End of term

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....

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Twothirtytwo
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End of term

Post by Twothirtytwo »

I've been absent from this for some long time, and have reregistered under new name etc. as I have changed email and forgotten the old user name. BUT, prompted by all the remembrance cover, I recalled that in Twos we all got together at the end of each term, in the day room, in a circle, all 36 or so, and sang two songs. One was 'Good byee, don't cryee'..... but the other has completely escaped me. Help, anyone? Then it was Auld Lang Syne and off we went.
It's fascinating to me now that there we were, in the 60s, singing First World War songs. I'd love it if anyone in Twos was reading this and could recall, but I wonder did other houses do something like that? I wonder if they did at Housey - I doubt they still do as everyone seems to leave in dribs and drabs so much now.... no 'school train'......
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Re: End of term

Post by seajayuu »

Just Auld Lang Syne on the train coming into Liverpool Street in 3's. The astonishing thing is the amount of variation between houses - and we didn't even realise at the time.
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Re: End of term

Post by Katharine »

As we lived in Hertfordshire, I never went by school train, and felt deprived! I don't remember any end of term singing in Sixes.

I do remember holly burning on the last night of the Autumn term. I can't remember whether we actually had fires, but we all gathered by one of the day room fireplaces and sang carols. The choice went in number order, alternate years starting with 1 or 36/7.
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
fra828
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Re: End of term

Post by fra828 »

Last day of term, the best feeling ever! :D In 8's- late 60's early 70's- we did the conga and sang 'Show me the way to go home' !
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Re: End of term

Post by sejintenej »

fra828 wrote:Last day of term, the best feeling ever! :D In 8's- late 60's early 70's- we did the conga and sang 'Show me the way to go home' !

AFAIR in the Prep at Horsham, 1950s, the two houses got together in the assembly hall, had a bath bun (wow!) and sang songs which always included "Men of Harlech". The last line is something like " go it ancient welsh" but the last word was changed to As or Bs depending on your house.

As for fra828's remembrance, immediately after leaving CH I was with a group of about 65 doing a survey job in the Norwegian mountains. On the journey back the boat stopped at some small place well after midnight: we all "did the conga and sang 'Show me the way to go home'" down the main street of that small town
.
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Re: End of term

Post by Fjgrogan »

I have nothing constructive to add re end of term activities, but mention of Men of Harlech struck a chord. The CH Guide companies used to sing a song to that tune called 'Ancient Britons'. It went something like this - I am sure Katharine could correct me if I am wrong?
What's the use of shirts of cotton?
Studs that always get forgotten
These affairs are simply rotten
Better far is woad
Woad's the stuff to show men
Woad to scare your foemen
Boil it to a brilliant blue
And slap it on your back and your abdomen
Ancient Briton never hit on
Anything as good as woad to fit on
Neck or knees or where you sit on
Go it Ancient Brits!

Totally off topic, I know, but fun!
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Re: End of term

Post by LongGone »

Fjgrogan wrote:I have nothing constructive to add re end of term activities, but mention of Men of Harlech struck a chord. The CH Guide companies used to sing a song to that tune called 'Ancient Britons'. It went something like this - I am sure Katharine could correct me if I am wrong?
What's the use of shirts of cotton?
Studs that always get forgotten
These affairs are simply rotten
Better far is woad
Woad's the stuff to show men
Woad to scare your foemen
Boil it to a brilliant blue
And slap it on your back and your abdomen
Ancient Briton never hit on
Anything as good as woad to fit on
Neck or knees or where you sit on
Go it Ancient Brits!

Totally off topic, I know, but fun!

I seem to remember our version started
"When the Romans crossed the channel
All dressed up in tin and flannel
Half a pint of woad per man'll
Dress us more than these"

Wikipedia offers
1.
What's the good of wearing braces,
Vests and pants and boots with laces,
Spats or hats you buy in places
Down in Brompton Road?
What's the use of shirts of cotton,
Studs that always get forgotten?
These affairs are simply rotten:
Better far is woad.
Woad's the stuff to show, men.
Woad to scare your foemen:
Boil it to a brilliant hue
And rub it on your back and your abdomen.
Ancient Briton never did hit on
Anything as good as woad to fit on
Neck, or knees, or where you sit on.
Tailors, you be blowed.
2.
Romans came across the Channel
All wrapped up in tin and flannel:
Half a pint of woad per man'll
Dress us more than these.
Saxon, you can waste your stitches
Building beds for bugs in breeches:
We have woad to clothe us, which is
Not a nest for fleas.
Romans keep your armours;
Saxons your pyjamas:
Hairy coats were meant for goats,
Gorillas, yaks, retriever dogs and llamas.
Tramp up Snowdon with our woad on:
Never mind if we get rained or blowed on.
Never want a button sewed on.
Go it, Ancient B's.
If a stone falls on an egg: alas for the egg
If an egg falls on a stone: alas for the egg
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Re: End of term

Post by fra828 »

sejintenej wrote:
fra828 wrote:Last day of term, the best feeling ever! :D In 8's- late 60's early 70's- we did the conga and sang 'Show me the way to go home' !

AFAIR in the Prep at Horsham, 1950s, the two houses got together in the assembly hall, had a bath bun (wow!) and sang songs which always included "Men of Harlech". The last line is something like " go it ancient welsh" but the last word was changed to As or Bs depending on your house.

As for fra828's remembrance, immediately after leaving CH I was with a group of about 65 doing a survey job in the Norwegian mountains. On the journey back the boat stopped at some small place well after midnight: we all "did the conga and sang 'Show me the way to go home'" down the main street of that small town
.
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Re: End of term

Post by fra828 »

sejintenej wrote:
fra828 wrote:Last day of term, the best feeling ever! :D In 8's- late 60's early 70's- we did the conga and sang 'Show me the way to go home' !

AFAIR in the Prep at Horsham, 1950s, the two houses got together in the assembly hall, had a bath bun (wow!) and sang songs which always included "Men of Harlech". The last line is something like " go it ancient welsh" but the last word was changed to As or Bs depending on your house.

As for fra828's remembrance, immediately after leaving CH I was with a group of about 65 doing a survey job in the Norwegian mountains. On the journey back the boat stopped at some small place well after midnight: we all "did the conga and sang 'Show me the way to go home'" down the main street of that small town


.
Wow :) it's a small world!
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Re: End of term

Post by Kim2s70-77 »

Amanda, I only remember singing 'goodbye' and 'auld Lang syne'. Don't remember a 3rd song.
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Re: End of term

Post by olefours »

I'd love it if anyone in Twos was reading this and could recall, but I wonder did other houses do something like that?
Only 'Old Lang Syne' under the railway arches near Liverpool Street, at the start of the holiday, in Fours I think. I can still remember the terrible fear of my hat coming off and hair lice jumping from the upholstery of the train seat at the start of term (not sure now if this is a possible source of infestation). Anyone who arrived back at school with hair lice would be told that she MUST have taken her hat off. I imagine this accusation would come not from Mrs Jean Clark, the lovely ward mistress of Fours, but probably from Sister Summers at the Infirmary. I do remember her holding a girl by the ear and dragging her to a window in the Infirmary to announce that her (the girls's, not Sister's) neck was pot black. Sister wasn't the only member of staff who would have been at home in a Victorian school in a Dickens novel.
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Re: End of term

Post by seajayuu »

Does anyone else remember sliding down the stairs from the dorms on their mattress on the last morning of term? Can't possibly have been an approved activity.
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Re: End of term

Post by englishangel »

Oh but it was. We only did it on condemned mattresses though, at the end of the summer term. I am surprised there were no serious injuries.
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Re: End of term

Post by J.R. »

Welcome back Mary !

Where HAVE you been hiding >>>>
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Re: End of term

Post by Angela Woodford »

I can still remember the terrible fear of my hat coming off and hair lice jumping from the upholstery of the train seat at the start of term (not sure now if this is a possible source of infestation). Anyone who arrived back at school with hair lice would be told that she MUST have taken her hat off. I imagine this accusation would come not from Mrs Jean Clark, the lovely ward mistress of Fours, but probably from Sister Summers at the Infirmary. I do remember her holding a girl by the ear and dragging her to a window in the Infirmary to announce that her (the girls's, not Sister's) neck was pot black. Sister wasn't the only member of staff who would have been at home in a Victorian school in a Dickens novel.[/quote]


It was on the orginal list of requirements for a New Girl 1964. "A fine tooth comb". I had no idea what this might be, but my mother whispered it across the counter at Boots, deeply embarassed.

I remember the dreadful occasion in the LV1, when I, and a few other girls who were deemed overweight, were summoned to the Infirmary, weighed, and had appointments made with Dr Jory. It seemed so unfair. Sister Summers was huge. A dreadful woman. Dickens would have loved her.
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