Who Knew What?

This section was setup in August 2018 in order to move the existing related discussions from other sections into this new section to group them together, and separate from the other CH-related topics.

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J.R.
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by J.R. »

Thanks Guys. Pearsall was the dentist.

Digging holes in the road would probably have suited his 'skills' better.
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RusticationPhil
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by RusticationPhil »

I have somewhat hazy memories of the Husband incident. I recall that I was chatting to a few folks whilst running/walking school drills one weekend morning down by the old gym near the train station. The story was that he had "eloped" with Grecian or deputy Grecian. I remember that here was rumour that some older boys from Mid A had rung "the Sun" newspaper to give them the story. So anyway if this was true, its quite possible that the sun still have records of this. I believe we were told that we were told explicitly we were not allowed to contact the media, by the school, as it would be harmful to the "good name" of CH and because it would be bad for Mr husbands kids kids were still at the school, for his father to be dragged trhought the gutter press. I cant remember exactly who told us not too contact the media but I remeber it was like an official thing. My memories are hazy but it might have even been like annouced in chapel or something.

I also remember something about a 2nd band master eloping with a girl. Dont remember his name. I wonder if that is being investigated.

Thinking back on it now, I bet there were also some issues of sexual abuse with older boys pupils as perpetrators. I was in lamb A and there was a real weird Grecian who had a strange sort of pyshcological hold over several younger members of the house. We had a housemaster who had zero control over the house (xxxxxxx). I guess the weirdo seemed to have lots of tobacco and alcohol to give out to the ones he liked. He was at least rumoured to be a perve. I remember several kids who were in his weird circle seemed phychologically scarred by encounters with him. I think he ended up leaving under spurious circumstances too. I wonder if that was ever investigated?
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J.R.
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by J.R. »

RusticationPhil wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:34 pm I have somewhat hazy memories of the Husband incident. I recall that I was chatting to a few folks whilst running/walking school drills one weekend morning down by the old gym near the train station. The story was that he had "eloped" with Grecian or deputy Grecian. I remember that here was rumour that some older boys from Mid A had rung "the Sun" newspaper to give them the story. So anyway if this was true, its quite possible that the sun still have records of this. I believe we were told that we were told explicitly we were not allowed to contact the media, by the school, as it would be harmful to the "good name" of CH and because it would be bad for Mr husbands kids kids were still at the school, for his father to be dragged trhought the gutter press. I cant remember exactly who told us not too contact the media but I remeber it was like an official thing. My memories are hazy but it might have even been like annouced in chapel or something.

I also remember something about a 2nd band master eloping with a girl. Dont remember his name. I wonder if that is being investigated.

Thinking back on it now, I bet there were also some issues of sexual abuse with older boys pupils as perpetrators. I was in lamb A and there was a real weird Grecian who had a strange sort of pyshcological hold over several younger members of the house. We had a housemaster who had zero control over the house (xxxxxxx). I guess the weirdo seemed to have lots of tobacco and alcohol to give out to the ones he liked. He was at least rumoured to be a perve. I remember several kids who were in his weird circle seemed phychologically scarred by encounters with him. I think he ended up leaving under spurious circumstances too. I wonder if that was ever investigated?

Phil, please be careful naming specific people who have not been identified as being people involved in the ongoing abuse case. For this reason, I have deleted the name in question, and replaced with 'x's''

Remember - You might then have to justify your claims.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
RusticationPhil
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by RusticationPhil »

I dont understand what you mean at all. I just stated that Gunning had no control over the house. I don't think anyone is going to want to take me to court over that? Whats more if they did, I would have no problem justifying my statement in court. For example, smoking and drinking occurred openly within the house. The house was like another smoking bush. Folks would come round to lamb a to have a fag in one of the downstairs studies during prep brake. Gunning didn't care at all.
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by DazedandConfused »

RusticationPhil wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:34 pm
I also remember something about a 2nd band master eloping with a girl. Dont remember his name. I wonder if that is being investigated.

Thinking back on it now, I bet there were also some issues of sexual abuse with older boys pupils as perpetrators. I was in lamb A and there was a real weird Grecian who had a strange sort of pyshcological hold over several younger members of the house. We had a housemaster who had zero control over the house (xxxxxxx). I guess the weirdo seemed to have lots of tobacco and alcohol to give out to the ones he liked. He was at least rumoured to be a perve. I remember several kids who were in his weird circle seemed phychologically scarred by encounters with him. I think he ended up leaving under spurious circumstances too. I wonder if that was ever investigated?
Jerry Martin was the Bandmaster who left with a pupil in tow. They eventually married I believe. The Sun was on the case with the story and rang Barnes A (the house the girl was in) trying to get info out of pupils, this was before the Husband incident so may be why The Sun cropped up again at that point.

I agree with you re the housemaster. I liked him a lot but was able to behave fairly badly whenever I visited LaA whilst he looked the other way. Like you, I’m not implying any wrongdoing on his part.

I have also wondered about pupil on pupil assaults, the conditions were certainly ripe for it, although I very much hope I’m wrong.
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by bakunin »

I remember the bandmaster "elopement". It was referred to in a certain school satirical magazine of the time...
RusticationPhil wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:34 pm Thinking back on it now, I bet there were also some issues of sexual abuse with older boys pupils as perpetrators. I was in lamb A and there was a real weird Grecian who had a strange sort of pyshcological hold over several younger members of the house. We had a housemaster who had zero control over the house (xxxxxxx). I guess the weirdo seemed to have lots of tobacco and alcohol to give out to the ones he liked. He was at least rumoured to be a perve. I remember several kids who were in his weird circle seemed phychologically scarred by encounters with him. I think he ended up leaving under spurious circumstances too. I wonder if that was ever investigated?
What year was this person a Grecian?
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by RusticationPhil »

bakunin wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:08 pm I remember the bandmaster "elopement". It was referred to in a certain school satirical magazine of the time...
RusticationPhil wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:34 pm Thinking back on it now, I bet there were also some issues of sexual abuse with older boys pupils as perpetrators. I was in lamb A and there was a real weird Grecian who had a strange sort of pyshcological hold over several younger members of the house. We had a housemaster who had zero control over the house (xxxxxxx). I guess the weirdo seemed to have lots of tobacco and alcohol to give out to the ones he liked. He was at least rumoured to be a perve. I remember several kids who were in his weird circle seemed phychologically scarred by encounters with him. I think he ended up leaving under spurious circumstances too. I wonder if that was ever investigated?
What year was this person a Grecian?
Around 95 to 96, I think.
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by wagenman »

RusticationPhil wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 6:53 pm I dont understand what you mean at all. I just stated that Gunning had no control over the house. I don't think anyone is going to want to take me to court over that? Whats more if they did, I would have no problem justifying my statement in court. For example, smoking and drinking occurred openly within the house. The house was like another smoking bush. Folks would come round to lamb a to have a fag in one of the downstairs studies during prep brake. Gunning didn't care at all.
I was in Lamb A as well and can confirm the above. In my day it was the lav ends that was the preferred smoking venue. I think he just didn't want the hassle that came with people in his house getting caught elsewhere.
Molesworth 2
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by Molesworth 2 »

RusticationPhil wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:15 pm
bakunin wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:08 pm I remember the bandmaster "elopement". It was referred to in a certain school satirical magazine of the time...
RusticationPhil wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:34 pm Thinking back on it now, I bet there were also some issues of sexual abuse with older boys pupils as perpetrators. I was in lamb A and there was a real weird Grecian who had a strange sort of pyshcological hold over several younger members of the house. We had a housemaster who had zero control over the house (xxxxxxx). I guess the weirdo seemed to have lots of tobacco and alcohol to give out to the ones he liked. He was at least rumoured to be a perve. I remember several kids who were in his weird circle seemed phychologically scarred by encounters with him. I think he ended up leaving under spurious circumstances too. I wonder if that was ever investigated?
What year was this person a Grecian?
Around 95 to 96, I think.
I think it was a different year if it’s the same person I remember.
We also used to go to Lamb A for a safe smoke on the 1st floor. Zero chance of getting busted.
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by bakunin »

If it is roughly 95-96-97 maybe (I think he skipped a year due to illness) have a pretty good idea of who this is, I think I know them fairly well.
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J.R.
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by J.R. »

The front page of The Daily Mail, (yes I do read it), makes interesting reading on the subject of child abuse. Maybe I should've said horrific rather than interesting !!
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by Bob »

bakunin wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:54 pm If it is roughly 95-96-97 maybe (I think he skipped a year due to illness) have a pretty good idea of who this is, I think I know them fairly well.
Ginger hair?
PeB 89, MaA 92-96
DazedandConfused
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by DazedandConfused »

Does the name Ditcham sound familiar to anyone? It rings a bell with me from the mid 90s but I can’t remember why. I came across this post whilst searching for something else and it struck me as strange: http://www.chforum.info/php/search.php?keywords=Ditcham
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by graham »

DazedandConfused wrote: Tue Sep 04, 2018 8:40 pm Does the name Ditcham sound familiar to anyone? It rings a bell with me from the mid 90s but I can’t remember why. I came across this post whilst searching for something else and it struck me as strange: http://www.chforum.info/php/search.php?keywords=Ditcham
John Ditcham was a German/ French teacher in the mid-late nineties. I had him for A-level German in 95-6 and I think he had only just started around then.

There was certainly lots of discussion and plenty of rumors about him at the time but I don’t know how any of that relates to his departure.
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Re: Who Knew What?

Post by Otter »

Sorry for posting to an older thread, I haven't been on here much and I saw the name Ditcham and it has all come back like it was yesterday.

I remember Mr Ditcham. Decent German teacher. Left suddenly circa 1998. I think his first name was John, but I might be mistaken. It was definitely something monosyllabic and common.

A particular pupil in my junior house alleged that Ditcham behaved inappropriately towards him, the specifics of which I am unaware. I've no idea if this was the reason for Ditcham's departure. This pupil had a reputation as a highly troubled person and was bullied very badly. He was widely accused of being an attention seeker, and there were indeed some bizarre and very public moments that were hilarious as a teenager at the time, now extremely troubling in reflection. In one such incident, following provocation, he announced in a rant in the middle of prep in the dayroom that he was going up to the dorm to commit suicide. Rather than help being sought, many of the boys chanted and goaded him to do it. The staff member supervising prep even found it funny, and said it wasn't serious, he was just "having a psych", as we used to always call it. Another time in roll call, people started chanting a taunt at him and the housemaster laughed and made no attempt to stop it.

I could go into a lot of detail about several bizarre events involving this boy, but I fear he would be identifiable. A Facebook search shows him now seemingly living a normal and, on the surface, happy life.

Mental health awareness really has made a lot of progress in the last 20 years. In reflection, I can't believe these things went on in the house. I haven't thought about this for at least 15 years and now it is all flooding back. I can't believe some of the things I witnessed. It's one thing if it was stories from the 1960s but this was the turn of the millennium.

Anyway, it seemed to be common knowledge that this boy had accused Ditcham of something, I don't know what, and that Ditcham had left soon after. The boy himself told anyone who would listen that Ditcham had done something to him. Absolutely no idea whether the alleged events and Ditcham's departure were connected. The boy was hounded by many; Ditcham was a popular teacher so pupils were angry at this boy for apparently causing his departure. Absolutely no statement was made within the school. He just suddenly left. But if anything happened to him as he alleged, it could go a great deal to explaining his later spiral.
Last edited by Otter on Tue Feb 19, 2019 9:19 am, edited 3 times in total.
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