Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Hi Julian,
I had the same thought as you and contacted that Reading seller on Ebay- though the money was a tad much. Well done for getting it though.
I won't tell about the price.

Happy.

Chris Bugge (Maine B 1956-1963) here. I am building a log home on the shores of Lake Austin, in Austin, Texas, and I am looking to purchase a crest like the one shown in the correspondance in 2005. I am also looking for a good quality image of the CH crest to use in making an etching in glass for a window. Anyone got such an image, please e-mail it to me at christopherbugge@gmail.com.
Cheers!
Chris

Dave's description of the "Waking Ceremonial" strikes a nostalgic bell with me -------
However, were "Cold Baths" --- lasting about 2 seconds -- exclusively the "Privilege" of Barnes B 1940-1946 ??

Thornton B had no cold baths (ever) and nose-blowing (for junior juniors only) only at night -- until it was summarily abolished by an import from Coleridge B.

We didn't have to actually get out of bed until 7.00 (i.e. 5 minutes' grace), and senior seniors were allowed to stay in bed until 7.15 (which didn't give them much time before breakfast parade). I remember a very strange pep talk by our house captain Anthony Arblaster (who later became a very left-wing journalist) explaining how the rest of us had to be out of bed by 7.00 not because it was the rule, but because by not doing so, we were "encroaching on other people's privileges" (which was apparently super-heinous). I have always remembered this as one of the strangest moral sermons I have ever heard (I also remember looking up the word "encroach", I was only 11 at the time).

Talking of moral sermons, our housemaster Pat Cullen once told a monitors' meeting that he'd heard a boy saying "b****r" and had taken him to one side to "explain what it really meant". If I'd been in a contentious mood, I would have said that if he'd heard a boy saying "damn" he probably would've turned a deaf ear, but being buggered was mild compared with being damned (i.e. having one's immortal soul consigned to the etermal flames)... But as David Jesson-Dibley said, the perceived severity of swear words reflects the sensitivities of the time. Once it was religion (d***), then it was sex (f***) and soon, he said (how right he was) it would be race (n*****).

My settle fits just snugly behind the sofa and is hugely useful. Mrs stores old toys in it in case someone calls mit infant. I bought the settle in the OB Day sale when they and the desks were sold off. I was dissuaded by Mrs from buying a desk. The plaque is news to me but I seem to remember CH plaques on houses around Itchingfield, presumably marking CH property.

The Prep (in 1946-7) had wicker baskets under the bed so no settles.

There is an early 19th century Ackermann print of a CH ward with what appear to be settles at the end of the bed. I do wonder just how old they are. I imagine they came down from London along with the bed frames. The metal of both must be virtually indestructible.

We had wicker baskets under the beds at Hertford, and metal bedframes

Hi,

Yeah Scout Hut still has loads of settles, they're soo heavy, so don't get used for anyhing other than sitting on!

I have a crest like that but enamel painted came from my great grandad who lived in southwater (and was a CH science teacher with Kirby).

was told that all CH owned farms in the area had one on the front wall - i guess a bit like the old london fire insurance plaques. Definately the farm on the junction by Shelley's Wood (now a healthfood farm shop) used to have one just like the one in the picture

Does anyone remember poling? This took place after the beds were made. A long pole ensured that all the creases of the top blanket, just before they went over the bolster, were in a straight line for the length of the dormitory. It still occured in 1946 in Col A. Blunden, in one of his verses, refers to the practice.

I'm wondering how can discretely smuggle a settle out of the Scout Hut next annual meeting

They are very heavy!!

Great Plum wrote:They are very heavy!!

BLIMEY !

I'm surprised you found time to get off your farm for a while, Matt !

Ha,

it's not just the farm... (By the way, Mrs JR wants me to join frontierville whatever that is!!) Not a chance!

When you got school colours, you got a really nice crest embroidered with gold and this was meant to go on your blazer. I still have mine in "unused" form as I never put it on my blazer but I was wondering if pupils still get this as aprt of the colours?

Great Plum wrote:Ha,

it's not just the farm... (By the way, Mrs JR wants me to join frontierville whatever that is!!) Not a chance!

It's much like Farmville, but set on the old wild-west.

It's quite a new game and the writers have still got a few gremlimns with it.

I think our Illustrious Sean was one of the first to get on there.