Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Until 1958 or so, if you wanted to know the School Rules, you had to consult a typescript, which, in Thornton B at any rate, was kept outside the housemaster's study. One of Seaman's innovations was to bring out a printed pocket edition, which everyone was required to have. I presume that updated editions were brought out from time to time, in particular I imagine when senior and junior houses were started, and when the girls arrived. Does anyone know more? Is there still a pocket edition (with a light-blue cover)? I'd be interested in starting a collection, to trace the changing times.

(I have what I think is a 2nd edition, dating from January 1961. It has some little gems: Rule G 5 - Boys may not practise golf strokes on Big Side; Rule E 3 (ii) (note) - HHD maý be worn for Asphalt Games before dinner, but ... blazers need not be worn; Rule E 4 (ii) b) Seniors may not wear football clothes out of bounds in summer; there is also an interesting "Term needing definition": Juniors -- All non-seniors.)

michael scuffil wrote:Until 1958 or so, if you wanted to know the School Rules, you had to consult a typescript, which, in Thornton B at any rate, was kept outside the housemaster's study. One of Seaman's innovations was to bring out a printed pocket edition, which everyone was required to have.

(I have what I think is a 2nd edition, dating from January 1961.

First I've heard about it. Were we supposed to buy it (with non-existant pocket money)? Where were we supposed to get it from? What was the punishment in the 1.1961 edition for not having a copy - slipper or cane? how many strokes or was it at housemaster's "discretion"?

Could be that ECA decided that ignorance of the rules meant that they could not be used toi appeal any of his actions. There wasn't even a typescript in Col A that I am aware of

Same here David.

I don't remember one in Coleridge B either.

We thought N.T.F made the rules up to suit himself as we bumbled along lifes merry highway !

I have a copy! Found it on the piano yesterday. I'm guessing that they were free, but if it was the year of the merger that would have made sense. The only rule I remember was the one about being expelled for having relations with someone of the opposite gender. Also have a copy of my Blue Book (as opposed to The Blue) which details everyone's academic groups, house numbers, date of birth, date and method of entry to the school for the academic year 1986-87 when I was on my UF. That's, what, 20 years ago? Crawl off for another gin, feeling old.

cj wrote:I have a copy! Found it on the piano yesterday. I'm guessing that they were free, but if it was the year of the merger that would have made sense. The only rule I remember was the one about being expelled for having relations with someone of the opposite gender. Also have a copy of my Blue Book (as opposed to The Blue) which details everyone's academic groups, house numbers, date of birth, date and method of entry to the school for the academic year 1986-87 when I was on my UF. That's, what, 20 years ago? Crawl off for another gin, feeling old.

I seem to remember on leaving Prep house to go up the avenue, we were all told about the sins of the flesh, but this was before the merger. I seem to remember warnings of hell and damnation and burning in hell.

J.R. wrote:I seem to remember on leaving Prep house to go up the avenue, we were all told about the sins of the flesh, but this was before the merger. I seem to remember warnings of hell and damnation and burning in hell.

Surely that would have been Dr "Sex Maniac" Matthews' lechers (as they and he were called)? Apparently it was a course of two talks - not that I was permitted to attend either so I don't know about the burning in hell part - I had to attend the university of life to learn all about that (if I do know "all").

Doc Matthews was another of Seaman's innovations, and by the standards of the time (1950s/early 60s) he was very enlightened. Before he came, sex education was left to housemasters (the mind boggles; thankfully I just missed that). The Doc Matthews lectures were three sets of four double-lesson illustrated (!) talks, and were popular not least because they happened in school time. The first set was for 1st years and dealt with biology; the 2nd set was for 4th years, and (mirabile dictu) dealt with (I can hardly bring myself to say it) relations with g..g..girls. The last set was for leavers, and dealt with sexual responsibility (as it was understood at the time) in adult society.

Doc M went to lots of schools, and I met quite a few people at university who had experienced him.

The school-rule booklet was free. In the Foreword of the copy in front of me, it says: "Every boy must possess a copy of this book. In the event of loss a new one must be bought at the Tuck Shop." (I think replacements cost 6d.) Relations with girls (or boys, come to that) are nowhere mentioned. I suppose it was one of those matters which the Foreword says "have to be left to common sense".

The main innovation in the 2nd ed. (and we were forewarned) was that it restricted possession of "private gramophones and wirelesses" to the 5th form and above (Rule I 2). In some ways this was a liberalization, because tacitly the 5-year ban on "rock and roll" was lifted.

I think that the rules were printed out in full in the school calendar when I was at CH...

In my time (early and middle Seventies) the rules were carefully concealed. When I was a junior, a rather selective document called 'An Interpretation of School Rules for Use in Junior Houses' was put in the junior house Quiet Rooms. Apart from that we were kept in the dark throughout our careers. Thus it was possible to be hauled up before the Head and threatened with expulsion for doing something that no one had ever told you was forbidden (ah, memories.)

michael scuffil wrote:Doc Matthews was another of Seaman's innovations, and by the standards of the time (1950s/early 60s) he was very enlightened. Before he came, sex education was left to housemasters (the mind boggles; thankfully I just missed that). The Doc Matthews lectures were three sets of four double-lesson illustrated (!) talks, and were popular not least because they happened in school time. The first set was for 1st years and dealt with biology; the 2nd set was for 4th years, and (mirabile dictu) dealt with (I can hardly bring myself to say it) relations with g..g..girls. The last set was for leavers, and dealt with sexual responsibility (as it was understood at the time) in adult society.

Doc M went to lots of schools, and I met quite a few people at university who had experienced him.

The school-rule booklet was free. In the Foreword of the copy in front of me, it says: "Every boy must possess a copy of this book. In the event of loss a new one must be bought at the Tuck Shop." (I think replacements cost 6d.) Relations with girls (or boys, come to that) are nowhere mentioned. I suppose it was one of those matters which the Foreword says "have to be left to common sense".

The main innovation in the 2nd ed. (and we were forewarned) was that it restricted possession of "private gramophones and wirelesses" to the 5th form and above (Rule I 2). In some ways this was a liberalization, because tacitly the 5-year ban on "rock and roll" was lifted.

Michael is 10 years older than I am but I think only monitresses were allowed to have radios in the Study. I don't know if Lower Sixth were allowed them because I never went into Llittle Study. We did have a radio in the Dayroom tho'.

I also think that by the late sixties radios had become transistorised so it was possible to have one which didn't need to be plugged in and listen to Radio Luxembourg under the covers.

englishangel wrote:I also think that by the late sixties radios had become transistorised so it was possible to have one which didn't need to be plugged in and listen to Radio Luxembourg under the covers.

Gosh, what memories. If I recall correctly, the Top 30 countdown was 9.30 - 11.00pm on Tuesday evenings. Radio Luxembourg was considered so much cooler than Radio 1 in those days (that was before the advent of Capital Radio).

I had a booklet of rules in the early 90s. I think it was separate from the calendar, but I can't be wholly sure. It must have been free; I'd remember objecting otherwise. It did prohibit 'sexual intercourse, the penalty for which is expulsion'.

On a slight tangent, in the aftermath of some sex scandal or other, the great Richard Poulton called all the seniors into Big School and gave us a very serious talk. He made a valiant attempt to explain that, while sex between two loving people is wonderful and good, it would still get you thrown out.

I commented on the hypocrisy to one of my housemates. He looked at me as though I'd been paying no attention at all. "But the school has no choice. The Sexual Act says so." This otherwise intelligent chap had managed to sit through the assembly thinking the Sexual Act was a piece of legislation.

Don't ask me who that was. I honestly can't remember. It's probably for the best.

If anybody feels like giving (or selling) me a copy of a co-ed rule book, I'm in the market.

In the 1950s/early 60s, Radio Luxembourg was the only source of pop music. Hearing the electric opening of Cliff Richard's "Move It" (his first and only decent record) in a dark dormitory was really quite sensual. I also remember the advent of a young DJ called Jimmy Saville, who invented something called the TTDC (Teen and Twenty Disc Club). Not to forget Horace Batchelor, of course. Impossible to drive along the M4 near Bristol and not have this involuntary recall.
Radio Luxembourg was always experiencing fade-outs -- usually in the middle of your favourite song.

michael scuffil wrote:If anybody feels like giving (or selling) me a copy of a co-ed rule book, I'm in the market.

In the 1950s/early 60s, Radio Luxembourg was the only source of pop music. Hearing the electric opening of Cliff Richard's "Move It" (his first and only decent record) in a dark dormitory was really quite sensual. I also remember the advent of a young DJ called Jimmy Saville, who invented something called the TTDC (Teen and Twenty Disc Club). Not to forget Horace Batchelor, of course. Impossible to drive along the M4 near Bristol and not have this involuntary recall.Radio Luxembourg was always experiencing fade-outs -- usually in the middle of your favourite song.

Keynsham....

Thats spelt K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M !

J.R. wrote:Keynsham....

Thats spelt K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M !

That's the guy -- with "my famous Infra-draw method".