BROADIE BUCKLES

Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else, but that's still CH related.

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postwarblue
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Post by postwarblue »

Back to thread!

In 1949 I moved up to the UF and was therefore entitled to wear a Broadie instead of the narrowie which was worn by LE and below (as an aside, bluecoats for LE had only come in the year before following wartime shortages).

Broadie buckles were in short supply but I was able to borrow from Gordon Peiser (CH 1933-1941[?]) who was maried to a cousin of mine. I fended off an attempt by another peculiarly nasty boy who was 'senior' to me in the house, and who was an inveterate bully, to say he should have it. After about a year Broadie buckles went on sale in the tuckshop at five shillings a time. All Broadie buckles were hallmarked silver at that time. So I was able to return Gordon's.

Both narrowies and broadies were replaced each year. The spare end of the narrowie after buckling was doubled back under and over the girdle and tucked back into the becket. The broadie had to be cut to length and a triangular hole made to take the frog of the buckle. The broadie was worn on the hip rather than at the waist.

In 1954 in my last term, as a Maths Grecian, my housemaster lent me a Travers buckle - much worn down even then - to replace my standard one. This was of course returned when I left.

I have a funny feeling that there was another odd buckle around but can't remember details or who wore it. People wearing two buckles seems to me completely new, like Grecians buttoning their cuffs (let alone the demise of safety pins for bands).

Some time ago in a museum in Brighton (if memory serves) had on show a silver buckle physically like a broadie buckle except that it was more ornate. I have long wondered whetehr this was an early CH broadie or whether the design was at some time in general use as an ordinary way of buckling a belt.

My own broadie buckle survives but whether it will be prized by those that come after is another matter!
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Great Plum
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Post by Great Plum »

That sounds very interesting...

what did the LE and below wear then at that time?
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DavebytheSea
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Post by DavebytheSea »

Great Plum wrote:That sounds very interesting...

what did the LE and below wear then at that time?
We wore a war time issue of a brown jacket and grey trousers. There are pictures on the forum, I think. If not, I will procure one and post it here.
David Eastburn (Prep B and Mid A 1947-55)
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postwarblue
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Post by postwarblue »

The narrowie did indeed look like a luggage strap and was I suppose about 3/4 the width of a broadie. The buckle was an ordinary steel one already fixed to the belt - hence the need to tuck back the loose end. If I can spot a pic of a junior wearing one I'll add a ref.
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Post by postwarblue »

The jacket and trousers - in my memory the shorts were dark brown corduroy. The jacket had a sort of check patetrn but not very obvious. Some boys wore other things that they had from home and in the Prep. some boys seemed to have been issued with a sort of battledress blouse in corduroy. It must have been a nightmare running the wardrobe in the war and the Socialist austerity after it.
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Great Plum
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Post by Great Plum »

That all sounds very different...
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postwarblue
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Post by postwarblue »

It was, dear, we had to sharpen our pencils with a piece of flint.
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postwarblue
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Post by postwarblue »

Great Plum, if you peer long and hard at

http://picasaweb.google.com/RJHGriffith ... 4410204274

this may answer your qn re the narrowie!
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Post by Ian Wheeler »

Hi everyone - first post!

When i started in 1980, 2nd formers wore their girdle with the buckle at the front. In the third form you wore the buckle at the back. We got our Broadies in the LE and I can remember Mr Grimshaw engraving them with our names in the Maine B day-room. I'm sure we wore them with the buckle somewhere round the back - it didn't matter where, just not at the front. I managed to keep mine until my last day at CH when it was stolen. I had to borrow another one for the leaving service and the retreat. It would be truly great to get it back if anyone should ever chance upon it however it was 20 years ago!
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Post by Great Plum »

Hi Ian,

welcome to the board...

What you describe was still happening in the 90's as well...
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Post by Angela Woodford »

I was very surprised that these buckles are so small. I thought they'd be much bigger!

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Post by DavebytheSea »

(Munch - what are you doing posting on here at 04:45 am?)
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I'm going through a wretched insomnia phase. I wake up at 03.00-ish and start worrying about things. I switch on the BBC World Service and all the atrocities on the radio make me even more worried! Hence, creeping down and connecting with the Forum...

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DavebytheSea
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Post by DavebytheSea »

DavebytheSea wrote:We wore a war time issue of a brown jacket and grey trousers. There are pictures on the forum, I think. If not, I will procure one and post it here.
Here, for example

http://www.chforum.info/pictures/brianl ... A-1949.jpg
David Eastburn (Prep B and Mid A 1947-55)
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Post by midget »

How cute!

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