Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Mention has been made in the Forum under the heading of Drum Majors of the above title. I believe that the job of ringing both the Chapel and Big School bells were allocated to boys in Coleridge B at one time. The whole function was something to do with the Skinners' Company as they arranged an annual outing to London for participants, presumably to receive some largesse for their efforts. There must have been other tasks involved as there was a boy, R.E. Turnbull, Coleridge A c. 1946, who was included in this visit.
I assume that this practice no longer prevails. Has anyone any further information on this ?
Chris Bartlett

Never heard of it! I'm sure if anyone in Col B was doing it I would have had some inkling. I always assumed Sgt Fielder was the bell ringer in his general capacity as The Oil's gofer & chapel chappie (in a special gown over his uniform)

During my time in Coleridge B, I was one, along with a guy callked Huke, if memory serves !

Kit Bartlett is quite right, two Col.B boys had the bellringing jobs, during their GE year, and like J.R. I had one of them, in 1948/49. I'm surprised postwaroldblue wasn't aware of it, though, also being in Col.B.
I had the job of ringing the Big School bell 3 times daily, as the signal for houses to prpeare to march to the Dining Hall. Sgt.Fielder was responsible for the signal to wake us up in the morning, and for the start and change of lessons. I don't remember all the details, but I think if it was raining it was up to me to decide the ring the signal to use the tube instead of marching; at dinner time that must have involved liaising with the band. Another duty was turning the lights on and off for evening film shows in Big School.
Each year a few boys went to the Skinners' Hall in the City. I think we comprised the 2 bellringers, one other boy who had some other regular task somewhere in the school, and a couple who were presentees of the Sknners'. I think the connection was that the Company had been responsible for providing the bells when the Horsham school was built, and maybe had an ongoing inolvement of some sort,. If anyone knows more I'd be interested to hear it.
I don't think we got any largesse, but we had a very nice lunch, after leading a procession of the members of the Company from their Hall (at 8 & a half Dowgate Hill) to St.Mary Aldermary Church (and back again) for their annual Corpus Christi Day service.
The Chapel job also involved shutting and opening the doors before and after the service, and sitting in the special seat at the end of the front pew, right by the Headmaster's seat. This was only for weekday services; Sgt Fielder took over on Sundays. (Bill Butler who had this position was in the band, so couldn't be the meal time bellringer, which is why I got that job.)

I know that Richard Tite, Coleridge B was the Chapel Gonger as he has mentioned to me the occasion when HLOF
was angry with him over some minor error that he made about opening the Chapel door at the right time.
I can also remember that D S. Hall and P.A.T, Haines were also Skinners' boys as they were called. I have a memory also of Robin Penfold.
who kept jangling the Big School keys in front of visiting parents as he wished to lock the building up.
There were definitely at least two Coleridge A boys involved. Michael Gunton went up to London in June 1946
as I well recall him telling us that A.H. Buck, the master in charge of the trip, took the boys to The Oval after the ceremony at Skinners' Hall to see Surrey v Derbyshire. Buckie had been a member of Surrey CCC since 1921.
R.E. Turnbull also attended on this occasion as he was just able to win the House a Cuptie on the previous evening which if the game had had to be extended until the following day would have prevented this.
Kit Bartlett

I wonder who made the decision if it was raining that there would be no P.T. that morning break. I remember that three long chimes were sounded on Big School bell to general acclaim in the school I am sure. It could not have been the responsibility of any boy because they were all in class . (hopefully). Perhaps it was Sergeant Fielder

Certainly in my day, bell-ringers, (gong ringers) wouldn't make that decision. Not sure who it was.

I remember gong-ringing at one leavers service, and then going up to the 'balcony' for the service. The organ sounded absoulutely brilliant there !

Dr Rust could certainly 'bang out a tune' !

J.R. wrote:Certainly in my day, bell-ringers, (gong ringers) wouldn't make that decision. Not sure who it was.

I remember gong-ringing at one leavers service, and then going up to the 'balcony' for the service. The organ sounded absoulutely brilliant there !

Dr Rust could certainly 'bang out a tune' !

The Prep would go up there for the leavers' service and the withdrawal music was Trumpet Voluntary (?). Half way through this piece the organist would open up the balcony pipes at full blast; deafening!

I remember JR and Pete Huke ringing the bell for chapel c. 1962/63. But John, didn't you also ring the parade bells and/or 10-minute bells from Big School?

sejintenej wrote:

J.R. wrote:
Dr Rust could certainly 'bang out a tune' !

The Prep would go up there for the leavers' service and the withdrawal music was Trumpet Voluntary (?). Half way through this piece the organist would open up the balcony pipes at full blast; deafening!

It used to be the March from Scipio at the end of the Leaving Service.

DavidRawlins wrote:

sejintenej wrote:

J.R. wrote:
Dr Rust could certainly 'bang out a tune' !

The Prep would go up there for the leavers' service and the withdrawal music was Trumpet Voluntary (?). Half way through this piece the organist would open up the balcony pipes at full blast; deafening!

It used to be the March from Scipio at the end of the Leaving Service.

Correct !

michael scuffil wrote:I remember JR and Pete Huke ringing the bell for chapel c. 1962/63. But John, didn't you also ring the parade bells and/or 10-minute bells from Big School ?

Not me, Michael, though I seem to remember filling in on Big School once at very short notice. I can't remember who 'supervised' me.

You do realise it was half a century ago ? !!!!

Fancy Brian Polley popping up.I remember him coming back from the last ever run of a London tram, triumphantly clutching a piece of destination blind. |t least I think I remember that.

Postwaroldbue is quite right -it was on 6 July 1952 that I returned having persuaded Buckie to let me go to London to join in the farewell to the trams the previous night, together with Stewart Rayner who shared my interest in trams and actually lived on the route.

I remember being on the special tram tour on 5th July 1952 and meeting Brian Polley and Stewart Rayner. I recall that they were both wearing Housey scarves although as this was midsummer it might have been an earlier tram tour occasion Did he not live in the S.E. 2 area which was on the famous 36 and 38 tram route which went from there on a circular route to and from Abbey Wood terminus via the Embankment? I know that Stewart took Holy Orders later.
Kit Bartlett