21 June 2024
Juniors had one daily regime and seniors had another. Meals at Hatch were communal, in the Dining Room. At breakfast you knew what day it was from the meal - on Monday porridge in winter, muesli in warmer months, on Tuesday ham, on Wednesday fried bacon etc in winter, tinned grapefruit plus cream cheese and Ryvita in other months, on Thursday boiled egg, on Friday cereal (sometimes grape nuts - like eating gravel) with banana, on Saturday haddock or kippers, on Sunday cereal. Generally little triangles of toast with margarine and marmalade, also scrunch (baked old bread). Camp coffee (chicory essence or was it potassium bromide?) or cocoa.
Senior boys arose on weekdays at 7 a.m., for instance in the West Wing when Miss Travers called 'Time, Runs and Showers'. Wearing shorts and plimsolls, we ran to the second deer trap and, on return, had cold showers. On particular days in the week we tackled the obstacle course but that became smaller as the Colt House expanded.
Miss Dave ran senior breakfast at 07.30. We went to Mersham Turning to catch the double-decker bus school service to Ashford. We returned to grab a cup of tea and a bun, went to do any "prep" supervised by Miss Dave, then had supper at 7 p.m. Relaxation was often table tennis, going off into the woods / grounds, kicking a football, riding bikes or in some cases assembling motor-bikes from bits and pieces.
Juniors at Hatch arose on weekdays at 07.30. Miss Leila ran junior breakfast at 08.15. We did housework around Hatch for half an hour or so, then went off to the primary school. We had junior dinner at 12.45 in the Dining Room at Hatch (summoned by bells), including those from the Paddocks / Lacton Hall, then had rest, after which we went back to the primary school until about 4 p.m.
Staff had their elevenses in the staff room, then had staff tea in the entrance hall from 4 p.m. including some teachers. Junior Study had high tea at 4.30 p.m. in the Dining Room, as did Senior Study at 5 p.m. We went off to bed absurdly early by my standards from life in London. Reading was encouraged although several of my contemporaries were not great readers and sometimes I read out to them or sometimes we told stories (mostly lies, but truth was not so entertaining) or jokes or threw things round.
On Saturday mornings at 08.15 we had combined breakfast, although the Junior Study were out in the hall. Juniors went to primary school for the morning. Seniors did housework (or sometimes carpentry in Mr Gladstone's workshop) until elevenses.
Dinner was also communal at weekends, but teas and supper were divided as for weekdays. On Saturday afternoons we went out somewhere, even if just riding or walking after ponies in the countryside, hare and hounds, swimming, roller-skating or, in wet weather, cinema (as we saw little on TV in those days).
After communal breakfast on Sunday, uniform girls and boys had housework, others had writing letters to parents and so on. Seniors and juniors each had a service in the chapel, handing over an old penny upon leaving. Girls formed the formal choir although some boys would sing when so inclined. Some boys had guitars.Records were played especially in the Colt House, also by older girls.
Besides housework, we also had turns, for instance, helping in some ways in the kitchen or the pantry / Dining Room.
Each term we generally started and ended with formal Meetings (Charter).
In autumn we had afternoon / evening parties for fancy dress, Miss Leila's birthday, Halloween, also musical or other events in the library, with Christmas parties in December (big tree and carols in room next to the Library). In summer, we had Whitsun camping or trips, gymkhanas, other festivities etc. Boys did football much of the year, with cricket and tennis in summer. Girls also had sports and were the keenest on riding and looking after ponies / horses. Older boys and girls did things for the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and Outward Bounds. Personally, I was not enthusiastic about such organised activities, but we all had our ways.
Living in a stately home set in extensive grounds and countryside was not so bad, at least in summers. Of course, we were a bit cut off - single telephone line for office use. Most of the time I was content to live with lots of other children and some staff, with certain exceptions. I had priorities of my own, as do we all.
Some will say that I have missed important things and also dodged serious issues such as: why does the present Caldecott Foundation lack grand pianos? Also, why do the grounds now not extend to stables and paddocks for ponies / horses and donkeys? I do not pretend to have all the questions, let alone all the answers.
Do read relevant literature such as the pieces on the CA website by Barry Northam, Tony Inwood (also paperback book including poems) and Chris Howell.