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[Fjgrogan]

Welcome back, Neill - I hope you and TBA had a good holiday. The forum hasn't been the same without you!

[fra828]

I know I have mentioned this on another thread and I won't be popular for saying it again , but.....why doesn't CH just keep this traditional uniform for formal occasions ONLY and have a more wearable, practical one for every day? A uniform you can chuck in the washing machine at 40 degrees or whatever. It's 2009 not 1909 : for goodness sake! The school has moved forward in every other way, so why make the kids go through this rigmarole of putting on such a cumbersome uniform EVERY DAY! Surely it would save on drycleaning/laundry bills for school AND parents. Do the kids really want to stand out like a sore thumb in Horsham and other places they go to in uniform and risk bullying, as some-one mentioned had happened before? I will stand up for Hertford for once(!); even tho we thought it dowdy then, at least we had a practical 'easy' uniform. Being an OB, I do appreciate the tradition and pride in wearing it etc etc....but in the photo galleries of OB day for example the pupils helping out on the various stalls looked absolutely sweltering in their Housey coats . It was obviously a sunny and probably hot day as some wore sunglasses. Am I alone in feeling like this or do others agree?! And how do current pupils feel about the traditional uniform?

[sejintenej]

I know I have mentioned this on another thread and I won't be popular for saying it again , but.....why doesn't CH just keep this traditional uniform for formal occasions ONLY and have a more wearable, practical one for every day?
........ Do the kids really want to stand out like a sore thumb in Horsham and other places they go to in uniform and risk bullying, as some-one mentioned had happened before? ........
Being an OB, I do appreciate the tradition and pride in wearing it etc etc....but in the photo galleries of OB day for example the pupils helping out on the various stalls looked absolutely sweltering in their Housey coats . It was obviously a sunny and probably hot day as some wore sunglasses. Am I alone in feeling like this or do others agree?! And how do current pupils feel about the traditional uniform?

IMHO a perfectly logical question except that (despite what happened to me within the school grounds) one felt "to h**l with those outside who don't like it". No way was I going to be intimidated by any passing teddy boy / lout / street corner hanger-about so I am 110% behind the person who "protected himself"

Yes, a cheaper uniform which is easier / cheaper to supply and keep clean has a lot to recommend it. However, there is the potential of the Hertford problem of constant changes in the uniform. I had the misfortune of being selected (because I was an OB) to give a presentation at a prestigeous City bank to a crowd of CH pupils; what a slovenly shower they looked in their chosen "civvies" - I was embarrassed.

Sweltering in the sun? The Hertford contingent probably didn't realise that there was a hot weather uniform;
Semi-formal was normal uniform but coats off.
Informal - afternoons in summer etc. was slacks, white shirts, cravats and blazers, the latter usually worn un-buttoned except when marching.
CH did seem to follow the Army tradition of banning sunglasses.

In any case one was so used to the uniform that I for one didn't notice the odd summer day a few degrees over 50ºF - cricket (and latterly rugby in the tropics) was far hotter!

[Fjgrogan]

I'm not sure how relevant this is to the topic, but I remember when the girls moved to Horsham in 1985 and were provided with newly designed uniforms, particularly intended to complement the boys' but not actually copy them. The girls' uniform was presumably made of more modern user-friendly materials, and appeared more modern, although in true Hertford fashion not entirely up-to-date. It included the very fancy jabot, for example, and a cape for winter wear, a short jacket for daily wear. The girls themselves very quickly decided that what they wanted was a long coat like the boys - and they got it! Also common sense prevailed and the jabot was replaced, except for ceremonial occasions, with plain bands. It seems that the girls actually wanted to look more like the boys - they opted for tradition; although I believe there was a more practical reason too - they simply were not warm enough in their smart new uniform.

[jhopgood]

I stand to be corrected on this but believe that in Southern's time, pupils were asked whether they wanted to continue with the uniform, and the majority said "yes".
I can believe that it is an on going debate, but to be honest, I never thought about it when I was there, and that was during the fashion revolution of the 60's, Carnaby Street, Mary Quant, Twiggy, mods, rockers, etc.
I used to travel between CH and South East London at the beginning and end of each term and never had any problem. Maybe because fashion was changing so fast at that time that I didn't stand out.
It did make me fashion unconscious and happy to wear anything that was comfortable. And I never found the uniform uncomfortable, except on a bike if the rolled up coat suddenly unrolled.
Could never afford prescription sunglasses and kept losing the clip on things, so sunglasses were never a problem. We had funny felt sun hats to compensate, but only for cricket use.
I must say that the school must be pretty hard up if uniforms have to be dry cleaned at home. We had the full uniform including shoes, which were frequently second hand, and 2 coats, one for every day and one for special occasions or when te day one required cleaning.
Different priorities for the money nowadays I assume.

[Fjgrogan]

At Hertford we had 'Ashbourne hats', presumably originally intended to be worn on the Ashbourne playing fields? They were blue and floppy - the kind of thing that toddlers wear these days - but they served their purpose. I was intrigued by the apparent ban on sunglasses; I guess nowadays the way round that would be photochromic prescription lenses which the school would not be able to ban.

[anniexf]

When I was at Hertford, we had white "lemon squeezers" - the least attractive of all our very unglamorous items of uniform!

[Katharine]

Frances, Ashbourne hats were white not blue. Can't imagine what you did to yours! I remember a fashion for the strings to be as long as possible - I think Anne-Marie Kelly's reached the ground when she was standing!

[Vonny]

I'm not sure how relevant this is to the topic, but I remember when the girls moved to Horsham in 1985 and were provided with newly designed uniforms, particularly intended to complement the boys' but not actually copy them. The girls' uniform was presumably made of more modern user-friendly materials, and appeared more modern, although in true Hertford fashion not entirely up-to-date. It included the very fancy jabot, for example, and a cape for winter wear, a short jacket for daily wear. The girls themselves very quickly decided that what they wanted was a long coat like the boys - and they got it! Also common sense prevailed and the jabot was replaced, except for ceremonial occasions, with plain bands. It seems that the girls actually wanted to look more like the boys - they opted for tradition; although I believe there was a more practical reason too - they simply were not warm enough in their smart new uniform.

Yes, the jackets were thinish material and definitely didn't keep you warm on cold days. I don't remember if we had a choice between the two or whether when it got cold we swapped to the long coats?
The jabots didn't last 5 minutes. They were a danger in the chem lab and also they were really itchy!

[onewestguncopse]

My instinct as a member of staff is that most (the vast majority in fact) would vote to keep the uniform. They wear civvies most of the time outside of the formal teaching day (9am-3.30pm now - no more lessons after 3.30pm) so it is not such a big thing.

Interestingly, i took a group of CH pupils to Barclays Capital Markets in FULL HOUSEY - they had a tour and went on a walk through the Canary Wharf complex. They were all smart and stood out. As a result Barclays wrote a glowing report in their in house mag and Housey was on the front page next to the Dep Chairman!

I support not wearing Housey out of school, sadly too many teenagers in Horsham are (to use the words of the kids) Chavs and would abuse our students mercilessly.

[Vonny]

no more lessons after 3.30pm) so it is not such a big thing.

I remember in the summer we had lessons straight after lunch (or pretty much straight after lunch) and after lessons we had sports of some description In the winter we had sports after lunch until around 3.30ish (maybe a bit later - can't remember) and then we had more lessons. We would go straight from the last lesson to dining hall for tea at 6ish!

[Great Plum]

My instinct as a member of staff is that most (the vast majority in fact) would vote to keep the uniform. They wear civvies most of the time outside of the formal teaching day (9am-3.30pm now - no more lessons after 3.30pm) so it is not such a big thing.

Interestingly, i took a group of CH pupils to Barclays Capital Markets in FULL HOUSEY - they had a tour and went on a walk through the Canary Wharf complex. They were all smart and stood out. As a result Barclays wrote a glowing report in their in house mag and Housey was on the front page next to the Dep Chairman!

I support not wearing Housey out of school, sadly too many teenagers in Horsham are (to use the words of the kids) Chavs and would abuse our students mercilessly.

In Michaelmas and Lent, are afternoon lessons not from 4.30 to 5.45 so that afternoon games can be held in daylight? And they start at 9 now - tsk... in my day etc!

When I was at school, I think most people did enjoy wearing the uniform - it made you 'stand out' from other schools!

[onewestguncopse]

No - lessons now all end at 3.30pm (with one or two short term exceptions). No winter/summer timetable.

Much better IMHO.

[Fjgrogan]

Strange about the Ashbourne hats - yes they were indeed white - I am probably confusing them with Guide camp hats! - but I definitely don't remember them having strings. I guess I am having another Senior Moment!

[anniexf]

I definitely don't remember them having strings. I guess I am having another Senior Moment!

No strings, no buttons, no fastenings of any kind - just plonked on top of your head. Your memory's ok, Frances!