The 1977 sit-in.
As I remember the 1977 sit in was in Keele Hall, overnight. I think it was
something to do with education cut-backs or teacher training or something.
(Pete)
I remember occupying the library under peer pressure after some foolish UGM mandate. We hung about for a bit but as soon as the cider ran out and we realised the library appeared to be totally lacking in soft surfaces upon which to sleep, most of us hailed the event as a victory for socialist values, etc etc and buggered off back to our cells.
Hayward Burt stayed the night on his own and was awoken by a library cleaning
lady who thought he was a pile of old clothes. Which he was.
Alistair [83-86]
Re 1977 Sit-In
The sit in I remember during that period was in some sort of administration
building in one of the huts - the registrar¹s office maybe. My recollection
was that it had something to do with foreign student fees or lowering of grants
or something.
It is interesting that at least three accounts of a sit in during that period
have been offered on this list. This means that:
1. We are all correct and there was a sit-in every week or so. (possible)
2. We are now all so old that we have forgotten major details from our misspent
youth. (likely, in my case)
3. We were so drunk at the time that we never did know what was happening
(also possible)
Which is right? :-)
MJF
Martin John Finch
Pol/AS 1976-80
Re : Administration Building Sit-In
Yes - it was the introduction of higher fees for overseas students.
I definitely remember hanging out in the senior common room in Keele Hall.
I also remember something about a sit-in in the registry -- but I somehow think that these were different events ... or maybe the sit-in was moved from the registry to the senior common room to allow the University to continue to function.
Given my remarkably poor recollection of these events, I may have to agree that maybe we were all to drunk to remember -- its either that or senility creeping up on us -- so I will prefer to blame it on drink :-)
Philip Peake
60s Sit-ins
In the late '60s sit-ins took place over quite revolutionary things like allowing
men into women's blocks after 11 pm (and were successful ! ). I do remember
arriving with my parents in September 1968 to find the Students' Union draped
in banners declaiming "Action for a free university" and people
all stirred up by the recent "evenements" in Paris - my parents
nearly bundled me back into the car and took me home in fright (and about
twelve months later when I'd grown the beard and had much longer hair they
wished they had done ! )
I also remember there being a fire in the Registry (which was then in a hut near the chapel) which everyone thought was deliberate and a "shock horror" story in the Sun or similar rag about students bathing in the nude during a heatwave (this caused a real "cause celebre" at the time - my mother stopped telling people I was a Keele student at the time even though I was completely unaware it had happened).
Andy Woolley
1968-72
