Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

According to my School Journey book, I took the exam on Thursday, May 7th, 1959 "at a place in Queen's Square". Intelligence then Arithmetic tests, interviews with English and Arithmetic masters (JD and Armistead I presume).
After lunch there was a medical, and interview with the doctor followed by an interview with the Headmaster (CMES), and finally, the English Examination.
Four of us took it and three got in.
I have no recollection of why we were chosen to sit the exam, except that 3 of us were near the top of our class and the other was a very good boxer. He didn't go to CH and ended up yomping with the Paras in the Falklands.
Nor can I remember any conversation with my parents as to where secondary education might take place. Most of my contemporaries went to Colfe´s or St Dunstan's, a friend went to Dulwich, and my father kept on about the Roan school, but as far as I can remember, my opinion was never sought.

I took the exam in 1946, possibly in Queen's Square. There seemed to be a lot of boys there, and we had individual desks.We had papers in English, Maths and perhaps some other subjects. French was an optional paper.

Oops just missed it - 17 Sep 73, 38 years ago yesterday I arrived at Christ's Hospital. Seven years later I joined the Royal Navy and one year after that I went off to college, both also on 17 Sep.

I took the exam at the Horticultural Hall. I proved my precocious cleverness to GW Armistead, then had an interview with Gad Malins (English) in which he told me that my primary school teacher had given me all the wrong advice. Then there was a medical at which I had to denude myself in public for the first time ever, then an interview with TWO headmasters (the outgoing. Flecker, and the incoming, Seaman). I told them I wanted to be an aircraft designer. "Nasty noisy things, aeroplanes," said Flecker, which made me wonder what sort of asylum I was heading for.

Was Armistead related to Robert Armistead, known to me through Singing Old Blues?
Fortunately don't THINK that they made the girls strip off completely in public. I think we were given discreet dressing gowns or some such to put on as we lined up for medicals.

Nudity never seemed an embarassment with us, all together in the "Trough" under the showers, and running about the dorms and lav ends in the altogether.

I believe that to be a healthy attitude --- HOWEVER ----
While I was shaving,some years ago, a voice behind me aked "Hey Grandad -- how do you work this shower ?" ---

I turned to regard my eldest Grand-daughter, with a towel over her shoulder, and nowt else !!! (She was about 14 at the time)
When I complained to her Father, he said "But we all ran around naked, when I was young"
"Yes" I replied, "But girls are different !"

Being the Father of two girls, he descended into hysterical laughter !!!!

Zoe, the lady concerned has just honoured me with the latest G.Grandchild, and has informed me that the joke is still current in the "Swiss Family Evans !"

I have to say that when our girls were young and at home, there were NO locks on any doors in the house, (front and back door apart).

I've lost count of the number of times I've got home from work, jumped in the bath to have the door crash open and one of the girls dashing in to get ready to go out to some teenage party or meeting.

kerrensimmonds wrote:Was Armistead related to Robert Armistead, known to me through Singing Old Blues?
Fortunately don't THINK that they made the girls strip off completely in public. I think we were given discreet dressing gowns or some such to put on as we lined up for medicals.

Bill Armistead, known as "the goat", had two sons (at least) at the school. So quite possibly one of these was Robert.

Incidentally, if you're interested, this was his question.

"Imagine a fly walking round the outside edge of a square. He walks four inches. What's the area of the square?"
"One square inch," says I.
"Good. Now imagine he walks round a smaller square. He walks an inch. What's the area of this square?"
"A sixteenth of a square inch," says I with little hesitation.
"I don't think we need to ask you any more questions," says Armistead with a smile.

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote: he said "But we all ran around naked, when I was young"
"Yes" I replied, "But girls are different !"

Being the Father of two girls, he descended into hysterical laughter !!!!

A.S. Neill, the radical headmaster of Summerhill, was a Freudian, but he took issue with Freud's theory of penis envy, because he happened to notice that at his school, while the little girls were happy to run around naked, the little boys rarely did.

Such small experience as I have suggests the same.

As for CH medicals, in one of the books of CH memoirs dating from the 19th century (I forget which), the doctor had to bribe the boys, who were playing modest. He offered a shilling to the first to appear in the buff in front of him. They couldn't get their kit off quick enough.

I started at CH 46 years ago today.

michael scuffil wrote:
As for CH medicals, in one of the books of CH memoirs dating from the 19th century (I forget which), the doctor had to bribe the boys, who were playing modest. He offered a shilling to the first to appear in the buff in front of him. They couldn't get their kit off quick enough.

None of that in my day but I did think it a bit much that they chose a woman to fiddle around with each boy's "privates". Supposedly looking for tinea cruris** but I always wondered.....
(** that is the dreaded rot if you didn't know.)

I remember Miss Watts, (Matron Barnes) being confronted with a small junior with an unexpected "Condition" duringfeet and hands inspection , remarking, with cool confidence -----

"Now go away -- think of something different, -- and come back !

I never met any of the other Matrons --- but I admired her, for quiet efficiency !


This Topic seems to have moved from "Bells" to "Nudity"