[identity profile] chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com 2007-10-17 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Senior masters were always 'sir'. In certain informal contexts sixth formers and junior masters might be on first name terms otherwise they were 'sir' too. Even among the boys first names were only used between close friends and then not always. Otherwise it was surnames to the extent that the three Thomases in my form were Thomas DH, Thomas GG and Thomas GML in most contexts rather than David, Gareth and Graeme. Of course this was sometime before the flood.

[identity profile] marnanel.livejournal.com 2007-10-17 06:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Goodness. I can't imagine calling sixth-formers "sir".

[identity profile] chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com 2007-10-17 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
I was being unclear. What I meant was that sixth formers used 'sir' even to junior masters in most contexts. A sixth former would always be addressed by his last name by a more junior boy and by masters in most contexts.

[identity profile] marnanel.livejournal.com 2007-10-17 06:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, that makes more sense! Sorry, I misunderstood.