Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

(Talking of pedantic, Chaz!)

I thought JR's offer might get a response. I'm sure that the Hertford thread was a very good idea 4 years ago, when you could probably count the number of ex-Hertford members on one hand. It's obviously still functioning well and is undoubtedly a good focal point for potential new members from Hertford days. Its existence equally obviously does not preclude Hertford-related topics being discussed on other sections - especially this one!

Moderators' rule no. 4, para. (ii), subpara (b): Don't be too fussy!

Before reading Philip's post I popped 'back' to the beginning of Hertford memories and saw it started 4 years ago when there were only 3 of us on here, I think we are still in the miinority number wise but I doubt if we are posting wise (MKM may be able to work it out) and certainly not on peeps birthdays.

And certainly the men post on Hertford memories and I think this is very appropriate here, as a comparison.

Kim2s70-77 wrote:

CHAZ wrote:



N'est-ce pas?!

Thank you! Where was Ms Griffith-Williams when I needed her! ( Perhaps this would be more appropriate on a Pedant's thread!! )

Well, I just thought it was a typo, Kim. These men are so uncharitable, aren't they?

MaryB wrote:
(Hello Brenda - it's a long time since Crouch End! Congratulations on your PhD.) - I remember Mrs Thomas as human, gentle and realistic. She taught me maths to O level - a thankless task as we were the lower set (Munch, were you there too?) and I knew I needed to get it but had no idea how this could come to pass. In the end it was down to Philippa Winter, a year above me in 3s, who showed me how to do calculus. I had no idea what it/they was/were for but the process was simple and enabled me to get a C, which sufficed.

(Well, it may be a long time for you, Mary, but I'm still here! Not at the same address, though - I moved, years ago, into a cat-friendly garden flat, which I now share with Minnie and Sybil.) Mrs Thomas was a lovely person. When I was looking for jobs outside CH (having decided that teaching wasn't really for me) she stunned me by saying how lucky I was to be able to choose for myself what I wanted to do - she sometimes felt really frustrated by being treated simply as someone else's wife or mother. Who would have thought that she felt like that?

Jo wrote:

Kim2s70-77 wrote:

J.R. wrote:Not being pedantic, but would this thread not be better off in the Hertford Forum ?

I'm quite prepared to move it.

No offense, J.R. - but that comment is one of the biggest reasons that I, for one, feel marginalized and not a part of the 'real' CH. This thread is for reminiscences of pupil and teacher memories. Here we have a dialogue between former (I nearly said 'old'!) pupils and a former teacher - very appropriate, n'est-ce pa??

When I started this topic I did think of putting it in Hertford Forum, but this seemed more appropriate. I was a complete newcomer to the site, and didn't appreciate the sensitivities involved but I'm glad that others agree!!

englishangel wrote:I was the year below MaryB and Munch but in the top set and Mrs Thomas taught us. I think she got us all good grades (I for one got an A and am still a 'maths' person) but she didn't think it pushed us hard enough so some of us did Additional Maths as well, MKM of course, Judy Furnival, and probably Penny, Ailsa, Carol and Valerie. If anyone on here did it and I have forgotten I apologise but it was almost 40 years ago. she pribably left after our O Level year, (hence Miss Stokes) as Methodist ministers get moved on after 3 years, although I think she was with us for 4 as I think they had a child our age who was allowed to stay in Hertford to complete O Levels.

Me

I was doing OK (although I never understood how or why I did calculus. An engineer told me years later that it's very useful when building bridges) until I had my annual stint up T'inf. Came back after a week and couldn't understand a thing.

xx

MaryB wrote:Another (non-resident) maths teacher I remember was Mrs Thomas, the local Methodist minister's wife, who worked at CH part-time. In those days, when 'clergy wife' was virtually a profession in itself, it was quite unusual for someone in that position to have a real job, and some of her husband's congregation disapproved.

Dear Mrs Thomas! What a sweet woman she was. I remember explaining on my 'O' level examination paper that I had absolutely no ability for Maths. Maths was another country, another planet even; in which I wandered like a creature lost in the Delta Quadrant. I wrote that my mostly blank paper was not the fault of Mrs Thomas. Actually, I could have done with some one-to-one explanation. My mind just shut off (duh!) the minute Mrs Povey-Richards in 111' uttered the word 'logarithm'.

Actually, I quite enjoy arithmetic. I always liked the patterns made by a page of, say, fractions. And these days, when necessary, my meticulous calorie counted diet sheets are things of beauty - and in metric too! *beams proudly*.

I think it's just brilliant having a View from the Red House. I left in '71, so just remember you Brenda! And I appreciated your kind words about Miss Morrison, of whom I was very fond.

I had no aptitude at all for Maths (still hopeless now!) , but I actually passed all my maths exams with lovely, patient Mrs Thomas. Sadly she left at the end of my 3rd year, then we had Monty (Mr Mullholland) and I got completely lost - I never passed a maths exam again- and I don't think I even took Maths Olevel. Changing the subject, Brenda - somehow I remember you liked cats, you must have mentioned it in French lessons, all those years ago!

I have absolutely no problem with any of the comments levelled at me on here.

You have to be very thick skinned to be involved in Association Football Management.

I just thought that there MAY just be one or two lady-visitors coming onto this forum who had attended Hertford, and therefore gone straight to that Forum, rather than delve through 'Horsham-Stuff'

I'm quite happy to live with the 'Status-Quo'. Incidently when WILL that band ever learn another guitar chord ???

JR, I read the title of this particular section as Stories, Reminiscing & Teacher/Pupil Memories I can't see any mention of Horsham in that title.

J.R. wrote:You have to be very thick skinned to be involved in Association Football Management.

Heavens above, you learn something new every day!

Ajarn Philip wrote:

J.R. wrote:You have to be very thick skinned to be involved in Association Football Management.

Heavens above, you learn something new every day!

Well, I'm orf to jolly old Horley in half an hour for an evening CCL Premier League Match.

Any visitors may be able to hear my dulcet tones.

If JR and myself, cannot poke our noses into Hertford Gossip, I shall lose interest !

It seems fascinating to me, that the two Schools were so different in Management, Punishments, Socialising, and how so many Ex-Hertford OBs seem to have such negative memories, of their time at CH.

Perhaps we were more insensitive ?

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:If JR and myself, cannot poke our noses into Hertford Gossip, I shall lose interest !

It seems fascinating to me, that the two Schools were so different in Management, Punishments, Socialising, and how so many Ex-Hertford OBs seem to have such negative memories, of their time at CH.

Perhaps we were more insensitive ?

I don't think so, just tthat boys are (were?) naturally more physical and also it was more expected that boys would go 'away' to school.
Girls bullying tends to be more psychological although as with many things the sexes are getting closer together on this.

Hallo,
Having just ventured back to my dark past, I'm probally your non academic wanting to be a nurse pupil 4b. Did go into nursing after leaving CH and then ventured into the world of business. Never really grasped the French language and nearly caused a diplomatic incident whilst in the Pyrennes, asked an elderly man ou est la guerre, he looked blankly shrugged his shoulders and sighed. Needless to say I remembered gare and he was more animated!!! Strange organisation CH you appreciate the benefits of a classic education later in life and will always be grateful to my Mother who was a Widow for having the courage to despatch both of her children off to boarding school.