Among the more intriguing publications held in the Carey Archives is Carey Chronic, a satirical student magazine produced between 1964 and 1968. Its title was a deliberate play on the official Carey Chronicle, and its purpose was equally clear: to offer students a humorous and irreverent take on school life during the 1960s.
Edited and produced by students, Carey Chronic featured a lively mix of content, including student poetry, book reviews, crosswords, sporting reports and advertisements from local businesses. Together, these elements paint a vivid picture of student interests and everyday life at the time, extending well beyond the classroom.
'It was at the leading edge of the 1960s attitude of taking a poke at the established order,' reflects Roger Flynn (1966), co-founder of Carey Chronic with John Munday (1967). 'John wanted to call the publication The Titchbearer (a tilt at the then-official publication The Torchbearer) but I prevailed in insisting it be called the Chronic, a tongue-in-cheek go at the Chronicle.'
The magazine’s editorial team operated from the cellar of the Urangeline building – a suitably discreet location for a publication that gently tested boundaries through satire and parody. Through exaggeration and wit, the Chronic reflected familiar routines, personalities and school customs with a confidence that still feels recognisable today.
'The duplicating masters were typed by mother at our home in Kew and then we’d produce copies on a duplicating machine in a cloud of fumes!' Roger says. 'The publication would then emerge from the cellar and into the hands of the appreciative readers.'
Viewed now, Carey Chronic also reminds us that humour and social attitudes are shaped by their time. As with many historical student publications, some content reflects the language and assumptions of the era in which it was created. Preserved in the archives, the magazine is not celebrated for every viewpoint it contains, but valued for what it reveals about student voice, creativity and the evolving culture of schools in the mid-twentieth century.
All known issues of the Carey Chronic have now been digitised and are available on Carey Collections, ensuring this distinctive chapter of student expression is preserved and accessible for current and future members of the Carey community.
Helen Wolff
Archivist, Community Engagement
