A mad day playing Rugby

Graham Chapman led a team of turnstile destroyers here

Location: The Athletic Ground, Kew Foot Road, TW9 2SS

Description: And indeed it was mad and very funny...

In 1965, Graham Chapman (of Monty Python fame) was chairman of the Students' Union at the St Barthowlemew's Hospital, a year later it was Alan Bailey.

And so it was in 1966 and their game of rugby against the London Hospital in the finals of the rugby cup at this very ground, that, the introduction of a fee to enter was introduced - prior to this no medical student ever paid to enter the ground.

So on arrival, their was a huge and newly installed turnstile with a man expecting payment from all on the bus, the pricely sum of one pound each.

This did not go down at all well, until someone jumped into the driving seat and drove the bus into the turnstile and knocked it down! You could not make these things up...it's a comedy sketch in itself which Graham Chapman would have been proud of!

And so came a bill of 600 pounds for the rebuild of the turnstile which was sent to the dean of St Barthowlemew's Hospital...whether it ever got paid is anyone's guess!

Tours: Graham Chapman's Python London

Themes: Comedy Comedy Theme