Series 8 - Pig Club

The St. John’s College Pig Club was founded on 4 September 1946, and was an embodiment of the saying ‘waste not, want not’. Pig Clubs all over the country had, during the Second World War, helped the national effort by encouraging home-grown meat from beasts fattened on an economical, but to them congenial, diet of edible waste. The College had contributed to this effort by fattening pigs in the Kitchen Garden during the War, but it was not until after its end that a pig club was formed.

In the times of rationing it was suggested by the late Prof. Glyn Daniel, the world-famous archaeologist and Fellow of the College, who had had experience of R.A.F. pig clubs, that St. John’s should set up one of its own. This had the double aim of providing the College Kitchen with pork, and continuing to aid the supply of the nation through sales of pigs to the Ministry of Food.

The club was begun with a modest capital advance of £100 from the College Steward, and a stock of twelve pigs bought from the College Kitchen garden. Subscription to the Club was one shilling a year, and six-monthly meetings were held to discuss all aspects of the management of pigs.

The original purpose of the Club ended with the end of food rationing in 1954; but its total demise was resisted by a loyal membership. It was agreed at a meeting on 11 June 1954 to continue the Club (minus its livestock) as a gathering 'for social and unspecified purposes as a glorious anomaly'. Since then its meetings have been a forum for all kinds of learned and jocular debate, and valuable reminiscences, in which Fellows and Staff participate together; with periodic displays of an array of pig mascots in many media, provided by the members.