Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I might have put this up before, but I have a small booklet compiled by in 1944 by Members of Upper Fourth Form A (1943 - 44), with 21 compilers including the likes of B.E.Magee.

On page 24 they concocted a list of wants as follows:

The Quarter Mile bordered on both sides, and its whole length with masses of crocuses.
A hostel near the School where parents and O.B.'s might stay.
A guest-room in the school precincts, where boys might entertain their visitors.
Drinking water on Big Side.
A kiosk on Big Side for the sale of drinks, sweets and confectionery.
A clock in the Water Tower with faces large enough to be visible from all parts of the grounds.
The inclusion of Shelley Woods in bounds
A squash court
More covered fives courts.

I know the last two were rectified in the 1960's, but wonder how many would still enter in a list of "Wanted" and what would a new list look like?

Some interestring requests,

John

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Given the schools current 'ethos' and 'need' to gain even more income, I find it highly unlikely that any of the remainder would be given consideration.

But have any of the others been completed, eg, Drinking water on Big side?

J.R. wrote:Some interestring requests,

John

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Given the schools current 'ethos' and 'need' to gain even more income, I find it highly unlikely that any of the remainder would be given consideration.

Mrs C or, Howard ? Care to comment ?

Was Shelley Wood completely out of Bounds at the time ? I recall going there for a picnic with my visiting parents in 1942.
At least no-one apprehended us !
The trees or most of them were cut down and the wood presumably used for other purposes. Certainly the School Cadet forces
used to go there for training exercises. Is or was this area owned by the school ?

As far as I know, Shelley Woods was (were?) in bounds when I came in 54. We certainly spent a lot of time damming the stream and then blowing it up with fireworks.

Some time back there was a thread on the School Rule Book c. late nineteen thirties. Did this contain a list of places that were out of bounds ? I seem to remember that the Bird Sanctuary on Big Side, near the cricket pavilion had a large notice at the entrance. Also the area behind the Wardrobe at the back of Dining Hall was out of bounds.

My understanding was that anywhere outside the ring fence (Post Office to the railway bridge, the road from Pos office to the main gate and hence round was out of bounds (with certain places inside that circle also banned. The road to the swimming pool was out of bounds unless you had a valid reason to go there. Erego Shelley's wood (and the road to it were out of bounds.

I know you had to have permission to go to the farm to fish in the pond

I recall that the Bird Sanctuary was out of bounds, but where did "Out of Bounds" start if one continued out past the Old First XV rugby pitch?

I don't ever remember anybody strictly observing the out of bounds rules in may day.

You just took your chance.

The School Rules booklet, 1960 edition, which I have in front of me (so it's not just vague memory), has a whole section:

C - Bounds

It is three pages long, and article 1 states 'The Ring Fence marks the general limit of Bounds'. Article 2 states that 'boys require the permission of a master to go out of Bounds'.
The rest of the section deals with exceptions. Some places outside the Ring Fence are in Bounds 'when boys are required to attend' (e.g. Armoury, Swimming Pool, Gymnasium). Conversely some places inside the Ring Fence are out of Bounds, either 'normally' (e.g. kitchens, estate buildings, all lawns, centre part of house blocks, Bird Sanctuary), or 'except at proper times' (e.g. Big School, classroom blocks, Dining Hall, Tube).

The other booklet referred to by John Hopgood was, I think, called 'Housey'. Under Gad Malins' tutelage, we spent a lot of our UF year in English updating it, only to be told at the start of the GE year by David Jesson Dibley that nothing would come of our updating, because very soon the whole school was to be changed radically. That was the first we heard of senior and junior houses. (Some of our updating was not all that serious: I spent one school period with Mike Pitcher climbing Sharpenhurst to assess the necessary size of the suggested Water Tower clock for it to be seen from the summit.)

I spent quite a bit of time in the armoury, ('legally', I should add, during CCF days).

R.S.M. 'Squeaky' Cooke being the man in charge. Taught some of us to strip and re-assemble both the Sten gun and the Bren gun. Something I became proficient at, though I could'nt manage it today at speed with my gnarled hands !

J.R. wrote:I spent quite a bit of time in the armoury, ('legally', I should add, during CCF days).

R.S.M. 'Squeaky' Cooke being the man in charge. Taught some of us to strip and re-assemble both the Sten gun and the Bren gun. Something I became proficient at, though I could'nt manage it today at speed with my gnarled hands !

I only remember seeing the Sten gun once, used the Bren on the ranges and of course the Lee Enfield 303. Also, on one occasion a MOBAT which used a Bren for sighting in. Since then things like the International 4 and various Anschutz models. Not sure which hand guns I tried but never too interested in them.