More Magenta

In cooking up a plan for a possible dinner in Oxford next term (details soon if it can be pulled off) some discussion of OH blazers has been instigated. Since I don't get to wear ties very much in my state of clerical life I am plotting to retrieve the blazer I had made as an undergraduate from the back of the wardrobe. (I can still get into it - it was a generous fit!) It has only been worn in recent years at the church fete, but could become a 'signature' item. There are those who would like the Society to have some more of the blazer material made and this may happen. But for those who cannot wait, the new school uniform blazer could be an answer. It has a bright magenta lining and maybe that would manage if turned inside out…

Magenta

Main Street, Magenta

"What is that man wearing on his feet?" My wife had to admit to her neighbour at speech day that she did know me as I sat on the stage and my OH socks were suddenly on view to the audience below. 

Magenta is a striking colour; not exactly subtle. It got its name from a town in Italy where a battle in 1859 caused the ground to be dyed with the blood of the fallen. Haileybury uses a particular shade, about which more on another occasion, but for now here are some pictures of the town whose sanguinary history gave the name to the colour we wear.

Once bloody battlefield

Memorial to those whose blood coloured the ground

Perambulate

Everyone carries a camera with them everywhere these days. Except me. Today I wish I had one with me in the primary school in which I was helping with the Harvest assembly. (I know, a bit late, but it is a lost cause trying to persuade schools that Harvest is something that happens in August and September.) Anyway, I wanted a camera as my eye was suddenly caught by the straps on a pushchair parked in the corner of the hall. They were to all intents and purposes OH colours. It was just like the hat band ribbon. Not being able to take a picture then and there I had a quick look on the Mclaren website. The picture I found is not quite right and not quite what I saw, but you can see what I mean. The background of at least one site selling Mclaren prams has what looks pretty much like magenta, white and black stripes all round it. It's all very well putting their names down at birth for a place at school but OH colours on your pram?