Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Mrs C. wrote:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/educa ... 58690.html

FWIW, the bitter (or perhaps smelly) end.

As part of uniform in the 1950's I was required to supply long blue woollen rugby socks from a certain Partnership store.
I have always used these in climbing boots (and I have worn out a few pairs of boots!); they still have my name tapes and a white tape with my house number. I noticed today that in the last surviving pair there is now a hole in one toe and a hole in the sole.
A touch of Vièr Bliu perhaps; after over 55 years use it is bye-bye.

The third leader in the paper has this as part of it

The pupils of Christ's Hospital, who wear uniforms that have barely changed since Tudor times, know where they stand. The school conducted a poll to gauge support for a change and a remarkable 95 per cent voted to retain their uniform, complete with knee-breeches and yellow socks. Here is 18-year-old Jack Ferrell on the merits of Tudor uniforms: "You can't have a laugh at somebody wearing it if you're wearing it yourself". Perhaps that points to a way forward. If you're going to have a uniform, make it outlandish enough to guarantee both distinctiveness and equality of humiliation. We eagerly await the first academy that will require its students to don a doublet, hose and ruff.

My son's comment was "Don't they realise that CH uniform is historic, not recently invented?"

You'd think they would try to get the facts right. Do the girls really wear breeches except on special occasions? As for "school for boys, What about the first child to be enrolled, A GIRL.

sejintenej - strange you should mention it but when helping the coaches at my 8yo daughters rugby club i usually end up wearing my green & white striped house colours complete with name tape - they are just starting to go through on the ball of the foot after 20 years of hiking, wearing under motorcycle boots in winter and occasional rugby

sejintenej wrote: I noticed today that in the last surviving pair there is now a hole in one toe and a hole in the sole.
A touch of Vièr Bliu perhaps; after over 55 years use it is bye-bye.

Think Hertford, David!

Friday night is Mending Night! A couple of holes? Darn, darn, darn! You mustn't let those historic socks die!

We had a darning mushroom in the House Mending Box. It had a glossy sheen from a long life of duty!

midget wrote:You'd think they would try to get the facts right. ............As for "school for boys, What about the first child to be enrolled, A GIRL.

That was my thought, too!

nice bit of publicity, though.

Angela Woodford wrote:We had a darning mushroom in the House Mending Box. It had a glossy sheen from a long life of duty!

Do you mean you didn't each have your own? Tut, tut! I had a fancy high tec one - it was a torch with a green mushroom top. A certain Wardmistress confiscated the batteries.

Wow! Katharine!

Never in my whole life have I encountered a hi-tec light-up darning mushroom! You must have been so ahead of your time!



No wonder that miserable old Hag confiscated the batteries! I bet your darning was pretty brilliant though...

Angela Woodford wrote:Wow! Katharine!

Never in my whole life have I encountered a hi-tec light-up darning mushroom! You must have been so ahead of your time!



No wonder that miserable old Hag confiscated the batteries! I bet your darning was pretty brilliant though...

I'm not even going there !!

midget wrote:You'd think they would try to get the facts right. Do the girls really wear breeches except on special occasions? As for "school for boys, What about the first child to be enrolled, A GIRL.

My posts are going askew though other people do seem to be able to see them. I wrote that the girls at Horsham wear a dark (Nayvy blue or black) knee length skirt and black stockings.

http://www.chforum.info/pictures/index. ... mattsday05 top centre photo, two girls on right and two in the centre

I think everyone turns their nose up at the uniform when first trying it on , but personally it was probably the clothing I was most comfortable in,even now 30 years later ! AS LONG AS THE SCHOOL IS ALIVE THE UNIFORM SHOULD NEVER CHANGE.
I loved the britches, so comfortable and easy to wear,the baggy shirts were brilliant,the housey coat even better, and then summer running around without it on was just perfect. All were so easy to wear.
The only thing questionable were those socks.
Some of the kids feet "hummed" and the Dorms had a fowl odour, so most were "aired" in the passageway by the bogs.
The sight of those socks tied together on the end of the beds will never be forgotten ! WOW , my nasal passages still have bad memories even now.

If I lived in the hot Sarff, I would no doubt wear something similar and be quite happy to look silly as an adult.

I PRESUME I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO THOUGHT THAT THE HOUSEY COATS WERE BLACK ,SO WHY IS IT A BLUE COAT SCHOOL ?

Starting in 1946, and having to wear civvies for 2 years, we could not wait to get into Housie.

sejintenej wrote:My posts are going askew though other people do seem to be able to see them. I wrote that the girls at Horsham wear a dark (Nayvy blue or black) knee length skirt and black stockings.

http://www.chforum.info/pictures/index. ... mattsday05 top centre photo, two girls on right and two in the centre

Senior girls (UF and above) wear black or dark grey tights or socks, junior year girls still wear the yellow socks.

5h17shoveller wrote:I PRESUME I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO THOUGHT THAT THE HOUSEY COATS WERE BLACK ,SO WHY IS IT A BLUE COAT SCHOOL ?

The two housey coats I've got in my house at the moment are definitely navy blue.