Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH Forum)

Share your memories and stories from the Hertford Christ's Hospital School, which closed in 1985, when the two schools integrated to the Horsham site....

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by Angela Woodford »

Angela Pratt 56-63 wrote:No, Neill - not all of us have awful memories of our time at Hertford. Of course life wasn't perfect - is is at school anywhere? I loved my years there,appreciating the closeness to friends and what I felt were the good intentions of DR and the rest of the staff. Yes, the school was old fashioned(not suprising in 400 years...) and I didn't agree with all other opinions especially staff but does any schoolgirl or boy!
I'm not saying i don't doubt other people's experiences, but I do feel they give a distorted view of life at Hertford. Hey, aren't there any other people out there who could contribute their memories and express their feelings?
There are loads of happy and funny memories throughout Hertford Memories - but why not begin a new dedicated Happy Hertford thread? This particular HHHH thread doesn't seem the right place for the good stuff...
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
sejintenej
Button Grecian
Posts: 4092
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:19 pm
Real Name: David Brown ColA '52-'61
Location: Essex

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by sejintenej »

anniexf wrote: There must be thousands of Hertford OBs out there; why so few here? Most people have access to the internet now so one might be forgiven for thinking that anyone who had the "Hertford experience" would want to reminisce, whether in a pro- or anti- sense, with fellow OBs. Odd that; even my old primary school has more former-pupil members than Hertford does. There are even 5 from my final year class. None here from my Hertford year!
Theories, anyone?
The same goes for CH boys. Of the 52 in Col A at any one time and over a period of 7 years I only know of 2 who have joined the Forum (one a long time ago who has never posted but did send me a PM plus one new joiner) and someone has pointed to the YouTube film when a different Col A boy from my era gave his recollections. That is almost 3% of the possibles. I know one died a year back and I acknowledge that with noms-de-plume there may be others. Of non-subscribers I know of one in Dublin, two in the northeast states of the USA, and one in Auckland, NZ and one of the subscribers is in occasional touch with someone else. There is certainly no "old boys network" relating to Col A.
As Hiner (?sp) said, being there was a question of survival - you showed no emotion and you made no friends in case that was seen as a weakness to be exploited against you.
Theories: bitterness? relief at having escaped? new interests? the bitterly cold reception given at the CH Club when it existed? the endless begging? intimidation when hearing of the exploit of the few? each person will have their own reason
Kim2s70-77
Grecian
Posts: 659
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:02 pm
Real Name: Kim Elizabeth Roe (nee Langdon)

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by Kim2s70-77 »

In spite of some negative situations that I have shared on different threads - I had a WONDERFUL experience overall at CH!! I am immensely grateful for the opportunity and really enjoyed myself, most of the time. It was hard to adjust, after leaving, to the anonymity of life - and not being accounted for every minute of the day - and dumb choices were made as a result - but I would not have exchanged the overall experience for ANYTHING!!
Vonny
Button Grecian
Posts: 1625
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 7:33 pm
Real Name: Yvonne Payne

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by Vonny »

I wouldn't say I hated Hertford - yes there were bits I hated but overall I can't say it was that bad. I did prefer Horsham though and if I could do it all again I would definitely choose Horsham over Hertford. I feel quite lucky to have experienced both schools.
2's 1981-1985 2:12 BaB 1985-1988 BaB 41
Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

Re: Hey hey, we're the Monkees!

Post by Angela Woodford »

englishangel wrote:
Angela Woodford wrote:
Angela Woodford wrote:The fun-loving,wacky tune-filled TV-show-world of the Monkees!

Even in our sealed world, the craze had reached us! I was in the LV at the time - that must have been 1967? Most afflicted were the LIV.

The Monkees were an American manufactured group, put together in a Dick Lesterish sort of way. It must have been a srt of apres Hard Days Night US answer to the Beatles. There was lugubrious Mike Naismith, always wearing a woolly hat; slightly Scandinavian Peter Tork the blonde one; Davey Jones, cute and dark, the little English one from Lytham St Annes, and Mickey Dolenz, slightly familiar from being in an American series called "Circus Boy", in which he rode weekly on an elephant. Only now he was bigger and had swapped the elephant for doing a group walk, down the street, getting the funniest looksfrom, everyone they might meet! Hey hey! etc.

Week after week, the foursome rescued each other from floods, appeared to not be able to make the gig on time, fell in love with the same beautiful girl. did speeded up antics on beaches - sometimes with surfboards involved.

We in the LV had sufficiently abandoned our more senior dignity to pin up the centrefold from Rave Magazine

etc., etc......

And now, girls, it's The Monkees revisited!

Turn on your trannies to Radio 4 at 1030hrs on Saturday for reminiscences of those fabulous days!
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Yet another example of how the English language has changed. That is shorthand for transistor radio, for the younger ones.

Davy Jones has died! Oh, what an unexpected pang.... to see pictures of the fun, zany totally manufactured group.... remembering being fourteen again!

RIP, Davy!
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
fra828
Grecian
Posts: 547
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:54 pm
Location: Bournemouth

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by fra828 »

I remember going to buy the Monkees single 'I'm a Believer' for a friend's 11th birthday in 1967, and playing it over and over before I gave it to her! I was always being told I looked like Peter Tork both at primary school and when I arrived at CH in September 1967-wasn't sure to take it as a compliment as I was an 11year old girl! :lol: RIP Davy Jones .
Angela Pratt 56-63
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 287
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:11 pm
Real Name: Angela Sandford

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by Angela Pratt 56-63 »

Yes prefects were very select but they only had very ordinary modern yellow metal badges. It was the mons who had the fabulous ancient large silver badges with Edward 6ths head on them. They took a lot of careful polishing!
I was made a ward 8 mon inthe summer term of lower 6th with Sarah West(upper 6th) when the two 3rd year 6th mons left. It was horribly embarassing as the other upper 6th girl in 8's(Sheila Field) was ignored and she had been a pleasant friend, and was very upset as being considered not worthy...( We had all presumed that the 2 of them as our seniors would automatically take over as mons.)Neither the house mistress or D.R. had warned us and I will never forget the moment D.R. announced it at the end of term Assembly. Everyone turned round to stare at Sheila and I sitting one behind the other. However Sheila and all 8's were very supportive of me and when the next year I was mon with Sarah Ram in upper sixth it was all much better.
Katharine
Button Grecian
Posts: 3285
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:44 pm
Real Name: Katharine Dobson
Location: Gwynedd

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by Katharine »

Angela Pratt 56-63 wrote:Yes prefects were very select but they only had very ordinary modern yellow metal badges. It was the mons who had the fabulous ancient large silver badges with Edward 6ths head on them. They took a lot of careful polishing!
I think the yellow badges you are thinking of were the Posture Badges. The Prefects' Badges were tie pins with the CH crest in enamel. I can remember asking Claire Roper Power where she had got her tie pin before I realised its significance! (My Papa had a table napkin ring with a similar enamel crest and I thought it would be nice to get him a new crest!)

Sometime after you left, Angela, the old Edward VI Mons' badges were replaces with newer ones which weren't polished, but matt. There were rather more of them than the original ones.
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
kerrensimmonds
Button Grecian
Posts: 9395
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:34 pm
Real Name: Kerren Simmonds
Location: West Sussex

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by kerrensimmonds »

I still have my 'P' badge, for posture. Ho Ho!

Sadly, the silver KEV1 Mons badges were dissipated after Hertford moved to Horsham in 1985. There were 36 of them and they were subsequently given out as prizes until there was only one left - and that was presented as a brooch to the wife of the retiring Headmaster of the time. She still has it and has indicated that it is willed back to the Foundation. Despite the angst and the Museum's endeavours, this is as far as we have gone thus far with regard to retrieving at least one of those iconic badges. I even have a photograph of me wearing one. Wonder where that one is now....????
Kerren Simmonds
5's and 2's Hertford, 1957-1966
User avatar
J.R.
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15835
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:53 pm
Real Name: John Rutley
Location: Dorking, Surrey

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by J.R. »

fra828 wrote:I remember going to buy the Monkees single 'I'm a Believer' for a friend's 11th birthday in 1967, and playing it over and over before I gave it to her! I was always being told I looked like Peter Tork both at primary school and when I arrived at CH in September 1967-wasn't sure to take it as a compliment as I was an 11year old girl! :lol: RIP Davy Jones .


I even remember him in a juvenile role in Corenation Street. Ena Sharples Grand-Son ??

He was also quite an accomplished jockey !

(showing my age again !!)
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
Angela Pratt 56-63
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 287
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:11 pm
Real Name: Angela Sandford

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by Angela Pratt 56-63 »

Katharine wrote:
Angela Pratt 56-63 wrote:Yes prefects were very select but they only had very ordinary modern yellow metal badges. It was the mons who had the fabulous ancient large silver badges with Edward 6ths head on them. They took a lot of careful polishing!
I think the yellow badges you are thinking of were the Posture Badges. The Prefects' Badges were tie pins with the CH crest in enamel. I can remember asking Claire Roper Power where she had got her tie pin before I realised its significance! (My Papa had a table napkin ring with a similar enamel crest and I thought it would be nice to get him a new crest!)

Sometime after you left, Angela, the old Edward VI Mons' badges were replaces with newer ones which weren't polished, but matt. There were rather more of them than the original ones.

Had thought posture badges were similar but different colour, but I'm sure your're right, MRI brain scan has just revealed slight brain shrinkage for memory so please be wary of any of my memories on this website!
anniexf
Button Grecian
Posts: 1898
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:29 pm
Real Name: Ann Wilkinson 8s
Location: England

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by anniexf »

Angela Pratt 56-63 wrote:
MRI brain scan has just revealed slight brain shrinkage for memory
Seriously, Angela? Nothing too problematic, I hope.
Angela Pratt 56-63
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 287
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:11 pm
Real Name: Angela Sandford

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by Angela Pratt 56-63 »

No, only minor. I'd been having some funny momentary fizzy turns which left me feeling confused, but MRI scans and heart monitoring tests have eliminated anything awful,though heart beat is apparently a bit irregular too. I was just a bit concerned as my mother had multi-infarct dementia for nearly 10 years. Also my "baby" sister Charlotte is a geriatric consultant and has advised us all (7 old blues - is that a record?) to always get anything checked, as early diagnosis of anything as you get older can help delay or reduce it....!
anniexf
Button Grecian
Posts: 1898
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:29 pm
Real Name: Ann Wilkinson 8s
Location: England

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by anniexf »

I'm glad you've got that sorted, Angela - your little sister gives good advice!
Katharine
Button Grecian
Posts: 3285
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:44 pm
Real Name: Katharine Dobson
Location: Gwynedd

Re: Hertford hygeine, hierarchies and heartache (from CH For

Post by Katharine »

Angela Pratt 56-63 wrote:No, only minor. I'd been having some funny momentary fizzy turns which left me feeling confused, but MRI scans and heart monitoring tests have eliminated anything awful,though heart beat is apparently a bit irregular too. I was just a bit concerned as my mother had multi-infarct dementia for nearly 10 years. Also my "baby" sister Charlotte is a geriatric consultant and has advised us all (7 old blues - is that a record?) to always get anything checked, as early diagnosis of anything as you get older can help delay or reduce it....!
Glad to hear that all is well.

Don't know whether 7 siblings is a record - how many Wanseys were there? I know of 5 - three girls, Rosemary, Libby and Heather and twin boys but there may have been more!
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
Post Reply