Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

When I returned to CH for a visit about a year after leaving, I ran into our old housemaid (a Scot of Italian descent) who said I must come and meet the new matron. By way of introduction, she said: "Matron, this was B 27!"

J.R. wrote: Don't forget, David - NTF and RJH were both absolute rugby fanatics, so you never knew when their presence would be felt !

NTF in particular, who was reputed to have taught the CH hooker some unusual tricks. One being, on a scrum under the oppositions posts, with their put in, to roll up the sleeve, reverse the hand, and as the ball came in, scoop it into the opposition's pack.
With luck you would get a penalty under the posts.

He was fairly belligerent and unpredictable.
Once he entered our class carrying a pile of books. We all stood up, bar one, who was looking the other way. The poor soul received a shower of books with the admonition to stand up in future.
Much sniggering from the back rows.

jhopgood wrote:

J.R. wrote: Don't forget, David - NTF and RJH were both absolute rugby fanatics, so you never knew when their presence would be felt !

NTF in particular, who was reputed to have taught the CH hooker some unusual tricks. One being, on a scrum under the oppositions posts, with their put in, to roll up the sleeve, reverse the hand, and as the ball came in, scoop it into the opposition's pack.
With luck you would get a penalty under the posts.

He was fairly belligerent and unpredictable.
Once he entered our class carrying a pile of books. We all stood up, bar one, who was looking the other way. The poor soul received a shower of books with the admonition to stand up in future.
Much sniggering from the back rows.

All very true, John. Though as a my house-master, I have to say he did have a great sense of humour on occasions. It made him human. I suppose it would be fair to say he had the typical Welsh temperament, and, NO, I'm NOT being racist !!

Having said that, he certainly gave beatings harder than RJH, who, if memory serves, was a winger for Harlequins at one time.

Kit Aitken and Corks certainly came into the dormitories and lav ends. I remember Corks smoking his pipe in the dormitory and once he must have put it down briefly as some boys in Coleridge A picked it up and started puffing away much to his annoyance.
Chris Bartlett

Kit Bartlett wrote:Kit Aitken and Corks certainly came into the dormitories and lav ends. I remember Corks smoking his pipe in the dormitory and once he must have put it down briefly as some boys in Coleridge A picked it up and started puffing away much to his annoyance.
Chris Bartlett

Well off subject but CJM(iller) caused us more sniggers twice in evening prayers, once when he put his still lit pipe in his pocket where it continued to smoulder and burn a hole, and the other time when he scratched his head whilst holding his pipe,releasing some ash onto his receding hair and causing a plume of smoke to appear.
On both occasions he was the last to realise what was going on.