Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Hi Eternalangel (your own name is much quicker and you've posted a pic. of yourself! ),

Sorry I missed the pic. in the Daily Mail,can you email me and tell me about the twins? My son is 13 ,adolescent and huge.

I asked the Mod. to start a Hertford Section...somewhat late in the day I fear. Just thought it would be easier to find posts relevant to us, plus our experience was somewhat unique and definitely relegated to History now.

Re. DR West and our Tower Hill interviews; Now you have reminded me, yes I believe we were interviewed during the lunch-break, but DR also made a point of talking to each one of us individually as we walked along the embankment...I thought that was good tactics as we would be more relaxed than a formal interview. "Rebel" ( with whose feelings about C.H. I feel much empathy ) mentions DR's autobiography. I didn't know there was one. Do you know about it? Miss West infuriated me....but I can't bring myself to entirely denigrate her.......she wasn't malicious, but seemed to live in an extraordinary world,bound by ideas ,concepts and traditions that were quite unfathomable to teenagers of the nineteen-sixties. She had moments of kindness:- She once took me and group of girls, who weren't going out on Long Sat. , out for tea somewhere in the Herts countryside. I saw this as a big treat. She always marked me top of the class for the Scripture Exam which was a big ego boost for me and surprising considering I had told her that I was an atheist! ( no longer the case) Lastly, a few weeks ago,whilst clearing out my late mother's flat I found my last C.H. report.To my surprise, D.R. had had some really warm words to say about me and wished me good luck for the future. When I remember what a defiant, sullen rebel I was...and from her point of view a bit of a nuisance too, I think she wasn't such a bad old stick....lousy headmistress for our era but not a bad person ; just a product of her own generation.I believe she's still alive (?)

Miss Norman was a good gym teacher and very hard-working but I never got on with her.She had a most unfortunate voice.

Of course it was Mrs Betterton, Mary. That was a typo. or the result of hearing my son call all his female teachers" Miss".

Gotta go. Please feel free to email me.( Can you access my address?)

P.S. I read in one of your posts that D.R. wrote that you weren't "kind" on your report . What a horrible thing to say. I can assure you Mary,that I remember you as being "kind" way beyond the call of duty all through our C.H. years.....indeed from that first exam we took sitting next to each other.

Sorry Alex, it's ENGLISHangel. (Long story)

I only had two bad reports from DR, the first was when I was 14 and my beloved Grandma died at Christmas. Having seen what others had to put up with in the way of sympathy I insisted that no-one at school was told. But it obviously showed in my behaviour.

The other time was in Vth form when we were late back from collecting holly and stuff for Xmas decs. and I lost my BA, then the next day Betty Jukes found me in the library and gave me a Disorder report, the only one I got, ever.

DR did take us out on Long Sat. I think it was you, Judy and me, and we went tree climbing, we must have been 13 or 14.

Or do you mean the time in Upper Sixth when she took us for a cream tea at a round table, put her elbows on it, the table tipped and everything cascded into her lap?.

I still have to stuff a hankie into my mouth to stop myself laughing at that one.

I believe she is still alive, in an 'Older persons home' in Seaford. I am sure we will hear when she finally meets the great umpire in the sky.

check your PM Alex

Nyort wrote: Although, Mr Holdsworth is a good laugh too.

My humble apologies...

Great Plum wrote:

Nyort wrote: Although, Mr Holdsworth is a good laugh too.

My humble apologies...

I dont think that you should be apologising, still an inspiration to a lot of people and he helped a lot of us 'grow up' properly and not be dragged up. Was one of those people that i think will never be forgot by a lot of my year!!!

Forgotten, dear boy, not "forgot" - oh dear!
It was good to see you the other day.

Hmm, a hard one this - so many current and former teachers could be given the nod. Mr Marlow was an inspirational English teacher, while Dr. Wines has to be the most entertaining. Dr. Roberts is as eccentric (and lovable) as ever - and Mr. Williams has his own unique appeal, for having something the French call a certain 'I don't know what'. Can anyone help?

HowardH wrote:Forgotten, dear boy, not "forgot" - oh dear!
It was good to see you the other day.

yeah well as you should remember i was not exactly the best at english!!!

ludwig van wrote:Hmm, a hard one this - so many current and former teachers could be given the nod. Mr Marlow was an inspirational English teacher, while Dr. Wines has to be the most entertaining. Dr. Roberts is as eccentric (and lovable) as ever - and Mr. Williams has his own unique appeal, for having something the French call a certain 'I don't know what'. Can anyone help?

'Je ne sais quoi ??'

Very good sir! But I mean can anyone get to the bottom of AMW's appeal?

Im not his exactly his biggest fan.
And he wasn't the best housemaster.

My all time favourite has got to be Dr Ross Stuart, He was housemaster of Maine A in my senior years and had taught me English as a junior. I have nothing but fond memories, respect and thanks for the man who helped me grow. He was always fair, (and I'm sure still is), and treated us with respect and consideration. Clive Kemp was another great guy, to juniors he was very firm but always fair and as a senior you saw a whole new side to him, no longer a stuffy Latin teacher but a mountaineer, adventurer and an incredible skier.

OK, here are a few of my favourite teachers - I was in Maine B and then Lamb B - 76 - 83 if I remember rightly:

Richard "Killer" (Killa ?) Fry - dominated meals but in reality had a heart of gold and was a superb Biology teacher. I sincerely hope he is still around.

Ping - who taught us physics, and who caught out Geoff Neal for basing his entire AO level electronics project on the ladybird book of electronics

Mongy Torkington - how could chemistry lessons be anything but exciting with him doing things like accidentally igniting an oil covered lump of phosphorous with a pair of tongs we had only just finished heating up to red hot whilst he was up stairs getting Richard Fry to open the phosphorous bottle for him.

Pinky Palmer - who during a Latin exam, stood outside the window of our classroom, and took great pleasure in having a fag and blowing smoke rings towards the window.

Bomber Nicholson - the hairiest man on the planet, who taught me how to spell necessary and commode.

I'm sure I will come up with more but it is late, and my brain hurts !

Spoonbill wrote:Peter Wright - utterly brilliant teacher and the only maths teacher in recorded history who wasn't a total b*stard.

Oh I don't know, quite a some of the maths teachers I had were fine:

Bogey Fryer, who apparently took his life after being forced to retire.

and

Tony Waller, who, and I did not know this at the time, paid for my pocket money because my parents could not afford it.

Richard Ruck wrote:We had England centre Peter Warfield coaching during my last year. Not quite such a legend of the game as Gerald Davies, but a great bloke nonetheless.

I remember him playing for England against the All Blacks at Twickenham - he had a kick charged down which led to a N.Z. try - oh dear

I remember Pete Warfield as being a bit of a git - once gave an entire class detention and made them pick blackberries for him. Also had a Rolls, a Morgan and a Mini. Ok, flash git

Paul N wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:We had England centre Peter Warfield coaching during my last year. Not quite such a legend of the game as Gerald Davies, but a great bloke nonetheless.

I remember him playing for England against the All Blacks at Twickenham - he had a kick charged down which led to a N.Z. try - oh dear

I remember Pete Warfield as being a bit of a git - once gave an entire class detention and made them pick blackberries for him. Also had a Rolls, a Morgan and a Mini. Ok, flash git

I don't recall the mini! He always claimed that the roller belonged to his mother.

That just leaves the Morgan, then! Rather a flash car for a schoolteacher....