The Day A UFO Landed in Swansea 👽

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Good morning, Swansea!

This week, read about the fun and sometimes strange history of Swansea University’s RAG week - including a visit from some extra-terrestrials, flying ferrets, and perhaps the politest bank robbery attempt in history.

Catch you on Sunday!

Andrew.

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What is RAG Week?

RAG, an acronym for "Raise and Give," is a longstanding tradition in many UK universities, involving a week of activities aimed at raising thousands of pounds for local and national charities, and giving back to the community.

Swansea University has a particularly rich history of RAG Week celebrations, dating back over a century. The image above shows a picture taken of students in costume for rag week on the university's Singleton campus in 1922.

In the decades that followed, RAG week activities in Swansea regularly included a costume parade through the city centre, sponsored custard baths, a RAG Ball at The Ritzy night club, and - as you're about to find out - some particularly eye-catching stunts.

A Visit From Aliens

In 1954, Swansea's RAG Week took an intergalactic turn when a "flying saucer" landed in the city centre, lights flickering and emitting a noise like a klaxon.

"Out of the space ship stepped a being clad in an all-enveloping silvery space suit and helmet," reported the Evening Post, as a crowd gathered. "He was followed by three others. All had breathing apparatus strapped to their backs against possible ill-effects of the atmosphere." They claimed to hail from "the planet Pontardulais," and that after a visit to the town centre, they would be returning the next day.

Mock Bank Robbery And Hiking Expedition

In 1959, Swansea students planned an ambitious stunt to kick off RAG Week with a bang — a mock bank robbery. While the bank manager gave his tentative approval, provided the stunt was “not too spectacular,” the response from the police was a swift and unequivocal “No,” citing concerns about public confusion and potential panic.

Undeterred, the students found other ways to make an impression, setting up a “camp base” on waste ground in the city centre, complete with a tent, bath, and makeshift cooking area - telling reporters that they were getting ready to climb… Mount Pleasant.

Goalpost Mischief

Whether this one was down to RAG week students or not is hotly debated - but it’s a prank that was more mischievous than good-natured.

During RAG Week in 1968, someone sawed through the goalposts at the east end of Swansea Town’s Vetch Field, just before their much-anticipated FA Cup tie against Arsenal - on a day that clashed with the planned RAG week procession. On the day, thousands of visiting football fans were expected, with a record turnout for the game of nearly 33,000 people.

Goalposts borrowed from Cardiff City were rushed to the ground, but weren’t needed as a delay to the game was narrowly avoided after the posts were hastily re-inforced with an “angled iron wand.”

Club secretary Gordon Daniels claimed it was a stupid prank and undoubtedly the work of students, but a representative for Swansea RAG objected to the allegations, stating that there was no evidence to support the claim.

Hang-Gliding with Ferrets

In 1984, Student Paul Crowther, 19, told the Evening Post about his plans to raise cash for RAG week by hang-gliding from a mountain in the Brecon Beacons with two ferrets down his trouser legs. Are you out there, Paul? Did you do it? Did the ferrets put you up to it?

The Biggest Pub Crawl in Swansea

In 1995, over 1,500 students descended on the city centre's pubs in what the Evening Post dubbed Swansea's biggest pub crawl of the year. It kicked off at 6 PM from the Sandfields where the annual RAG “beer race” was held. There were no specific details about what his race entailed exactly, but I’d love to find out.

Modern Day Swansea RAG

By the late 1980s and 1990s, RAG week in Swansea regularly raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity. In 1990, students raised a record £40,000 - the Lord Mayor of Swansea, Councillor Colin Hammacott, presented cheques to representatives of 38 charities that year.

Swansea University’s RAG continues to this day, as a society at the Singleton campus. The parades and publicity stunts might have gone, but the ethos remains exactly the same as it has for over 100 years - and it continues to raise thousands of pounds for good causes every year.

Today’s students can get involved with fundraising challenges ranging from skydiving at Swansea Airfield to running the Budapest Marathon, to trekking to a Lost City Trek in Colombia.

Do you have memories of RAG week in Swansea? Let me know in the comments below!