Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Avon wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 4:05 pmThe food was undoubtedly wholesome, nutritious, and delicious - right up until the point where it entered the CH Kitchens.

Not entirely sure about that, their "meat" supplier managed to find cuts with more tubes/cm2 than I've ever seen before or since They did do some terrible things to the food and while I've never been a fussy eater was seriously considering becoming vegetarian during my time at CH.

I just had a little flashback of the food and gagged a bit

Myxomatosis did for the rabbits (for about 18 months there were festering corpses all over the countryside) so that put an end to the grey gristle-strewn rabbit stew that was a regularly featured item on the table in the era of rationing. So I suppose the food did get gradually better in MacMillan's 'you've never had it so good' era...

Come on, guys, this thread is supposed to be a serious discussion of serious issues and the 'food chain' in the title does NOT refer to actual food. The subject of Housie food per se has been discussed ad nauseam (if you will forgive the expression in this context) on other threads, so please not here.
David

OK. As moderator, please can we stay on topic and not discuss CH food in general.

I apologise if I have strayed somewhat myself.

But bringing the two strains back together momentarily, Founders Day Dinner on 5th October anyone? Invite has just landed in my mailbox. Now that might just be an interesting evening....

J.R. wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 4:15 pm As I seem to remember, the food was supposed to have 'improved' under the tenure of a new school physician, Dr. 'Tommy' Scott.

All I can remember from my first week in 1958 is that it was edible, (just). There was no choice, so it was a case of eat or starve.

However, I'm drifting off topic.

By the time you arrived in 1958 it had been improved - think on it!

An older cousin of mine married an OB who told me that when rationing came in during the war the food got better.

But yes, back on topic.

My 1985 Blue book has all the Almoners and which entity they came from. I'll scan it and post it soon. Perhaps someone can cross refer with current Council to see if any of the old guard still exist.

Id wager the legal restructuring of the school is a cynical effort to get rid if the old, culpable entity and make compensation and personal accountability more difficult.

I hadn't thought of it like that but it would make sense.

Scazza wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:00 pm My 1985 Blue book has all the Almoners and which entity they came from. I'll scan it and post it soon. Perhaps someone can cross refer with current Council to see if any of the old guard still exist.

Id wager the legal restructuring of the school is a cynical effort to get rid if the old, culpable entity and make compensation and personal accountability more difficult.

The timings of the restructure are interesting- the Old Blue mag from spring 2016 indicates the change was planned to take place in sept 2017. Presumably they may have been aware of some of the pending charges by then, if the police needed to gather evidence, and Webb had already been sentenced in 2015 for another offence.

They will certainly have been aware of the extent of the investigation and the likely exposure.

From the 1985-86 Blue Book - this listed everybody at the school, plus all phone numbers, straight after the merger, so probably for Hansford - and everyone else - to get their bearings. BBB graffiti on the walls then, Baker had just left and the kids were annoyed. Poulton joined a couple of years later:
- Almoners
- House Staff
- Staff Special Responsibilities
- Staff List

Can't see that lot being told the full story.

My money would be on RF Salisbury the Clerk covering it up, Sir Humphrey style.

Baker's letter was rather curiously written, it seemed to me.

I arrived to find the food at Housie in 1950, at a time of heavy post-war rationing, to be good - compared to the rest of the country; remembering plump herrings, large kippers, liver, duff & custard, eggs, porridge, housie mutton stew, rabbit stew, sweet milky kiff - with plenty of fresh bread from the bakery. With amazing improvements around 1955 including chips (!!) - when Seaman arrived with his many reforms. Likely with the school farm the food at CH was better than most residential schools, comparably? Housie probably had a mores in other realms akin to other such Anglican/RC boarding/residential schools including management/hierarchy cover-ups - even with Popes, Cardinals, Archbishops, Headteachers/Governors complicit. What progress is there on the enquiry proposal of "Four Eyes" - or a Letter/Petition to Council - led by Four Eyes please, for an Independent Inquiry - back to say 1950? Various ideas have been suggested and a process to significantly benefit CH long term would be the mission.

blueeyedboy wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:42 pm But bringing the two strains back together momentarily, Founders Day Dinner on 5th October anyone? Invite has just landed in my mailbox. Now that might just be an interesting evening....

I really do wonder just how much briefing the people organising these events now have been given. I remember governors were treated with kid gloves, if not fawned over, but I have no idea how CH'd deal with them if they got ornery.

Scazza wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:34 pmFrom the 1985-86 Blue Book

A few years before I turned up but there's an awful lot of names that I'd forgotten in that lot. Has helped me put a few more memories in order.

blueeyedboy wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:42 pm But bringing the two strains back together momentarily, Founders Day Dinner on 5th October anyone? Invite has just landed in my mailbox. Now that might just be an interesting evening....

I have just the sneakiest feeling there won't be a massive take up this year.