Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Dear all

I apologise for intruding on the forum, especially as I was never a pupil. I found the forum whilst doing some research on a sketch that I recently purchased and I hope the members can help, or point me in the right direction.

I should explain that I am amateur history buff, mainly interested in 617 squadron and the RAF in general. I had known that Barnes Wallis attended CH and also gifted his post-war financial reward from the government to the school to be used as bursaries.

As I said, I recently bought a nice sketch and have been told that it is associated with CH. I was also told that this, or something similar was published in a book back in about 2000. I maybe getting it wrong but the book may have been about the 100th anniversary of the school's move from one site to another (sorry, really am showing my ignorance now).

Could anyone tell me about the picture or if they know which book? Is the picture of a school badge? Thank you all.
regards
K

I don't know if anyone on here is a 617 squadron presentee, but that is what the bursraies were named and they werre given to the children of (I believe) Warrant Officers in the RAF though I amy be wrong about that. On the Hertford thread are a couple of photos of the the girl presentees from Hertford visitng the 617 Squadron with the then Head Miss D R West.

I think the drawing was prepared for Christ's Hospital in the Year 2000, and is shown on page 46.

The RAF Foundation, set up as a result of the Barnes Wallis donation, has provided for the presentation of the children of serving and former RAF personnel - not limited to rank. My niece Joanna was an RAF presentee, I'm not sure what rank my brother had when she was presented but he was a commissioned officer not an NCO.

I may be able to help, as I wrote a booklet on the subject, which was published in 2003.
The "Christ's Hospital RAF Foundationers Trust" (to give its proper name) was set up in 1951 with £10,000 from Barnes Wallis and an equal amount fron the RAF Benevolent Fund. It was to be used to present children, both boys and girls, of RAF personnel (of any rank), and over one hundred and fifty have already attended the school as a result. The sketch is of the plate worn by these RAF Foundationers which is attached to the left shoulder of their bluecoat (the pairs of holes are for attaching it to the uniform). This plate was worn by boys from 1953. The girls at Hertford wore a rather smaller badge of similar design, which was pinned to their uniform, until the mid-1980s when they moved to Horsham and adopted the same uniform and plates as the boys.

The sketch is very nicely executed, although the face and a certain other part (!) lack the detail in the original, which, incidentally, was personally designed by Barnes Wallis.

Copies of the booklet can be obtained from Wendy Killner on 01403-247665.

Any more questions, please do not hesitate to ask,

David

Thank you, everyone, for your replies. They are all very informative and more than I hoped for.

David, I agree that the picture does lack a bit of detail in a couple of areas But overall I have to say that it's a great amateur effort. And the foundation is something that most people know nothing about and so I shall certainly try to get hold of a copy of your booklet.

Thanks again everyone

regards
kyt

Incidentally, I think the "sketch" is in fact a rubbing (as in brass rubbing). The amount of detail would depend on the degree of wear of the plate that it was taken from.

For your further information, kyt, a number of CH presenting foundations equip their presentees with plates. The RAF one is I think the youngest. The oldest is the Royal Mathematical School, which dates from the 1680s. Most plates are worn on the left shoulder, but there is one (Thompson's, I think it's called) which is, for some reason, worn on the right.

The Sue Thompson Foundation is a charity giving Presentations to Christ's Hospital and I believe that there is a badge which its Presentees wear - something like the badges worn by BSB Presentees. Sue Thompson (nee Hamilton) is now Susan Mitchell, and was at Hertford in the 1950's. Not long ago, she served a full term of office as Treasurer of the Foundation. As Treasurer, she continued in the role established many years before her by Barnes Wallis. In her time the tenure spanned the 2000 celebrations. She was responsible for much of the refurbishment of the living accommodation for CH pupils and the building of the Grecians Houses - as well as the publication of 'Christ's Hospital in the Year 2000'. In the august line of Treasurers of Christ's Hospital, going back to the year dot, she came after James Forbes and before David Farringdon who himself last year retired and is now replaced by the current Treasurer, Sir Gary Johnson. Susan remains active in the service of Christ's Hospital and deserves huge respect for her untiring work on its behalf. And I am not just saying that because I too am a Hertford Old Blue!