All about Sheffield rag week

[hagardriley 10]

The best part of the 'Rag' was the Boat Race held in the afternoon after the procession in the morning. It used to run from Hillfoot Bridge to Lady's Bridge and the students used to make their own boats (more like rafts).

 

Don't suppose it would be allowed now on Health and Safety grounds, me and my mates didn't used to help with that - we'd drop fireworks on the students as they passed under the bridges!

 

The boat race was brilliant. My mum used to take me to watch it when I was a kid.

 

Can anyone say with any certainty what year it was finally knocked on the head?

[Ewen 10]

I'm pretty sure they held a raft race in 1991...

 

I heard a worrying story about the Don a while ago. Fig trees grow on its banks downstream from Sheffield. How did they get there? The seeds had passed through people's alimentary canals, into the sewage system and thus into the river. But fig trees don't germinate in our cold climate, except where the water temperature is artificially raised by the discharge of waste water from heavy industry. Yum yum! Anyone fancy a swim?

[GabbleRatcht 10]

Poly Rag 85 eh, till man? Let's see (blows dust off 1985 Twikker...)

 

That would be the year of (it says here...) Sue Bomford, Si Dean, Johnny White, justine Hickman, Stephen Maddock, Les Finnemore, Dave 'The Rave' Williams, Trev Hallows, Nige Gaunt, jon Wilson, Dunc hoare, Porl Johnson, andy Szpalik, Helen Heath, Steve Burgin, Sue Creed, Duncan Baldwin, Maz Jacobson, Sue Liddle, Keving Jones, Andy Monty, Paul Beevor, Steve Fisher, Paul Dixon (he's probably still there!) and Rob Bloor.

 

Sample joke: What's green and can't sing? A seasick member of Wham!

 

I'm in there.

 

Rob Bloor was the rag fairy. About 7' tall.

 

Paul Beevor is sadly no longer with us. I remember him absailing down the side of Debenams the year he was rag fairy.

 

I have pictures taken at a raft race with Rob as the fairy. The year we de- bagged the reporter from a local paper, think it was just the Poly one, and, due to Robs height put his trousers and skiddies well out of reach on a sign post.

 

Will try to find and scan them.

 

We got caught by the police whilst trying to put giant ' candles' on top of the old registry office, known as 'The Wedding cake'.

 

However there was a sucsessful scaling of the gas cylinders at Meadowhall and massive 'rag' posters put up.

 

Also, the fountain that used to be at the top of Fargate was turned into a foam bath one year. Not so proud of that one

 

Do you still have the 'Hit Squad' or was it just a Poly thing?

[seb toots 10]

I;m in there too GabbleRatcht.

 

I remember the great Rag Mag ban of 1987.

We tricked the Poly union exec into banning Twikker by telling them some of the more risque jokes in it.

After their meeting the senior permanant officer said to the exec "You know that's what he wanted you to do ?" and it suddenly dawned on them that they'd been had.

 

I also managed to get that year's t-shirt ("Vidi Vici Veni ") banned as well so we ended up with a few (male) members of the committee topless in the bar.

[Heeley tyke 10]

The first year that Twikker was banned was< I think, in either 1952 or 53.

The then Lord Mayor deemed it disgusting and all copies were withdrawn. However, you could still buy copies in the back-streets and in certain pubs.

The next year, to mark the banning of Twikker, the rag-mag was named Ragout

[JustPassing 10]

Issues of Darts, the University student newspaper, were bound annually and, in the mid 1960's, I remember seeing records going back to about 1946. Most of what is needed for a post-war history of Sheffield Rag should be there, and presumably taken over by Steel Press.

[katdepch 10]

got some old rag program

[hillsbro 32]

I used to have a good laugh at the non-PC Twikker. But here is a rarity - a perfectly respectable ex-Twikker joke (c. 1970):

 

Fido, a lovable mongrel, lived at a pub and was well known to all the regulars. One night, the landlord was ejecting the last, reluctant drinker and slammed the door on Fido's tail, chopping it clean off. This caused much comment among the regular customers, and the tail was fixed above the bar for all to see. Then one night, some years later, Fido peacefully passed away in his sleep. He floated up to Doggy Heaven and barked at the pearly gates. St Bernard came to let him in, but noticed his lack of a tail. Fido explained that he'd lost it, but St Bernard said that they only let whole dogs in, so he would have to go back and fetch it. Fido floated down to earth again, and got into the pub through the scullery window as usual. He tried to reach the tail over the bar, but couldn't manage it. There was only one thing for it - he would have to get the boss up. He barked until the landlord came downstairs in his nightshirt, and then he explained his problem. The boss said "Well, I'm sorry Fido, but you know the rules - I can’t retail spirits after hours…"

[geocol 10]

I wonder how the female slave (who I bought for 2/6 in the subway -prob RAG 69)'s career evolved ! after I released her just 30 seconds or so after making the purchase !

[soft ayperth 11]

I played in a jazz band on one of the floats. In 1961, the raggers pulled a stunt that was not appreciated by Sheffield United fans. They kidnapped Joe and Bernard Shaw, two of United's players. The police got them to be released without charges being pressed.

[Jim Hardie 527]

I played in a jazz band on one of the floats. In 1961, the raggers pulled a stunt that was not appreciated by Sheffield United fans. They kidnapped Joe and Bernard Shaw, two of United's players. The police got them to be released without charges being pressed.

 

I think it would have been Joe and Graham Shaw in 1961. Before Bernard's time.

[soft ayperth 11]

I think it would have been Joe and Graham Shaw in 1961. Before Bernard's time.

 

yes, you're right.