Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Were you ever in a really evil no-holds-barred dust-up? Did you come out on top or get beaten senseless and spat on? Did it make a man of you?

And girls: were there epic cat-fights, with biting, scratching and gouging? Are you scarred for life? Did you get a reputation as a psycho?

Boring old me, I never threw a punch in all my time at Creeps' Hospital, nor was I thumped. But it always amazed me the way in which two blokes could suddenly turn into wild animals and embark on an orgy of vicious punching and kicking. I remember seeing Cyril Clarkson and Paul Ho Sang go at it one evening near the cold-water tap at the rear of the Dining Hall (senior end): it was like watching a speeded-up film. (Maybe one of 'em got clanged over the napper with a water jug; I don't recall.)

Tell on.

I remember the famous Chris Peirson and Ben Wakeham wrestling match in Maine B quiet room - very entertaining...

Sixteen years and four months later, I'm reviving this thread because it never had a fair crack of the whip in the first instance.

Seconds out, Round 2.

about 5 or 6 on one; I ended up in the sicker and Kit did nothing! At least the leader is dead

I remember a few fights between squits in the Peele B library/quiet room after lunch in the early to mid 90s. The fights were organised by the LE for entertainment, I don't think the 2nd formers were actually wanting to hit or fight anyone. The LE would make up stories of how someone had insulted someone else's mum (this was seen at the time as being the absolute worst possible insult) and would coax the 2nd formers to get increasingly angry at each other. Mr Gladding (total legend) witnessed at least one of these events and was equally amused. Most of it was not serious damage, things like hair pulling and arm slapping. One LE would put on a John Motson voice and commentate.

Otter wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:38 am I remember a few fights between squits in the Peele B library/quiet room after lunch in the early to mid 90s. The fights were organised by the LE for entertainment, I don't think the 2nd formers were actually wanting to hit or fight anyone. The LE would make up stories of how someone had insulted someone else's mum (this was seen at the time as being the absolute worst possible insult) and would coax the 2nd formers to get increasingly angry at each other. Mr Gladding (total legend) witnessed at least one of these events and was equally amused. Most of it was not serious damage, things like hair pulling and arm slapping. One LE would put on a John Motson voice and commentate.

Ah yes. The sh*t stirring...

"Argh, are you going to take that...he called your mum this, that and the other...

I did see some brutal fights, both in junior and senior houses (and i'm not talking about mere headlocks....)

Pe.A wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 4:38 pm

Otter wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:38 am I remember a few fights between squits in the Peele B library/quiet room after lunch in the early to mid 90s. The fights were organised by the LE for entertainment, I don't think the 2nd formers were actually wanting to hit or fight anyone. The LE would make up stories of how someone had insulted someone else's mum (this was seen at the time as being the absolute worst possible insult) and would coax the 2nd formers to get increasingly angry at each other. Mr Gladding (total legend) witnessed at least one of these events and was equally amused. Most of it was not serious damage, things like hair pulling and arm slapping. One LE would put on a John Motson voice and commentate.

Ah yes. The sh*t stirring...

"Argh, are you going to take that...he called your mum this, that and the other...

I did see some brutal fights, both in junior and senior houses (and i'm not talking about mere headlocks....)

I saw absolutely nothing at all like this when I was at CH in the 70s. There was undoubtedly bullying but nothing of this sort of vindictive nastiness. The behaviour of these LE was absolutely disgraceful; they should have been severely punished and if they ever did it again then most definitely expelled. What on earth was a teacher (this Gladding creature) doing allowing it to happen? He should have been sacked and banned from ever having anything to do with kids; what a complete and utter tw@t. This is Tom Brown's schooldays stuff and utterly unacceptable.

I imagine the LE perpetrators have gone on to bully their employees and are known for this or else they have ended up in prison. One can but hope!

"I saw absolutely nothing at all like this when I was at CH in the 70s. There was undoubtedly bullying but nothing of this sort of vindictive nastiness". I was going to say much the same about the 60s.

Pe.A wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 4:38 pmI did see some brutal fights, both in junior and senior houses (and i'm not talking about mere headlocks....)

To be honest, I don't remember that many actual fights between just 2 kids, but I do remember a lot of instances of 1 kid getting a kicking from 5+. Those could be absolutely brutal.

What on earth was a teacher (this Gladding creature) doing allowing it to happen? He should have been sacked and banned from ever having anything to do with kids; what a complete and utter tw@t. This is Tom Brown's schooldays stuff and utterly unacceptable.

This is the CH I remember in the early-to-mid 90's. It wasn't like this all the time, but when it happened the usual response was a shrug from all but a few teachers.

loringa wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 5:19 pm What on earth was a teacher (this Gladding creature) doing allowing it to happen? He should have been sacked and banned from ever having anything to do with kids; what a complete and utter tw@t. This is Tom Brown's schooldays stuff and utterly unacceptable.

Gladding had absolutely outstanding apathy skills. To this day I have never met anyone who could give less of a damn.

To his credit, he did step in when there was serious bullying, and had some novel and effective punishments rather than just a detention: he would make kids run over Peele Bridge towards Shelley's Wood, then left at the T-junction towards Southwater, on a torrential January Sunday morning, while he drove alongside in his Mini shouting at them. I had to do this one time when I played some juvenile prank whose details escape me now. And if the weather was too pleasant, he would cancel and do it another day when it was cold/wet.

But if there was a fight between individuals regarding a specific issue between them, rather than a targeted act of bullying by one (or more) kid against another, he would stand back and let the matter get settled by those involved.

Despite his weaknesses and methods (or lack of) which would be considered unacceptable today, I remember him as a reasonable guy and have nothing against him.

A side note that the deputy heads at the time were Sillett and Cairncross. Bullying was also something that was usually ignored at SMT level - it depended entirely on the response of your houseparents.

As a matter of historical interest, occasional public no-holds barred fights between individuals is a long-standing Housie tradition and there are records of such fights at Newgate Street in the 1850s when two individuals would agree to fight over some cause. The meeting-place was always at the foot of a particular staircase, where a small square was surrounded by several ascending staircases providing grand-stand views for the bloodthirsty onlookers. The beadles, who were responsible for out-of-hours discipline, kept well clear, but would presumably have got involved if matters got out-of-hand.

There were no rules. The fight continued until one had totally pinned-down the other, or, by some telepathic communication, the participants mutually admitted that they were both too exhausted to continue. To loud cheers they would then be helped to dress, following which they would make their way together to their wards, usually either arm-in-arm or 'spadging.' The two matrons, knowing exactly what was going on, would be on stand-by with basins of hot water, bandages, salves and ointments. Not infrequently the erstwhile pugilist would suffer a reaction and sob quietly, upon which matron would hold his head to her bosom and comfort her hero until he had recovered. Such momentary weakness was, of course, never discussed by either party.
David

Otter wrote: Sat Feb 19, 2022 11:46 am Gladding had absolutely outstanding apathy skills. To this day I have never met anyone who could give less of a damn.

The greatest example of this would have been early one Sunday morning when Mr Gladding informed us that Daniel Smith had died. I can't imagine this would have been very easy for him to do but my overriding memory is that he said it rather casually in the dormitory with his hands in pockets and then just left. Looking back it was a bit like that scene in The Meaning of Life when the headmaster is chastising pupils for rubbing linseed oil into the school cormorant and then says "Oh, and Jenkins, apparently your mother died this morning."

scrub wrote: Sat Feb 19, 2022 9:59 am

Pe.A wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 4:38 pmI did see some brutal fights, both in junior and senior houses (and i'm not talking about mere headlocks....)

To be honest, I don't remember that many actual fights between just 2 kids, but I do remember a lot of instances of 1 kid getting a kicking from 5+. Those could be absolutely brutal.

What on earth was a teacher (this Gladding creature) doing allowing it to happen? He should have been sacked and banned from ever having anything to do with kids; what a complete and utter tw@t. This is Tom Brown's schooldays stuff and utterly unacceptable.

This is the CH I remember in the early-to-mid 90's. It wasn't like this all the time, but when it happened the usual response was a shrug from all but a few teachers.

I saw quite a few.

There was one kid on your year group in Peele A who was complete nutcase. Unpredictable, and just a nasty piece of work...

Otter wrote: Sat Feb 19, 2022 11:46 am

loringa wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 5:19 pm What on earth was a teacher (this Gladding creature) doing allowing it to happen? He should have been sacked and banned from ever having anything to do with kids; what a complete and utter tw@t. This is Tom Brown's schooldays stuff and utterly unacceptable.

Gladding had absolutely outstanding apathy skills. To this day I have never met anyone who could give less of a damn.

To his credit, he did step in when there was serious bullying, and had some novel and effective punishments rather than just a detention: he would make kids run over Peele Bridge towards Shelley's Wood, then left at the T-junction towards Southwater, on a torrential January Sunday morning, while he drove alongside in his Mini shouting at them. I had to do this one time when I played some juvenile prank whose details escape me now. And if the weather was too pleasant, he would cancel and do it another day when it was cold/wet.

But if there was a fight between individuals regarding a specific issue between them, rather than a targeted act of bullying by one (or more) kid against another, he would stand back and let the matter get settled by those involved.

Despite his weaknesses and methods (or lack of) which would be considered unacceptable today, I remember him as a reasonable guy and have nothing against him.

A side note that the deputy heads at the time were Sillett and Cairncross. Bullying was also something that was usually ignored at SMT level - it depended entirely on the response of your houseparents.

Yep - that was my memory of Gladding. Out of all the teachers in CH he was the only one i disliked all the way through. He was very well organised and regimented (only HM who enforced the 'no shoes in house' policy). i just found him very petty and vindictive, and quite distant - definitely not the sort of person one could approach with any problem. He regularly smelt of alcohol, and for someone who was heavy smoker, took an almost perverse dedicated delight in wanting to bust smokers. Admittedly, there were quite challenging people on my year group and the year above, but he did turn a blind eye to low level bullying, however constant, and occasionally joining in, and only seemed to intervene or do something about it if it reached a level where it could impact him. Just makes me wonder, if Maddren was Peele B Housemaster before Gladding, who else was on the shortlist for the role when Maddren left...? Was Gladding one of the house tutors at the time...?

Not sure how you can bring in the SMT into this. You're right, it depended entirely on the response of the housemaster - and i just cannot recall any cases of bullying being brought to their attention (?)

marty wrote: Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:01 pm

Otter wrote: Sat Feb 19, 2022 11:46 am Gladding had absolutely outstanding apathy skills. To this day I have never met anyone who could give less of a damn.

The greatest example of this would have been early one Sunday morning when Mr Gladding informed us that Daniel Smith had died. I can't imagine this would have been very easy for him to do but my overriding memory is that he said it rather casually in the dormitory with his hands in pockets and then just left. Looking back it was a bit like that scene in The Meaning of Life when the headmaster is chastising pupils for rubbing linseed oil into the school cormorant and then says "Oh, and Jenkins, apparently your mother died this morning."

I shouldn't laugh at that last line, but that is an uncanny parallel to draw...