Mrs Bloggs 'At Home' Etiquette/Protocols
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Old-Duffer, no need to apologise, I think teeteringhead is a trifle confused. Of course, the copper plate is engraved, then when the card is inserted between the plates, it becomes embossed.
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Etiquette
Whilst Stradling was of course the Bible, does anyone recall "Notes for the Guidance of Flight Cadets"? This thread prompted an attic search but to no avail.
IIRC there was a section on appropriate dress that prescribed that sports jackets, to be worn on Wednesdays (sports afternoon) and weekends, should be of a certain length, but that one should "avoid the theatrical" !
Sqnd Ldr R.......n, he of the Alvis and Regiment / Navigator fame, was so unimpressed with our dining habits that he too had a formal place setting laid before him, and gave us instruction on correct use of the eating utensils! Was it he or Stradling who said that there was no harm in an officer once taking a litttle more drink than was wise - so that he would then know his limit and never again exceed it !!!
As for lounge suits, let us not forget that one was required to have a "tweed" suit for semi formal weekend occasions and non-uniform church attendance!
Permission from OC to marry? and many more
Where else would one see a cravat worn these days other than at breakfast one weekend each year in College Hall ?! Indeed where else would one sit down to breakfast at the same table with whatever is the collective noun for a group of ACMs !
Happy days indeed, and all rather splendid in its way
IIRC there was a section on appropriate dress that prescribed that sports jackets, to be worn on Wednesdays (sports afternoon) and weekends, should be of a certain length, but that one should "avoid the theatrical" !
Sqnd Ldr R.......n, he of the Alvis and Regiment / Navigator fame, was so unimpressed with our dining habits that he too had a formal place setting laid before him, and gave us instruction on correct use of the eating utensils! Was it he or Stradling who said that there was no harm in an officer once taking a litttle more drink than was wise - so that he would then know his limit and never again exceed it !!!
As for lounge suits, let us not forget that one was required to have a "tweed" suit for semi formal weekend occasions and non-uniform church attendance!
Permission from OC to marry? and many more
Where else would one see a cravat worn these days other than at breakfast one weekend each year in College Hall ?! Indeed where else would one sit down to breakfast at the same table with whatever is the collective noun for a group of ACMs !
Happy days indeed, and all rather splendid in its way
...does anyone recall "Notes for the Guidance of Flight Cadets"?
Hence Retford and Newark were quite popular. Burning the sodding hat was a ritual we university-destined ex-Flt Cdts-suddenly-APOs of 99 Entry enjoyed hugely.When one returned to Towers after a short 4 year sojourn up at University, one amusing paper distributed to us was clearly aimed at those of even lower-than-grammar school origin. It almost mentioned that peas were not to be eaten off the knife, but whichever idiot wrote it included the comment that '...foods such as frogs' legs or snails may be eaten with the fingers'. Clearly the nouveau idiot had never eaten a snail; these are normally served at roughly one degree cooler than nuclear plasma and would cause second degree burns if eaten with the fingers.
It was really quite fun winding up the appallingly working class oiks who passed as Flt Cdrs in the early days of the GE system - one 17GE student pilot actually outranked his ex-Henlow Supply Officer Flt Cdr, but was polite enough not to force the issue! The Royal Air Force College had indeed been rather splendid a mere few years earlier!
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Hats
Now as to hats.....
89 entry has a website in which they erroneously claim to have been the last entry to have been required to wear them! We are of course talking trilby etc not SD.
IIRC there was a gash felt trilby "squadron hat" pinned to the noticeboard as " emergency kit" for anyone wishing to venture into Sleaford etc
Beags, as one of those grammar school oiks it was all very touching !!
As has been said, Royal Marine officers are either public school boys wantind to be hooligans, or hooligans wanting to be public school boys !!
89 entry has a website in which they erroneously claim to have been the last entry to have been required to wear them! We are of course talking trilby etc not SD.
IIRC there was a gash felt trilby "squadron hat" pinned to the noticeboard as " emergency kit" for anyone wishing to venture into Sleaford etc
Beags, as one of those grammar school oiks it was all very touching !!
As has been said, Royal Marine officers are either public school boys wantind to be hooligans, or hooligans wanting to be public school boys !!
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As to dining etiquette, once had the privilege to be invited into a top table VVIP lunch at Luqa, ( I was spotted by a wheel who knew me and there was an unforgiveable empty seat at the tpop table). Whitebait was served, ACM Sir Charles Foxley- Norris noticed the disquiet of all who were baffled as to how one should approach the dish, he looked around and said "well i don't know either, gentlemen, lets just pick em up end eat 'em" !!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
The leather band is now all but detached but it serves its purpose of disguising the mozzie landing ground and sparing it from scratches etc when down the orchard.
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BEagle no doubt those grammar school oiks were the reason at South Cerney they had lessons in how to hold a knife and fork properly , something that once upon a time would never have been necessary.
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Thank You
Thank you gentlemen, both for the laughs, and for the advice!!!
The alarm bells are certainly ringing but as I haven't sent my 'Regrets', I guess we are now committed.... The present Mrs MM (doffs hat to Mr Wogan) is now a nervous wreck!!
One thing, am I correct in assuming that this is a social gathering not just Mrs MM and me? At least if there is a large number of guests I can check out there mirror without being noticed....
MM
ps Hampshire darling, Hampshire; not Berks!
The alarm bells are certainly ringing but as I haven't sent my 'Regrets', I guess we are now committed.... The present Mrs MM (doffs hat to Mr Wogan) is now a nervous wreck!!
One thing, am I correct in assuming that this is a social gathering not just Mrs MM and me? At least if there is a large number of guests I can check out there mirror without being noticed....
MM
ps Hampshire darling, Hampshire; not Berks!
Talking of Graduate Entry Flt Cdrs...
... I was 'stepping out' with a lady whose housemate was engaged to a guy on one of the GE courses. I was duly invited by my friend to escort her to the aforesaid engagement party.
Inevitably, the 'studes' at some stage were gathered round their flt cdr, who was holding forth on some subject or another and whilst the studes were too polite (afraid?) to disagree with the flt cdr's view, I had no such inhibitions and recall comprehensively demolishing his position, in what I thought was a very reasonable and polite way - this being a social event.
Unfortunately, said flt cdr took umbrage and said to me. "Don't you usually address an IOT flt cdr as - Sir"? "No" says I "and certainly not since I clocked up two years seniority as a squadron leader". I've no idea what happened next, as I just left him to sort out what might remain of his dignity and went off to dance with the lady. I did, however, feel rather a smug sh?t .
Inevitably, the 'studes' at some stage were gathered round their flt cdr, who was holding forth on some subject or another and whilst the studes were too polite (afraid?) to disagree with the flt cdr's view, I had no such inhibitions and recall comprehensively demolishing his position, in what I thought was a very reasonable and polite way - this being a social event.
Unfortunately, said flt cdr took umbrage and said to me. "Don't you usually address an IOT flt cdr as - Sir"? "No" says I "and certainly not since I clocked up two years seniority as a squadron leader". I've no idea what happened next, as I just left him to sort out what might remain of his dignity and went off to dance with the lady. I did, however, feel rather a smug sh?t .
MM, if the ex-Pongo and his memsahib have any class whatsoever (which does NOT mean snobbery), they will make anyone they've invited feel entirely welcome, so Mrs MM should not harbour any concerns and she can just relax.
It would be highly unlikely for an invitation to Mrs ex-Pongo's At Home to be restricted to just one couple; there'll probably be about a dozen others present, I would guess.
Mind you, I was once at a small military dinner when I noticed a colleague looking rather flushed and nervous. He later explained that the reason for his distress was that Mrs Bwigadier, whilst presenting an outwardly coy innocence, had been running her hand up his inner thigh (and beyond); it turns out that it was something she often used to do at such occasions in order to get the Bwigadier's sap to rise....
It would be highly unlikely for an invitation to Mrs ex-Pongo's At Home to be restricted to just one couple; there'll probably be about a dozen others present, I would guess.
Mind you, I was once at a small military dinner when I noticed a colleague looking rather flushed and nervous. He later explained that the reason for his distress was that Mrs Bwigadier, whilst presenting an outwardly coy innocence, had been running her hand up his inner thigh (and beyond); it turns out that it was something she often used to do at such occasions in order to get the Bwigadier's sap to rise....
Formal-Informal
Staff job at Bentley Priory in the early 90s: The whole office gets invites from the Gp Capt to dinner with him and Mrs Gp Capt. "...Dress: informal..."
After diverse discussions, I was deputed to ask him exactly what this meant.
He leant across to the bookshelf and took out his copy of Debrettes and said: "Formal is Dinner Suit so informal is obviously lounge suits" -and so it was, much to all our wives' amazement.
After diverse discussions, I was deputed to ask him exactly what this meant.
He leant across to the bookshelf and took out his copy of Debrettes and said: "Formal is Dinner Suit so informal is obviously lounge suits" -and so it was, much to all our wives' amazement.
Don't forget to put your club on the card rather than anything common like an address.
And what's the latest on hats? I hear that the flat cap is somewhat 'on trend' this autumn. I assume that you are referring to some other sort of head gear or should I pop up in to the loft and see if I can find my grandfather's old flat cap which I think is in a box somewhere. Would hate to be under-dressed for a social occasion.
Last edited by Melchett01; 10th Nov 2010 at 21:27. Reason: To seek clarification on the correct head gear for the discerning officer
I find hoovering the hosts single malt, whilst talking loudly about methods of preventing the great unwashed from migrating into the country from the inner cities a worthwhile opening gambit in rural Hampshire.
Funny thing is, I only ever get invited once..............
maybe it's because all future correspondence has 'RESTRAINING ORDER' written in the top left hand corner, and no mention of clubs in the bottom left hand corner.
Although to be fair, I don't think the restraining order refers to my opening gambit. I'm pretty sure it may have been my return from the lavatory, naked except for a necktie, shouting 'whoop whoop, you're a very foxy lady Mrs Frobisher' as I licked my lips and tossed a set of Vauxhall Corsa keys into the centre of the lounge.
I also have some recollection of a spaniel and polythene, but that bit is a little hazy!
Funny thing is, I only ever get invited once..............
maybe it's because all future correspondence has 'RESTRAINING ORDER' written in the top left hand corner, and no mention of clubs in the bottom left hand corner.
Although to be fair, I don't think the restraining order refers to my opening gambit. I'm pretty sure it may have been my return from the lavatory, naked except for a necktie, shouting 'whoop whoop, you're a very foxy lady Mrs Frobisher' as I licked my lips and tossed a set of Vauxhall Corsa keys into the centre of the lounge.
I also have some recollection of a spaniel and polythene, but that bit is a little hazy!
MGD,
If Mrs Frobisher was a typical country type, then I very much doubt she will have been perturbed by the sight of you swaggering back into the room naked save for a tie. At least you had the good grace to be wearing a tie.
I think you will find it was the sight of the Corsa keys that did for you. Please tell me you didn't take an MT car?
If Mrs Frobisher was a typical country type, then I very much doubt she will have been perturbed by the sight of you swaggering back into the room naked save for a tie. At least you had the good grace to be wearing a tie.
I think you will find it was the sight of the Corsa keys that did for you. Please tell me you didn't take an MT car?
ACM Sir Charles Foxley-Norris noticed the disquiet of all who were baffled as to how one should approach the dish, he looked around and said "well i don't know either, gentlemen, lets just pick em up end eat 'em" !!
Reminds me of the story about how the USAF were very concerned about the social consequences of Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley paying a VIP visit to the US accompanied by a Lady Norris!
Jack
Reminds me of the story about how the USAF were very concerned about the social consequences of Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley paying a VIP visit to the US accompanied by a Lady Norris!
Jack
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Ducking out of an 'At home' invitation
Don't fancy going to a poncy 'At Home' do? Then just use the George Bernard Shaw (I'm sure it was he) method of replying to such an invitation:
Some Lady Poncenby-Smythe type sent GBS a 'Lady Poncenby-Smythe will be At Home on blah date' invitation.
to which the good man replied 'GBS will be likewise'
CS
Some Lady Poncenby-Smythe type sent GBS a 'Lady Poncenby-Smythe will be At Home on blah date' invitation.
to which the good man replied 'GBS will be likewise'
CS
Cigarettes only from a cigarette case, never from a packet.
Times certainly have changed. Yesterday evening I attended a talk given by Peter Mandelson. He was wearing brown shoes with a blue suit. Can one believe it? In all other respects he gave a most polished performance.
Times certainly have changed. Yesterday evening I attended a talk given by Peter Mandelson. He was wearing brown shoes with a blue suit. Can one believe it? In all other respects he gave a most polished performance.
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Ah, cravats. A very comfortable, yet smart casual piece of kit. Quite popular in the '60s until the emergent homosexualists adopted them, so the rest of us got rid of them. Shame.