'Away from the Bombs and the Boys' - available to order

[FrogBoxed]

Just a quick note to let you know that you can find order details for this fascinating memoir on the CHA website.

[UserRemovedAccount]

For me, the most telling reminiscence of all concerns the sardine on toast (please note "sardine" is deliberately singular, not plural). But you will have to read the book to find out why.

[kerrensimmonds]

Sad to report that the author, Audrey Gregory (Griggs) died recently. I think the funeral is on Friday.
Kerren

[Angela Woodford]

Sad to report that the author, Audrey Gregory (Griggs) died recently. I think the funeral is on Friday.
Kerren

I'm so grateful to Carolynn for giving me a copy of this terrific memoir. So little had changed when I was there 1964-71! However, a passion for a senior heroine was then "being gone on". I wonder when "being cracked on" began?

We still had "squizzing"! Inter-house friendships discouraged! Older/younger in-house friendships discouraged! Laments over the dreariness of our uniform compared with Horsham, just the same. Latin for Today book 1 - sticking and licking - it's made me realise just how few changes DR made.

And the photos... aah!

Another book is mentioned - Blue Skirts into Blue Stockings by Louie Angus. Sounds like late 20s, early 30's? Has anybody ever encountered this book?

Love from Munch

[MKM]

Another book is mentioned - Blue Skirts into Blue Stockings by Louie Angus. Sounds like late 20s, early 30's? Has anybody ever encountered this book?
Love from Munch

Yes, I've got a copy of this one. I saw it only yesterday when we were moving piles of books into the auxiliary bookshelves that my husband is building. Would you like to borrow it?

[Angela Woodford]

Yes! Yes! Yes, please Mary!

How big a book is it? Shall I send you some postage?

This must be the first Hertford memoir, I suppose.

Very gratefully, Munch

[kerrensimmonds]

And as far as I know, Louie Angus is still alive. She celebrated her 100th birthday last year...
I have two copies of the book - one of which is out on loan at the moment.

[Angela Woodford]

How wonderful - 100 years old.

Perhaps you and I will write our memoirs by then! I dare say that yours will be considerably more distinguished than mine! Or perhaps we could all put stuff together and collaborate up until the falling of Hertford...

Love, Munch

[Jo]

Just discovered that Blue Skirts into Blue Stockings is available from Amazon for next-to-nothing secondhand, so I've ordered a copy. But no sign of Away from the Bombs and the Boys, or indeed of DR's memoir that I remember being mentioned a few months ago (was it Half to Remember??) Not available on the CHA website either. Does anyone know whether either or both will be available again in future from CHA or elsewhere?

Many thanks!

[kerrensimmonds]

Jo - you could get both through contacting Wendy Killner in the CHA Office (01403 247642 or oblues@christs-hospital.org.uk).

She 'inherited' all remaining stock of 'Away from the Bombs.....', and at the Memorial Service for DRW, boxes of 'Half to Remember' appeared, too.

She may not have them herself any more, but she would know where to direct you.

Kerren

[Jo]

Many thanks Kerren, have just emailed her to enquire.

[Katharine]

You're going to love the illustrations in Blue Skirts into Blue Stockings!

[MKM]

Munch: I'll send the book as soon as I relocate it. There has been a slight problem (the height of the ceiling is not the same all the way along, and only the shorter end was measured) and I am surrounded by piles of books. Don't worry about the postage, it's not a big book, but I will need your address.

As to writing your memoirs, either alone or as a collaboration, I think it's a great idea.

I'll email Wendy too about "Away from the Bombs and Boys".

[Angela Woodford]

Thank you so much, Mary! Have pm'd you my address!

I've been very struck by the list of things which Audrey needed as a new girl - the 1937 version is virtually identical for the list I found so exciting in 1964. Audrey wonders that the trunk she's instructed to get has to be of certain dimensions. We had to have a suitcase - but the size specification never puzzled me. I imagined that once we'd unpacked our cases would be stored somewhere and they would all have to fit together.

What surprises me is the instruction to bring a Mason Peason hairbrush! This was the most expensive hairbrush of all, apart from some silver backed dressing-table splendour.

I envied any girl with a Mason Pearson hairbrush in her brush-and-comb bag. This was very high in the pecking order of posessions. Phine Maude had one. Alison Stilliard had one. I would go home and visit Pratts of Streatham and take furtively a MP hairbrush out of its box on the display and just stroke its genuinely bristled contours. How I longed to take one from my brush and comb bag (casually of course) and brush away - it made a sort of smart rasping noise in action. But they were very expensive!

Love from Munch

Sudden memory minutes later! On the list was "tooth comb". I was baffled! And my mother was too embarassed to explain. "But Mummy, how do you comb your teeth?" I wondered. The next day we visited Boots, she whispered our request to the assisstant who cast a pitying eye over me. Gradually it dawned on me that this comb was for those infested by.... what? We never did use the wretched thing at CH.

[kerrensimmonds]

I've still got my Mason Pearson hairbrush - 51 years on! And I do remember the toothcombs being used - we had to line up at the start of term, while the housemistress dipped the toothcomb in disinfectant and then went through our hair, one by one. Not a pleasant task! But I don't remember anyone being found to be affected by nits/head lice, tho. given the closeness with which we lived it's surprising that I don't ever remember any instance, at any time....