Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

School dances at CH were held in the School Library and were reported in The Blue c. 1948-52
Len A.Bates plated for Warwickshire 1914-35 and was born at Edgbaston Cricket Ground where his father was Head Groundsman,
His son Peter H. Bates was in Prep. B and Coleridge B 1941-48, I remember tha he was a good swimmer but not a cricketer, He died in New Zealand some years ago.

Thanks Kit. At least I got most of it right. Martin

Kit Bartlett wrote:School dances at CH were held in the School Library and were reported in The Blue c. 1948-52
.

Still going in 1960 or perhaps 1961 but I suspect they were in the Court Room (the memory is failing like everything else)

In my day in the Dominions Library (as it was then called).

Len A.Bates plated for Warwickshire 1914-35 and was born at Edgbaston Cricket Ground where his father was Head Groundsman

That would mean presumably he was born c. 1894, which would have made him a pretty venerable member of the school staff by 1963 (when I believe he retired). I imagine he was the oldest (apart from Teddy Edwards, but he was 'honorary', i.e. not on the payroll).

Edit: he's in Wikipedia, and was born in 1895 -- but still pretty venerable.

For the biographical record Leonard Thomas Ashton Bates was born 20.3.`1895 and died 11.3.1971. at Coldwaltham Sussex.
He played between 1913 and 1935. a total of 444 first class matches.
He would have therefore been 68 when he retired in 1963. His daughter Jean married a Sussex Cricketer Donald James Weekes
who played one first class match in 1952. Len had a brother Samuel Harold who also played for Warwickshire 1910-12 but was killed in France 28.8.1916.
The family lived at 6 King Edward's Road. C.H. which presumably was a tied house.