Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

One of the enduring memories of my two terms in Prep B in 1948-49 is of us all being assembled in the main hall to be given a demonstration by a man dressed in cowboy outfit. He had whips, lariats, lassoos and the like and had, alledgedly, learnt it all in the Wild West. One of his tricks was to use a whip to snatch a cigarette from the lips of a volunteer. A boy called Ind (?) volunteered, but unintentionally demonstrated a greater awareness of how to light and smoke a cigarette than was considered proper! Despite this, he stood absolutely still while this chap removed the brining fag with his whip, which must have taken a great deal of courage.

Can anyone remember this event and, if so, who this man was and why he was there? I have a very vague recollection that he was an Old Blue, but could not swear to it.

Wow! Yes, David - I do now recall the occasion tho' I guess it's at least 50 years since i last remembered it! I had a vague feeling that it might have been in Prep B Dayroom - but I expect you are right. He did all sorts of clever things with his lassoo and I remember trying them out for a year or so afterwards. I think I came to the conclusion that it might not be so difficult after all - perhaps I'll give it a go on the lawn tomorrow!

Yes I am sure there was a boy called Ind - can't remember ought else about him tho.

If you were "trying it out for a year afterwards" were you the one with the whip or the one with a fag in his mouth?

I invariably preferred the whip.

.................. and anyway in my day in Mid A we referred to them as swabs, not fags!

AT LAST......................
A thread concerning an incident so long ago, I wasn't old enough to be there !

I feel decidedly young again !

Fanks fella's !

Me ??

Excited ??

For one minute, I thought Richard R. was going to buy a round !!!!!

J.R. wrote:Me ??

Excited ??

For one minute, I thought Richard R. was going to buy a round !!!!!

This may well happen before too long........

DavebytheSea wrote:Wow! Yes, David - I do now recall the occasion tho' I guess it's at least 50 years since i last remembered it! I had a vague feeling that it might have been in Prep B Dayroom - but I expect you are right. He did all sorts of clever things with his lassoo and I remember trying them out for a year or so afterwards. I think I came to the conclusion that it might not be so difficult after all - perhaps I'll give it a go on the lawn tomorrow!

Yes I am sure there was a boy called Ind - can't remember ought else about him tho.

I'm pretty certain that I included an Obit on an Ind recently and was then informed that there were 4 Ind brothers.
I assume he was chosen so that the cowboy could show his skills ona half indian.
Don't groan too loud.

If the man in question was indeed an Old Blue, it must surely have been David Stewart (LB 1925-31), comedian, hypnotist and actor, whose speciality was a one-man cowboy show involving rope-spinning and lassoing. He began doing it at the age of five in Cairo and, according to his Blue obituary, at CH 'the only place he was able to practice roping often was in the toilet with a piece of string as the matron would confiscate any rope he managed to procure.' He may of course have been in the Wild West later; much of his career seems to have been spent in Canada.

One of the Ind brothers (Dr John Ind, MA 1946-54) was the first Westerner to circumnavigate Tiananmen Square on rollerblades.

Rex wrote: One of the Ind brothers (Dr John Ind, MA 1946-54) was the first Westerner to circumnavigate Tiananmen Square on rollerblades.

This has to be the most obscure fact I've heard all year.

Can I please stake my claim to be the first Westerner to sing Adge Cutler's "Wurplediddleidoo Song" on the western shore of Lake Malawi?

This happened in April 1992, just south of Monkey Bay, and I have living witnesses.

Thanks!

Richard Ruck wrote:This happened in April 1992, just south of Monkey Bay, and I have living witnesses.

ahh monkey bay, would that so be the one in NZ, well yes i like the wine, a great monkey aby wine, and the label is cool to.

I not sure what i was hte first to do, maybe the first westerner to get a nissan pick up stuck on Puhihi beach in NEw Zealand, and i have the picture to prove it......

Hobbit wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:This happened in April 1992, just south of Monkey Bay, and I have living witnesses.

ahh monkey bay, would that so be the one in NZ, well yes i like the wine, a great monkey aby wine, and the label is cool to.

No, Monkey Bay, on the shore of lake Malawi is in, er, Malawi.

sorry, sometimes places confuse me, should of switched on brain. oh well never mind.

Richard Ruck wrote:

Rex wrote: One of the Ind brothers (Dr John Ind, MA 1946-54) was the first Westerner to circumnavigate Tiananmen Square on rollerblades.

This has to be the most obscure fact I've heard all year.

Can I please stake my claim to be the first Westerner to sing Adge Cutler's "Wurplediddleidoo Song" on the western shore of Lake Malawi?

This happened in April 1992, just south of Monkey Bay, and I have living witnesses.

Thanks!

Ar ! The wonders of alcohol, eh, Richard ??