RETRO: The golden era of Sheffield student Rag Week

It was without doubt one of the highlights of the student calendar for youngsters across the city.

For one week every year, aspiring academics would go all-out in a bid to raise money for Rag Week.

That often meant dressing up - like some of the gentlemen pictured here - in all manner of unusual attire, culminating in a parade through the city centre.

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Events within Rag Week included a ‘Pyjama Jump’ , which would involve students dressing up in PJs and nighties and heading out on the town.

These photographs show University of Sheffield students getting into the spirit of the events.

The wacky fun often raised six figure sums for charities and continued well into the 1990s, with these photographs taken in Sheffield between 1990 and 1995, a period which was arguably the peak of Rag Week.

A student magazine, known as Twikker, was also produced alongside the events to aid fundraising.

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It is not clear exactly why the events are no longer running today, although some have suggested there was a growing problem with rowdy, drunken behaviour in the city centre.

Of course, Sheffield Rag - which stands for raising and giving - still exists today, setting up fundraisers all year round, even if the Pyjama Jump and parades are sadly no more.