Desks

[MKM]

The rules said that fountain pens and wrist watches had to be engraved with our names, but didn't specify exactly how. My mother, being hard-up and resourceful, scratched my initials onto my pen herself.

[Pixie]

Marion Richardson is the loopy cursive script we were all taught. You can download it as a font. It certainly isn't italic. I was taught italic (with a dippy pen) at primary school and then of course had to switch at CH. I can still do italic, though my handwriting now is very Marion Richardson.

I was taught italic at primary school and I don't remember being taught any other form of handwriting whilst at CH, and I was in the same year as you EA. I continued with my italic script, although it became a little corrupted due to the necessity of speed writing, and it's much the same today.

[michael scuffil]

Marion Richardson is the loopy cursive script we were all taught. You can download it as a font. It certainly isn't italic. I was taught italic (with a dippy pen) at primary school and then of course had to switch at CH. I can still do italic, though my handwriting now is very Marion Richardson.

For me it was exactly the reverse. I had to do "copperplate" at primary school, then at CH found I could write how I liked, so I changed to italic, which was the flavour of the month, and also what you were taught if you were sent to "writing classes". These were run by the inimitable Nell Todd. Italic was hated by several members of the staff (notably MacNutt), but clearly they had been told that this was not their province.

Were you in the Golden Pen competition?
Geoff Neuss won it in my time, but I have no idea whether it still exists.
Dennis Childs started using brown ink, which he had made up by the minimum quantity, a pint.
Other Barnes B colleagues wrote in green or red ink.
No complaints, as far as I know.

Brown ink was famously used for public notices, especially in his capacity as Editor of The Outlook, by Sebastian Carter (PeA), who has run the Rampant Lions Press in Cambridge for years and writes books on typography [perhaps all that should be in the past tense, he must be getting on]. I was inspired by him to take it up, and I still use it. For a while in the 70s I had trouble getting it, but for the past 20 years it seems to have been back in fashion. I was once entered for the Golden Pen competition by ALJohnstone, who was form master of the Mod Lang Deps. He didn't like my writing or my ink, but thought it would go down well with Nell Todd (I didn't win).

[michael scuffil]

Did you really learn copperplate, Michael? Marvellous! It looks so beautiful. Have you retained the style?

My copperplate never looked beautiful, and I abandoned it a few weeks after arriving at CH and realizing no one cared what style of handwriting I had. For years I wrote a rather stilted italic, but my present handwriting is basically Carolingian minuscule with a bit of extra inspiration from Arthur Baker. Who he? He was responsible for the Riverdance logo, which you probably know, and has written works on calligraphy.

[englishangel]

Marion Richardson is the loopy cursive script we were all taught. You can download it as a font. It certainly isn't italic. I was taught italic (with a dippy pen) at primary school and then of course had to switch at CH. I can still do italic, though my handwriting now is very Marion Richardson.

I was taught italic at primary school and I don't remember being taught any other form of handwriting whilst at CH, and I was in the same year as you EA. I continued with my italic script, although it became a little corrupted due to the necessity of speed writing, and it's much the same today.

I don't think we were actually taught Marion Richardson, it is what my italic script developed into without an italic nib.

[gma]

My copperplate never looked beautiful, and I abandoned it a few weeks after arriving at CH and realizing no one cared what style of handwriting I had. For years I wrote a rather stilted italic, but my present handwriting is basically Carolingian minuscule with a bit of extra inspiration from Arthur Baker. Who he? He was responsible for the Riverdance logo, which you probably know, and has written works on calligraphy.

I am suddenly struck by how completely fabulous it is, to be associated with a person who is actually able to name the various stages of the development of their writing style (!!) and that luscious 'well, we're all very educated people' inference encompassed in the 'which you probably know' - Michael, you're lovely!!

[Angela Woodford]

I've had to write several letters of condolence this year.

I'm going to change my ways. I realised that the letters, in a beastly biro, just didn't look good enough or express the respect and regret that I was feeling. I began petioning Santa for a fountain pen for Christmas. A sigh here, an irritated sniff there, a few heavy hints...

I cast my mind back to the best fountain pen I ever had. I was twelve years old, and my pride-and-joy pen had a hooded nib that never scratched and produced a perfect flow of ink. What would it have been? A search online showed the vintage bestsellers Parker 51 or 61. My pen was just the right size for my young hand, so I think it might have been a "ladies" version, dutifully engraved with my name as per the School Rules. I have read that these pens were incredibly popular.

Now I've had a look about to see if Parker still make a pen with a hooded nib - or if any manufacturer does? I did think that a bit more hinting might inspire my own Santa to find a vintage pen online, but I wouldn't know if the pen felt just right or if the nib was ideal...

I wish I could see a specimen of Michael's Carolingean miniscule. Elegant or what? Impressive!

It's amazing that when I think back to the schoolfriends I knew 40 years ago, I can also remember their handwriting.

[Angela Woodford]

Found!

Online - I found a new-and-vintage fountain pen supplier! There it is. The "ladies" size is called "demi" and it is a black and silver Parker 51 from 1950, but up-to-date-serviced.

Amazing. It's enough to make me want to write my thank-you letters immediately. Now, there's a challenge... what about the exact colour of ink and the acquisition of some superb white writing paper with tissue-lined envelopes?

I was also visited by a horrible memory of 111', when one of the Sylvester Twins' red plaits got "accidentally" dipped into the inkwell behind....

[fra828]

I remember friends' handwriting too. Marcia B had especially lovely writing, medium-size, very even and neat, flowing, I can see it now in blue ink (for some reason!)! Gel- pens seem to be popular now, but not good on all textures of paper.

[englishangel]

There is a new book out this year called "Just my type" a book about fonts by Simon Garfield which came out in October. Simon was on simon Mayo's radio show the other day talking about it and it sounded just right for a Christmas gift for folks on here.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_ ... n+garfield

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

From a Male point of view -------- My elder Son (57 !) has the most beautiful Italic handwriting. Taught at his School, in South Africa.

Unfortunately ---- he has lived in Switzerland for 26 years and has forgotto how to spell, I get wonderful works of Graphical Art, which appear to be by a 12 year old !

I cannot complain -- my writing is DREADFUL ---- but then I was "Educated" at CH !

A favourite pastime, at that Institution ( ! ) was chewed Blotting Paper, flicked with a ruler, to stick on the ceiling of the Classroom.
A "Master's level of Discipline, could be measured by the state of the Ceiling !!

[Fjgrogan]

Ooo Neill - that brought back pre-Hertford memories. When I was in junior school we used to make ink pellets by dipping pieces of blotting paper in the inkwell - I don't think they were chewed first. On one occasion the class teacher took half of the class out somewhere, leaving the rest in the care of the class prefects. Ink pellets were flicked and mine stuck to the ceiling; as a result I was despatched to the head mistress. The only reason that I was not caned was that there had never yet been a girl's name listed in the punishment book. Instead I was sent for a week to join a younger class where they were still writing in pencil. Again the humiliation was the worst part of the experience. [Incidentally I noticed that the most frequently mentioned name in the school punishment book was that of my mum's cousin, who later worked as a probation officer]

[Angela Woodford]

Found!Online - I found a new-and-vintage fountain pen supplier! There it is. The "ladies" size is called "demi" and it is a black and silver Parker 51 from 1950, but up-to-date-serviced

Something really lovely!

The pen I located described above was sold quickly before I could nerve myself to pay a bit more than I could afford. Oh well...

Then I discovered a forum called "The Fountain Pen Network". I confirmed with the pen enthusiasts there that the Fountain Pen Of My Youth was definitely the Parker 51 Demi - then a personal message flashed up. It was from a woman in Colorado who said that she'd got "my" pen in her collection, and would I like it? She has refused to accept any money for the pen - not even the postage - said it would give her pleasure to know that it was going to an owner over the pond that would really appreciate it!

I was absolutely bowled over.

Isn't this just the kindest thing?

[englishangel]

There are some lovely people in the world.