Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

oh Plum you really should, it is at times fascinating what they uncover-Fiona Bruce and her great grandfather in particular.

Angela Woodford wrote: In the 111rd Form at Hertford, we were taught Geography and English by our Form Mistress Miss Champion. She was a thin, bony, fierce and slightly creepy young woman - extremely Irish.

Does anyone know what became of Miss Champion?

Vonny wrote:

Angela Woodford wrote: In the 111rd Form at Hertford, we were taught Geography and English by our Form Mistress Miss Champion. She was a thin, bony, fierce and slightly creepy young woman - extremely Irish.

Does anyone know what became of Miss Champion?

Didn't she become a 'Wonder Horse' ?

I must admit that is one of your more amusing replies John. :mutley:

Praise from Englishangel ????

That's made my weekend, Mary !!

And when your end IS week.......... Hmmmm !

Miss Champion: Hiawatha, that's the very first poem we learnt with her. She seemed to be quite popular at that time, tho I must admit, as an 11 year old, I was a bit scared of her too. Miss Farrow was our first year teacher -I preferred her-I think!

Miss Jill Farrow left to get married, as mentioned on another thread on this forum; did she come back to teach after that?? She sent us little cards announcing her marriage, a nice thing to do; can't remember what her married name was/is. Maybe someone else will remember.

J.R. wrote:

Vonny wrote:

Angela Woodford wrote: In the 111rd Form at Hertford, we were taught Geography and English by our Form Mistress Miss Champion. She was a thin, bony, fierce and slightly creepy young woman - extremely Irish.

Does anyone know what became of Miss Champion?

Didn't she become a 'Wonder Horse' ?

I agree. I remember her upright bearing, her red hair and her kindliness....
Not sure that she was at Hertford for very long. Beryl Jenkins (nee Holloway) who taught me when I was in the Third Form may well know what happened to Miss Champion (I hope she married and has a lovely life with loads of children!). Also maybe Judith Heaven (nee Hepper.. or maybe it's the other way round! - who also taught me in the Third Form) might know.
In addition, there's Sybil Radley (nee Dolley - French - both before and after her marriage), who befriends Betty Jukes, who might also have an inkling.
Maybe I will ask them (I am in Christmas card contact with all three...)
Kerren

Did Sybil Radley have a daughter at Hertford in the 80s? I have a vague recollection of her return to teach shortly before the move/merger.

Mx

Absolutely. Miriam (nee) Radley, a totally brilliant OG. She went on to rise to the great heights of a Director of Reuters then last year moved to a Hedge Fund. She is married to a very Golfing Horsham Old Blue (Charles McKay) and they have four brilliant sons. For the last years of the OGA, Miriam was its Secretary - so I know her quite well and it's through that that I am able to keep in touch with her mum, who taught me French all those years ago!

Yes I remember Miriam. She was a few years older than us Maria. I also remember her mother teaching me on the odd occasion.

Miss Campion left in 66/67 or so, then went back as Vonny remembers her too.

I might have said this before, she was my form teacher in IIIrd form (before it became 1st form [year 7]) and on my report she wrote illegibly in green ink how unformed my handwriting was. My Dad had to ask me to decipher it and thought she had a cheek. My handwriting is still unformed but eminently legible.

Miss C's handwriting was certainly.... distinctive. Remarkably flamboyant for the time and place.
She was always very kind to me - I was good at her subjects and bad at maths which we were taught in III.2 by DR following some problem with a Miss Roos (young, dark, rosy cheeked), don't remember what happened but presumably we weren't actually learning any maths. Anyway, because I was always Bad At Maths (like singing: "Memory Good, Singing Flat") DR decided I was an academic failure... but Miss Champion stuck up for me and made her see that I needed to do Latin. I remember her explaining to me before the summer exams that I needed to do really well so as not to let her down.... and I must have done well enough because I did do Latin, without which my university career would not, in those days, have been possible. I've never thought of it quite like that before!

But separately, from the same period, why I am I the only person who remembers re-enacting the battle of Cannae with Mrs Toplis in one of the meanders on the Meads?

Ahem ! !
If I may make so bold as to ask --- what has this Topic got to do with FIONA BRUCE ?
We seem to have got on to "Hertford Memories of Teachers" --- Which surely should be in "Memories and Remeniscences of CH " ?
I have to confess I am not all that keen on FB myself -- (Watch out for "Incoming" !) but the CH bit seems to have been lost !