Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Mrs C. wrote:... and near enough to CH station! (I`m sure lifts could be arranged if necessary!)

It doesn't take very long to walk there.....

Richard Ruck wrote:

Mrs C. wrote:... and near enough to CH station! (I`m sure lifts could be arranged if necessary!)

It doesn't take very long to walk there.....

I`m thinking of all the zimmer frames!!

jhopgood wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:

jhopgood wrote:and with 7 people from my junior school at a wine bar next to Charing Cross Main line station.

Gordon's Wine Bar?

How'd you guess?

Becuase it's a nice place, and because you enjoy decent booze?

At last some positive response.

I'm up for a drinky, as is Jan. Must be pedestrian friendly. (MS is a b*****d, as Jan will tell you). I've yet to sample the Bax, but sounds good. Not sure about London. Worked there for too long to enjoy going there these days. Still a country boy at heart.

Mary, Janet and Co: Fully endorse your comments on the Child Protection Act. Regrettably, a necessity in this day and age, but a pain in the @rse, especially on the girls footy site that I run for the Dorking Girls F.C. They all want their photo's on the pics page, but the paperwork involved is horrendous to administer because they are all under 18. I was qoing to quote the Nanny State Syndrome, but in this instance.......

Sorry not to have contributed to this thread earlier there are several reasons:
1) I am totally unmusical, and could not contribute to Band or Choir
2) I live in Snowdonia and work full time for a tourist railway so work weekend frequently and trips to Horsham are pipedreams at the moment
3) I had a presentation last night sprung on me late on Saturday which meant several hours of preparation not getting home until midnight - currently on lunch break at work, having taken 2 hours to sort out problems left yesterday ....

Having said all of that, I understand the problems Mrs C has said - we have problems with young volunteers on the railway. It would be lovely to return to OBs day in the way Jude and I remember them at Hertford - there was always the hope an old 6.14 would bring me a box of chocs!!! Themed days would seem to be the way to go, and the Band seems a good one to try - but you won't want me there in the Band!

I love RR's comment from way back in this thread:
Old Blues can be a bit of a feisty bunch, and a lot of us do care very deeply for C.H. and all that it represents. Very true, Oh Wise Man!!!

OK,

I think I've got it licked... we have 3 'meet-ups'

1. in London on the 21st April wehere we can watch the school band march around.

2. at the Bax sometime in the summer

3. at the previously mentioned heritage narrow gauge railway for all railway buffs...

Great Plum wrote:OK,

I think I've got it licked... we have 3 'meet-ups'

1. in London on the 21st April wehere we can watch the school band march around.

2. at the Bax sometime in the summer

3. at the previously mentioned heritage narrow gauge railway for all railway buffs...

Is there a 'stab-proof' anorak supplied Matt ?

J.R. wrote:

Great Plum wrote:OK,

I think I've got it licked... we have 3 'meet-ups'

1. in London on the 21st April wehere we can watch the school band march around.

2. at the Bax sometime in the summer

3. at the previously mentioned heritage narrow gauge railway for all railway buffs...

Is there a 'stab-proof' anorak supplied Matt ?

Maybe....

Mrs C. wrote:The suggestion I would like to make is that there possibly be an "Official Unofficial Forum Get-together" at some point so that at least people who feel they already know each other could have the opportunity to meet, rather than just 4 or 5 people at a time!! it shouldn`t be impossible to arrange something, I`m sure.


(sorry - I`m waffling...!!)

No - not waffling! You have expressed much more clearly what I was trying to suggest further up the thread. (Is that a meaningful expression?)

Obviously, however we arrange things, there is bound to be some impact on the school and, necessarily on the staff. As an ex-teacher myself (and married to a very busy current one), I know the problems, the burdens and the fatigue only too well. Even so, I think there are huge benefits to all concerned if the school is seen as a wider community involving not only teachers and pupils, but parents and alumni. In the words of the Housey toast "....Christ's Hospital; may those prosper who love it and may God increase their number". We who love CH have always been seen as a very special community - this should be apparent in what we do as well as what we say. We truly should be a great partnership working together for all Blues, whether they be past present or future.

Great Plum wrote: at the previously mentioned heritage narrow gauge railway for all railway buffs...

Let me know when you're coming, and I may even arrange a free ticket for you and your lovely lady! (NOT an offer open to all OBs if I want to keep my job!)
We do have a very good local brewery in Porthmadog - Purple Moose Brewery - the 'Dark Side of the Moose' beer takes some beating, I am reliably informed.

Sorry to ruffle feathers, but I am having a terrifically wonderful time with O2 and my mobile phone being on and off more than a strawberry... (spare the blushes).. Does anyone in here work for Ofcom??????

Right as to business..... Until very recently girls were not allowed into the marching band at Horsham. It was a major issue when I left in 1980, that although they could join the choir, and the orchestra, the marching band was "traditional and would stay so".. Hence not feeling to happy about males only in the marching band - I have seen 2 females in hte marching band (no they were not playing triangles, 1 was on a drum I think another on ?flute?)

The Term OB - really still says to me MALE OLD BLUE, because I suppose I was brought up with CHOGA - Ok I have to move on as CHOGA has converged with the OB - but reading the OB was like reading a male orientated issue... AND please don't have another go at me about girls not offering pieces - I offered and no one accepted.

I agree wholeheartdly with you Janet - I know how much these terms take out of everyone - I was a house mistress for a term at Oxford Catherdral School, and it was tough. The Spring term is alwasy the worst for illness - although this coming weekend is the worst for DIY accidents (so Mary get yourself ready - it may be delivery time as well!)

And I was joking about going in on an exiat -

I'm CRB'd already due to charoyt work - making sure I don't cosh an elderly lady or gent if I take them to the hospital, etc... Anyhow... passing all of that why don't we just mee up at a convinient place - does it have to be at CH? after all Most of us have been there, and seen most of it, could we just meet at a "central" location - i understand that it would be good to met otheres of our years houses etc, but it does seem to be that people leaving CH generally return the 1st and 2nd years, then stay away a long time as they get on with life...? Now I'm warbling away - and as I can't see the cursor (it's diapeared like my mobile phone... and the tv remote -(black hole in Gloucestershire!) t/c fro the moment

Jude wrote:Right as to business..... Until very recently girls were not allowed into the marching band at Horsham. It was a major issue when I left in 1980, that although they could join the choir, and the orchestra, the marching band was "traditional and would stay so".. Hence not feeling to happy about males only in the marching band - I have seen 2 females in hte marching band (no they were not playing triangles, 1 was on a drum I think another on ?flute?)

Er, Jude, are you sure about this? There are lots of girls in the band, and this has been the case for many years (since the schools merged,as far as I know).

And when you left in 1980 the girls were at Hertford, so how come it was a big issue that they couldn't get into the band at Horsham? Never heard of that one!

Or am I completely missing your point somehow?

Certainly at the last Speech Day there were a good number of girls in the band. The lead trumpet was a girl and very good too.
I have proof as I videoed some of it to show my village band what a real band should look and sound like.
The village band age spread is about the same as CH, 10-21, with me being the exception.

Girls in the band from 1985, the year of the merger, my first year at CH.

If anything, I've picked-up only an over-sensitivity regarding equality. I've sensed no negative feelings whatsoever regarding girls/women involvement in anything.
All that is needed is more involvement, proactive ideas etc. etc.

When I heard discussions about CH themed events, there was a long list of male sportmen which were known about (from the male Old Blues), which received a "yes, but we must remember the girls too and think of them" - yes, of course, let's have the ideas in from the Old Blue girls with the contacts, and suggestions for events which they'd like (there seemed to be an unspoken assumption from the girls themselves that sporting events were male events - something which seemed odd ot me)

It must be remembered that all Old Blues pre. 1985 will by definition have more Old Blue contacts of their own sex - so it's really rather difficult to expect the boys(men) to organise/suggest/volunteer events for girls(women) and vice-versa......

So rest assured that there are absolutely no barriers that I've heard or seen to girls involvement in anything at all - it seems to be something the girls are more aware of and concerned about than the actuality.....

Equality 100% please - as I feel there already is on here and everywhere??

J
PS - I can see why it's tougher for the girls visiting Horsham - I wouldn't feel the same at all about visiting Hertford, and personally doubt I'd bother. It must be difficult, but open to suggestion on how the CHA/school etc. can make this an easier and more attractive venue?

jtaylor wrote:Girls in the band from 1985, the year of the merger, my first year at CH.

*snipity snip*

Only girls can play the cymbals. The band captain on my year was a girl! There have been lots of girls in the CH band for as long as I remember...