Quick questions and (maybe) answers Hertford Memories thread

[Alexandra Thrift]

All these pervy stories have reminded me off our Field Trip to Box Hill. I'm quite confused about how we ended up going there. Was it Biology or Geography ? I already stated on this forum that we didn't do a geography Field trip so now I'm confused.

Anyhow , I was in the sixth form. Lesley Bonham, maybe Penny Evans ( ?) and I were in the same group and we went to Box Hill and stayed in an Educational Centre for a few days. I remember walking in a line ( with others) along the bank of the River Mole ( I think it was) with a map. It was very countryside and beautiful .

The next day we went off in groups to achieve some task which involved interviewing members of the public. I was with Lesley and a couple of others , plodding our way up, in the burning sunshine, to the top of the hill. Suddenly a totally NAKED, middle aged man came huffing and puffing out of the bushes. He stood in front of us, blocking our way and ran on the spot lifting his knees very high. It was most bizarre. We were somewhat shocked and scurried back to the centre. I have to say, however that we were not the least troubled by it. Lesley Bonham and I couldn't stop giggling. The adults in charge called the police and we answered the questions studiously until the Officer asked for a description of the man at which point at which point Lesley and I collapsed in hysterics of laughter..." You mean a FULL description? " I asked. They probably thought we had made it up !!

[englishangel]

I did Biology A Level and I don't remember any field trips. The only thing I remember was going to the Royal Society christmas lecture, and I was going down with something and slept through it.

I must say though that Sixth Form is very hazy, I think I mostly switched off.

[Katharine]

Does anybody else remember the VI form lectures at The Royal Institution on Albemarle Street? It may have been just those doing Physics. We went to two or three a term - the Ladies Loo was the most luxurious I had ever seen at the time!

[Fjgrogan]

I somehow remember going to just one of the lectures, so it cannot have just been scientists - I did no science of any kind after mock O levels.

[Angela Woodford]

Does anybody else remember the VI form lectures at The Royal Institution on Albemarle Street? It may have been just those doing Physics. We went to two or three a term - the Ladies Loo was the most luxurious I had ever seen at the time!

The Home Economics group did get a trip to the local Sewage Farm.

[anniexf]

The Home Economics group did get a trip to the local Sewage Farm.

Well done Angela - from the sublime to the slime, eh?!!!

Some of us in the Upper V (I think) had a guided tour of the Addis factory across the road from school. The best bit was the generous spread of cakes they provided. I've always bought Addis stuff since then, as a private thank-you for relieving the monotony! But to this day I've never worked out why it was considered an appropriate place for us to visit.

[J.R.]

All these pervy stories have reminded me off our Field Trip to Box Hill. I'm quite confused about how we ended up going there. Was it Biology or Geography ? I already stated on this forum that we didn't do a geography Field trip so now I'm confused.

Anyhow , I was in the sixth form. Lesley Bonham, maybe Penny Evans ( ?) and I were in the same group and we went to Box Hill and stayed in an Educational Centre for a few days. I remember walking in a line ( with others) along the bank of the River Mole ( I think it was) with a map. It was very countryside and beautiful .

The next day we went off in groups to achieve some task which involved interviewing members of the public. I was with Lesley and a couple of others , plodding our way up, in the burning sunshine, to the top of the hill. Suddenly a totally NAKED, middle aged man came huffing and puffing out of the bushes. He stood in front of us, blocking our way and ran on the spot lifting his knees very high. It was most bizarre. We were somewhat shocked and scurried back to the centre. I have to say, however that we were not the least troubled by it. Lesley Bonham and I couldn't stop giggling. The adults in charge called the police and we answered the questions studiously until the Officer asked for a description of the man at which point at which point Lesley and I collapsed in hysterics of laughter..." You mean a FULL description? " I asked. They probably thought we had made it up !!

You would have stayed at the Juniper Hall Centre in the village of Mickleham, quite close to the historic Burford Bridge Hotel. (Nelson stayed there on his journey south before the Battle of Trafalger).

Yes - It is the River Mole.

.. and no - I'm not surprised about the naked man. Box Hill is renowned for various dubious sports ! Incidently, IT WASN'T ME !

[englishangel]

John you would have been about 24 at the time.

[J.R.]

John you would have been about 24 at the time.

Marvellous what you can do with stage make-up !

Oooooooooooops !!

[midget]

I remember Juniper Hall, about 8 of us went in the summer hols1951, escorted by Miss Pye Smith. There was a large group from a school in Lancs, and their biology teacher took them to the pub at night, to the horror of MissPS. The man in charge of the biology group took some of us out to look for badgers one night, with Miss running round like a headless chicken in case anyone went awol.

My Dad and his bro-in-law made a caravan from an old bus which was kept on Box Hill when my sister was a girl, and she, our cousin and mothers spent the whole summer there. I have a vague memory of going there before the war, but the bus must have been on its last legs by then.

[Alexandra Thrift]

JUNIPER HALL. That's exactly where we went. I think it was the summer holidays. A really beautiful area. I didn't realise that there was a famous pub nearby ( doh !). The education centre was a bit run down but nevertheless pleasant. The shady walk along the footpath next to the river ,with trees overhanging, was beautiful.

One of the questions on the interview we did was " Who owns Box Hill ? ". A hippy answered " Nobody owns it. How can someone OWN a hill ? " ; a reply I thought wonderful at the time ( and studiously wrote on my chart). ( the answer was very boring, like the local County Council...though it is probably The National Trust now )

Anyhow , I had completely forgotten about that trip, so thanks for jogging my memory Midget, John ( no, it wasn't you leaping around in the bushes ) and the other story tellers.

[Pixie]

All these pervy stories have reminded me off our Field Trip to Box Hill. I'm quite confused about how we ended up going there. Was it Biology or Geography ? I already stated on this forum that we didn't do a geography Field trip so now I'm confused.

Anyhow , I was in the sixth form. Lesley Bonham, maybe Penny Evans ( ?) and I were in the same group and we went to Box Hill and stayed in an Educational Centre for a few days. I remember walking in a line ( with others) along the bank of the River Mole ( I think it was) with a map. It was very countryside and beautiful .

The next day we went off in groups to achieve some task which involved interviewing members of the public. I was with Lesley and a couple of others , plodding our way up, in the burning sunshine, to the top of the hill. Suddenly a totally NAKED, middle aged man came huffing and puffing out of the bushes. He stood in front of us, blocking our way and ran on the spot lifting his knees very high. It was most bizarre. We were somewhat shocked and scurried back to the centre. I have to say, however that we were not the least troubled by it. Lesley Bonham and I couldn't stop giggling. The adults in charge called the police and we answered the questions studiously until the Officer asked for a description of the man at which point at which point Lesley and I collapsed in hysterics of laughter..." You mean a FULL description? " I asked. They probably thought we had made it up !!

It wasn't a biology field trip. I was one of the lucky 6 to go on the biology trip. There were so many of us doing biology A level that they drew our names out of a hat, if my memory serves me correctly. We went to Flatford Mill, a lovely place but obviously not as interesting as your trip Alex. The most shocking things we encountered were the bright neon socks worn by a boy from another school!

[englishangel]

Nope, I didn't do that one either. I did go to a sewage farm at some time. The Hairy Bikers have been doing Romania and in one show one of them said about getting great tomatoes growing near sewage plants becayse the seeds go through untouched, and I remember being rold that on the trip.

[sejintenej]

The Hairy Bikers have been doing Romania and in one show one of them said about getting great tomatoes growing near sewage plants becayse the seeds go through untouched, and I remember being rold that on the trip.

Certainly tomato seeds are not affected by the digestion system. Equally certain coffee beans are also unaffected and about 500kg per annum are collected after pasing through "monkeys" to become very expensive drinks.
(AIUI they might be lemurs and not monkeys but it's the same principle - definitely something to put you off your breakfast cup of instant.)

[Jo]

It wasn't a biology field trip. I was one of the lucky 6 to go on the biology trip. There were so many of us doing biology A level that they drew our names out of a hat, if my memory serves me correctly. We went to Flatford Mill, a lovely place but obviously not as interesting as your trip Alex. The most shocking things we encountered were the bright neon socks worn by a boy from another school!

My mum went to Flatford Mill on a field trip when she was at teacher training college in about 1948. Recently there was an outing there from the retirement flats where she lives, and she happened to mention that she'd been there before. The old record books still exist, and the warden was able to dig out the correct one and find her signature. She was really chuffed and came back complete with the appropriate photos!