D.R. West's Memorial Service

Share your memories and stories from the Hertford Christ's Hospital School, which closed in 1985, when the two schools integrated to the Horsham site....

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
Mid A 15
Button Grecian
Posts: 3172
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 1:38 pm
Real Name: Claude Rains
Location: The Patio Of England (Kent)

Post by Mid A 15 »

So how did it go?
Ma A, Mid A 65 -72
Katharine
Button Grecian
Posts: 3285
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:44 pm
Real Name: Katharine Dobson
Location: Gwynedd

Post by Katharine »

I'm surprised not to find a report on here already. I have just got in from my long drive home, so hope I will be coherent.

I think it went very well indeed. We occupied the two sets of stalls at the East End of the Chapel - so don't know how many that was. There were a fair number of current pupils there, some looking tiny. I think they look even smaller in that uniform than they did at Hertford! Kerren met Gemma, but I didn't.

There was tea in the dining hall before the service and the books of DR's Founder day addresses were doing a brisk trade. I could not believe one of my year who had absolutely no recollection of DR telling the story each year.

The singing and music in the service was superb, Linden Fletcher played the organ before the start, then the Horsham organist played during it. The lessons were read by the Senior Grecian (female) and Carolynn Newbury (a voice behind me said she hasn't changed a bit) The solo by Elaine and anthem were beautiful, the forum was well represented in the choir with Munch, Kerren and Alex there. The choir was Schola cantorum as well as Old Blues. The plaque was dedicated by The Revd Mrs Mitra, prayers led by Joanna Yates and she said the blessing.

After the service there was more tea in the Court Room and I think more mixing and talking then than before.

I went on to have dinner at the Bax with Kerren and about a dozen others -including Diana Robinson who started at CH the same term as DR - I could not remember Midget's real name. Diana was the daughter of the Steward and is possibly the only bride to have married in CH Hertford Chapel.
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

A Fab Day!

Post by Angela Woodford »

Sunday was by far the best Old Girls Reunion ever for me!

How I enjoyed singing in the altos! Lucky I was next to Valerie Wharton, who kindly helped me find my page in "The Messiah" when lost. The thing was, Elaine sang so beautifully that I brimmed over with tears, misted up my contact lenses and smudged my mascara.

And there was Katharine - wonderful to see her! Alex, Carolynn, Sue Boggett, Kerren; oh, impossible to say how great to see so many familiar faces (you haven't changed a bit, darlings) and hear so many subsequent success stories and reminiscences of the days when we were all banged up together...

Deborah Bowers - Deb, I didn't tell you how I think of you whenever my toast grows cold. Your method of warming cold toast on a mug of tea has always stood me in good stead.

At long last I got to tell dear Miss Holmes of the terrible number blindness that I never admitted when she tried to teach me Maths!

Once more, I longed to "enhance" the bronze head Girlhood which is looking virtuous on a window ledge in the Court Room.

I had a wonderful time.

Love to everybody

Munch
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
Jenny Pardington
3rd Former
Posts: 47
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:31 pm
Real Name: Jenny Pardington
Location: Wandsworth, London

DR's Memorial Service

Post by Jenny Pardington »

I'm new to this, so hope it appears in the right place!

I only found out about the memorial service by chance and, never having attended a single reunion of any kind since leaving CH in 1960, felt rather brave when I applied for a ticket. Would I know anyone, would they remember me? Answer to both questions was a resounding NO! It seemed there were only two or three people vaguely contemporaneous and we didn't remember each other at all - where were the lovely "girls" I remembered from 8's in the 1950s?

However, it was a marvellous occasion. Thank goodness I didn't sign up for singing in the choir (even though that had been one of my great pleasures in the past I can now only croak in bass) - you all sang beautifully and there were tears in my eyes more than once. Despite the lack of mutual recognition I met several people who I wish I had known way back then and had some great conversations. Perhaps I might be brave enough to try the experience again?

Only one or two minor criticisms: I know many people don't like them, but I think name tags with "CH years" could have been helpful. There was a danger of being deeply offensive to someone ten years younger, assuming they might be your contemporary! I was also disappointed with Roy Salisbury's address - he clearly didn't know DR very well. And I don't remember the Foundation Hymn featuring at Hertford - it was the boys' school hymn if I remember rightly.

Having said that, congratulations to everyone who helped to organise the occasion - I have been suffering from nostalgia ever since.
Jennifer Bore, 5's and 8's 1953-1960
Ajarn Philip
Button Grecian
Posts: 1902
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:30 pm
Real Name: AP

Re: DR's Memorial Service

Post by Ajarn Philip »

Jenny Pardington wrote: I know many people don't like them, but I think name tags with "CH years" could have been helpful. There was a danger of being deeply offensive to someone ten years younger, assuming they might be your contemporary! ...

Having said that, congratulations to everyone who helped to organise the occasion - I have been suffering from nostalgia ever since.
True, but there was an equal risk of being extremely complimentary to someone who was ten years older...

Welcome to the forum, Jenny, and my own congratulations are added to yours. I've been 'suffering' from nostalgia since I joined this forum!
User avatar
englishangel
Forum Moderator
Posts: 6956
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:22 pm
Real Name: Mary Faulkner (Vincett)
Location: Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Re: DR's Memorial Service

Post by englishangel »

Jenny Pardington wrote:I'm new to this, so hope it appears in the right place!

I only found out about the memorial service by chance and, never having attended a single reunion of any kind since leaving CH in 1960, felt rather brave when I applied for a ticket. Would I know anyone, would they remember me? Answer to both questions was a resounding NO! It seemed there were only two or three people vaguely contemporaneous and we didn't remember each other at all - where were the lovely "girls" I remembered from 8's in the 1950s?

However, it was a marvellous occasion. Thank goodness I didn't sign up for singing in the choir (even though that had been one of my great pleasures in the past I can now only croak in bass) - you all sang beautifully and there were tears in my eyes more than once. Despite the lack of mutual recognition I met several people who I wish I had known way back then and had some great conversations. Perhaps I might be brave enough to try the experience again?

Only one or two minor criticisms: I know many people don't like them, but I think name tags with "CH years" could have been helpful. There was a danger of being deeply offensive to someone ten years younger, assuming they might be your contemporary! I was also disappointed with Roy Salisbury's address - he clearly didn't know DR very well. And I don't remember the Foundation Hymn featuring at Hertford - it was the boys' school hymn if I remember rightly.

Having said that, congratulations to everyone who helped to organise the occasion - I have been suffering from nostalgia ever since.
Welcome Jenny, you are in the right place. I was unable to attend as my daughter was off to University on Sunday.

For future reference and if you are faiirly close to London and like a good sing the Carol concert is good for a croak. I had your trouble last year, thinking someone 7 years older was my contemporary, she was very flattered.
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
User avatar
Jo
Button Grecian
Posts: 2221
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:36 pm
Real Name: Jo Sidebottom
Location: Milton Keynes
Contact:

Post by Jo »

I'm glad it all went off well, and that Hertford OGs were well represented and participated in things. I didn't go, partly because I don't have a great desire to go back to the institution itself (albeit we were at Hertford, not Horsham), but more importantly because we had another CH reunion in London.

It wasn't intended to compete with DR's service - in fact it was arranged long before that - and was a bunch of us who left in 1975, partly in recognition of the fact that we've hit the dreaded 50 this year. I'm sure the people there won't mind me mentioning them: Jane Townsend and Nina Jones, who were with me in 5s (and with whom I have kept in touch since), Veronica Trevor (who hosted brilliantly at her lovely house) and Stella Bland from 2s, Clare Blakeway-Phillips from 4s, Nina Morgan, Karen Dewdney and Sheila Woods from 8s, and Judi Osborne from 7s.

It was so much fun swapping reminiscences, catching up with people's grown-up families (depressing to think we could be grandparents now - well, not me because you need to be a parent first :lol: ) It was a lovely afternoon - I suppose it would also be nice to catch up with other years but I think it would take a lot to get me to Horsham. DR's service might just have done it if this hadn't come up first.
Jo
5.7, 1967-75
Katharine
Button Grecian
Posts: 3285
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:44 pm
Real Name: Katharine Dobson
Location: Gwynedd

Re: DR's Memorial Service

Post by Katharine »

Jenny Pardington wrote: And I don't remember the Foundation Hymn featuring at Hertford - it was the boys' school hymn if I remember rightly.
Welcome Jenny, glad you enjoyed Sunday even if you didn't meet anyone you remembered.

In my time we did sing the Foundation Hymn, well not verse 3 of course! As far as I recall, the words were stuck inside the cover of the hymn books in Chapel. The person behind me made the comment that verse 3 was new - I'm sure that it was written at the same time but just not relevant to us so ignored (omitted) at Hertford!
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

Post by Angela Woodford »

I always enjoyed the Foundation Hymn. Katharine's right - the words were stuck inside Hymns Ancient and Modern.

I was a bit mystified by the buckles of the girls sitting in front of me. One had one buckle, one, two, and at the end of the row a girl with three buckles!

munch
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
Ajarn Philip
Button Grecian
Posts: 1902
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:30 pm
Real Name: AP

Post by Ajarn Philip »

Angela Woodford wrote:I was a bit mystified by the buckles of the girls sitting in front of me. One had one buckle, one, two, and at the end of the row a girl with three buckles!
munch
Now I'm truly confused...
Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

Post by Angela Woodford »

No, Philip, one of the girls was wearing three buckles. At the back of her jacket! I wondered if it signified some mega achievement?
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
Katharine
Button Grecian
Posts: 3285
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:44 pm
Real Name: Katharine Dobson
Location: Gwynedd

Post by Katharine »

The Senior Grecian had three buckles Munch, she was your side wasn't she? I think there has been discussion about this before, after someone had noticed it at St Matty's day or similar. If you search you might find something.
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
kerrensimmonds
Button Grecian
Posts: 9395
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:34 pm
Real Name: Kerren Simmonds
Location: West Sussex

Post by kerrensimmonds »

I seem always to have known the Foundation Hymn.. and it and the tune have supported me through many a personal crisis. I remember dog walking on the bleak and lonely (fortunately!) airfield in the early mornings whilst coping with my mother's terminal illness (and subsequent departure to Glory), singing it at the top of my voice. But - at Hertford we did not (obviously) have the verse about 'Spacious dwellings' and 'downlands fair'; and as I grew into more political correctness I no longer was able to sing 'Brothers, best with righteous living....'. I change that to 'Brethren' - which is at least more inclusive.
I think that the Foundation Hymn and the Hertford Grace are probably the two most evocative, beautiful and singable hymns in my repertoire (and I speak as a former Church Chorister).
Pity that the School no longer sings the Votum (known to us at Herford as The Carmen - and which we had to learn by heart, along with the General Thanksgiving and goodness knows what else).
All this digresses from a thread about Sunday's Memorial Service. All I would say is that I think we did Miss West proud, and I was proud to have been part of it. She deserved every moment of that service, and the plaque which will now be installed in the Chapel in her memory. Her family has been effusive in its gratitude - I don't think they previously had any idea about the depth of feeling about her which exists beyond their own knowledge of her as a family member.
The only problem for me, on Sunday, was an inability to meet with and talk to everyone. I guess I managed to interact with about 20% of the people there!
Kerren Simmonds
5's and 2's Hertford, 1957-1966
User avatar
gemmygemmerson
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 386
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:55 pm
Real Name: Gemma Newlands
Location: Christ's Hospital

Post by gemmygemmerson »

Though I didn't know her personally I thought the memorial service was really moving. It showed that a lot of people cared for her.
It was a really lovely service, very personal and reflective.

I got to see Kerren but nobody else sadly. It was prety much that I got herded in and then had to leave pretty quickly to get dinner.


Oh, I've read quite a portion of the book that was handed out. It's really really good. Is it going to be given out in any other capacity?
Deputy Grecian 07-09 Col B 31
kerrensimmonds
Button Grecian
Posts: 9395
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:34 pm
Real Name: Kerren Simmonds
Location: West Sussex

Post by kerrensimmonds »

Hi Gemma.. it was GREAT to see you face to face... but I am so sorry that things happened so quickly that I didn't get a chance to see you again, and neither did I see Georgia again (though I bumped into her mum briefly, a bit later on).
I am glad you experienced the Memorial Service in the same way as we did.
The book of Founder's Day Addresses was handed out f.o.c. to anyone in uniform who attended the service - and will be placed now in the Museum etc. etc. There are copies left over, which we are now going to sell in order to swell the money which is now being collected in advance of the launch of a formal DR West Memorial Fund. If you know of anyone (e.g. at CH) who would like a copy but who was not able to be at the Service then do drop me a PM and I will do the necessary!
Kerren
Kerren Simmonds
5's and 2's Hertford, 1957-1966
Post Reply