FAIRY CAKES NEWSOME

[michael scuffil]

I remember the tripe. No one who was there in 1955/56 will ever forget it.

[Straz]

Back to Fairy Cakes Newsome...

By the late 1960s, the Seamans were regularly inviting a small group of squits to tea each Sunday afternoon. I was one of the last squits to receive this honour in late 1969. As far as I can recall, each week squits were chosen from the different junior houses, so one week it would be Barnes A, the next Barnes B and so on. A clever way of meeting and greeting that year's new pupils, it was a rather nerve-racking affair. You really had to watch your p's and q's, and ensure that your table manners were of the very highest standard. I remember being fairly terrified, but I also appreciated the efforts that Seaman and his wife went to.

DHN and his wife Joan continued the Sunday tea tradition when they arrived in 1970. It fitted in well with DHN's determination to recognize all squits by sight within a few days of them arriving at CH.

Later on, inspired by soiree evenings pioneered by Lord Corvedale, DHN and his wife Joan held similar soirees for older pupils, even offering us a small glass of sherry. I certainly remember attending one of those evenings, although I don't think they persevered with them for too long. Anyone else recall the soirees?

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Tea, with the HM ? Soires ? ------

Cor-- Luvaduck !!! ------ how terribly, terribly civilised !

[Great Plum]

We never had anything like that in the 90's although I'm sure that Mr Poulton could name the pupils by sight...