Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Funny how this topic has digressed to chapel!
I was just going to share a brief but odd experience I had the other day with a member of staff. It was during a routine band parade, and I had to go to the MLD on the top floor of the maths block. I crossed the path of the band perhaps a bit too closely, as they were coming towards me, and an older member of staff went out of his way to walk over to me and ask me what on earth I was doing, crossing the path of the band during the parade. I responded, probably overly frustratedly, "How else was I meant to get to the maths block by 1:25? Using the tube?"
Of course, I said this in order to state clearly that I had no option but to walk across the path at that moment (well, I could've used the quad, in front of the whole school...), but as soon as I mentioned 'tube,' this member of staff went purple, and looked at me as if I was insulting him; or as if I knew something that they didn't, and as if he wanted to shoot me in the face, and walked away subconsciously clenching his fists!

.... so back to the Tube.

I distinctly remember, (probably 1958/1959), when I was still in Prep B, on a rainy morning, we were all told that the Tube was out-of-bounds, no matter what the weather.

It transpired that one of the 'bockers' had decided that enough was enough, and suspended himself by his neck to the over-head pipes.

The bocker in question was always a bit of 'strange' character. In hind-sight he always reminded me, (before his death), of a character from a Stephen King type novel. Or, the 'Tall Man', in the 'Phantasm' movies.

Ring any bells with any-one ??

It transpired that one of the 'bockers' had decided that enough was enough, and suspended himself by his neck to the over-head pipes.

That's amazing that the word 'bocker' has been going on so long! I only though it was a recent thing to complement their everincreasing rudeness, impatience, and lack of ability to either understand or speak English.
PS most of them are perfectly nice; although I'm sure everyone will agree that there are always the same few who seem to enjoy being grumpy towards the pupils, even those who ask politely.

and lack of ability to either understand or speak English

Is CH using immigrant labour these days? In the G.O.D. all we had to cope with was a broad Sussex accent, eminently speakable and understandable.

Is CH using immigrant labour these days? In the G.O.D. all we had to cope with was a broad Sussex accent, eminently speakable and understandable.

When I was there many of the bockers seemed to come from Newcastle or Liverpool... not quite the level of immigration you are thinking of, I'm sure, but some of the broader accents took a bit of getting used to!

jfdawson wrote:

Is CH using immigrant labour these days? In the G.O.D. all we had to cope with was a broad Sussex accent, eminently speakable and understandable.

When I was there many of the bockers seemed to come from Newcastle or Liverpool... not quite the level of immigration you are thinking of, I'm sure, but some of the broader accents took a bit of getting used to!

Then, we did have a number who came from South Africa - one of them was a trained accountant but was earning 3 times his salary here by serving meals than being an accountant in Jo'burg!

Then, we did have a number who came from South Africa - one of them was a trained accountant but was earning 3 times his salary here by serving meals than being an accountant in Jo'burg!

I remember that dinnerman, his name was Matthew Theron.

There were plenty of immigrant staff in the kitchens in the 60's !

Mainly Spanish or Italian.

One real stunner was getting a regular 'seeing-to' by one of the Col B Grecians, who shall remain nameless ! (No ! It wasn't me. I never stayed long enough to get all those buttons !!)

Lamma looker wrote:

and lack of ability to either understand or speak English

Is CH using immigrant labour these days? In the G.O.D. all we had to cope with was a broad Sussex accent, eminently speakable and understandable.

Only a year or two after you we had Italian (male) and Finnish (v e r y female) kitchen staff.
Surprisingly there were no instructions to us about fraternising. I suppose they realised that any attempt would be no more use than hot air.

tbs wrote:

Then, we did have a number who came from South Africa - one of them was a trained accountant but was earning 3 times his salary here by serving meals than being an accountant in Jo'burg!

I remember that bocker, his name was Matthew Theron.

That;s right - his missus was called Angie...

Anyone remember Luigi (I think that's his name - the Italian guy in the kitchens who has been around for ever) - Apparently he's retiring/ leaving at the end of the term...

And it's good to see that 'bullet proof glasses' Jon is still around...

Luigi known as Mario / Super Mario when I was there
1 of the catering people bought a packet of fags off me on my UF!

And it's good to see that 'bullet proof glasses' Jon is still around...

You've got to be joking!!! what about the geordie who was mad about Newcastle utd. I forgot his name but Frank Pattison was always chatting football with him.

I remember that a fairly attractive bocker turned up on my Grecians (96/97) does anyone remember and were there any tales of inappropriateness?

what about the geordie who was mad about Newcastle utd. I forgot his name but Frank Pattison was always chatting football with him.

I certainly remember him! I think he was called Dean, although I might be mistaken. I know that he always called both me and my sister "Sheffield" because we were/are Sheffield Wednesday supporters... which always sounded a bit strange in a strong Geordie accent! I often talked football with him too, and also played football (5-a-side) with him a few times... he wasn't at all bad considering his size!

jfdawson wrote:

what about the geordie who was mad about Newcastle utd. I forgot his name but Frank Pattison was always chatting football with him.

I certainly remember him! I think he was called Dean, although I might be mistaken. I know that he always called both me and my sister "Sheffield" because we were/are Sheffield Wednesday supporters... which always sounded a bit strange in a strong Geordie accent! I often talked football with him too, and also played football (5-a-side) with him a few times... he wasn't at all bad considering his size!

Dean also had a couple of greyhounds I think...

menace wrote:

Simon Kerruish wrote:

menace wrote:Personally I remember having to use the tunnels to get into Hall in really bad weather. They were preferable in some ways to the more mundane march in. They were actually very practical from that point of view, and what the hell did anyone know about asbestos back then? Dank and smelly and usually wet floors.

BTW the school has a long tradition of chemical jokes. In my day the science crowd would mix up some elixir that would explode when put on hot radiators after a short delay. Scared the bejeezus (originally typed something else there) out of whoever was walking past at the time.

Hello Southern California - bet your weather is better than the East Coast; here in Virginia it's snowing up a storm at the moment. School canceled - never seemed to happen at CH.

We used the tube/tunnels for the same purpose and as you say asbestos was no more than a question on a test paper at the time. Maybe my tube exploring accounts for my gout attacks - they are caused by asbestos and not by port, right?

Hello East Coast - today is beautiful, sunny, blue skies etc. But we have just had as much rain in a month as the UK gets in a year. This after 5 years of drought. What does a financial genius do? I'm not one, but spend all my time deciding how much money companies should be loaned.
Tubes were always a magnet for the most nefarious operators and made a great conduit for clandestine movement. They are right about the night watchman, who could always spring a surprise on the careless.

Financial wizard, not genius. I wave my magic wand and another country defaults and we all write of 2 grillion dollars and then go and do it all again. Plus ca change, just like the rain on Sunday afternoons at CH. Talking of which, it's raining here in NY, unfortunately didn't do that last Thursday during the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Sorry, bad day at the office - I'll go and find a furry animal to kick. Aaaargh!