Quick questions and (maybe) answers Hertford Memories thread

[MKM]

In my time at hertford there were six rooms in the science block: Chemistry, Biology, Cookery, History, Geography and Physics. I'm not sure which was on which floor. But maybe I've got it wrong, or missed one, because the rooms were very dfferent sizes.

It's great to have some more Hertford reminiscences starting. I did wonder if we'd all got the place out of our systems after the reuinions last year.

[midget]

On the RHS going up: Physics, Chemistry, Biology
On the LHS Laundry (it wasn't used for long as the Housecraft Certifcate stopped when A levels came in (1950, I think) On the middle floor cookery and above that needlework. I think the history room was up there somewhere, and Geography was on the ground floor of the school block.

[MKM]

I'd forgotten needlework. I must have blotted it out from my memory.
I think the old Laundry room must have been changed to Geography.

[Vonny]

I remember it as being geography (lhs) and physis (rhs) on the ground floor, cookery (lhs) and chemistry (rhs) on the first floor and on the second floor was needlework (lhs) and biology (rhs). I think history may also have been on the second floor - maybe next to the needlework room? It was definitely in the science block. This was obviously 1981-5.

[Katharine]

I remember my aunt talking about the laundry school, I think there was a domestic science flat there where some girls studying domestic science actually lived.

As I remember it, the rooms were different sizes on that side - I think Miss Gamble lived in a flat behind the Geography room. The Cookery School was the full size and then the top floor had History in a fairly small room, next to that was the sort of ante-room for Needlework and further in the Needlework Room itself.

[Angela Woodford]

Katharine describes the location of the History Room accurately. Right up at the top, far left. I remember the History Room as being quite dark with a weird smell, and the desks crowded in tightly.

Merce had her desk on a raised dais.

One term - LV? - Carolynn and I wrote a sort of illustrated train-horror-thriller entitled "Algernon" and we stuck it up along the walls of the History Room. Perhaps we thought that Algernon would get the widest coverage and most sympathetic reception there?

In the U1V, we did French there with Merce. We'd had the charming but helplessly ineffectual Mrs Drake in the L1V and fallen behind. Merce undertook the task of bringing us up to speed!

Our 'O' level History syllabus I found so desperately boring (Palmerston etc) that I don't remember any of it, but I was enthralled by Heraldry, which Merce seemed to enjoy teaching us. That's my happiest memory in the History Room!

Was there a door at the back of the Geography Room? Did the glum and grim Miss Gamble live there? Aha! I never knew that! It's hard to think of that woman anywhere but in her clickety-clack typing mode behind the big cloth-clad table in the Ante-Room. I used to look at her, as I lined up in the queue to see DR, and wonder what on earth could have made a woman so incapable of any communication skills? I know that Katharine, as DR's Mon, has better memories of Miss Gamble. Maybe if she'd have smiled or spoken when one was in the queue? But a brilliant speed-typist!

[Katharine]

Was there a door at the back of the Geography Room? Did the glum and grim Miss Gamble live there? Aha! I never knew that! It's hard to think of that woman anywhere but in her clickety-clack typing mode behind the big cloth-clad table in the Ante-Room. I used to look at her, as I lined up in the queue to see DR, and wonder what on earth could have made a woman so incapable of any communication skills? I know that Katharine, as DR's Mon, has better memories of Miss Gamble. Maybe if she'd have smiled or spoken when one was in the queue? But a brilliant speed-typist!

Angela, my abiding memory of her is telling me not to smile so much when I went to Oxford for my interview - "Katharine you smile too much" what a thing to say to someone going for possibly the most important interview of her life.

Yes, there were a few times when she did show she was human but that simple utterance spoilt everything.

[Angela Woodford]

What were the duties of a DR's Mon? I never knew, except that it was an important appointment!

[Katharine]

What were the duties of a DR's Mon? I never knew, except that it was an important appointment!

Wish I could remember!!!! Apart from feeling important, one regular duty was delivering the second post to the houses. Other than that you were really DR's dogsbody and to a lesser extent Miss Gamble's. Occasionally you had to go to the staffroom and request a member of staff to come to the presence, more often it was girls. I think I was appointed as DR wanted me as a School Prefect, and realised I had had a tough time with the Hag (who had vetoed my GA in UVI). Perhaps it was a slight 'reward' for having got through.

Just a thought, presumably there was no internal phone system. Where I work I have two phones on my desk, one is the internal which actually covers the whole of the railway line, the other is the standard landline. It would have been useful at Hertford to have had an internal to send messages around etc.

[Angela Woodford]

I think it was round about 1969 that an internal phone system was installed. It certainly linked the Houses together, but I don't remember if one could phone anywhere else.

Also, around that time, a call-box was put in at the bottom of the Science Block. "I'd like a reversed charge call to....". There was usually a queue of girls going up the Science Block stairs at the weekends... Just imagine if the mobile phone had been invented then - how wonderful it would have been!

Katharine - you're DR's Mon - where was the Staff Room? Another thing I never knew.

[Katharine]

The Staff Room was on the Ground floor of the building in the corner of the plot sort of between 9s and the Science Block - did we have a name for that one? Was it the White House? It was out of bounds to mere mortals so no wonder most didn't know where it was! I had to be told when I assumed my mantle of DRs Mon, even so I felt a bit anxious knocking on the door.

[Angela Woodford]

I had had a tough time with the Hag (who had vetoed my GA in UVI)

Don't you think though, Katharine, that the two women of whom you have unpleasant memories; the Hag and Miss Gamble, were both miserable creatures, and very likely to begrudge you your competent and cheerful mentality? And you were always inclined to smile radiantly - how they must have resented you!

So that's where the Staff room was! Staff residences I remember were Middle House, End House... but White House? When I was new, there was a White House outside and opposite the School Gates - perhaps it was a staff dwelling? I remember the building between Nines and the Science block - was it the Red House? Miss Morrison lived on the first floor - she invited our form in to watch a classic Sunday serial one term. Did you know Miss Morrison?

Hopeless. I'm sitting at the computer supposedly catching up with dull but necessary letters - and here I am back in that world enclosed by the CH walls.

[Katharine]

I'm losing my touch I tried to edit this and it ended up as another post - so read the one below!

[Katharine]

Yes you are right, the White House was opposite the school gates - where the roundabout is now. It was a staff residence, particularly for the younger and less established staff - not to upset the well established inhabitants of the End House and the Middle House. I was thinking of the Red House for the Staff Room and some staff flats.

Miss Morrison arrived when I was in the VI form, I think. My niece had several run-ins with her!

Thanks for your kind words about my smile! It is still commented on at times! I have no idea why The Hag took against me, it was all through my time there and constant. I got my BA at the end of the Autumn term, amongst the first in my year in 6s, and was told she had not wanted that but because of my Guiding activities - Wendy and I were preparing for our Queen's Guide Badges the only ones awarded at CH in my time, it was decided that both of us should have our BAs at the same time. Wendy, of course went on to be a School Prefect while in UVI I didn't. (sorry to bring up your bete noire, Munch but she is relevant to the story!)

I am officially tidying my card making area today but .... I have no real desire to do it, but need to get to other things, it is a slow process.

[kerrensimmonds]

Miss Gamble belonged to a religious Order but lived 'in the world', a world albeit heavily hidebound by religious 'Rules'. Miss West thought very highly of her competence as Secretary but (presumably by her own choice) she must have led an incredibly lonely life. I believe she had direct access into her flat round the back of the Science Block (not through a door in the Geography room). The Domestic Science 'flat' is featured in old prospectuses and, I think, in the 1953 Illustrated London News article. I am wondering if it was the same flat at the top of the Steward's House, which in my time was occupied by five Upper Sixth girls. Before the War, the rooms up there were occupied by the Steward's servants.
I remember the photographic dark room which was off that 'lobby' outside the Needlework Room.