Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I just had a sudden fit of nostalgia and pulled apart our back bedroom to find my O and A level history notes (they're about the only school work I still have because I really enjoyed history - despite doing French instead at university). Amongst the exercise books and loose leaf sheets of paper were a number of programmes for CH events, including the programme for Prize Giving in 1969, autographed by Colin Davis who was the guest of honour.

What particularly interested me, though, was the programme for Horsham Speech Day, Saturday 7th June 1975. UVI pupils were bussed down to Horsham and it was my first visit to the boys' school. The names meant nothing to me at the time but reading it again now, there are some that have become familiar. M J McKelvey conducted the music. The report at the back included university successes and either school or university prizes. R S Hopgood achieved First Class Honours in English Language and Literature (assume that's John's brother); and one P W R Underwood was awarded the Worshipful Company of Cutlers' Captain Boot Travelling Scholarship (is there a smiley for "impressed"?)

Scarily, for every name mentioned, I have annotated the initials with the full Christian name and added their House. However did I find out, and why did I think it mattered? Also I remember sitting opposite someone called Dick at lunch and rather liking him, and then trying to find out who he was. By interrogating various other contacts I think I established that it was Dick Seekins, but I am rather embarrassed to note that on the back of the programme I have listed all the other possible Dicks and Richards (someone must have told me all the likely names), and then eliminated them on the basis of things that had come up in conversation with DS, such as house, etc, until I finally arrived at the correct identity. . Well, in my defence, I was only 18 at the time, which seemed very mature then but seems very young now, and thanks to a CH education I was woefully ignorant of and pathetically impressed by boys

My Father, some years ago, when I was "Getting on in the World" handed me my CH School Reports, which he had preserved (In Aspic ?) with the remark "If you are ever getting above yourself --- read those !"


I still have them !

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:My Father, some years ago, when I was "Getting on in the World" handed me my CH School Reports, which he had preserved (In Aspic ?) with the remark "If you are ever getting above yourself --- read those !"

I think that just about applies to everyone, Neill !!

Do teachers have 'copy & paste' pens that are programmed with.... 'MUST TRY HARDER !'

Jo wrote: R S Hopgood achieved First Class Honours in English Language and Literature (assume that's John's brother);

Absolutely correct, another Richard for your collection.
He still writes very well and I tried to get him involved in the Old Blue, with no success.
He is now MD of the Henry Smith Charity.

Jo wrote:I just had a sudden fit of nostalgia and pulled apart our back bedroom to find my O and A level history notes (they're about the only school work I still have because I really enjoyed history - despite doing French instead at university). Amongst the exercise books and loose leaf sheets of paper were a number of programmes for CH events, including the programme for Prize Giving in 1969, autographed by Colin Davis who was the guest of honour.

What particularly interested me, though, was the programme for Horsham Speech Day, Saturday 7th June 1975. UVI pupils were bussed down to Horsham and it was my first visit to the boys' school. The names meant nothing to me at the time but reading it again now, there are some that have become familiar. M J McKelvey conducted the music. The report at the back included university successes and either school or university prizes. R S Hopgood achieved First Class Honours in English Language and Literature (assume that's John's brother); and one P W R Underwood was awarded the Worshipful Company of Cutlers' Captain Boot Travelling Scholarship (is there a smiley for "impressed"?)

Scarily, for every name mentioned, I have annotated the initials with the full Christian name and added their House. However did I find out, and why did I think it mattered? Also I remember sitting opposite someone called Dick at lunch and rather liking him, and then trying to find out who he was. By interrogating various other contacts I think I established that it was Dick Seekins, but I am rather embarrassed to note that on the back of the programme I have listed all the other possible Dicks and Richards (someone must have told me all the likely names), and then eliminated them on the basis of things that had come up in conversation with DS, such as house, etc, until I finally arrived at the correct identity. . Well, in my defence, I was only 18 at the time, which seemed very mature then but seems very young now, and thanks to a CH education I was woefully ignorant of and pathetically impressed by boys

I can't remember the 1974 Horsham Speech Day except for some strange quotes from the Oration, yet I do remember going from Horham to the Hertford equivalent (not my first visit!). I think this is because as we walked to the Chapel(?) there was a whole line of girls taking our photographs - the first and only time that has ever happened to me!

in 1984 we were invited to the Hertford Speech Day which I think was held soemtime in May and so not too close to A level
exams. The Head Girl at the time did a flawless oration ans sadly two months later I was unable to match her prowess. I fluffed a few lines but having just finished my last A level three days before I did not have much time to learn.

BTW is the oration read now and no longe ra massive feat of memory. I did several school plays at CH, but never have I had to learn so many lines in a monologue as the Oration. Looking back on it a horrible experience!

CHAZ wrote:BTW is the oration read now and no longe ra massive feat of memory.

They probably have a teleprompter......

CHAZ wrote:in 1984 we were invited to the Hertford Speech Day which I think was held soemtime in May and so not too close to A level
exams. The Head Girl at the time did a flawless oration ans sadly two months later I was unable to match her prowess. I fluffed a few lines but having just finished my last A level three days before I did not have much time to learn.

BTW is the oration read now and no longe ra massive feat of memory. I did several school plays at CH, but never have I had to learn so many lines in a monologue as the Oration. Looking back on it a horrible experience!

I remember going on a visit to hertford before the merger - my impression was CH horsham folded in half and washed on a hot wash. Sort of the same but more compact - also I got in trouble for running down the stairs from dining hall - we ran up and down all stairs in junior houses in Horsham so it seems mad to me to have to walk down that huge staircase slowly

But you see Hertford was geared to producing elegant young ladies who would not be expected to run on a staircase - it did of course fail miserably in that respect!

A nostalgic thought --- with all the alterations to the Houses, and no "Dorms" anymore --- do the staircases, as they were, still exist ? For running down --- Male or Female ?
I imagine that the one, stone, staircase at the back of the House, which I always assumed was a fire exit, has probably been absorbed by the new extensions.
It was mostly used for bottles of Elderberry wine, which would, at times, explode --- with a rush to see "Whose" had gone !!

Oh Happy days !!

They were both still there on my last visit to Coleridge B, Neill.....



and, NO ! I didn't molest any of the house residents on my visit.

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote: do the staircases, as they were, still exist ?

Our architectural correspondent writes: Removing staircases, especially stone ones, from unframed buildings is not to be undertaken lightly.

The main staircase, though, was in a structure of its own. These could hardly be removed without drastically altering the external appearance, and AFAIK this hasn't been done.

JR --- On my last visit to Ba B, on a re-union -- I was shown around by two delightful Ladies.
When we reached their Senior Common Room, I remarked that in my day, it was the Senior Housemaster's Study.
I said " I have been beaten in here " ---- "Where ?" they asked ---------------

I resisted the temptation -- and repiled "In that corner over there !"

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:JR --- On my last visit to Ba B, on a re-union -- I was shown around by two delightful Ladies.
When we reached their Senior Common Room, I remarked that in my day, it was the Senior Housemaster's Study.
I said " I have been beaten in here " ---- "Where ?" they asked ---------------

I resisted the temptation -- and repiled "In that corner over there !"

On the last Coleridge B re-union, the girls in house could hardly believe that some of us older OB's present had actually BEEN beaten.

'Bogey' Fryer was a pretty mean beater as well !

Fjgrogan wrote:But you see Hertford was geared to producing elegant young ladies

I can't say I have ever thought this.

Worthy, sensible, academic, hockeyplaying C of E women, good at needlework, who would always volunteer for stuff.