15 November 2009

Oxford University 1950

The photograph, above, shows the enthusiastic members of the Oxford University Mead Appreciation Society (OUMAS), a forerunner, it is claimed, of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) founded in 1971. Observe the sensibly short haircuts, short sideburns, tweed jackets, and light flannel trousers. One of the men on the left has his starboard arm in a silk jacquard repp sling in club colours, the unfortunate result no doubt of a drinking accident; note the painful awkwardness with which he uses his non-drinking arm to lift his antique sterling silver tankard of mead.

3 comments:

  1. you're absolutely right... it looks like a real bitch to do it with the left arm. Even a southpaw holds it with his right, unless his tour in Rhodesia cost him a limb. Damn good surgeons in Salisbury, though...drank me under the table too many times

    ReplyDelete
  2. Reunion approaching?

    I was once in a sling because of a fencing accident. Went out to dinner with friends. But the end of the evening the waitress was convinced that I singlehandedly (ahem) rescued a migrant worker's child from a combine. Seems "fencing accident" and the accompanying look of alarm was too much to resist.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ralph couldn't have posed it any better...what a great picture.

    ReplyDelete