Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

scrub wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:37 am I don't think any of the masters who were masons ever hid the fact (most notably Bob Sillett MBE), a lot of my peers who joined the lodge are equally open, and the school hosts lodge days. Freemasonry is wound into the very foundation of the Horsham site.

Mr Higgins (my chem teacher) was a member. I didn't know that until I looked at some event attendance lists.

Sillett is on record trying to suppress victims of abuse by threatening them with embarrassment in the papers (a lie given victim privacy rules at the time). Since he's the school's most prominent mason it's very relevant who else may have been, and not everyone was so public.

Was that "threat" by Sillett part of some overall attempt by him to cover up or was he specifically protecting Karim, ie was Karim a Mason?

Bakunin - Are you sure it was him and not a sibling or something?

As I have said on another thread, I think it was more likely to be incompetence and/or bullying to protect the good name of the school.

I would be surprised if Karim was invited into the masons.

bakunin wrote: ↑Sun Jul 22, 2018 2:15 am

scrub wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:37 am I don't think any of the masters who were masons ever hid the fact (most notably Bob Sillett MBE), a lot of my peers who joined the lodge are equally open, and the school hosts lodge days. Freemasonry is wound into the very foundation of the Horsham site.

Mr Higgins (my chem teacher) was a member. I didn't know that until I looked at some event attendance lists.

Sillett is on record trying to suppress victims of abuse by threatening them with embarrassment in the papers (a lie given victim privacy rules at the time). Since he's the school's most prominent mason it's very relevant who else may have been, and not everyone was so public.

Mr PF Higgins was a chemistry teacher and junior housemaster in Middleton A during my time and I believe his Christian name was (is) Peter.

I believe his son is called Andrew (the former Premiership and England Saxon rugby centre or wing) and that is the name showing on the information posted as a link to the actual thread re freemasons.

richardb wrote: ↑Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:32 pm As I have said on another thread, I think it was more likely to be incompetence and/or bullying to protect the good name of the school.

I would be surprised if Karim was invited into the masons.

So would I !!!!

Wikipedia shows Andrew Higgins as an OB.

But it says he was born in Epping during what would have been termtime.

richardb wrote: ↑Sun Jul 22, 2018 5:35 pm Wikipedia shows Andrew Higgins as an OB.

But it says he was born in Epping during what would have been termtime.

I'd long gone so have no idea but is it possible that Andrew could have been adopted?

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

I cannot find an Andrew Higgins registered in the Epping area at the right time.

richardb wrote: ↑Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:32 pmAs I have said on another thread, I think it was more likely to be incompetence and/or bullying to protect the good name of the school.

I agree, but I feel that some people would prefer a conspiracy to explain gross dereliction of duty because when you accept the alternative you naturally start to question whether the incompetence spread further. Much like probing an odd feeling tooth with your tongue; you want to judge whether a trip to the dentist is needed, but you're worried it'll end up in root canal and would rather blame it on a piece of parsley so you don't have to worry about it further.

richardb wrote: ↑Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:32 pmI would be surprised if Karim was invited into the masons.

Don't see why not. Decent pedigree; an OB sponsored by Barnes Wallis, well regarded local mentors, and the right sort of career to be thought of as an upstanding citizen who could add to the order. All with the added bonus of some good PR for being a success story for the school.

Andrew is adopted, not that it has anything to do with Freemasons or the recent court cases.

DazedandConfused wrote: ↑Sun Jul 22, 2018 7:28 pm Andrew is adopted, not that it has anything to do with Freemasons or the recent court cases.

Or with us.

I am reliably informed that NONE of the convicted criminals are Freemasons, including Karim.