Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Probably the best Speaker in our lifetime* (even better than Betty Boothroyd). Someone has to enforce the constitution, and clearly the PM doesn't seem minded to. It is of course open to parliament to change a 400-year-old rule (which everyone agrees is there for a good reason), but the Rule of Law ...

I didn't know that Johnny was a Mason. The only staff member who I knew for certain was one was Dr Scott, because his son (who was in ThB) used to regale us with tales of the various altars he would set up. Was Rae a Mason? I ask because he, like Johnny, was one of those who carried Mrs Scott's coff...

I remember my father once instructing me that all Clark(e)s were 'Nobby' just as all Wilsons were 'Tug' (and, for more obvious reasons, all Whites were 'Chalky' and all Millers were 'Dusty'). My contact with serious cricket at the Redcoats school was nil, though for some reason I do remember Len Bat...

I can vouch for the fact that Doc M did in fact say this (and although I only heard him say it once, obviously, I gather it was one of his standard lines.)

Samuel Pepys witnessed the execution of Major-General Harrison: 'I went out to Charing Cross to see Major General Harrison hanged, drawn, and quartered; which was done there, he looking as cheerful as any man could in that condition.' Harrison made a speech saying he would soon be sitting on the rig...

Mention has been made of Reggie Dean and how he rarely attended Common Room functions. I know that his first wife died in 1941 They had several children of whom Christopher Dean (MA 41-51) was I believe their eldest. I know that he married again and had at least one further child. He was I remember...

What is primitive about animism? It was believed in by the Romans whose culture we were taught to respect, and in the form of Shinto, by most Japanese, whose civilization seems quite advanced. Incidentally I have no objection to Sheldrake's views whatever. My problem all along is that the ones he is...

If health be the problem methinks our ancestors had the right idea. As was normal it was Oliver Cromwell's corpse which was unearthed and placed in the dock for his trial. Not too sure how they would hve carried out the second part of hung, drawn and quartered. Methinks sejintenej errs in this matt...

all a bit embarrassing but after all we swam and had swimming lessons naked so why not? To quote and misquote Ecclesiastes: To every thing there is a season. A time to be naked and a time to be clothed. I frequent a nude beach (in summer). I live in Germany so this is not particularly eccentric. Bu...

On various things... Even the most distinguished scientists, when they depart from their own field, can say some very strange things. Often these are interesting speculation, such as Sir Fred Hoyle's hypothesis that many diseases come from space (Fred was a physicist who specialized in stellar evolu...

Dear Michael, Thank-you for kick-starting the debate! There is a long tradition of hostility to ideas that don't conform to established wisdom. Nevertheless original thinkers persevere in the face of such hostility. You state your opinion that 'environmentalism should be mainstream'. Some would say...

Dear Christy Many thanks for taking the trouble to reply with such a courteous note. My main point is that environmentalism should be mainstream, and you have introduced two elements which are decidedly not. I really don't think you can any longer divorce the word 'Gaia' from Lovelock himself, or fr...

I note from the CHOBA newsletter that there is to be an Environment Week at CH. Nothing against that whatever. But 'Gaia Week'? And then an invitation to Rupert Sheldrake? Okay, I've nothing against strange views, and as long as they're not malevolent, I wouldn't want to silence them. But if you wan...

'Brexit', or the restoring of the constitutional independence of the UK to how it was before 17th October 1972, Ah yes, before 17th October 1972. When there were no home computers, when there was no internet, when a phone call to Germany (from the UK) had to be booked an hour in advance and cost a ...

Phew, ‘What would Seaman have done?’ post. Back on form, JR. What he did do before retiring. Losing dead wood and decaying branches. I'm now so glad I went when I did before the onset of namby-pamby HM's who allowed chaos to rein with pervie staff employed. Both Webb & Burr were there when I starte...