Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Pat Cullen once cleaned his pipe on Thornton B dayroom curtains. He did it semi-automatically (they were pretty ragged), and was extremely embarrassed and apologetic when his action was pointed out.

Reggie Dean always smoked a cigarette between lessons in the corridor outside his room, even if this meant interrupting a double lesson. He would have a chinwag with Lloyd Whitfield (who had the room next door) at the same time.

John Page was a heavy cigarette-smoker. When he was succeeded by Pat Cullen as housemaster of ThB, one of the first things we noticed was that the aura of his ciggies had been replaced by that of Cullen's pipe.

Pipes were quite fashionable. Dr Scott also smoked one.

Eric Littlejohn, Housemaster of Barnes A, smoked everywhere he went - even in class. I hate to think how many times I was canned for smoking by both him and Bob Rae. We had a favorite tree just the Infirmary side of the garages that we used to climb and smoke in - used it for years and was never caught there once!

tim stonhill wrote:Eric Littlejohn, Housemaster of Barnes A, smoked everywhere he went - even in class. I hate to think how many times I was canned for smoking by both him and Bob Rae. We had a favorite tree just the Infirmary side of the garages that we used to climb and smoke in - used it for years and was never caught there once!

Wasn't it Eric Littlefield commonly known as "Pongo?"

tim stonhill wrote:Eric Littlejohn, Housemaster of Barnes A, smoked everywhere he went - even in class. I hate to think how many times I was caned for smoking by [...] him

You mean Littlefield? Then you weren't caned for smoking, you were caned because he enjoyed it.

Roger Martin used to smoke a pipe between lessons. He once came in after a break and put his pipe in his pocket, and started the lesson. About 5 minutes later his jacket pocket started smoking.

Completely unfazed, he said in his soft voice "Sorry folks I seem to have set myself on fire" then proceeded to put in out in a great haze of smouldering pocket and tobacco. No drama at all.

michael scuffil wrote:

tim stonhill wrote:Eric Littlejohn, Housemaster of Barnes A, smoked everywhere he went - even in class. I hate to think how many times I was caned for smoking by [...] him

You mean Littlefield? Then you weren't caned for smoking, you were caned because he enjoyed it.

Of course, Andy and yourself are quite right - Littlefield it was, Pongo to his mates!

Tommy wrote:Roger Martin used to smoke a pipe between lessons. He once came in after a break and put his pipe in his pocket, and started the lesson. About 5 minutes later his jacket pocket started smoking.

Completely unfazed, he said in his soft voice "Sorry folks I seem to have set myself on fire" then proceeded to put in out in a great haze of smouldering pocket and tobacco. No drama at all.

This is a remarkably frequent event, for pipe-smokers. -------as I recall, to my embarrassment, when I used to smoke a pipe !
I stopped smoking, some 15 years ago --- having been excluded from every site, other than the Gardens by TBA !!

I now find that I can smell tobacco smoke on anyone, at a distance of some 12 feet !

I am not "Holier than thou", being guilty fo many years, but it isn't nice, and until you stop, you don't realise this.

I vividly remember Chris "CWN" Nicholson smoking Gauloises Disque Bleu when I happened to be in Leigh Hunt A one time. I went into his study, memorised the name from the front of the cigarette packet that was lying on his mantelpiece, then went out and bought a packet from a newsagent who should've known better than not to throw me out of his emporium.

So no, the fact that masters smoked in front of me never had any influence on me at all.

The cigarettes tasted utterly disgusting by the way, as caporal tobacco generally does. But by jiminy, they smell good when someone else is smoking them, just like the revolting-tasting Clan pipe tobacco does.

We live and learn.

As for B S "Gregnut" Gregory, I once had the dubious pleasure of taking part in a litter party in the Quad (as an Activity rather than a punishment, would you believe?) and was detailed to litter-pick in the broad walkway that separates Big School from the Classics Block. The small side door of the Classics Block, at the far end of the building, was BSG's designated smoking spot between lessons and I seem to recall filling at least eighteen wheelbarrows with Player's Number 6 nub-ends that afternoon. Happy days.