'Old Girls' invited to visit CH Hertford now

[kerrensimmonds]

I have learned that the Receptionist for Wimpeys, currently occupying the buildings we knew as 7's and 8's, has developed a great interest about the historical interest of the site. She is trying to write a book about it. If anyone would like to visit the site and have a guided tour of the building we knew as 8's, to see how it has or has not changed, she'd be pleased to oblige.
Let me know if you are interested.
Kerren

[J.R.]

First we had Young Old Blues (YOBS)

Now were being asked for 'Old Girls'

I'll go no further........................

[Katharine]

I'll remember that next time I visit Mother in Cambridge, Kerren and try to get in touch with you. Nothing fixed at the moment.

[Vonny]

First we had Young Old Blues (YOBS)

Now were being asked for 'Old Girls'

I'll go no further........................

Poor JR

I'd love to visit CH Hertford again. I last went in the mid to late 80's. Whenever it was Tesco wasn't built. Can't see me getting there for a few years yet though.

[kerrensimmonds]

Hi
I now have the contact details and phone numbers. In fact there are two ladies... receptionists in what we would have known as 7's and 8's... who are so fascinated by the history of the site that they want not only to write a book but would love to meet any 'Old Girl' (Sorry, JR.... I should say 'Hertford Old Blue') who knows about the site/lived in it - especially if they belonged to 7's or 8's (though I guess this is not exclusive).
So for all you Hertford Old Blues out there, let me know if you can visit Hertford and would like to support these two ladies in their endeavours! I will give you their phone numbers.
Kerren

[Great Plum]

What still remains at the Hertford site?

[kerrensimmonds]

The eight boarding houses, either side of the Square. The facade of the School Hall/Dining Hall complex, but behind that is a sheltered housing development. All the 'freestanding' houses - e.g. the Headmistress's house, the Steward's House, and a row of 17C (?) cottages fronting the main road, which are now all private houses. The Porter's lodge (another private house), the gates and gateposts with replacement fibreglass figures (the originals are in the Museum at Horsham). Visually, from the front gates, it looks just the same - except that the Square is full of cars!
Behind the houses, all has changed - behind Houses 1-4 there is a housing development but done in the same style red brick; behind Houses 5-8 there is a main road and a Tesco's supermarket. The railings round the supermarket carpark are in the same position as the railings which were on the borders of the site, around our Chapel.
Am sure someone else will remind me of some aspect I have forgotten!

[englishangel]

I'll go and have a look, I'm not far away.

[kerrensimmonds]

Hi Mary
If you do and if you want to connect with those ladies in '7's' and '8's' who are so interested in finding out what life was like, let me know and I will pass on the details!
Kerren

[englishangel]

Will do.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I'll go and have a look, I'm not far away.

Hi Mary

Any chance of some photos? Little chance of me getting there in the foreseeable future.

Best wishes

Caroline

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Hi Everyone

My memory not being as good as it might be I can't work out the answer to my question which follows.

Are the wooden buildings where some of the staff lived, and where there were some music practice rooms still standing? Are these the privately owned cottages that someone wrote of?

Those building gave me the creeps - but not as badly as the Science Block. I was only Class Prefect, or whatever the title was, a couple of times but clearly remember being scared witless. Duties included taking completed prep assignments to the Chem Lab for Miss Thompson - I would stand outside the building, hyperventilating, then make an undignified (and not terribly speedy) dash through the door, up the stairs, up to the front of the lab, dump books and retreat - not stopping until I was back outside the building, and free of whatever it was that spooked me.

Changing topic slightly, does anyone know how the school got away with having us lighting fires (well, bunsen burners) in a building with wooden internal stairs and no fire escape? Or was there a fire escape? We had them on the houses, but I don't remember them on the classroom or science blocks.

[kerrensimmonds]

The staff houses weren't wooden, Caroline - they were brick (and maybe flint?) cottages. I think that most of the buildings immediately behind the wall bordering Fore Street are still there, and they are all now private houses.
Good point about the wooden staircase in the Science Block,but no-one thought of Health and Safety in those days.

[englishangel]

Everything in the lab was wood too, but I suppose there was a sink at every station. I certainlt don't remember a fire escape either, there would have to have been one at either end.

Nor do I EVER remember having a fire practice and using the ones in the houses.

The science block didn't spook me but I could see how it might.

I think Caroline remember the cottages as wood because when we went upstairs to the uniform store, that was all wood floors and beams, unfinished.

[Vonny]

Nor do I EVER remember having a fire practice and using the ones in the houses.

We had a fire practice once a term and it was ALWAYS at night. I don't remember ever having a practice during the day.