Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Opening a quick thread to see if anyone remains in contact with Mr Ernest (Ernie?) McCall, if they know how he is doing (maybe reading this?) or otherwise if he is alive etc. He suddenly left the school around 1994 never to be seen again. It is rumoured that he went to teach in schools in Africa.

As far as I can recall his given name is Richard. Ernie’s a nickname.

McCall was a junior house master in Middleton A when I was there and is / was ER McCall.

I suspect, like some others, he preferred to use his second given Christian name rather than his first.

So he was definitely Ernest Richard McCall (ERM in CH parlance)?

His initials are ERM and in the early 80s he was housemaster of LaB, a senior house at the time

And subsequently housemaster of Maine A.

He was referred to as ERM, unless the E was added to differentiate him from RM.

Interesting that he was Housemaster of Lamb B (before Shippen?) and then Maine A (both as senior houses). I don't recall Housemasters ever moving house before (not sure if he had a gap). I wonder if there was a specific reason for that?

LHA - was that when the houses ‘moved’ so that all the B houses were juniors and A houses were seniors? As far as I know, JDS was only ever housemaster of a junior house

LHA wrote: ↑Sat Sep 01, 2018 9:32 pm Interesting that he was Housemaster of Lamb B (before Shippen?) and then Maine A (both as senior houses). I don't recall Housemasters ever moving house before (not sure if he had a gap). I wonder if there was a specific reason for that?

In September 1984 , I think, they created the block system

This meant you started in the B house and then moved to the A (senior house) thus spending your entire career in one house block

There was some flexibility whether to "go up" at the end of the LE or UF

PeB moved to LHA and visa versa
LaB to Maine A and visa versa
BaB moved to MidB
BaA to Thornton B

Cant remember what happened to Mid B and Thorn B senior houses

Higgins was running Thorn B and think it moved to BaB

Then in 85 the girls arrived and col and barnes became girls houses with Higgins running BaA I think, Endacott running Col A, Lyndsay running BaB?

The Avenells ran ColB.

Thanks - to he above three posters. Sounds as if this was more common than I realised.

LHA wrote: ↑Sat Sep 01, 2018 9:32 pmI don't recall Housemasters ever moving house before (not sure if he had a gap). I wonder if there was a specific reason for that?

Staff moved around a fair bit during my time, as I remember it anyway, not any specific reason as far as I can recall. The Endacott's, Holdsworth's, Flemming's, for example, all were in multiple houses while I was there. Also a bunch of teachers who were house masters/tutors then moved out but still taught and vice versa. There was a constant churn. Not monthly, but every year or so people would move about. It just seemed like normal practice to me.

In Col A Kit survived my 7 years, Corks (Rev Cochrane) about 7 followed by Herbert and Potts , the two at almost the same time. I understand that Potts may have only done two years at CH though he gave no suggestion of being a moral problem.

Are we certain it's Ernest and not Edward?