Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

My daughter has taken into "safe keeping" my various books about CH. I had the chance to read a chapter of one such book based on Flecker's memories (aka The Oil, headmaster before Seamen).

Apparently in the 1930's the Avenue was lined with elm trees but unfortunately they were all killed by Elm Disease and replaced by plane trees.

I had thought that (Dutch) Elm Disease was a new phenomenon in the late 20th Century - 1980's?


BTW - what happened to the Sequoias opposite Thornton in the big breeze in 1987? Did they survive

Thirdly, an appeal to bookworms. Does anyone have a copy of a book written by Faith Compton Mackenzie in which she refers to the Rev. Francis (Frank) Stone moving to Windsor Great Park (or Virginia Water Cottage)?
It is likely to be autobiographical - Frank was her cousin, chaplain to George VI.

If you haven't already done so, if you look at the BLib catlaogue entry below, you should be able to find the title

http://catalogue.bl.uk/F/3U1KJAH7825RD4 ... evious.y=8

The Sequoias down West Gun Copse and by the lake all survived the breeze of 1987.

However, one was hit by lightning and fell in about 1996...

Great Plum wrote:The Sequoias down West Gun Copse and by the lake all survived the breeze of 1987.

However, one was hit by lightning and fell in about 1996...

And various boughs fall off regularly.

I believe the estate now has the condition of all trees in a data bank, - all trees have been tagged, and there has been an on-going programme of felling due to the age and health of the trees , and replanting.

Mrs C. wrote:

Great Plum wrote:The Sequoias down West Gun Copse and by the lake all survived the breeze of 1987.

However, one was hit by lightning and fell in about 1996...

And various boughs fall off regularly.

I believe the estate now has the condition of all trees in a data bank, - all trees have been tagged, and there has been an on-going programme of felling due to the age and health of the trees , and replanting.

So the estates staff can LOG in quickly ?????

So I hear - the Sequoias should be good for a few more years - I believe they are still technically immature!

The new Housey had an article on this...

Quite a lot of the trees round the mile have been rotting for years!

Great Plum wrote:Quite a lot of the trees round the mile have been rotting for years!

Maybe it's a deliberate ploy by the school as a deterrent for those who flout rules. They could fall down on unsuspecting smokers! Ouch.

cj wrote:

Great Plum wrote:Quite a lot of the trees round the mile have been rotting for years!

Maybe it's a deliberate ploy by the school as a deterrent for those who flout rules. They could fall down on unsuspecting smokers! Ouch.

Usually they just chop down their smoking bushes...

Great Plum wrote:Usually they just chop down their smoking bushes...

Golly! What would Moses have said?

Is 'the Chelsea' still operating as the unofficial smoking lounge?

It was feckin hilarious when I was there. They chopped it back to matchsticks, and everyone carried on congregating there anyway. In prep break there'd be 30 smokers trying to hide behind one spindly twig.

Gripper used to visit to talk to people about why they smoked. He'd only bust you if you ran away, otherwise he'd just chat.


Then there was 'the copse' down the other end, and 'the cut' further on. Ah, happy days. Now if only I could kick the stupid habit....

Chelsea is now mostly a car park I'm afraid...

by the time of my Grecians most people were moving down to the 'Coves' which was down the bank of the sports centre...

The Chelsea's a car park? Outrage!

Joni Mitchell wrote:Dont it always seem to go
You don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Reuben wrote:The Chelsea's a car park? Outrage!

Joni Mitchell wrote:Dont it always seem to go
You don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot