Poling

[DavidRawlins]

In the domitories there used to be the ritual of poling; a long pole was pushed up against the bolster of adjoining beds to ensure that they were in line. It is mentioned by Edmund Blunden in a poem. It was still used in Col A in 1946/7.
Does any one know when it started; I imagine in London? Was it practised at Hertford? When did it die out in various houses?
I look for answers.

[Foureyes]

As far as I remember poles were in use in Lamb B until I left in December 1955. My recollection is that they were intended to ensure that the bed looked squared-off, and neat and tidy (with, of course, Housey corners at the foot of the top blanket) rather than to line up beds with each other.

PS. This was one of the reasons why Old Blues found Army service such a doddle - whatever the Army tried to test its recruits, we had been there, done that.

[eucsgmrc]

... a long pole was pushed up against the bolster of adjoining beds to ensure that they were in line. ... It was still used in Col A in 1946/7.

I'm confident that it was not used in Col A when I arrived in 1954. I remember who my nursemaid was, and I remember him teaching me how to make a bed to the approved standard on my first or second day. Housey corners featured, but no pole.

It was years before I realised that the Housey corner was perfectly well-known beyond the walls of CH, under the name of "hospital corner". Dim, me.

[michael scuffil]

Poling was not used in ThB in 1955, although the matron Miss Dalziel claimed to have the best-kept dormitories at CH (this must certainly have been true of the floors). That it was used in LaB does not surprise me, that place was a prison camp by comparison.

[J.R.]

Nor in Prep 1958 or in Coleridge B on my arrival there.

[postwarblue]

I vaguely remember a pole in Col B (47-54) but can't remember it ever being used.

[jhopgood]

No poles used in Barnes B whilst I was there, which allowed Matron (Miss Watts) to say to someone," If you don't make your bed better, you and I will fall out!"

[J.R.]

No poles used in Barnes B whilst I was there, which allowed Matron (Miss Watts) to say to someone," If you don't make your bed better, you and I will fall out!"

This statement was also attributed to Mrs Riches in Coleridge !

[sejintenej]

No poles used in Barnes B whilst I was there, which allowed Matron (Miss Watts) to say to someone," If you don't make your bed better, you and I will fall out!"

This statement was also attributed to Mrs Riches in Coleridge !

Very true but AFAIR in context she was quoting Miss Watts humourously