Welcome to the unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum - for discussing everything CH/Old Blue related. All pupils, parents, families, staff, Old Blues and anyone else related to CH are welcome to browse the boards, register and contribute.
Share your memories and stories from the Hertford Christ's Hospital School, which closed in 1985, when the two schools integrated to the Horsham site....
Katharine wrote:Midget, as far as I can remember, Miss Mactier was there the whole time I was there. Can Alex or Mary remember who was in 7s when they started?
Miss Mc Tier WAS still housemistress of sevens when I started,Katharine.Always very smartly turned out with shoulders back,specs, impeccable hairstyle and inscrutably fierce looking.I think she left after my first year.
I'm pretty certain I met Lucy Dean at the Hertford Old Girls gathering at Horsham last year.
My memory is far from perfect so I do apologise if some of my recollections are mistaken or partly erroneous.
I think I'll ignore those boys ( being silly again)
Miss McTier was legendary, but it was actually Mrs Gillie (Ghillie?) who was House Mistress of Sevens in 1965 - and had been for some years I think. She was always very smarly dressed but was always remembered, particularly by my Dad, for her biscuits - he nearly broke his dentures on the ginger nut that accompanied the tea she gave him when he delivered me on my first day.
Mrs Gillie retired at the end of the first year, to be replaced by Mrs Browne, who I honestly can't remember that much about despite the fact she must have been there for at least 5 years but she also allowed us to watch TOTP on her televison.
She must have left around 1970/71 and Miss Egan took over. She was an ex-nun who had a thing about fire and unfortunately she arrived just as the power cuts started ( coal miners strike) and the entire place was lit by candles on a regular basis. It was not the ideal job for her! Don't think she stayed long.
Sorry - I am still finding my way round here! As I said in my last message, I don't get the opportunity to visit that often and with the variety of memories and messages here I am never too certain which topic to add my two penneth worth to!
Anyway it is good to re-establish contact with you again - and also with Alex, Gaye ( I always thought Gaye had such a lovely name - though quite understand why it might be difficult now) and also with Liz. Liz - I remember you so clearly and am really surprised that you were only there for 2 years.
Variety of memories brought back here are almost overwhelming - things I had totally forgetten about; things I never knew about whatsoever (there were so many of us in our year in Sevens that I think that maybe we were a little insular. Plus the fact - mentioned here somewhere - that "fraternising" between the houses was very definitely frowned on) Plus things that I remember very well indeed - Miss Jukes' recipes; the singing competition and the drama competition ( it was Sevens rather than Eights that did the controversial Midsummer Nights Dream. I was Pyramus, Deirdre Hobbs was Thisbe I think and Susan Foakes was the Wall - or was it the other way round?
Anyway - will do my best to contribute when I can from now on
Hi Juliane ! Lovely to hear from you...sorry I never replied to your last message...I probably just never found it again!
What a fab. married name you have!
Will write a longer message for you ( gotta go and meet my son, aged 14, from school as he wants to "go shopping" ie. waste loads of money) but for the moment I'll just ask...Did you ever realise your dream and live in America ? Are you still as fond of the USA ?
Alex - you are amazing. Not only do you remember my proper name, you spell it correctly as well!! Something Dot never managed to do. When I left, she spelt it differently in my Bible, prayer book and Holmes Principles of Physical Geology (Wilcox Gift for Geography - who exactly was Wilcox?!) And all three spellings were wrong. One of the reasons I reverted to plain old Julie.
And as for America - I think I wanted to be the first President of the USA didn't I? Never let it be said that CH didn't encourage our ambitions -even the slighty unrealistic ones!
No, sadly I never got to live there though have visited a number of times. My most "international" experience was 7 years in Aberdeen (which actually was quite international in terms of the variety of nationalities working in the oil industry there at the time - early 1980s) That was where I met my husband - Hope being a good old Glasgow name!
Really good to hear from you - hope the shopping trip isn't too expensive and look forward to catching up with you
jhope wrote:Alex - you are amazing. Not only do you remember my proper name, you spell it correctly as well!! Something Dot never managed to do. When I left, she spelt it differently in my Bible, prayer book and Holmes Principles of Physical Geology (Wilcox Gift for Geography - who exactly was Wilcox?!) And all three spellings were wrong. One of the reasons I reverted to plain old Julie.
And as for America - I think I wanted to be the first President of the USA didn't I? Never let it be said that CH didn't encourage our ambitions -even the slighty unrealistic ones!
No, sadly I never got to live there though have visited a number of times. My most "international" experience was 7 years in Aberdeen (which actually was quite international in terms of the variety of nationalities working in the oil industry there at the time - early 1980s) That was where I met my husband - Hope being a good old Glasgow name!
Really good to hear from you - hope the shopping trip isn't too expensive and look forward to catching up with you
Julie (Bennett) Sevens 65-72
I ended up living just outside Philadelphia for 4 years. But I had been planning on doinfg a VW trip round the world with Caroline Holbert and Jo Russell when we were 15.
I remember Judy Furnival wanted to be Prime Minister. I see from FRU that she is a social worker.
I did email her but had no reply.
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
englishangel wrote:I remember Judy Furnival wanted to be Prime Minister. I see from FRU that she is a social worker.
I did email her but had no reply.
Judy is one of the juniors that I do clearly remember - sassy, forthright and unputdownable ( not a word, but you know what I mean) - probably an excellent social worker, but what a loss to active politics !
I remember when she had appendicitis - we practically had to strap her down to get her to hospital - no way was she prepared to accept that she was actually ill ! A lovely and very, very interesting girl ...
Hertford - 5s/2s - 63-70
" I wish I were what I was when I wanted to be what I am now..."
englishangel wrote:I remember Judy Furnival wanted to be Prime Minister. I see from FRU that she is a social worker.
Judy could successfully argue that black was white (and this was before Miss Mercer's Logic classes) and yes, she did want to be first woman PM. In fact thinking back I am amazed how politically aware we all were - fighting for the Times and the Telegraph in the Library. (I loved that place - my favourite spot in the entire School)
I have vague memories of a group of us being allowed to help the local Tory MP (Lord Balneil?) during a general election (was there one @ 1970?) and I definitely remember being allowed to go to the declaration of the results at the Corn Exchange the night of the election - which must have been quite late and therefore quite a concession that we were allowed out.
jhope wrote:Judy could successfully argue that black was white (and this was before Miss Mercer's Logic classes) and yes, she did want to be first woman PM. (Bennett - Sevens 65-72)
She is obviously well qualified to achieve her ambition.
Still haven't got time for a "proper" post. This is just to say that I agree with all the praise heaped on Judy Furnival ( didn't she have a brother at Housey?). Pity she didn't go into politics ( or maybe she did?).
I remember going with her and a group of us to hear Shirley Williams speak at the local secondary school, around the time of the Schools Report by Lady Plowden ( what a disaster those well-meaning ideas turned out to be!).Anyhow Judy was really excited and we may have even had the chance to ask questions?
I saw young Shirley W. on the news tonight re: the Lib.Dem. new leader and thought of Judy who had such a distinctive "elfin" face I'm quite sure I would recognise her today !
Re: Miss Mercer and the wrong syllabus. Now you mention it I do recall something vague....... I don't know who the mysterious "other" teacher was though?
Miss Farrow taught us "The Great Powers in the Far East" for A level.I still amaze people with the odd stray fact I suddenly know about the Shoguns!
....obscure knowledge that ranks alongside Logic "O" level.Commander Perry...1843...was it?
