SHOES !!!!!!

[lonelymom]

Oh! Don't know. Possibly because she only had 2 weeks left of the school year and it wasn't worth buying new ones? Or here's a thought - maybe she was in Horsham buying new shoes?! Or shoe polish?!

[michael scuffil]

Shiny shoes were I think a mid-century thing, and us mid-century people may be a bit nostalgic. But if you look at old photos of CH (in London, for example), you get the impression that shiny shoes were not exactly a priority.

Another thing is that glossy leather is probably a minority material for shoes these days, and the whole ethos has disappeared.

Like wearing hats. 100 years ago, it was indecent to appear in the street without one. The absence of headgear was not the least eccentric aspect of the CH uniform -- now, it is an aspect that arouses no attention whatever.

[John Knight]

If it's any help, my son lives in fear of the School Marshall who is, I believe, in charge of correct uniform etc. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

Oh good!!! the school has somebody in charge of the 'correct wearing of the uniform'.
I really would like to talk to him about wearing the Broadie Buckle at the front, where it is supposed to be....
The next time I am at CH I will try to meet up with him.
John... (back on my old pet dislike about modern CH)

[Ajarn Philip]

John... (back on my old pet dislike about modern CH)

When John says 'modern', he means,of course, post-1960...

[chaosriddenyears]

If it's any help, my son lives in fear of the School Marshall who is, I believe, in charge of correct uniform etc.

OMG, what a Dickensian image this conjures up. I have a vision of a tall, haggard chap with yellow teeth and in need of a shave (think Harry Potter, the caretaker with the cat, but slightly better dressed ) in a top hat, scraggy tail coat and stripy trousers walking round the school with a cane under his arm, preying on innocent young pupils whose bands aren't straight or shoes aren't shiny.

Please tell me it's true...

It does sound rather Dickensian - a bit like the Beadle!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I have just returned from Italy, to find this thread on CH dress.
Do any of we geriatrics now realise that "Bands" are secured with a BUTTON -- rather than a safety pin -- hence, how can they be anything but straight ?
I seem to remember shoe inspections in Ba B in the 40s and also the duty of cleaning Monitors' shoes, as a squab.
I suppose it was part of the general "Culture" of the time -- Wartime -- soldiers -- Polished boots, but it seemed quite natural, as did short hair for boys --- and I see a post about Broadie Buckles, at the front --- at my last visit, on OBs Day I saw one display of THREE adorning the rear !

[dinahcat]

[quote="NEILL THE NOTORIOUS"I saw one display of THREE adorning the rear ![/quote]

I think there is some Housey protocol involved here. I believe that older siblings lend their buckles to the younger siblings after they have left. The youngest child in the family will wear the buckles of the older siblings as well as their own. This will be a signal to the school that they are part of a family who sent all their children to CH . It is considered a matter of pride that you would display your family's longevity with the school and I think it's rather lovely. My CHOGA badge will go to my first daughter and my sister's to my second daughter.
There is some similar thing going on with the girdles in that I believe how you wear it denotes which year you are in-I could be wrong about this. Probably Mrs C could enlighten.

[lonelymom]

There is some similar thing going on with the girdles in that I believe how you wear it denotes which year you are in-I could be wrong about this. Probably Mrs C could enlighten.

That's definitely right, I was told the same thing by a very reliabe source - a matron, no less! And nobody dares argue with a matron!

[Barnes Mum]

That's definitely right, I was told the same thing by a very reliabe source - a matron, no less! And nobody dares argue with a matron!

Very True!!!

[Fjgrogan]

This reminds me of the tradition of children - particularly boys - wearing the medals of their deceased father on occasions such as Remembrance Day. I was puzzled when I was in Australia on Anzac Day to see a number of children marching in the parade wearing medals on the opposite side to the norm. I think I have seen it in this country too, but less often.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

YEAH --- BUT !
A nice tradition to wear the Family Broadies ----- but it still begs the question -- WHY AT THE BACK ?

A silly tradition ,of my time, was to wear the Broadie at the lowest level, indicating your Seniority.
Button Grecians were in serious danger of falling flat on their faces !

There was also a tradition of twisting a Broadie, to form a short "Truncheon" for corporal punishment ! !
Oh it were all gurt vun in them days !

Medals, from WW1 and WW2 are worn by Widows and Children of the Deceased until this day,
always on the right Breast. Also worn there, are "Unofficial" medals which have not been recognised by HM Gov.
There is an Elderly Gentleman in our Church (NOT I ) who wears a medal, on the right, presented to him by Stalin, for service on the Arctic Convoys
I have a couple of "Similar" from Eritrea (Don't ask !) and a Hadenawah (Fuzzy Wuzzy) Sheikh (Don't ask again !)

I await Deportation !

[Jo]

This reminds me of the tradition of children - particularly boys - wearing the medals of their deceased father on occasions such as Remembrance Day. I was puzzled when I was in Australia on Anzac Day to see a number of children marching in the parade wearing medals on the opposite side to the norm. I think I have seen it in this country too, but less often.

That's right. My sister-in-law was in the Royal Observer Corps and although they've been stood down for some years, they still march past the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day. She wears her father's medals on the wrong side for the occasion.

[blondie95]

the boys do still wear it as low as possible!

You dont get a buckle until your LE

[dinahcat]

I have seen my son wearing the gravity defying belt. He has the physique of a pipe cleaner(jealousy) and yet the belt never falls to the ground even though it is not held up by any visible means and it hangs well below his waist.It kind of hovers.By magic.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I know I have a failing memory --- amongst other things -- but I seem to remember that I got my Broadie in the UF not in the LE --- am I wrong ?

Correction please --- or I shall not be able to sleep !!!