Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I forget the original title of the above subject so am submitting two more names under a new thread.
I.R. McConnell Marlborough,
W.R. Armistead Queen Elizabeth's Blackburn.

It amazes me how much you knew about your masters. We had an Old Blue Maths Teacher, Joy Holmes, but apart from her, I don't remember ever knowing the school of any teacher!

Kit Bartlett wrote: ... am submitting more names under a new thread.
I.R. McConnell Marlborough

Considering masters’ education in the broadest sense, it is worth pointing out that Ivor R McConnell was the son of a parson, so it was not surprising that in addition to maths he taught divinity to junior forms during his early years at CH. He was a gifted oboe player, always supporting the school orchestra by playing in its concerts and also occasionally giving chamber music recitals. (Because of IRM I always associate Hindermith with Telemann. This was because when I was a junior I first met the names of each of these two very different composers at the same time. Works by each of them had featured in a programme of oboe music which IRM had chosen for one of his recitals.) He died of a malignant lymphoma, but insisted on continuing his teaching of grecians, as maths department head, until virtually the very end, in spite of medical advice to stop his teaching. This was because they were close to their final examinations (Oxbridge scholarships) and he felt a change of teacher then would be a great setback for these pupils. He was gentle, unassuming, a non-sportsman and as devoted to CH as any of its more flamboyant and better known masters. Perhaps he was less appreciated than he merited.

J.H.Page Canford.
W P C Davies. Denstone

When WPC Davies left CH, in the 50s, or 60s, he went to Denstone College, as its Headmaster.

Richard wrote:When WPC Davies left CH, in the 50s, or 60s, he went to Denstone College, as its Headmaster.

That's what I thought too, but Wikipedia disagrees:

"He later became a preparatory school headmaster, first at Smallwood Manor, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, then at Cheltenham College Junior School, Gloucestershire, and served in that post from 1964 to 1986."

However, Wiki neglects to mention that he ever taught at CH. (He left, I think, in 1957 or 58. Certainly no later.)

As for JH Page at Canford, I was surprised as for some reason I thought he was a Marlburian. I'm also surprised because I believe Canford in the 20s/30s was classed as a 'progressive' school. JHP was scathing about progressive schools. But it does apparently have a real tennis court, certainly a link.

Wikipedia is renowned for being somewhat 'inaccurate' !!

I have gleaned a few more .
C.A. Humphrey, Kingswood.
John Denison, Haileybury.
C.O. Healey, Lancing.
A.L. Johnstone, Royal Masonic Watford.
N. Plumbly, Tonbridge
R.J. Lorimer, Judd Tonbridge.
Nicholas Bailey, Oundle
Tom Keely, KIng Edward's Birmingham.

I have gleaned a few more .
C.A. Humphrey, Kingswood.
John Denison, Haileybury.
C.O. Healey, Lancing.
A.L. Johnstone, Royal Masonic Watford.
N. Plumbly, Tonbridge
R.J. Lorimer, Judd Tonbridge.
Nicholas Bailey, Oundle
Tom Keely, KIng Edward's Birmingham.

It would appear that most CH masters around mid-century were former public school boys. This in turn suggests that they came from comfortable backgrounds. But I have no idea whether any of them were actually wealthy. Does anyone have any idea?

michael scuffil wrote:It would appear that most CH masters around mid-century were former public school boys. This in turn suggests that they came from comfortable backgrounds. But I have no idea whether any of them were actually wealthy. Does anyone have any idea?

I know that Kit Aitken had a house close to the Norfolk Broads and he had enough to hire a boat and take half a dozen boys sailing and drinking each year. Wealthy? I don't know but he kept a few publicans solvent

Kit Aitken lived at Broad House, Ranworth which was I think the family home as his mother certainly was still living there in the early nineteen fifties. I have no idea what his father did for a living or where Kit was educated.
On the subject of "wealthy "CH Masters, the Hon.David Stowell Roberts was the younger twin son of the Liberal MP for West
Denbighshire from 1892-1918, Sir John Henry Roberts Baronet who was elevated to the House of Lords as 1st Baron Clwyd in 1919. D.S.R. once mentioned in a Sermon that his grandmother promised him £100 if he abstained from drinking alcohol or
smoking until he was 21 years of age which he did. That date would have been reached in 1921. £100 at that time would I suppose have been worth about £5,000 today.

David Herbert (Rugby and Trinity College Cambridge) was the son of the bishop of Norwich Percy Herbert, who was the grandson of the Earl of Powis.

I don't know about his finances, but he certainly drove a swish car.

Kit Bartlett wrote:D.S.R. once mentioned in a Sermon that his grandmother promised him £100 if he abstained from drinking alcohol or
smoking until he was 21 years of age which he did. That date would have been reached in 1921. £100 at that time would I suppose have been worth about £5,000 today.

My recollection is somewhat different. On 4 Nov last, I wrote:

"DSR (the Hon David S Roberts) was unusual in being a master who was a non-smoker. I once asked him why and he explained that his late father was somewhat eccentric and an anti-smoker. In order to discourage all his children from becoming smokers he told them that if on their 21st birthday any one of them could promise him that s/he had never tried any tobacco product he would then give him/her £100. This would be in addition to whatever other present(s) they would otherwise receive. However they would be under no obligation to remain non-smokers, but on the next day they could start a habit of 50 a day, if they wished. DSR must have received this offer soon after the start of the 20th Century, for he was about 50 when he recounted it to me in the late 1940s. So £100 was then a considerable sum of money (equivalent today to £8 500, using retail price index increases, or £35 000 using average earnings). DSR thought £100 would be worth having, so he abstained and claimed it. His father was astute and knew very well that most persons start smoking to emulate others and if one has not begun smoking by the age of 21, then one is highly unlikely to do so. (I made to same offer to my children. Only one, the rebel amongst them, was unable to claim. However all now are non-smokers.)".

If others recall the sermon mentioned by Kit then I am clearly wrong (or DSR was wrong, which is much, much less likely!).

Kit Bartlett wrote:Kit Aitken lived at Broad House, Ranworth which was I think the family home as his mother certainly was still living there in the early nineteen fifties. I have no idea what his father did for a living or where Kit was educated.

Kits father was a priest, perhaps of Ranworth. His brother became the suffragan bishop of Kings Lynn, and died some time after Kit.