50 years ago, in the snow.

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Katharine
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50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by Katharine »

What difference did the snow of Spring term 1963 make to life in Horsham?

In Hertford, we were sent on walks most afternoons, instead of hockey or netball. We had to follow a designated route each day, but could walk in small groups, provided we left between set times. I think that Each House took it in turns to send out the leaders and the "sheepdogs" at the end to make sure nobody got left behind. Other than that, we just got on with life, as far as I remember.
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by seajayuu »

That's what I remember too. I think that it was that cold winter which precipitated the arrival of scarves, could be wrong though. I also remember that we had to walk around the school on cleared paths so that we "didn't ruin our shoes in the snow" - no snowball fighting for us!!
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by Fjgrogan »

I left Hertford in the summer of 1962, but I particularly remember the winter of 1962/3, because for the first time in my life I was having to commute into central London where I was taking an A level course. We lived beyond the end of the underground system, so my journey started with a lengthy bus ride; that winter the bus often had difficulty getting through to the nearest station, although I don't remember the trains ever failing to run. Most people took it in their stride, but I was unused to having to travel every day. These days, when schools so often seem to close as soon as the snow starts, I expect that any children at boarding school will be feeling aggrieved that they do not get extra time off! Yesterday I Skyped my daughter in Finland to tell her that we had real snow and as usual the country was grinding to a halt. She replied that they had sunshine, blue skies, snow on the ground, the temperature was -26C, but life continued as normal!
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by pinkhebe »

I spoke to my son last night, who told me that they were having a snow active this afternoon instead of football :) Unfortunately it looks unlikely that the planned visit to take him to lunch tomorrow will have to be cancelled, but he seemed remarkably unbothered by this and sounds like he's having a whale of a time in the snow with his friends (even though he doesn't have his wellies - bad mother)
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by Atticus »

Hi Pinkhebe,

You should be fine to take your ds out tomorrow. We took dd out last night and back this morning. All the main roads to Horsham are clear, and the main town roads are clear. Horsham did a great job. The road from the boars head to CH is fine, and the CH staff have done a fabulous job around the school.

Hope you have a lovely day with him tomorrow x
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by pinkhebe »

I'm more concerned about the snow that is forecast for tomorrow!
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by michael scuffil »

Katharine wrote:What difference did the snow of Spring term 1963 make to life in Horsham?
Its main long-term effect was to put an end to morning-break PT (which was impossible in the snow, and although restored in the summer term, was ditched the following winter).

The main effect at the time was a huge increase in everyone's free time. Organized sport ('games' in the jargon of the time) was impossible. We went sledging in Denne Park if we wanted to. That was my last winter at CH -- sledging had been possible my first winter, and again this one (and not at all in between). It was totally unsupervised and probably quite dangerous. Are the kids still allowed out to do this these days?
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by sejintenej »

michael scuffil wrote: The main effect at the time was a huge increase in everyone's free time. Organized sport ('games' in the jargon of the time) was impossible.?
My memory is that instead of rugby we had to go on cross country runs for an hour or so at a time. The tracks (for example that up Sharpenhurst through Shelleys Wood) would be icy / wet and very muddy so you got soaked and filthy. I do recall at least one occasion when we did play rugger in the snow but not when the ground was icy
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by michael scuffil »

sejintenej wrote:
michael scuffil wrote: The main effect at the time was a huge increase in everyone's free time. Organized sport ('games' in the jargon of the time) was impossible.?
My memory is that instead of rugby we had to go on cross country runs for an hour or so at a time. The tracks (for example that up Sharpenhurst through Shelleys Wood) would be icy / wet and very muddy so you got soaked and filthy. I do recall at least one occasion when we did play rugger in the snow but not when the ground was icy
David, you'd left by 1963. It was quite different from the ordinary cold winters. There was not the slightest possibility of cross-country runs. 'Activities' every day was 'sledging'.
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by J.R. »

I seem to remember having to endure doing P.T. behind Coleridge B in the snow AND asphalt hockey instead of rugby.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by jhopgood »

It may well have been a different year but I remember the runs, out of the gate half way around the loop, trying to take a short cut only to realise I had forgotten the ditch by the road and ending in it up to my waist in snow and cursing the cold mud at the bottom. I can't remember the lack of PE, but do remember playing at band parade with snow on both sides. One of my fingers got so cold that I would warm it up in my glass of water at lunch.
Somewhere I have a photograph of the quad under snow, although I may be thinking of a Xmas card.
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by DavidRawlins »

The 1946-47 winter was my first year. We barely went outside at all; went every where by tube, and then cloisters.When the snow suddenly cleared overnight in March the Headmaster, Flecker, gave us a half holiday in honour of the sun.
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by michael scuffil »

1946/47 was generally said to be worse than early 1963, and both were worse than anything since or in between.

In 1963, valiant attempts were made to do some ordinary outdoor things, like cross-country runs, but one had to keep to tracks and roads, you couldn't run at an energetic speed, and no one really saw the point.

I do remember 1947, even though I was not quite three, and it was because of the winter. I remember lots of candlelight (because of the power cuts) and being taken for walks through streets where the piles of snow were taller than me.
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by sejintenej »

michael scuffil wrote:1946/47 was generally said to be worse than early 1963, and both were worse than anything since or in between.

I do remember 1947, even though I was not quite three, and it was because of the winter. I remember lots of candlelight (because of the power cuts) and being taken for walks through streets where the piles of snow were taller than me.
Being a bit older I remember an event in each winter.
1963 I was in digs in the Old Steyne in Brighton. In the bedroom was a wash handbasin with a dripping tap. The water froze in the outside wastepipe and backed up. The water in the basin froze and then the water overflowed and froze on the floor. It was as cold as CH dorms and I had to walk to Hove and back every day

1947 I was outside Windsor in a house adjacent to a lake. Somehow I got through the high (for me) iron railings and onto the frozen lake. The adults found me there but were too frightened to walk on the lake and were yelling at me to come back which frightened me. Eventually I did get back but it was the shouting which I still remember. I suspect I got a beating for that though I don't remember the aftermath.
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Re: 50 years ago, in the snow.

Post by Katharine »

seajayuu wrote:That's what I remember too. I think that it was that cold winter which precipitated the arrival of scarves, could be wrong though. I also remember that we had to walk around the school on cleared paths so that we "didn't ruin our shoes in the snow" - no snowball fighting for us!!
Thanks for the memories.

Chrissy, I don't remember the cleared paths, but remember the walks! I thought the scarves were to commemorate DR's something or other anniversary of coming to the school. The weather may well have decided her on giving them rather than anything else!

When did the very cold weather start in 1947 - as someone born at the end of August 1947 ---- I'm just thinking about my parents keeping warm ooo-er Missus!
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
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