It was a carnival charity fundraising gimmick. "It was in 1959 when Bob Mantel was Chairman of the Carnival Committee and I was Treasurer. Photo right: squeezing them in, by John Mack (1961) The girls' team also had a go but only managed 13."
It is possible that the stunt was also connected to the Keele Rag.
#PHONEBOX DIRECT PLUS#
The kiosk had no fixtures or fittings so have never been sure if Keele's supremacy (17 in the box) over Manchester was entirely fair! Colin Christmas was first into the box followed by me, Peter Didcott (1962) and Colin Thomas (1962) plus thirteen others including John Lowe and Bob Mantle. I remember that the organiser(s) of the stunt - Lee Lyas (?) (1961), Ticker Hayhurst (?) (1960), and Jerry Rivers (?) (1959) persuaded the GPO to provide a red telephone kiosk which arrived on a trailer and was winched upright. The aim of the stunt was to beat Manchester University's record of 16 in a telephone box. Probably the Evening Sentinel but I seem to remember that the national press was also involved. "I was involved in this - see attached press cutting which unfortunately I did not date. People who might know more are Colin Thomas, Moray Stewart, Peter Didcott, and possibly Bill Robinson." This incident might have been covered in the local paper, The Sentinel, but I do not recall seeing a report. Certainly, the view is from where I watched. It might have been as early as 1959 as I certainly had no role (as a fresher or early second year) and I was a little more prominent after that but it was probably about 1960. It might be Peter Didcott (1962) in the centre foreground, with the duffel coat. I seem to recall that it did not achieve the world record. I think they had more than one go-to pack the box. The caption on my photo says ’17', so that was probably the result - seventeen people in the phone box. Being over 6 feet tall, I was not likely to be a candidate for being part of it. So it must have been quite well advertised, though not highly organised. On the day, I think there was a fairly casual search for anyone small nearby to be part of the attempt. The location was just up from the original Union Hut (the black huts in the background).
"Here is a photo of the Keele attempt at the maximum number in a phone box for the Guinness Book of Records - I think that was the purpose. I only wish that I could perform the same contortion today!" The pose was not flattering and I never obtained a copy. The photo may have appeared in the Sentinel and the actual numbers squeezed in will also be recorded in that article. As I was able to put both ankles behind my head (! I was asked to perform this trick whilst two chaps pretended to try to force me into the already crowded box. The smallest undergraduates were approached but I cannot remember their names. Several other universities had also tried it and this was an attempt to beat their records. "I think that this stunt was organised by John Parry (1960) as part of the 58' or '59 Rag celebrations and was for publicity for the RAG event.
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