Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I was wondering whether the pewter and silver housey-boys are still available from anywhere, and whether there'd be a market for those again?
I have one, but it got slightly crushed in a move a few years back - it always raises comment though about what it is.
I can't remember when/why they were on sale, but I seem to recall it was a limited thing??

J

jhopgood wrote:I have not posted for a while so forgive me if I return to the topic.
I have couple of porcelain CH mugs, which since they seem to leak when I use them for coffee, my wife tells me they are just for ornaments.
I live close to the Lladro factory, they make porcelain figures, and last time I was there I asked about special issues. They are desperate for new work and now do special issues, something they did not do previously. What they make is not cheap as they are considered collector's items. Also, they cannot do very dark colours, so it wouldn't be a complete match to the Blue coat we all know, but would there be any interest if I went along and got a quote?

Sounds great! Unfortunately, I couldn't commit to a purchase until I had an idea of price, and I guess it will hang on how many Lladro require for a minimum order ..........

The Lladro figures I immediately think of are their 'airy fairy' ones - very pale and misty. If they cannot achieve the required blue for the coats, how would people feel about approaching other companies?

I'm getting quite excited at this thought - the Blue Coat Boys from the Hertford gates, Sussanah, Edward VIth - guess what my family would be receiving for Christmas and birthdays for the next several years

Caroline

Just for the record, I have done a bit of delving and the correct description of the Christ's Hospital coat-of-arms is:

"...argent, a cross gules in the dexter chief, a dagger of the first on a chief azure between two fleurs-de-lis, or, a rose argent."

Well, that has settled that!

I am amazed that it has taken the CHA so long to get round to the subject of badges, etc, apart, of course, from the CHA badge itself which was produced very rapidly by Louise. However, before we take off on any flights of fancy - pottery figures, tankards, beer mats, etc - I suggest that we should discover precisely what went wrong with the previous range - what was ordered, what lines sold and what did not, etc. The people who were involved must still be around and it would be invaluable to find out what went wrong and why, so that we can avoid falling into the same errors.

The base problem is, of course, that you need to buy in quantity to keep prices at a resonable level, and you also have to buy stock from producers who, not unreasonably, want their money up front. Thus, you need to be pretty certain that what you buy in is going to sell, because if not, you are faced with a financial loss and some useless stock.

My own suggestion is that the most pressing need is for some form of visual recognition symbol which can be worn by males and females alike and in as many forms of dress as possible, and that all other items (tankards, beermats, statuettes, whatever) should be left until later. It used to be that male Old Blues wore a CH tie at any time and for Old Blue events wore a blue blazer with an embroidered Housie badge together with the tie. Female Old Blues wore the crested pin refered to earlier in this thread. I suggest that tie, tie-pin and blazer are outdated, while a hoodie with crest would not be to all tastes. I therefore propose a lapel pin with a CH badge (not the CHA crest) in coloured enamel which is sufficiently large to be recognisable but not so large as to be an inconvenience. This could be worn by male and female Old Blues, and, if they wished to do so, by current pupils when not in the school uniform. It would also be quite cheap.

Once the success of such a basic item has been assessed and the lessons from the previous range of memorabilia taken into account, we can then - but only then - consider what other items might prove popular.

Foureyes

Thanks for all the feedback.

Re. learning from previous mistakes, yes, I agree that this is very important. I believe that the CHA office are already trying to look at any records which remain from the merchandising activities of Christ's Hospital Enterprises.

As for trading terms, while it's true that most suppliers will require a payment in advance of or upon delivery for any first order, the majority of companies will then offer credit terms. Whether such terms would allow for a reasonable amount of the merchandise purchased to be sold before payment has to be made is, of course, another matter!

Re. ties, I certainly don't believe that they are outdated per se, although the tie / badged blazer combination as described by Foureyes may indeed not hold much appeal for younger Old Blues.

It's also worth noting that some companies, once a design has been agreed, are able to supply certain items of clothing (e.g. fleeces, hoodies etc.) as and when required, thus removing the risk of having funds tied up in stock that one cannot be certain will sell quickly.

The company which currently supplies the clothing worn by C.H. security and estate staff already does this.

Richard Ruck wrote:Thanks for all the feedback.

It's also worth noting that some companies, once a design has been agreed, are able to supply certain items of clothing (e.g. fleeces, hoodies etc.) as and when required, thus removing the risk of having funds tied up in stock that one cannot be certain will sell quickly.

Hence, the name will be changed from CHA to CHAv, eh, Richard ?

J.R. wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:Thanks for all the feedback.

It's also worth noting that some companies, once a design has been agreed, are able to supply certain items of clothing (e.g. fleeces, hoodies etc.) as and when required, thus removing the risk of having funds tied up in stock that one cannot be certain will sell quickly.

Hence, the name will be changed from CHA to CHAv, eh, Richard ?

Well as a CHA Veteran, I shall certainly want my hoodie duly emblazoned

DavebytheSea wrote:

J.R. wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:Thanks for all the feedback.

It's also worth noting that some companies, once a design has been agreed, are able to supply certain items of clothing (e.g. fleeces, hoodies etc.) as and when required, thus removing the risk of having funds tied up in stock that one cannot be certain will sell quickly.

Hence, the name will be changed from CHA to CHAv, eh, Richard ?

Well as a CHA Veteran, I shall certainly want my hoodie duly emblazoned

Is it supplied with a Burberry baseball-cap ?

One of the problems must have been advertising; was there any? I never saw anything and even now I don't know what is on offer for how much under what terms and conditions apart from what has been mentioned here.

The old striped OB tie was available freely in London from tie specialists but the crest was not. (BTW the striped OB tie, when not pulled very straight was identical to the Wavy Navy tie - RNVR to the higorent). Ties remain useful but crested ones are not currently fashionable in normal circles.

Lapel pins - actually sounds a good idea. They could have sold tens of thousands a few years ago when they were the "in" thing to collect in France.

Just my sou's worth

Richard Ruck wrote:I believe that the CHA office are already trying to look at any records which remain from the merchandising activities of Christ's Hospital Enterprises.

Can this be that difficult? The last CHE stocvk was sold off at OB Day 2005, so some of those involved must still be around. Also, I preumse that the Counting House must have produced papers about the failure of CHE and why it needed to be wound up. Also, I would be very surprised if Wendy doesn't know all the answers anyway!

Richard Ruck wrote:Re. ties, I certainly don't believe that they are outdated per se, although the tie / badged blazer combination as described by Foureyes may indeed not hold much appeal for younger Old Blues.

I was looking for something that could be common to both male and female OBs and a lapel pin seemed the most obvious choice. There is no reason why there could not be a tie, but certainly not a blazer.

Richard Ruck wrote:It's also worth noting that some companies, once a design has been agreed, are able to supply certain items of clothing (e.g. fleeces, hoodies etc.) as and when required, thus removing the risk of having funds tied up in stock that one cannot be certain will sell quickly. The company which currently supplies the clothing worn by C.H. security and estate staff already does this.

Excellent
My message is - keep it really simple and cheap, until things get going.



PS Does the CHA have a trading fund?

sejintenej wrote:One of the problems must have been advertising; was there any? I never saw anything and even now I don't know what is on offer for how much under what terms and conditions apart from what has been mentioned here.

The old striped OB tie was available freely in London from tie specialists but the crest was not. (BTW the striped OB tie, when not pulled very straight was identical to the Wavy Navy tie - RNVR to the higorent). Ties remain useful but crested ones are not currently fashionable in normal circles.

Lapel pins - actually sounds a good idea. They could have sold tens of thousands a few years ago when they were the "in" thing to collect in France.

Just my sou's worth

There was a flyer in 'Housey' each time.

I think something that would appeal to visitors to the school as a "souvenir" would also be a good idea- plenty of people on Verrio tours, Open Days etc etc would possibly like the opportunity to take a "little something" home with them.

I suggest that you get in touch with other schools and see what they are up to. I know that some sell their wares through the internet successfully. Others sell all their products through third party resellers who do all the boring bits like processing orders, marketing, post and packaging. They do, of course, take a cut of the profits.

Talking of profits - do you intend to make them or are you going to sell at cost?

Mrs C. wrote:I think something that would appeal to visitors to the school as a "souvenir" would also be a good idea- plenty of people on Verrio tours, Open Days etc etc would possibly like the opportunity to take a "little something" home with them.

OMG, I can't believe that I am suggesting this, but (aimed solely at the visitors) what about tea spoons? Aaaaaarrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh.

Cheers

Caroline