Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

'I remember Mike Carrington very well, his nickname was 'Des' in those days which joins a long line of names for which I have no explanation whatsoever. '

He was Des to us in Ma B in the early sixties or Desmond, with an emphasis on the 'mond' - a supposed imitation of his accent. His physique seemed awe-inspiring at the time, those little white shorts clinging to his beefy thighs as he took the rugby field. Not to mention the way the athletics track seemed to shudder under his feet as he pounded the cinders. As a house master he let us watch the Tokyo Olympics on his TV, put up with our less than witty table repartee and helped mount house plays. And, now you mention it, he did go puce and lose his rag on occasions. I trust he's enjoying a mellow retirement.

I'm wondering where the cuss 'norm' or 'norman' comes from, imperatively combined with that weird throatal noise. It's still going strong in CH in 2005.

At least you still use the word 'cussing' and cuss!

Is "Keeping Cave" still used - our Latin education coming through there!

J

keeping cave......well never said during my stay, but we usedkeeping KV, so u would shout KV if a staff meember was coming.....so thates where it coems from we thought it could of been somehting to do with Mr Kemp, but then u had kemping (walking fast) as well so wqell alll seems that it has goone, i remember when asking for the kif at teh table was the nrom now u just get asked for the jug. hmmm i speak like it was ages ago when only 3 years ago i was htere......nostalga....am i to young for uit???

Found this after a quick google:-
"keep cave" - keep a look-out, keep watch. Cave in Latin means beware (as in cave canem, beware of the dog), and until recently children used it as Stalky does.
from
http://www.kipling.org.uk/rg_unsavoury_notes.htm

keeping cave......well never said during my stay, but we usedkeeping KV, so u would shout KV if a staff meember was coming

at "KV"! it's the equivalent of people putting "COV" as their religion on hospital intake forms, referring to CofE for Church of England! (i.e. "Just put COV, that's everyone else does")

J

Is "Keeping Cave" still used - our Latin education coming through there!

Keeping 'KV' was still used just as regularly as always, up until about 2 or 3 years ago, when open dorms completely died out. People still say it though when the teacher's out of the classroom, and you start messing around, and someone says 'KV' as a warning.

Jenny L-C wrote:someone said that outside a latin lesson once and Mr Kemp found it hilarious...then he said "when you are speaking to a group, it's 'cavate'"

'cavete', surely?

Sorry to be pedantic....

Oh you Latin scholars you...

tbs wrote:I'm wondering where the cuss 'norm' or 'norman' comes from, imperatively combined with that weird throatal noise. It's still going strong in CH in 2005.

That one appeared in everyday parlance during my CH years. I think it had to do with an advert that featured a spoddy looking bloke with glasses, sleeveless jumper and a Parker coat. Of course it might have referred to someone at the school, but if it did, I don't recall...

Anyway, we used to use it when someone did something really square. You'd make the funy throaty noise and then say "Norman"!

Does anyone still shout "Ma-a-ah" and then "guilty conscience" if anyone turns around? I think it's a shortened version of "milky" (see above). That, and variations on the accusation shouted, were favourites of ours.

Ha, I always remember shouting maaaaahhhhh!

does anyone have an idea of how to spell the noise we used to make for Mongy ? it was sort of a phlegmy sound....

I'd be going for BBBGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

or soemthing like that...

Great Plum wrote:I'd be going for BBBGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

or soemthing like that...

Woah freaky... it's like he's actually here

FrogBoxed wrote:

Great Plum wrote:I'd be going for BBBGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

or soemthing like that...

Woah freaky... it's like he's actually here

There are so many stories about Chemistry in his lab! He had no fear!