Does anyone have any memories of the Pyjama Jump? I was 'lucky' enough to experience one in 1989. One of the most memorable nights of my life if only for the most dubious of reasons. Hoards of half dressed drunk students cluttering Sheffield's streets and pubs, indulging in acts of debauchery, waking up in police cells.....

Was this event unique to Sheffield?

I went on three Pyjama Jumps - far too long ago to remember all the details! There was a fair amount of drunkenness - and a little debauchery, but not as much as The Daily Express et al made out (or not as much as I wodul have liked??)

I did know someone who kept going on them well after he graduated. I think he managed to go on about 12 in successive years?

I remember it got lots of bad press before it was eventually banned.

I arrived in sheffield too late to experience the infamous pyjama jump...

Can anyone tell me any stories about it?! From what I've heard, it was completely mad...

Cathy

I can tell you loads - not all of them publishable!

I'm all ears Mr H :P

I 'got off' with my future wife, now divorced at the pyjama jump, when I was in the second year at Sheffield University, 1988 it must have been. I think that was the year The Sun or one of the tabloids published photos of rumpy-pumpy going on, I believe on/under the pool table in the Fiesta Night club or some such establishment.

Memories of Pyjama jump. I remember walking into the Notty in the early evening. That's about it. I did do some chick as soon as I walked into the club (wish I knew the name) at the table in front of which table the bouncers were standing. We moved it upstairs and at one point some guy was petending to mount me also. Sorry not into that! People were screwing all around the edge of the club and under the table we were sitting at. I think the pool table incident caught by newspaper reporters was at the Student union. I was there 1982 to 85 and it was in 84 I believe. You could point a camera pretty much anywhere and get some fornicating. If I could get laid every yeasr, you could pretty much guarantee that most everybody was getting some.

Gonzophaleas ya Phucker

I recall wandering into the (male) loo in The West St Hotel in 1979 and seeing a line of knickered and suspendered bums at the urinal!!!!

And the old joke "what has 6 legs and has sex once a year".. the pool table at Sorby Hall....

How can they actually ban this though?

Surely if a load of people wanted to go out in their pyjamas again they couldn't stop you?

I don't think it was "banned" as such, more that the police and emergency services told the Uni that they weren't able to control it or guarantee safety anymore because of the drunkenness and general mayhem it caused and so the Rag Committee decided to stop running it.

There were a few cases of cars being "assaulted" on West St.. i.e they were playfully washed in beer and bounced around by drunked students. There were also a few cases of exposure, it being freezing some years and the students having next to nothing on.. and only the girls wore pyjamas. It only got out of hand when all the nightclubs in Sheffield realised they could open their doors and hold their own "pyjama jump" and the numbers out on the night just multiplied beyond control. Before then there were limited tickets and the only game in town was at The Top Rank.. limited tickets, limited participants and limited trouble.

I don't think it was "banned" as such, more that the police and emergency services told the Uni that they weren't able to control it or guarantee safety anymore because of the drunkenness and general mayhem it caused and so the Rag Committee decided to stop running it.

that was the line we were given when we were in the 1st year.

the last pyjama jump was academic year 1996-1997. although im sure i remember being told about somebody falling under a tram or something- may very well have been hearsay, mind you from some of the stories above i reckon it could easily be true!!!!!

the only reason i know this is because i started in 1997- *sighs*, i feel old now! lol

sophie
x

Hi
I have fond memories of this final Pyjama Jump in 1996 but I had the fortunate position of being one of the organisers.
If I remember it was banned due to a few idiots climbing onto a moving tram, but it was a great night.

My memories of pyjama jump when I was a student are of being paid twice as much as normal to work in the pub serving beer to everyone else who was getting drunk and making an idiot of themselves.

I do remember Flora the Union president being caught in the peace gardens fountain and her having her picture in the Sun afterwards

Just a lot of awful students getting p****d and acting up. Nothing to write home about!

mmmm yeah the drunken night out, getting off with everyone and anyone and all for Sheffield charities - great night out

The vomiting over anyone and everyone, having to pay bar staff double to put up with it, I used to work at The Top Rank when they had the Pyjama Jump in the '70's. Fecking awful it was if you had to work around it! We hated it!

well sorry you feel that way Frankie but you could always have done the easy thing and kept your miserable ass away from it on that night

well sorry you feel that way Frankie but you could always have done the easy thing and kept your miserable ass away from it on that night

Up yours! :)

I had no choice, I had to work that damn awful night - or go sick from work!

well at least you made some cash then Frankie. I always went out and got ****** and had a good time as did most other students.
I loved all of the ones i went to and they should bring it back.

well at least you made some cash then Frankie. I always went out and got ****** and had a good time as did most other students.
I loved all of the ones i went to and they should bring it back.

A lot of people had a good time, I'll admit that. But it was chaotic and I saw people getting hurt, we had far more incidents at The Rank on that night than any other. Some people went over the top and used it as an excuse for some really bad behaviour that wasn't in anybody's interests. But that was the '70's - maybe it was worse then. Btw I was in my early twenties then so quite sympathetic to people having a drink and a good time! :)

yeah i was in my 20's too but a very different person back then, and the 90's were pretty good laugh but i never saw anyone get hurt or heard of it.

I also worked at the Top Rank about 81 and i remember the 'team talk' before the doors opened on PJ night, it was along the lines of "it's a student only night so nobody is going to get offended by what goes on" in other words we could ignore the debauchery to a large extent.
The plastic glasses were used, and i remember it used to take twice as long to get them all out at chucking out time because we would find students asleep all over the place, including under stacked tables in the store rooms.
We had an old pervy manager (bar manager i think) who used to go around taking photo's, he must have had some priceless pictures in his collection.

It was just a good laugh to me and less trouble than other nights as far as fighting goes, it was just a matter of protecting them from themselves.

Yeah, I think we were still using 'glass' glasses some of the time when I was there and there were people getting cut feet I recall but they were starting to bring plastic glasses in, also for the Sunday band nights.

I think non-students were getting in too for the PJ sessions I worked, so maybe that made it rougher. I do remember a lot of sleeping/p****d students at the end of the sessions!

Mid to late '70's I worked there on the sound and lighting. Great fun most of the time.

My PJ photo was in the Star in about 76 as I recall. I was wearing a baby doll nightie and long leather boots, brandishing a whip. My mother was horrified.

For anyone living in Broomhill, Crookes and surrounding areas, it wasn't the sex or semi-nudity we objected to, but the wanton vandalism, windows smashed, car bonnets jumped on and severely dented, gates ripped off hinges - this was why it was stopped eventually.

I was at the Poly in the late 80's I remember ending up stark bollock naked except for a pair of trainers ...... long long story.

So I am stood at the bottom of London road hailing a taxi.

Taxi pulls up, Driver said "Got money"
"Yes in my shoe"

And here I am sat in the back of the taxi hand covering my tackle and the driver didn't bat an eyelid, Just another night for him.

I was looking for something and came across this on youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWEpR1_6T8M

Brings back good memories :)