Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Does the system of swabbing still exist? |In my day. way back in the nineteen forties a swab was
a general valet to a monitor. He would make his bed ,clean his shoes and Corps equipment.
and be at his swabmaster's beck and call. On one occasion in Coleridge A a monitor had somehow
upset his swab and they all threatened by a petition. to withdraw their services.
I forget how the dispute was settled; I ,don't think that the TUC or ACAS became involved!
Payment was made at the end of term. I think that the going rate was about ten shillings (50 pence).
The Housey Book of Slang gives a first use of the word as 1880.


Chris Bartlett

Kit Bartlett wrote:Does the system of swabbing still exist? |In my day. way back in the nineteen forties a swab was
a general valet to a monitor. He would make his bed ,clean his shoes and Corps equipment.
and be at his swabmaster's beck and call. On one occasion in Coleridge A a monitor had somehow
upset his swab and they all threatened by a petition. to withdraw their services.
I forget how the dispute was settled; I ,don't think that the TUC or ACAS became involved!
Payment was made at the end of term. I think that the going rate was about ten shillings (50 pence).
The Housey Book of Slang gives a first use of the word as 1880.


Chris Bartlett

Swabbing had gone when I started in 1965.

From what I remember at the time it effectively disappeared as part of the introduction of senior and junior houses and the Prep becoming Leigh Hunt which was fully completed in 1966 if memory serves me right.

I was a Swab, and, later, had one.
I don't remember any "Payments" !

I certainly 'swabbed', and got paid !

My recollection is that you could be a swab up to the LE.
I was a swab for 5 terms, first for the trades monitor and then for the second monitor, who had a study. Had to make the fire and things, but got use of the study when he was busy elsewhere.
Definitely got paid as it meant I was less reliant on my paper round in the holidays.
I enjoyed it because apart from the money, we didn't have to do trades or any of the duties around the house.
Barnes B converted completely to a Junior House in 1966, and I was one of the remaining seniors left in the house for the 1965 - 66 year. I am pretty certain I would have remembered having a swab, so I assume the system died out at the end of the 1965 school year.
Just as well as I would have had to work double during the holidays just to pay him. By then I was too old for the paper or milk round, and could only get occasional work as a petrol pump attendant, lift operator in a department store, or sweeping up in a factory, none of which paid very much.

I was never a swab (because it was voluntary), but I was a monitor for 7 terms and had a total of three different swabs, who all got paid. The payment varied partly by the length of the term, but mostly insofar as swabs that had to keep a study clean and warm* got more. I think my swabs' payments varied from 10/- (50p) a term to a pound (or maybe even a guinea). That was in the days when the official minimum pocket money per term (after deduction of house funds) was 32/6 (162.5p). I used my Q-shott (see other threads) to pay my swab.

*I've probably mentioned before that in the freezing Lent Term of 1963, my swab and I between us (me in the evening banking it up with ashes, he in the morning fanning the embers) managed to keep my study fire going continuously for about 6 weeks. He got an MBE in this year's New Year's Honours, but that was for something else.

J.R. wrote:I certainly 'swabbed', and got paid !

I swabbed for a Grecial named Flyyn, who was one of the first one year exchange student from America.

I often wondered what happened to him !

J.R. wrote:

J.R. wrote:I certainly 'swabbed', and got paid !

I swabbed for a Grecian named Flyyn, who was one of the first one year exchange student from America.

I often wondered what happened to him !

You swabbed for Peter Flynn?! That must have been an experience. He must have been the weirdest American grecian they ever sent (says I, who got on with him quite well). He produced the Leaving Grecians' play that year, Fry's The Lady's Not For Burning, which few people understood. (Yes, I wonder what happened to him, too.)

He was so weird that whoever arranged these things sent, as the next American grecian, one Al Sharp, who was about as regular a guy (crew cut, sporty) as you could meet. Al Sharp said of PF: "I hear he was SOME bird!"

J.R. wrote:

J.R. wrote:I certainly 'swabbed', and got paid !

I swabbed for a Grecial named Flyyn, who was one of the first one year exchange student from America.

I often wondered what happened to him !

I think the first american was in Col A in1947/8. He was Peter Wiggins (I think the third). I was swab to Murray at the time (who had a study and a fire), but only for the Michaelmas term; he left then.

In my first year there was an American grecian called (I think) Skinner (MidB). I have a notion his father might have been on the staff in the 40s as part of some exchange arrangement.

There was an American called Schwartz in ThB in 1964 or thereabouts, but he was a bit younger, and not a grecian.

michael scuffil wrote:In my first year there was an American grecian called (I think) Skinner (MidB). I have a notion his father might have been on the staff in the 40s as part of some exchange arrangement.

There was an American called Schwartz in ThB in 1964 or thereabouts, but he was a bit younger, and not a grecian.

It was confirmed a few weeks ago that the exchange with the USA still continues. I think the current American may be in Grecians West

J.R. wrote:

J.R. wrote:I certainly 'swabbed', and got paid !

I swabbed for a Grecial named Flyyn, who was one of the first one year exchange student from America.

I often wondered what happened to him !

I swabbed for the boy who became Professor Douglas Ruthven, who is (and this might be out of date) chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Maine. I was not a good swab and certainly didn't earn the ten bob (which I don't think I received). I don't remember who my swab was - after my own experiences I didn't "use" him much but he was one of the pool available to all when needed.
In Col A swabbing was compulsory - just as much as trades, cleaning, serving food etc. were compulsory jobs.

michael scuffil wrote:

J.R. wrote:

J.R. wrote:I certainly 'swabbed', and got paid !

I swabbed for a Grecian named Flyyn, who was one of the first one year exchange student from America.

I often wondered what happened to him !

You swabbed for Peter Flynn?! That must have been an experience. He must have been the weirdest American grecian they ever sent (says I, who got on with him quite well). He produced the Leaving Grecians' play that year, Fry's The Lady's Not For Burning, which few people understood. (Yes, I wonder what happened to him, too.)

He was so weird that whoever arranged these things sent, as the next American grecian, one Al Sharp, who was about as regular a guy (crew cut, sporty) as you could meet. Al Sharp said of PF: "I hear he was SOME bird!"

Obviously, being a youngster, I was quite in awe of Peter. (Yes - It was Peter, but in my day, Christian names were rarely used at CH).

By the the time his year was up, I had grown to admire (?) him and I lke to think we got on quite well.

Strange ? No, I don't think so. Looking back, I would have thought that in later life he may well have gone on to a glowing career in the US Military. He had that kind of temperament. I seem to remember there was possibly some family connection to the great American cartoonist, 'Schultz' - creator of the great 'Peanuts' cartoon series. This may of course, just have beeen an idle rumour.

DavidRawlins wrote:

J.R. wrote:

J.R. wrote:I certainly 'swabbed', and got paid !

I swabbed for a Grecial named Flyyn, who was one of the first one year exchange student from America.

I often wondered what happened to him !

I think the first american was in Col A in1947/8. He was Peter Wiggins (I think the third). I was swab to Murray at the time (who had a study and a fire), but only for the Michaelmas term; he left then.

Continuing my clearout, I have come across a photo of Andy Flues, CH 1946 - 47, from Freemont, Ohio, died Boyce Virginia, 23/3/97. A separate note says he was a US Exchange Student. The photo is of a Button Grecian, I assume he deserved them.

J.R. wrote: I swabbed for a Grecial named Flyyn, who was one of the first one year exchange student from America.

Sept 1960 to summer 1961 we had an exchange student who "introduced" basketball to Housie to the extent that the gym seemed to be in constant use every weekend. Can you remember who he was? He was the only one who seemed to have a big influence throughout the upper.