Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Can anyone tell me, please, in what year shoes ceased to be issued by C.H. and became a parental responsibility? I would also like to know what guidance is now given to parents on the style of footwear.

If it'a any help for a process of elimination. Shoes were still issued by the school in 72 when I left.

I wonder why you called this BOYS' shoes? Was there a different date for Girls' shoes? Do you already know that?

Ours were certainly issued/provided by CH in my time.

Katharine,
My research has not got that far yet. Watch this space,
David

Thanks, David.

One of my great disappointments on arriving at CH was that we didn't have buckled shoes, as I'd been led to believe. Are they now at least permitted?

it was the year the girls arrived

We all kept the shoes we had but were told from then on it was 4 hole black lace up plain shoes - i was told off for having DrMartin shoes as 3 lace holes - but allowed to wear them when i explained they came from Scats farm shop on the farm account and had steel toe caps so were only £15 no VAT which is what we could afford

PJ's and towels stopped the same year

Currently DMs are recommended. I thought they had to be lace ups but saw quite a few boys with slip ons on when I was there for a concert a few weeks ago.

YadaYada wrote:Currently DMs are recommended. I thought they had to be lace ups but saw quite a few boys with slip ons on when I was there for a concert a few weeks ago.

I wore elastic-sided "house shoes" most of the time when I was a grecian. They were much more comfortable, and there was no one to tell me not to (except Arthur Rider).

For the archive:
We had two pairs of Housey-issued shoes (house-shoes had to be provided by parents). One pair was kept in a cupboard on the main staircase, the other was what we wore (and kept in the Boot Room when we weren't wearing them). Matron inspected the latter pair once a week for wear. If they needed mending, we moved on to the pair in the cupboard. The mended shoes came back a few days later, and went into the cupboard. If the shoes were "condemned" (i.e. past mending), we were sent to the wardrobe to be fitted with new ones. On the other hand, if we reported a pair of shoes as being too small, we were given a pair of hand-me-downs.
It was strictly forbidden to wear outdoor shoes in the dormitory, even briefly. Some matrons (incl. ours) prided themselves on the high-gloss floors.
Houses varied as to shoe-cleaning regimes. In ThB, only juniors had to have their shoes inspected. In other houses, seniors too, though top-tablers were normally exempt.

Our outdoor shoes were supplied by the school, but we had to provide our own house shoes, slippers and sports shoes (plimsoles and hockey boots).

Concur Scuffil but in Col B wearing outdoor shoes in the dorm was a monitors' privilege, everyone else had to wear their 'Cambridge slippers'.

It is in tiny points of detail like this that the whole history of Housie becomes chronicled on this webiste.

postwarblue wrote:Concur Scuffil but in Col B wearing outdoor shoes in the dorm was a monitors' privilege, everyone else had to wear their 'Cambridge slippers'.

Which house? I do not remember this in Col A.

I honestly can't remember about shoes in dorms in Coleridge B.

I know that Matron prided her polished floors, but for the life of me, I can't remember if 'outside' shoes were allowed 'upstairs'

postwarblue wrote:Concur Scuffil but in Col B wearing outdoor shoes in the dorm was a monitors' privilege, everyone else had to wear their 'Cambridge slippers'.

It is in tiny points of detail like this that the whole history of Housie becomes chronicled on this webiste.

I didn't go into many other houses' dormitories (obviously) but on the few occasions when I did (e.g. epidemics) I realized why our matron was so keen to protect her floors. They were splendid. After all, outdoor shoes had steel tips to the heels for most of the time I was there (changed to hard rubber in about 1961).

This forum will be a goldmine for future historians of CH.

Yes, Wurzel's right - it was in 1985. Still remember going to the Wardrobe round the back of Dining Hall after breakfast to get replacement shoes after outgrowing mine. There was the guy who sounded like (and was nicknamed) "Davros" who used to greet you in his metallic voice and say "Take your shoes off, go round the corner & go see Mr Smith" who would then either give you a Brand new pair (highly prized) or a "good" 2nd hand pair.

Going to the Wardrobe always made me think I was going back to Victorian times...