Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

The Rev Cecil Cochrane (“Korks”) was the Director of Music (and an inspiring director of all CH choirs) about 50 years ago and a character well worth remembering. He was Jun Housemaster of Col A (with Kit Aitken, a one legged WW2 veteran, as his Sen Housemaster, an equally memorable character). Korks was an excellent organist, popular preacher and particularly fond of beer. Once he had a barrel of beer in his study and was horrified when a knock on his door announced a visit from the headmaster (HLO Flecker). Fortunately he was able to cover the barrel with a piece of cloth before admitting his visitor. On another occasion just before the Carol Service he realised that a young treble, who was to sing the introductory solo for “Once in Royal David’s City” from the Chapel balcony¸ was very nervous indeed. He quickly solved the problem by saying that the 11 year old should drink this – a small glass of port. It worked brilliantly. Once I was ‘playing’ with his baton and broke it. I had to confess to him, for there were other present who had witnessed my stupidity! To my astonishment he simply said, “Don’t worry, I’ve got another one”. He was that kind of humane person. One of Korks’s alleged failings was not to allow productions of Gilbert and Sullivan Operas. But there was no objection to our attending performances by the Horsham G & S Society. These often had a strong CH influence, eg with Dr Van Praagh (CH’s Director of Science) conducting and various masters in the chorus (DC Chaundy and others). Korks left CH soon after the arrival of CME Seaman as headmaster, allegedly because Seaman’s starchy, small-mindedness was so far from Korks’s easy going nature (and HLOF’s laissez faire) that he felt out of place. He then became a Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral, with responsibility for its choir and music.

Another interesting character was Pip (Phillip) Dore, an excellent organ teacher, who once won an award from the Italian government and as part of his prize gave a recital on Italian Radio. He directed the CH Orchestra, most successfully and did so for the most complex production, ever performed at CH up till then (and until today perhaps - comments will be welcome), a full costumed production of Purcell’s opera, “King Arthur”. For the performances Pip Dore and Edward Malins (the harpsichordist) wore period dress. (The orchestra were already doing so, in Housey clothes.) Alas Pip had marital problems, slept in the Music School for a while and left CH soon after.

The Bandmaster, FG Stagg, capable too, but very taciturn, once memorably announced that there was to be a very distinguished visitor present for a weekday lunch time band parade and said, “So we’ll have the four skins on parade today” (ie the two bass drummers and two tenor drummers were to wear their leopard skins.)

There must be very many other recollections on such subjects, all worthy of repetition. Please contribute?

Pip Dore was an authority on Bach. Corks did not really think that there was any other composer but Bach. I have fond memories of both of them. Corks got very fat whilst in Col A. In the earliest house photos he was very slim. His father was the rector of Winchelsea.

I liked Corks; as a housemaster he seemed to have no function though; Kit did everything
Somewhere in the mid sixties licensing laws were strict with very restricted opening hours though certain pubs had different hours and members' clubs were less restricted .
I met Corks for breakfast early one morning (OK must have been about 7) at Smithfield Market where one pub opened in the middle of the night to refresh the market porters. Corks was well known so getting the odd pint was no problem.
From there it was across London Bridge to a courtyard close to a hospital (Guys?) where we had a late breakfast...... From there it was to somewhere in the West End but I was too wasted to remember much about that!
Corks reckoned that he could drink in Central London24/24 legally.

He's buried in Itchingfield churchyard (within a few feet of Seaman, ironically). On his gravestone it says 'priest and musician' (pr possibly 'musician and priest'). I don't know whether he specified this himself.

In March 1956 he, together with Roger Martin, who'd left the summer before, put on a rather splendid candlelit St Matthew Passion in Chapel. Corks was the Evangelist. (And I was one of the juniors roped in to hold a candle.)

When Corks was a canon of St Paul's, he lived at No 4 Amen Court, one of a terrace of wonderful 17th-century houses which were the canons' tied accommodation. Having no wife and family, he filled the house with student lodgers, mainly ex-Col A. I stayed there for a month or so, and so did several of my friends. Corks was no more domesticated than we were, and the way we kept that place would make a modern-day student flat look like the Ideal Home Exhibition. We used to drink at the Rising Sun in Carter Lane. I am disappointed but not surprised to see that the pub now sports a fake frontage and serves Thai food.

eucsgmrc wrote: and the way we kept that place would make a modern-day student flat look like the Ideal Home Exhibition.

Having seen a few of the latter, I find that hard to believe.