Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Does that splendid institution, the Whole Holiday, still exist? I remember it with great affection. One whole Summer's day to roam where one wished (provided it had been cleared with the Housemaster, beforehand). The best for me was a visit to the Royal Naval Air Station with my brother and a chum, the highlight being my first ever flight - in an Avro Anson - gosh, that dates me! I also remember boating on the Arun. And nobody worried about young boys being molested or attacked - what bliss!
David

I hated Whole Holidays until I became a Grecian and could go to London in ordinary clothes, both on the ordinary Whole Holiday and on the Grecians' Whole Holiday. Though I spent one Grecians' Whole Holiday hitchhiking round the south of England with someone called Mickey Evans (LaA). We got as far as Winchester, then had lunch in a pub in Petersfield, and went on to Chichester for tea in a very posh tea-shop. So we could boast of having viewed two cathedrals.

We had an extra Whole Holiday 'by command of HM the Queen' (as the notice said) when Princess Margaret got married to Lord Snowdon.

I first came across the notion of the Whole Holiday long before I arrived at CH. The book 'Billy Bunter's Banknote' centres on a Whole Holiday at Greyfriars, where 'the Bounder' spends the day in France and loses a lot of money in a casino. I don't recall anyone at CH managing to get to France on a Whole Holiday.

The custom always seemed very strange. All year we were not allowed to leave the school at all, and then you have to spend a whole day roaming the countryside.

I seem to remember there was an unofficial competition to get as far as possible and still make it back on time. Someone was supposed to have hitched a ride with RAF Transport all the way to Gibralter.

In the early sixties, I seem to recall we were almost forced to visit the delights of Climping beach near Littlehampton by coach. But later on I managed to get to spend my whole holidays sailing my boat in Chichester harbour. I've still got the boat although she hasn't seen the water for a few years now!

I have no recollection of these at all.

Either they'd gone by 1965 when I arrived or I have a mental block.

Are you there AKAP or anyone else to put me out of my misery?!

pierre wrote:In the early sixties, I seem to recall we were almost forced to visit the delights of Climping beach near Littlehampton by coach. But later on I managed to get to spend my whole holidays sailing my boat in Chichester harbour. I've still got the boat although she hasn't seen the water for a few years now!

Absolutely correct, Pierre.

As far as I remember, the Prep (which I didn't go to) were taken to Climping on the Whole Holiday (and issued with swimming trunks for the day).

I think this sort of Whole Holiday was a regular feature at most (boys') boarding schools. Apart from the Greyfriars reference above, Evelyn Waugh mentioned how much he hated the institution at Lancing.

I could be wrong but wasn't the Thursday whole holiday later swopped for a long week end? I do remember getting into hot water with the Lady Superintendant because the bread cutting crew of which I was a member cut bread as usual one morning and were then told it should have been left until the following week because of the holiday.

pierre wrote:I could be wrong but wasn't the Thursday whole holiday later swopped for a long week end? I do remember getting into hot water with the Lady Superintendant because the bread cutting crew of which I was a member cut bread as usual one morning and were then told it should have been left until the following week because of the holiday.

That must have been after my time.

michael scuffil wrote:As far as I remember, the Prep (which I didn't go to) were taken to Climping on the Whole Holiday (and issued with swimming trunks for the day).

I don't know if it was the presence of ladies here but you omitted that those swimming costumes became transparent when wet. Of course Clymping was a public beach