Remember when ... Students’ fun, ‘which only they understand’

THE bust (right) that was “stolen” from Glasgow Royal Technical College by Glasgow School of Art students in January 1955 (this page, yesterday) was just one of the high-spirited public events prior to the annual Charities Day.

The Evening Times of Wednesday, January 26 splashed the story, reporting that college students had managed to recover the bust from the clutches of the art students, some of whom, for good measure, were taken as “hostages”. One of them managed to escape by jumping from a first-floor window.

Other events had included a “battle” between the two sets of students at Central Station and outside the School of Art. By Friday, Glasgow police were warning that student rags involving street fights and hooliganism had to cease.

Students intent on painting or whitewashing the front of the college of domestic science were dispersed by police. Others, armed with whitewash and rotten grapes, were told by officers to “stop the carry-on”.

Other students “kidnapped” Barbara and Richard Lyons, of the Lyons radio family, and demanded a ransom of a pint of blood from their father, Ben.

The charities day itself, on the Saturday, raised more than £7,000.

Bailie Robert Gray, of the charities organisation, declared of the high jinks of the last few days: “That rowdyism is very regrettable but it is something that is outwith the control of the executive. I do not believe it was as serious as perhaps it appeared to be and, after all, it was students’ fun, which only the students understand.”