New Forum Section - Hertford Memories

[englishangel]

In 1971/72 they were building squash courts at the back by the gates and they were open most of the time to allow access for the builders. I don't know what happened after that.

I believe it was also possible to get out over the cloisters behind the science block, but I have no idea how you got back in.

[Vonny]

I remember the gate being locked, except beginning/end of term and sometimes Long Sats.

I don't remember seeing them open other than on those days either.

[fivethreeone]

I remember the gate being locked, except beginning/end of term and sometimes Long Sats.

I think the housemistresses had a key - I remember ours taking us out through the back gate for walks on the Meads at the weekends. I also remeber doing 'gravel crunching' on Sundays - this consisting of just walking up and down the square for a hour or so!

[Euterpe13]

You still did gravel crunching that late on ? Talk about a school frozen in time...
I thought that the Square was already being over-worn - one of the reasons that we stopped marching to meals was because of this wear ( shame, it looked good each House marching into the middle of the Square, up to Dining Hall and into meals).

[Liz Jay]

You still did gravel crunching that late on ? Talk about a school frozen in time...
I thought that the Square was already being over-worn - one of the reasons that we stopped marching to meals was because of this wear ( shame, it looked good each House marching into the middle of the Square, up to Dining Hall and into meals).

I thought it was called "square bashing"? And the idea was to avoid the worn bits and walk up and down on the other bits to produce a nice even pattern of wear?

I do the same with my carpets and lawn to this day <G>

[Euterpe13]

In 2's, definitely " gravel crunching ", although we did square bashing when Aunty Dot got us all marching up and down to Sousa in preparation for the special visit to St. Paul's --- I can't stand a Sousa march to this day !

[englishangel]

I remember it as 'gravel-crunching' and we were still marching to lunch on Sunday when I left, no band but very smart and in time.

[Katharine]

I remember it as 'gravel-crunching' and we were still marching to lunch on Sunday when I left, no band but very smart and in time.

I agree 'gravel-crunching'. Marching everyday stopped during my time, but at the moment cannot remember which year. 6s were the last to march which gave us several extra minutes before breakfast and lunch, many's the time I scooted back to house as 2s were marching! 5s then 1s marched first, meaning the Junior houses had to sit and wait or everybody else. Later - was it when 1s & 5s became all through houses - the order was changed regularly, at first this led to gaps as houses didn't start at the right moment.

[fivethreeone]

You still did gravel crunching that late on ? Talk about a school frozen in time...
I thought that the Square was already being over-worn - one of the reasons that we stopped marching to meals was because of this wear ( shame, it looked good each House marching into the middle of the Square, up to Dining Hall and into meals).

I think we still marched to lunch on Sundays, though without music. We also practised marching up and down the square before St Matthews day to a record of the Horsham band! The square didn't seem too worn in the 70's - maybe it had been resurfaced?

[Katharine]

The square didn't seem too worn in the 70's - maybe it had been resurfaced?

The square was gravel when I first went there, then during my time it was surfaced in some kind of reddish tarmac - but it was still called gravel crunching after that even when the gravel had gone.

[Angela Woodford]

Have been meaning also to log my house number - 6.21. Alex was 6.17, I think, and I'm honestly remembering that out of nowhere. It's just struck me, but it could be wrong. Such a strange thing, memory.

Does anyone else remember what Sin City was? Just when one thought the regime couldn't get more repressive suddenly something would be permitted that was almost beyond belief. I think Sin City was the name given to this place by Pot (Miss Scott-Haughton)

Alex was certainly 6.17.

It was I who created the name Sin City

Munch

[su523]

Ah Sin City. I remember sitting down there listening to Riders on the Storm. And didn't my sister Ann paint some of the walls? or am I fantasising again?

Su Bonfanti
5's 1967-73

[englishangel]

Quite possibly Su, that was under the Physics lab if I remember correctly.

[su523]

I remember it being in the basement of the Science block but there were some windows high up in one or two of the walls. I also have the feeling that staff really didn't come down there so we could do what we liked. Not that we were really subversive. sigh.

Su Bonfanti
5.23 1967-73

[Angela Woodford]

I remember it as 'gravel-crunching' and we were still marching to lunch on Sunday when I left, no band but very smart and in time.

For some unknown reason, I was remembering this marching to the Dining Hall on Sundays - it always struck me as a completely stupid thing to do - especially for 4's and 5's, who were there before they'd even chanted left - right. Was marching always part of Hertford life? I think I remember a senior saying that they'd once marched to every meal!

Munch