Hertford photos mid/late 60s to early 70s

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I wasn't ever taught by Mr Mulholland (I was in Mrs Thomas' class - she was lovely, and even managed to make differentiation bearable, if not understandable, for me).

I seem to remember that we (awful creatures that we were) declared that his christian name must be Monty, and that when Miss Wilson enthusiastically called 'Montevideo' as she stared out of the Geography Room window, she had spied him across the netball courts.

Aaarrrrrggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh - I'm cringing in my seat as I think about what vile little girlies we were on occasion .

[englishangel]

Gosh, that brings back the memories. It was like something out of 'The prime of Miss Jean Brodie'

[englishangel]

BACK ROW. Alex, Lois, Anne, Ann, Judith, Maureen, Lesley, Judy, Susan
MIDDLE ROW. Pauline, Shelagh, Sue, Mary, Liz, Lesley, Sue, Jane, Ailsa, Carol, Julie
FRONT ROW. Mary (Me), Juliane, Carolyn, D R, Penny, Val, Sue
What a memory for an old lady!!!

[UserRequestedRemoval]

You aren't old Mary!

[englishangel]

How kind.

When I was 15 I was out with my 7 year old sister and was asked if I was her mother!!!! THAT made me feel old.

[Angela Woodford]

Mr Mid A

No, I was not obsessive. Rather a shame really - if I'd been obsessed I would have expressed my feelings, obtained good advice and possibly would not have got into such a state. But there was nobody to talk to at Hertford. It was only in the holidays that I was unable to find anything to wear. Eating the CH food caused me to be very overweight. Late 60's early 70's there was very little fashion over size 14. Occasionally a 16.

At one stage (UV I think) I and several others were summoned to the Infirmary, where we were told that we should lose some weight. I stood before the consultation desk of Dr Jory. "A bit slow are we?" he asked. "Not very good at Maths?" I admitted that this was so. Without any further investigation he prescribed thyroxin, without any investigations, without any dietetic advice. Of course it made no difference.

I covered up my worries with a facade of "laughter" for which my old friends are kind enough to remember me.

As a nurse, heavily overweight patients would sometimes suggest that, as a slim person, I could have no insight into her problems! My CH years made me familiar with all the problems of which you and your sister, Mr Mid A, have no knowledge. How fortunate you both have been.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Mr Mid A

No, I was not obsessive. Rather a shame really - if I'd been obsessed I would have expressed my feelings, obtained good advice and possibly would not have got into such a state. But there was nobody to talk to at Hertford. It was only in the holidays that I was unable to find anything to wear. Eating the CH food caused me to be very overweight. Late 60's early 70's there was very little fashion over size 14. Occasionally a 16.

At one stage (UV I think) I and several others were summoned to the Infirmary, where we were told that we should lose some weight. I stood before the consultation desk of Dr Jory. "A bit slow are we?" he asked. "Not very good at Maths?" I admitted that this was so. Without any further investigation he prescribed thyroxin, without any investigations, without any dietetic advice. Of course it made no difference.

Hi Munch

I fully agree that we didn't talk to each other about our concerns: very sad that we all seem to have thought that we were alone in our misery.

As for Dr Jory - I'm starting to hyperventilate at the thought of him prescribing Thyroxine without first checking your intrinsic levels. Aaarrgghh. And as for his description of you being 'a bit slow' - bl**dy hell, we would all now be termed 'gifted and talented' (or is that a uniquely Australian term?). No-one who was 'a bit slow' would have made it through the admissions process. I suspect that this happened when you were in the sixth form, as I would certainly have been one of those summoned, and don't remember being so. Hey, you think you had it tough - I got the trifecta: fat, too tall and myopic. Not to mention supposedly flat feet. Never quite understood that one, as my arches are so high that I can't wear clogs without cutting off circulation to my toes. And, no, this is not as a result of 'feet' classes in the gym: my arches were already abnormally high.

I'm having a flashback here - remembering you yelling 'Vite, vite, I'm late for feet', or words to that effect. Do you remember having to pick up bean bags with our toes and other such challenging exercises? Actually, it wasn't so hard for me as I have abnormally long toes too

Returning to the topic of medical abuse: who remembers us being guniea pigs for some drug company who were trialling a potential anti-cold medication? Pot was so dumb that she left the huge jars of pills in the Day Room for us to dose ourselves. One treatment (the active, I suspect) was quite yummy, tasting of ascorbic acid, and I don't think that I was the only one to take more than the prescribed dose, or to take pills from the jar that I was not assigned to.

And so to CH food. I still have nightmares at the thought of Friday lunches. I do not like oily fish, and the alternate fish mornay and fish in parsley sauce both made me gag and vomit. Members of the Sixth Form would stand over me as I sobbed and tried to eat the stuff without throwing up all over the floor, as I knew that I would be punished and made to clean it up myself. I would spit the stuff into my hanky (thank goodness for men sized school hankies) and then deposit it down the loo on escape. Whoever was overseeing the torture must have seen what I was doing, so why didn't they just let me put it into the scrap bin?

Enough already - I need to take some deep breaths and sniff some lavender oil or something.

[Angela Woodford]

I have actually found your private message. But now I can't remember how I did it! Would it be possible for the Moderator to give me yur private email address?

What a fascinating life you have led! I will Tell All if it could be a private message!

I would like to read Dr's memoirs. I wonder if the Old Girls Association could find me a copy?

I feel suddenly inspired to remember, when I was newly assimilated into 1's, the Crack System, whereby a Junior developed a devotion to a Senior.

My schoolma, the late Judith Pook was cracked on Kathleen Dale, that tall blonde multi achieving Head Girl. I remember watching as DR strode from a tennis court with her arm round KD, and feeling that being a Blonde Goddess must still have its drawbacks. "They are just like sisters" whispered Pook, in an incredulous way.

I simpy could not identify a Senior who inspired any sort of devotion in me. but I did feel a kind of admiration for Doreen Buvyer, who left 6's before she could begin punishing me. Doreen seemed to express a certain serenity. She didn't stomp along, but glided in an elegant way, her brow unfurrowed in a manner since obtained only by Botox nowadays.

The Crack System seemed to fade away when 1's and 5's became Senior Houses. Perhaps entering into a more familiar situation with the figures of our veneration destroyed any illusions we might have had about them.

I always wondered how Monty got his name! Now I know.

Munch

[Katharine]

I simpy could not identify a Senior who inspired any sort of devotion in me. but I did feel a kind of admiration for Doreen Buvyer, who left 6's before she could begin punishing me. Doreen seemed to express a certain serenity. She didn't stomp along, but glided in an elegant way, her brow unfurrowed in a manner since obtained only by Botox nowadays.

If you remember Doreen you may remember me - we were in the same year in 6s. Are you remembering her form her time as a Senior Mon in 1s?

[Vonny]

FRONT ROW.D R.

I know I've said it before but she so looks like Betty Jukes!

[Mid A 15]

Mr Mid A

No, I was not obsessive. Rather a shame really - if I'd been obsessed I would have expressed my feelings, obtained good advice and possibly would not have got into such a state. But there was nobody to talk to at Hertford. It was only in the holidays that I was unable to find anything to wear. Eating the CH food caused me to be very overweight. Late 60's early 70's there was very little fashion over size 14. Occasionally a 16.

At one stage (UV I think) I and several others were summoned to the Infirmary, where we were told that we should lose some weight. I stood before the consultation desk of Dr Jory. "A bit slow are we?" he asked. "Not very good at Maths?" I admitted that this was so. Without any further investigation he prescribed thyroxin, without any investigations, without any dietetic advice. Of course it made no difference.

I covered up my worries with a facade of "laughter" for which my old friends are kind enough to remember me.

As a nurse, heavily overweight patients would sometimes suggest that, as a slim person, I could have no insight into her problems! My CH years made me familiar with all the problems of which you and your sister, Mr Mid A, have no knowledge. How fortunate you both have been.

Angela,

My comment was intended as a general observation rather than directed specifically towards you. I'm truly sorry if it did not come across that way.

I'm the father of 3 daughters aged from 15 to nearly 25. I would be a rich man if I had a pound for every time I've heard them or more often their friends talking about a need to diet or lose weight. These are "normal" girls who in no way can be described as fat. However when I see the magazines they read showing sneakily taken pictures of cellulite on stick insects like Posh Spice or Kate Moss, combined with overwhelming media pressure on girls to look like these stick insects, it is hardly surprising I suppose that they do worry needlessly about their weight.

The point I was really trying to make is that, in complete contrast, I do not recall my sister or her friends being subject to such pressures to look slim via the media. If they were they certainly didn't discuss it and I do not recall my sister or her friends expressing a wish to diet in any way, unlike some of my daughters' friends.

My sister is only a couple of years or so younger than us and that is solely why your comment surprised me and also why I responded to it.

Once again I apologise if I came across as in anyway critical of you and reiterate that that was not my intention.

Andy

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I have actually found your private message. But now I can't remember how I did it! Would it be possible for the Moderator to give me yur private email address?

What a fascinating life you have led! I will Tell All if it could be a private message!

I would like to read Dr's memoirs. I wonder if the Old Girls Association could find me a copy?

I feel suddenly inspired to remember, when I was newly assimilated into 1's, the Crack System, whereby a Junior developed a devotion to a Senior.

Hi Munch

I am more than happy for you to have my private email. In fact, I am happy to post it in a general message, if this is acceptable to the moderators. Julian/Simon/anyone - is this OK?

I was going to ask if anyone who has a copy of DRs memoirs would be willing to photocopy it, or scan it into PDF: then I remembered copyright
Obviously any negoiation would have to be conducted via pm, not on the forum, but I thought, since the book is not readily available, that DR might approve if any recipients made a suitable donation to the school.

I didn't realise that we were the first year to go straight into one house and stay there.

[Angela Woodford]

Hi Simon!

Iwould be thilled if you could transmit my email address to Caroline in Adelaide - It's [e-mail address removed].

We've got 30 years of reminiscence to catch up on! It will be lovely! We even went to the same primary school!

I'm most grateful -

Munch

[gillieg]

Just getting the hang of how these threads go off piste - someone mentioned Monty several messages back, several months ago. In my second year at CH (5th March 1973 to be exact) I got appendicitis and was in hospital for nearly 3 months (no I didn't have my appendix out in the infirmary- but it did go very wrong), Anyway. Monty came to see me once a week, every week I was in hospital (in Harlow at least 30 minutes drive away). He brought me books (no maths prep though) and spent several hours showing me photos taken during WW2 (or maybe even earlier). I wonder what became of him and my log tables....

[Alexandra Thrift]

He died two or three years ago Gillieg.I read about it in one of the school magazines.

He taught me and Liz Jay (Plummer). We two went down to the "alpha" stream for maths.He was a kind man and endlessly patient....especially as we were always giggling at his record breaking,ginger eyebrows and generally winding him up.

Even his untiring efforts were insufficient for me to understand what on earth "calculus" or sines, cosines and tangents were (lots of columns of little unrelated figures );I loathed maths but I learnt everything Polly Parrot style and managed to pass O level with a "C".In those days we had to study calculus for "O" level.

Years later I used all my arithmetic on a daily basis (and in french!) when clearing trades and making deliveries on the commodity and financial futures markets in London and then Paris. I even found algebra quite useful ! I was always very quick at figures but anything too abstract was quite beyond me.

I've never understood how I could be so quick with arithmetic but hopeless at maths, no good at physics either...struggled with "valency" numbers in chemistry...can anybody explain (Mary Mc, Eng.Angel,Katharine) ???

I'm a dab hand at cards and backgammon though or working out the odds
on the roulette wheel or at the turf accountant

I'm getting better at sudokus too.