Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

In 1973 i was involved in a fight in Barnes A which ended in me losing because i got my leg trapped under the dayroom snooker table .
I caught my ankle under the piece of wood about 6 inches off the ground that joined two table legs , I have not a clue what thats called , but I went over like a ton of bricks.
Anyway Phil Marsh was the winner and I ended up in the sicker.
I sprained my ankle but it was probably worse than a break as I was off my feet and on crap crutches for several weeks.
The sicker was quite full at the time with flu and laryngitus victims so instead of getting a cubicle downstairs I got my own 4 or 6 man room at the back of the ground floor.
Initially it was great having my own ward and it was so quiet.
I had my own ward I think because I was not contagious but there were two doors to "my" ward and on the first night I was told that the other door led to the Mortuary . Thanks whoever told me that gem !
I was 12/ 13 yrs old and frightened 5h1tless , my eyes were constantly on that door and needles to say I did not sleep very well.
The nurse would not or could not move me so for a week I lived next to the mortuary and crawled on my knees to the loos as the wooden crutches I was given were too tall to get under my arms, and anyway it was far easier moving on my knees and less painful.
At one stage I heard some voices in the early evening, I don't know if the voices were from the mortuary or just some adventurous juniors in the tube entension underground !
I SHALL NEVER KNOW .

I managed to get Mumps, a week before the end of Term, and was in the Sicker during the Hols. I was upset that I didnt get "Credit Holidays" for the time I was forced to spend at School.
The universal "Cure for all Ills" under Dr French, was a dose of Cascars -- daily -- this certainly dissuaded malingerers.

I don't know if the old Records, from London, still exist, I have seen some of them, with entries such as "Stabbed -- Died", there was, it appears a game of stabbing each other, in dark corridors, with pen-knives, and occasionally hitting a vital spot ! ---------- and we complain of today's Youth !!!

BTW --- I am here to say that the Mumps had no "Lasting Effect" (praise the Lord) but I did make sure that both my Sons contracted it in Childhood, by sending them to stay with friends, who were infectious. Also resulting in effective insurance for them !

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:I managed to get Mumps, a week before the end of Term, and was in the Sicker during the Hols. I was upset that I didnt get "Credit Holidays" for the time I was forced to spend at School.
The universal "Cure for all Ills" under Dr French, was a dose of Cascars -- daily -- this certainly dissuaded malingerers.

I don't know if the old Records, from London, still exist, I have seen some of them, with entries such as "Stabbed -- Died", there was, it appears a game of stabbing each other, in dark corridors, with pen-knives, and occasionally hitting a vital spot ! ---------- and we complain of today's Youth !!!

BTW --- I am here to say that the Mumps had no "Lasting Effect" (praise the Lord) but I did make sure that both my Sons contracted it in Childhood, by sending them to stay with friends, who were infectious. Also resulting in effective insurance for them !

Luckily i think this was my only time in the "sicker" but your pen knife story has brought back another memory !

In 1971/2 when i was squit , I was chased all over the prep block (not leigh hunt but the newish prep block in those days behind l/ hunt ) by a boy in my class who did not like me . I cannot remember what I said as I was only 11 but I guess it was something I should not have said . The boy chased me all over the top floor with a penknife and I ended up getting a hole in my housey coat but no injury.
After that I had alot more "respect" for him , especially as he was the school rugby teams winger (ie no 11 or 14 ) and frighteningly faster off the blocks than me. However I think it taught me a lesson and there after I knew to keep my mouth shut.
This is not a complaint about him , its part of life and experiences like this help you grow up.

By the way "Neil the Notorious" . I lived in Broadstone when I was CH from 1972 - 1982 and after leaving I went to Poole College before moving away. I still have one college mate (and a few relatives) who live there.
It was a great place to live
Hope you have as much snow there as we have up here , but I doubt it.

AH ! Broadstone ------

ITBA and I, actually live 100Metres inside Corfe Mullen,-- Roman Road being the boudary between the Borough of Poole and Dorset County.

My POSTAL address is Broadstone -- in which I Bank and shop --- it is only the Post Office which thinks I live in Poole.

The postal address did cause some difficulty when I was elected to the County and District Councils !!!!

5h17shoveller ---
TBA wants to know , were you at the "Old" Poole Grammer, or the "New" one on Gravel Hill ?
She was at the "Old" Parkstone Grammer, at Ashley Cross, before It moved to Soper's Lane


Apologies to all ! this is VERY "Off Topic" ------ but when the Commandant instructs -- we obey !!!

5h17shoveller wrote:In 1971/2 when i was squit , I was chased all over the prep block (not leigh hunt but the newish prep block in those days behind l/ hunt ) by a boy in my class who did not like me . I cannot remember what I said as I was only 11 but I guess it was something I should not have said . The boy chased me all over the top floor with a penknife and I ended up getting a hole in my housey coat but no injury.
After that I had alot more "respect" for him , especially as he was the school rugby teams winger (ie no 11 or 14 ) and frighteningly faster off the blocks than me. However I think it taught me a lesson and there after I knew to keep my mouth shut.
This is not a complaint about him , its part of life and experiences like this help you grow up.

These things happen. No knives involved but the other monitors "conducted" me to the groundfloor shower area where an individual some 6 years older than me conducted a comprehensive re-ordering of my visage. I did succeed in hurting his fists with my face before retiring to the infirmary for an enforced "holiday". The erk responsible has flown the country for the antipodes where he was last heard of of indoctrinating university students.
If you read about the Shoalin monks, they harden their hands by hitting sand - my face got strengthened in a near similar manner.

I remember being "Fotched" by a Monitor --- Rosetti -- for having blacked the eye of a Senior, who had deliberately tripped me, while I was doing "Trades".

I informed him, on the spot, that I would see him on the Dormitory, that night, and did.

I was called to the Boot Room by Rosetti, who informed ME -- "You do NOT strike Seniors !"



I believe, however, that I had made my point, and no trips occurred, from anyone after that !

(Stockwell raised, I was a little Thug ----- TBA will confirm that I still am !!)