Housey Trivia

[Eruresto]

Hello....

I'm thinking of compiling a lot of CH "stuff" into some kind of eBook or something, so that everything that is passed down from Generation to Generation can be also be kept safe from the Chinese Whispers effect. So does anyone know any details of things like the CH myths (e.g. Blue Nun etc)? You know - the kind of things the third form always tell the second form on their first night...

Thanks!

[Mrs C.]

Just search the forum Josh. It`s all here somewhere!

[J.R.]

I suggest you start with something like

'Squits two teeth out'.....

which was prevalent in the Prep houses in the late 50's !

[Angela Woodford]

I'm thinking of compiling a lot of CH "stuff" into some kind of eBook or something, so that everything that is passed down from Generation to Generation can be also be kept safe from the Chinese Whispers effect. So does anyone know any details of things like the CH myths (e.g. Blue Nun etc)? You know - the kind of things the third form always tell the second form on their first night...

This is a fab idea, Josh, and you could have a lot of fun with it. There certainly is a lot to collect from here on the Forum - and of course you'll know all the current stuff! It's surprising how weird detail comes back to Old Blues in later life, and terrific that you should think of recording it in a more organised format.

Might see you later -

Munch

[J.R.]

Josh.

If you log into here this morning, I think most of us illustrious forum posters will try and meet up near the CHA stand in the Counting House.

[Reuben]

All I learned on my first night of C.H. was an extremely unreliable nth-hand account of the facts of life. The process of imparting this secret knowledge to the new boys was known as "corrupting" and it was greatly relished by the corruptors (i.e. the third form).

"Have you been corrupted yet? No? Excellent! Right, when a boy and a girl..." was generally the way it went.

Oh yes - how could I forget? - we were all forced to strip naked and have a cold bath. A freezing cold bath in fact, helped by ice from the fridge-freezer in the break room. Right little sadists, some of those third formers were.

But I can't recall any myths. There was the occasional hushed mention of a boy who'd died of a brain haemorrhage in our very dorm some years previously, but that was a true story and no-one claimed his ghost walked the dorm or anything like that.

[Mid A 15]

The only one I can think of was that the ghost of a bocker was supposed to haunt the Tube.

Apparently a bocker hung himself in the Tube a few years before I started.

In those days we used the Tube when it rained so such a myth could have affected the impressionable.

It may well be that some people also used the Tube when it didn't rain for various activities but I couldn't possibly comment!

[J.R.]

The only one I can think of was that the ghost of a bocker was supposed to haunt the Tube.

Apparently a bocker hung himself in the Tube a few years before I started.

In those days we used the Tube when it rained so such a myth could have affected the impressionable.

It may well be that some people also used the Tube when it didn't rain for various activities but I couldn't possibly comment!

That's absolutely true. It was either in my first or second year in Prep B. I don't think the ghost stories had started by the time I left though. I think the whole thing was hushed up at the time.

Drying rooms = very suitable fag stops on a rainy OR fine Sunday afternoon !

Good old Craven A and Gold Leaf, allegedly !!!

[Eruresto]

Thanks guys. Specifically, I'm thinking, what do you know about

a) The Blue Nun?
b) Harry's Alley?

Both on the (un)truth of it, and the ghost-story element...

Ta!

[J.R.]

Neither name rings any bells with me, Josh !

I'm surprised the railway line near the CH junction isn't haunted after the horrific crash and subsequent suicide there during my time !

[Mid A 15]

Thanks guys. Specifically, I'm thinking, what do you know about

a) The Blue Nun?
b) Harry's Alley?

Both on the (un)truth of it, and the ghost-story element...

Ta!

The Blue Nun means nothing to me in a CH context. There was once a white wine of that name though!

Harry's Alley was (?is) a nickname for Westgun Copse named after Harry Spurrier, a teacher from my time, who lived halfway up in the house on the left as you approach Big Side from the Houses.

I've never heard of any ghostly stuff re Harry's Alley.

[Katharine]

Are you going to include Hertford myths such as Chocolate Bunnies and the ghosts?

[Eruresto]

Oh yes, definitely! I was told Harry's alley was called because of:

Back in The mythological Day, bread was rationed and Harry stole some. As a result, someone couldn't have any, and when he realised what he had done, he was so filled with shame and guilt that he hanged himself off a tree on WGP. Hence the term Harry's Alley.

Anyone else heard this?

[sejintenej]

You will have to ask some of the Peele A women chasers about the "Peele Bridge Pros".

[Eruresto]

Eh? Sounds interesting - who would these people be and were any of them a Pe A 20?