Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Received from John Shippen:-

Lamb B 1987:-


Lamb B 1989:-


Lamb B 1990:-

Picture kindly provided by Jon Poole:-

I think I have a Mid B photo from 1976 or 1977. If anyone is interested, I will try and dig it up and try to post it here.

(Click on the image for larger version)



Just discovered this in my attic. I believe it to have been taken in 1953, but could be out by a year either way. The House Captain is Ian Pitter, which should enable someone to be more precise.
Unfortunately, time has blurred the memory cells, so I will just have a go at the second row from the front, which (left to right) is:
Wells (elder of two); Bamford (?);Purdue: Pitter; Mr TE Archbold (senior Housemaster); Miss Hull (Matron); Mr Barker (junior Housemaster);Miller (William?); Dyball; G-Stevens; Matthews

LAMB B - Summer 1951



Back Row: Dyball; Miller,W; Purdue; Wells; Hammond; Wells; Norris, Gillespie; Hopkins.
Second Row: Richardson; Bates; Parker; Aird; Harris; Matthews; Hook; Barnard; Young; Romer; G-Stevens; Earl; Wornell, P.
Third Row: McOustra; Bamber; Green; Wilden; Almack; Pearcey; Stewart; Burnside; Clark; Butterworth; White; Hewitt.
Fourth Row: Pitter; Wilson; Rickards; Miners (house captain); Mr Archbold (senior housemaster); Miss Hull (matron); Mr Terry (junior housemaster); Nathan; Harding; Newman; Baker.
Front Row: Waldron; Harrison; Wells; Moth; Madge; Miller, D; Wornell, R; Skinner; Cousins; McAuley.
Trophies: Swimming Cup; Boxing Cup (front)

Its Summer 1953

Stewart X X Parker Gillespie Young Earl Clarke

Wornell Miller Skinner Hewitt Pearcey Madge Richardson Bates cousins wells Moth

Taplin Swayne Waldrom Chapman Brindley x Harrison Wheatley Hines Cordingly Nisbett

Pitter Bamford Purdue Pitter Archbold Miss Hull Barker Miller Dyball, Gray-Stephens Matthews

Thomas Williams Cordingly J Levy Harris Showan Sharp Duncan Archer Johnson x

This is summer 1950

"Pearcey" in the above photos is Leonard Pearcey, who is quite well known in the musical world. (He was a noted bass singer at CH).

The housemaster TE Archbold died in office. He had a skiing accident during the holidays and died a few weeks later. His funeral was held in chapel.

You were right about TE Archbold being killed in a ski accident. I was in LamB and he was my Housemaster all my time at Housie from September 1951 until he died in January 1959. At the time I was Senior Grecian and about one week before the end of the Christmas holidays CME Seaman, the then Headmaster, telephoned me at home to say that TEA had had an accident on the ski slopes in Switzerland. He died a few days later after pneumonia had set in. I remember his funeral service in the Chapel.....he was lying in a very garish coffin...very inappropriate for TEA. I remember reading the lesson from Ecclesiasticus Chapter 44....."Let us now praise famous men and our fathers that begat us....."
Tommy Archbold was a devoted Schoolmaster and a keen sportsman...he coached me in the Colts XV in 1954 and 1955 together with Kit Aitken...wooden leg and all!! As a small boy learning rugby in 1951 he taught me the rudiments of the game. In my latter career as a rugby footballer I was always indebted to him and I felt his influence and presence when standing to attention for the National Anthemn prior to playing for Oxford in the 1961 Varsity Match. He was a man that inspired me in my formative years.I owe him a great debt.
Unfortunately my good friend David Taplin, whilst he was in Lamb B with me, did not have the same rapport with TEA and would not share these views. David would claim that it was he that spent hours with me on the Lamb B rugby pitch practising my kicking...and was therefore responsible for any later rugby success that I achieved.

Now you mention it, I believe I remember the coffin -- was it not sort of silver coloured with a rather ornate lid?

Prayers had been said for him during the first few days of term, and then during one 12.15 choir practice, Lamb B choristers were told to go back to the house, where they were told the news, which of course spread to the rest of the school by lunchtime.

Masters rarely died in harness. The only other ones in my time, I think, were DS Roberts, who was already paralysed by a stroke, and JE Bullard, who died quite suddenly. I think Reggie Dean also died in office, but that was after I left.

Masters rarely died in harness. The only other ones in my time, I think, were DS Roberts, who was already paralysed by a stroke, and JE Bullard, who died quite suddenly. I think Reggie Dean also died in office, but that was after I left.

Sadly Clive Kemp died in office over a WE after a massive heart attack. I went with him to the Himalayas some 25 years ago
almost. He was so fit too.

The "missing" year from the above set - Lamb B, 1988:

(click on image for larger version)



Sorry about the slightly poorer quality (including a couple of ink splodges, and that remarkable sheen from the bands) - it turned up in a box full of other stuff a few weeks ago!

I think this is about 1971 - Lamb B, I'm in it!


From Top Left
A. 1,Bridges?,Steven Lloyd,Charlie Fraser,Peter Everett,Yeomans,Rodgers,Erskine,Jock Fairbairn,10,Tim Walmsley,David Hemy?,Dave Sergeant
B. Campbell.Nigel Hutchins.Paul Brazier. Steen Lagoni.Pickering?.Stonhill,Hubbard,Cooper,Alan Larsen,Parkinson?.Paul?.Langley?.Dave Johnson
C. 1.2.3.4.Dave O'Meara,Bob Rae.7.8.9.Nigel Wood.Paul Sibley
D 1,2,Chadwick,De Mattos?,Cox?,Gelpke,Ian Argyle,8,Paul?,Chris Comley
Thanks for input - every time I go back I remember another!
Updated 24/8/11

Welcome Noel

I was in 2's with your sister Jane. I would have recognised you in the photo even if you hadn't named yourself. If you 'search' for Jane on here you will find her mentioned. she is also in a couple of picut#res but for some reason they don't come up.

Agree with Campbell.

I think the chap next to him might be Nigel Hutchins. 2nd from right back row might be David Hemy.

Nigel Wood will be there somewhere. An excellent hockey player as I recall. He had very blond hair but my eyesight and memory are not good enough to find him. He could seated 2nd from right.

John Pickering will be there but, unless I've miscounted your numbering system, I'd say he is the taller chap next to the one you've said is possibly him. To the right as we look at it.

If it is 1971 then I would expect to see a pair of Wansey twins but again I cannot recognise them. Could be my eyes and memory though!

AKAP or Howard H might recognise a few.