Wartime Hertford

englishangel · Post by **englishangel** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:05 pm

It must have been 1965 that mending changed from Wednesday to Friday as that was your last and Alex's and my first.

We didn't have Lent lectures either as far as I remember.

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:37 pm

englishangel wrote: I knitted my husband a bomber jacket for our fifth anniversary, (it was supposed to be for our first).

I could sew before I went to CH but I remeber that table runner, I still have nightmares about it.

Can still do drawn thread work though.

Did he put it on when wearing his Wellingtons ?? (Think about it !)

'She Who Must Be Obeyed' has just inherited a job from youngest daughter, shortening her new curtains for her ! Just about says it all !

Mrs C. · Post by **Mrs C.** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:47 pm

Alexandra Thrift wrote:Needlework was a school tradition going right back,I think to 1553 when the girls were taught to sew and to mend the boys uniforms or some such tale. Do the girls ( or boys) still sew at Horsham??

Have just asked my daughter that one - apparently the only time "textiles" is "taught" is as an optional part of GCSE or at AS/A level - again optional under Art.

Otherwise some matrons expect pupils to do their own sewing on of buttons etc, others don`t - but that`s what the Middle Ladies are there for - constantly darning yellow socks!!

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:18 pm

Mrs C. wrote:
Alexandra Thrift wrote:I
Needlework was a school tradition going right back,I think to 1553 when the girls were taught to sew and to mend the boys uniforms or some such tale. Do the girls ( or boys) still sew at Horsham??
Have just asked my daughter that one - apparently the only time "textiles" is "taught" is as an optional part of GCSE or at AS/A level - again optional under Art.

Otherwise some matrons expect pupils to do their own sewing on of buttons etc, others don`t - but that`s what the Middle Ladies are there for - constantly darning yellow socks!!

We had to sew on buttons, repair breeches, etc.

Darning socks would have been beyond us, though....

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:24 pm

Richard Ruck wrote:
Mrs C. wrote:
Alexandra Thrift wrote:I
Needlework was a school tradition going right back,I think to 1553 when the girls were taught to sew and to mend the boys uniforms or some such tale. Do the girls ( or boys) still sew at Horsham??
Have just asked my daughter that one - apparently the only time "textiles" is "taught" is as an optional part of GCSE or at AS/A level - again optional under Art.

Otherwise some matrons expect pupils to do their own sewing on of buttons etc, others don`t - but that`s what the Middle Ladies are there for - constantly darning yellow socks!!
We had to sew on buttons, repair breeches, etc.

Darning socks would have been beyond us, though....

The short-tem fix was to get a button and affix it to the coat with a twig or match-stick until one could sew it back on. I recall a missing button could be deemed a capital offence to some monitors.

AKAP · Post by **AKAP** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:26 pm

J.R. wrote:The short-tem fix was to get a button and affix it to the coat with a twig or match-stick until one could sew it back on. I recall a missing button could be deemed a capital offence to some monitors.

Was called a "fudge button"

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:13 pm

AKAP wrote:
J.R. wrote: The short-tem fix was to get a button and affix it to the coat with a twig or match-stick until one could sew it back on. I recall a missing button could be deemed a capital offence to some monitors.
Was called a "fudge button"

Your memory is better than mine AKAP, but then, you are younger - (Just !)

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:34 pm

J.R. wrote: I recall a missing button could be deemed a capital offence to some monitors.

That was the same at Hertford! As a prefect I had to stand outside chapel watching everyone go in and this was one of the things I was supposed to look for.

Shame on me, I went along with the system I didn't learn to rebel until much, much later!!!

AKAP · Post by **AKAP** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:35 pm

Also fudge bands, even more dangerous if you were caught.

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:37 pm

AKAP wrote:Also fudge bands, even more dangerous if you were caught.

......... especially if the safety-pin sprang open ! Happened to me once.

Alexandra Thrift · Post by **Alexandra Thrift** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:48 pm

Katharine wrote:When did mending change from Wednesday to Friday?

Er...it may not have done Katharine , it could just be my memory !

Re: the cross stitch, Englishangel ( got your name right for once!) ...mmmm.....maybe...when I can't move any more.

I can still run up and down stairs just like we did at school.Years of practise at school perfecting the tecnique, plus 10 years living in Paris and gallivanting around on the Metro. I would find it hard to do a sedentary pastime which requires patience and forbearance. Where I work there is a lift or stairs to the third floor; I always take the stairs and still like the cloppity clop rythmn coming down ( I could just transport myself back in my imagination to the Science Block or Sixes

)

Saw your twin pic Mary ( Englishangel) and your other son. Lovely.

Mine is getting very, very tall. Overnight. Scarey!. He's very nice but COMPLETELY different to me in every way. He was blond until he got to about 10 years old...now ( ...will be 14 on the 4th Feb.) his thick moppy hair is going black, although in the summer it still bleaches a bit golden. He's already about 5' 10" (sorry,don't do metric) and heavy ( he was always fat but the miraculous stretch effect of adolescence has cured that..phew!) and his astigmatic ,bespectacled eyes are very blue.He's very shy and about as agile as a hippopotamus (Howzat for different from me Mary?). Personally I would have like him to try for Housey when he was eleven but he was too immature and far too unsure of himself and timid.Needed his Mum too much then.

englishangel · Post by **englishangel** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:23 pm

mending was done on a Friday.

Regarding the Lent lectures, I remember DR reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles to us, possibly on Wednesdays in Lent.

englishangel · Post by **englishangel** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:24 pm

My twins are 5'10. James is 6'1. They are all skinny, NOT like their mother.

Alexandra Thrift · Post by **Alexandra Thrift** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:36 am

englishangel wrote:mending was done on a Friday.

Regarding the Lent lectures, I remember DR reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles to us, possibly on Wednesdays in Lent.

Yes I remember that .....but where and when....if twos and sixes were together ?

I also remember Miss Richards ( Dickie) reading us " Jane Eyre " during needlework lessons.

englishangel · Post by **englishangel** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:33 am

Alexandra Thrift wrote:
englishangel wrote:mending was done on a Friday.

Regarding the Lent lectures, I remember DR reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles to us, possibly on Wednesdays in Lent.

Yes I remember that .....but where and when....if twos and sixes were together ?

I also remember Miss Richards ( Dickie) reading us " Jane Eyre " during needlework lessons.

I don't remember that. I am sure I would as I don't know the story of jane Eyre. We need input from another house