Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Drugs weren't really 'fashionable' in my day.

Gold Leaf cigarettes and the occasional Worthington 'E' - Yes.

Not me, I'm afraid. I used to smoke at school, in fact in the UVIth we had a new young housemistress who used to share her St Moritz with me if there was no-one else around. I smoked until I was in my late 20s but then gave up. I also stopped drinking about 5 years ago because I didn't seem to be able to control it - now I have the odd glass on a special occasion but that's about it.

As for anything else......nothing until I was turned 40, when I tried a couple of joints but they made me fall asleep so I've never bothered since

J.R. wrote:Drugs weren't really 'fashionable' in my day.

Gold Leaf cigarettes and the occasional Worthington 'E' - Yes.

JR's day was my day and I think he's quite right. I think the episode I mentioned in the first post on this thread was the first, and probably a one-off for a while.

As for Worthington E, we snobs with buttons used to quaff something called "Tuscan Red", a very generic Italian wine that could be got for 6/8 a bottle (that's 33p for you youngsters), which was relatively expensive by today's standards. A pint -- of beer, I mean -- then cost 1/6 (7.5p). A cheap bottle of wine today costs about one and a half pints, not four.

michael scuffil wrote:

J.R. wrote:Drugs weren't really 'fashionable' in my day.

Gold Leaf cigarettes and the occasional Worthington 'E' - Yes.

JR's day was my day and I think he's quite right. I think the episode I mentioned in the first post on this thread was the first, and probably a one-off for a while.

As for Worthington E, we snobs with buttons used to quaff something called "Tuscan Red", a very generic Italian wine that could be got for 6/8 a bottle (that's 33p for you youngsters), which was relatively expensive by today's standards. A pint -- of beer, I mean -- then cost 1/6 (7.5p). A cheap bottle of wine today costs about one and a half pints, not four.

Where did you purchase your contraband, Michael. I think its safe to divulge after all this time.

We used to wander up over Sarpenhurst to some small cafe/shop, the exact location of which I cannot now recall.

I can remember going to Billingshurst to buy alcohol....

The theory being that they'd be clued up in Horsham and nearer villages.

When I was in the UV, my brother and his wife came to take me out one Saturday. I think they were surprised that I was missing out on normal teenage experience, and slipped me a packet of Consulate "fresh as a mountain stream" cigarettes.

Where was I to smoke a cigarette? I thought it through carefully. Then I decided to go up to my Form Room, at the top of the School Block. On a Saturday afternoon, it was completely quiet. If anyone came in three floors down, as the School Block doors were very noisy I would have heard and could have concealed myself. I smoked out of the Form Room window, collected the cigarette end and buried it in the House garden.

Did I enjoy those occasional cigarettes? Absolutely! They provided a sort of interval of privacy/secrecy for me.

Fortunately, they were in no way addictive - I don't smoke now, but... cool as a mountain stream... thanks Consulate! Got me through some bad times!

Where was I to smoke a cigarette? I thought it through carefully. Then I decided to go up to my Form Room, at the top of the School Block. On a Saturday afternoon, it was completely quiet. If anyone came in three floors down, as the School Block doors were very noisy I would have heard and could have concealed myself. I smoked out of the form window, collected the cigarette end and buried it in the House garden.

Way, way impressed Angela!!

Of all the people I thought might post here, you were not one of them, just goes to show!!

gma wrote: Of all the people I thought might post here, you were not one of them, just goes to show!!

Hey Gerrie, why not me? I wasn't one of those superbly well-behaved girls, Always in some kind of trouble I was! But I was never found out with a cigarette!

J.R. wrote:

michael scuffil wrote:

J.R. wrote:Drugs weren't really 'fashionable' in my day.

Gold Leaf cigarettes and the occasional Worthington 'E' - Yes.

JR's day was my day and I think he's quite right. I think the episode I mentioned in the first post on this thread was the first, and probably a one-off for a while.

As for Worthington E, we snobs with buttons used to quaff something called "Tuscan Red", a very generic Italian wine that could be got for 6/8 a bottle (that's 33p for you youngsters), which was relatively expensive by today's standards. A pint -- of beer, I mean -- then cost 1/6 (7.5p). A cheap bottle of wine today costs about one and a half pints, not four.

Where did you purchase your contraband, Michael. I think its safe to divulge after all this time.

We used to wander up over Sarpenhurst to some small cafe/shop, the exact location of which I cannot now recall.

The place you mention in the last line is probably Tote Hill garage, which certainly had no qualms about selling cigarettes to anyone at all. But the wine came from a Horsham off-licence. They were clued up enough to know that if you had a grecian's coat, you were probably the right side of 18, or not far off. And who'd let school rules stand in the way of a sale.
I recall its appearance but not its address. (I must admit that when I was last in Horsham, about 18 months ago, I was totally lost and recognized almost nothing. But at last I found the Merrythought Café, with a roaring fire. Bliss, took me back to Saturday afternoons out.)

I think the top of/behind the school block was popular. There were also some little rooms behind the science block which had typwriters in them for learning to type (natch) and I never ever saw anyone round there when I was there. Typing no smoking. I didn't smoke or drink at school but when I went to Uni.............I took my finals on cigarettes and black coffee and haven't had a ciggy since. One of my flatmates (there were seven of us) smoked his hash through a hookah pipe, for the rest of us alcohol was the mind altering substance of choice, and how we survived the years with the amount we put away I have no idea. Apart from Mr Hookah we all graduated with varying degrees (!) of success.

Yes of course, Michael. It WAS the Tote Hill Garage. Memories flooding back now.

Farnaz wrote: Even on Mr Dobbie's/the chapel's wine.

I remember getting drunk on the chapel wine as well It was easy pickings though.........

Farnaz wrote:No drugs though

I never touched drugs at school either, although some did (as discussed somewhere else on this forum) and it made the front page of the Express when several pupils were suspended/expelled.

Vonny! Do you remember anybody getting expelled for drinking the Communion wine?

It must have been mid 90s - I was working with a girl I found tremendously nice - we really got on. Eventually the conversation arrived at education. "Oh", she said, laughing "I went away to school; rather a historic traditional place. The school was in Hertford, though there was a far larger boys' school in Horsham..."

After a fair amount of shrieking and laughing, she revealed that her sister had been expelled for this very bibulous crime. I can't tell you what years these girls were at Hertford, but my new Old Girl friend revealed that Miss Morrison had chummed up with Jukes'n'Wilson and this alliance was known as the Three Bears. Could this Communion wine raider have been a friend of yours, Vonny?

BTW, where was it kept?

I don't recall anyone getting expelled for drinking communion wine (or rather getting drunk on it!). I only did it the once (honest guv) and that was at Horsham on my deps. I have no idea if this was also done at Hertford during my time!

I don't remember the "Three Bears" tag although the three of them appeared very chummy!

Aha! Must have been before your time then. How Hertford must have changed!