloke ( I would say that wouldn't I?). He was an OB and was an only son from a broken home. His Mum, Phoebe, lived at the house for a while and she was a real hoot. I remember him going to teach History in Texas for a while in a Uni of Texas at Denton where Kirkup had taught on a sabbatical. He had a tough time with the Governors et al and Ch jsut wasn't a fit for him I guess. I have many fond memories of being over at the House for the odd drink or two....

I had heard something about financial irregularities as well...

michael scuffil wrote:

Great Plum wrote:I thought Baker was a very popular headmaster by all accounts...

When he left (and as far as I recall, his leaving was quite unexpected), the sigh of relief from some members of the staff was loud enough to be audible even on my side of the Channel. One said it was like waking from a bad dream. Maybe it depends who you talk to.

Maybe, but it took Erich Honecker as his replacement for us to miss him. BBB.

Whatever happened to all those photos of School Monitors going back to 1860's to "present". They used to adorn the walls of the corridors approaching the Headmaster's study in the Old Block......The Head when I was there ('71-77) was Newsome. I used to look at these photos every time I passed them and it gave me inspiration - not least that I would be looking for the "black guy" that would appear occasionally through the years. Eventually I got on the wall!

I was told later that they were removed in the 80's. What happened to them? Why shouldn't these photos be kept visible where they could give others the same inspiration that I received from them. Another tradition "down the tubes".....?

Regards to all

Colin Nesbeth

Barnes A '71-74, Thornton A 74-77