Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

How many CH Masters owned cars in the immediate post war years I wonder?
In my day in the late nineteen forties I remember that Edward Malins had an Austin Ten? Registration No. AUE 132. A.H. Buck had a small Austin Seven. Did he not have an accident
in Streatham High Road when returning from an Amicables dinner in 1956?
The Headmaster HLOF had a rather rare vintage car the name of which escapes me. There was mention of this in The Blue from a preservation society at one time.
Jack Massen was I believe a great expert on all things pertaining to cars both mechanical and
otherwise, Teddy Edwards also had a car.
I remember the Editor of The Blue ,Christopher Nicholson, stating much later admittedly that he was the only member of staff who did not possess a car.
Chris Bartlett

I don't remember any cars at CH, during the war years --- but of course there was strict petrol rationing.

I do remember "Kappa" Sills, who walked in a peculiar manner, which gave rise to his rather cruel nickname, and which was much imitated.

The other thing, for which he is remembered, brought back instant memories to a group of OBs at the 60+ re-union, who, on a quote of the first line, sang together -------"Never mind the why and wherefore
I am Kappa Sills and therefore
You will learn a psalm by Saturday
And say it after Tea-----
For your Physics Prep on Wednesday night
Was N.-- V.---G ! "

This was, at the time, shortly after G & S's Trial by Jury, performed by the Grecians and Staff.

Amazing how some things stick in our memories -- even after some 65 yers !!!

The song "Never mind the why and wherefore" comes from "HMS PInafore" which was performed in the Prep.Hall for four nights in February 1943. There is an excellent review of the production
in "The Blue" for March/April 1943 by T.K. Mortimer-Booth.Two of the Masters' wives Mrs. Macnutt and Mrs. Johns played the roles of Josephine and Little Buttercup. A.C. Buxton Mid B, played Captain Corcoran and P.E. Scroggs Peele B, Ralph Rackstraw.
"Trial By Jury" was performed in June 1942 also in the Prep Hall. Mrs. Macnutt played the Plaintiff
Angelina. P.I. McDowall Barnes B, was the Defendant and R.P. Pitman Peele A, the Usher.
E.G. Gardner Lamb A, was the Judge and A.C. Buxton the Foreman of the Jury.
There was also a review in "The Blue" for June/July 1942.
I saw both shows.
Chris Bartlett

Kit Bartlett wrote: A.H. Buck had a small Austin Seven. Did he not have an accident
in Streatham High Road when returning from an Amicables dinner in 1956?

Yes, it was reported briefly in the national press, and he mentioned it in a letter to Blunden, published in "More Than a Brother".

He was summarily dismissed a few weeks later for something quite different (see various threads here), but his conviction for being drunk and disorderly was linked by innuendo to this incident to distract from the real grounds.

Thank you Chris !

Your memory is better than mine ---

Interesting topic for a Hertford Old Blue. In WW2 my mother held a Defence of the Realm driving licence and using this she used to drive to and from CH Horsham twice every day in order to transport the two Flecker daughters to and from St. George's school in Horsham (probably long gone) where she taught. It was learning about CH in that way which led her to want to put me forward for a presentation to the Foundation when the time came (mid 1950's). I mentioned this in a condolence letter to Mrs. Flecker, many years ago. She did not remember my mother per se but she did remember that the school sent a driver to take the girls to school and bring them home again.
I wonder how many of you saw my mum, long before I did?!

kerrensimmonds wrote:Interesting topic for a Hertford Old Blue. In WW2 my mother held a Defence of the Realm driving licence and using this she used to drive to and from CH Horsham twice every day in order to transport the two Flecker daughters to and from St. George's school in Horsham (probably long gone) where she taught. It was learning about CH in that way which led her to want to put me forward for a presentation to the Foundation when the time came (mid 1950's). I mentioned this in a condolence letter to Mrs. Flecker, many years ago. She did not remember my mother per se but she did remember that the school sent a driver to take the girls to school and bring them home again.
I wonder how many of you saw my mum, long before I did?!

Did a very brief computer search, Kerren and came up with zilch, so you're probably correct !

Well, we are talking 70 years ago, JR. And I believe that St. George's School in Horsham was already demised when my mother told me of the CH connection

Kit Bartlett wrote:How many CH Masters owned cars in the immediate post war years I wonder?
In my day in the late nineteen forties I remember that Edward Malins had an Austin Ten? Registration No. AUE 132. A.H. Buck had a small Austin Seven. Did he not have an accident
in Streatham High Road when returning from an Amicables dinner in 1956?
The Headmaster HLOF had a rather rare vintage car the name of which escapes me. There was mention of this in The Blue from a preservation society at one time.
Jack Massen was I believe a great expert on all things pertaining to cars both mechanical and
otherwise, Teddy Edwards also had a car.
I remember the Editor of The Blue ,Christopher Nicholson, stating much later admittedly that he was the only member of staff who did not possess a car.
Chris Bartlett

I am Brian Haynes....I started in Prep A Sept 1936....I remember a Mr Pink had an Austin, DXT 171..remembered probably because there were other masters with a colour for their name.. Mr Brown, Mr Black, Mr White, and also in the Prep, a Mr Green ! ! ! !
Mr Massen was my German subject master.. I eventually got a prize for that subject..maybe because I wrote the whole lot in Deutches Schrift..the German's own letter system.I learnt a lot from him about mechanics and much to HLOF's dismay decided I wanted to be an engineer ...I ended up a senior design engineer at REDIFON flight simulation ,in the days when computers had literally hundreds of wireless type valves....I was an electrical mechanic in combined ops RN which also helped...

Hi Bryan !

Since we were contemporary at CH,-- which House were you ? -- I am sure I remember a Haynes -- but where and when ????

Sorry Brian -- can't spell !!

J.R. wrote:

kerrensimmonds wrote:Interesting topic for a Hertford Old Blue. In WW2 my mother held a Defence of the Realm driving licence and using this she used to drive to and from CH Horsham twice every day in order to transport the two Flecker daughters to and from St. George's school in Horsham (probably long gone) where she taught. It was learning about CH in that way which led her to want to put me forward for a presentation to the Foundation when the time came (mid 1950's). I mentioned this in a condolence letter to Mrs. Flecker, many years ago. She did not remember my mother per se but she did remember that the school sent a driver to take the girls to school and bring them home again.
I wonder how many of you saw my mum, long before I did?!

Did a very brief computer search, Kerren and came up with zilch, so you're probably correct !

Might this be the St George's school in question? http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/user ... 7613.shtml

BLIMEY ! Thank you Eloise.
Roussel Sargent was my sister's godmother, and my mother had a lifelong fanaticism about us not eating ice cream in the street. I'd reckon you have found 'the' St. George's!

Hello.I am Brian Haynes.

I was at C.H. from Sept 1936 to Dec.1943..
I remember Mr Pink , a master in the prep, had an austen 10 reg.DXT171...
Why i should remember tis I don't know..
There is an association of ideas here. Other masters at that time were Mr Brown, Mr White, Mr Black and Mr Green....
My German subject master was Mr Massen. He taught me Deutches Schrift , old german writing.I eventually did my exams in this form
and actually had a school prize presented to me..
My english master Mr Wright I think it was, whom we called Brushey because of his large eyebrows,awarded me a prize for my writing which was a Conway Stewart fountain pen.....it's around her somewhere tucked away in a drawer!
Right opposite the Prep on a piece of waste ground was a wrecked car...Here Mr Avery from the manual school
carried on an extra curricular activity showing us how a car worked..
The school water supply came from under Sharpenhurst hill before it made it's way up the water tower to give us a constant head of pressure.
. that is another story but my physics master MrSills made
sure we knew how it worked. The electrical supply was generated from our boiler room using a compound steam engine.
The steam was used to heat the water for the lav.ends as well as do the cooking and drive the dynamos....yes DC supply .
I used it directly to power my home made wireless,which could very well still be under the now cased up emergency staircase in Peele A,
for I did'nt take it away when I left!!!

Buckie's car was a Ford, CYT 180, brush painted grass green so that he could sneak round Big Side and catch any Col Bs who were slacking at cricket. In summer he would lift up to 14, including one on his lap, to the baths for early bath in which he would join. All starkers of course.

Someone mentioned Trial by Jury. Malins (on piano) produced this as a Coleridge House Play with Colin Alves as the judge ca.1949.