• Front cover of University of Manchester Annual Rag Magazine
• Illustration featuring the University's snake and sun emblem
  by Karl Hagedorn (1889-1969)
• Printed by C. Nicholls & Co Ltd
• This fourth edition cost sixpence per copy
• 184 x 241mm (7¼ x 9½in)
• 1928

The Rag Mag

The University of Manchester’s Rag magazine was an integral part of the university's Rag Week tradition, which began in the early 20th century. The Rag Week was a series of events, that took place annually around Shrove Tuesday, designed to raise money for charity, combining student revelry with good causes.

During this time, universities across Britain organised various fundraising activities, including parades, procession, performances, a Rag Ball and the sale of humorous magazines known as "Rag Mags." The University of Manchester's contribution to this tradition, The Rag Rag, first emerged in the 1920s.

This annual magazine was a light hearted and amusing, often satirical, publication filled with jokes, cartoons, parodies, and comic stories, many of which were written by students. It had a tone of irreverence and humour that was typical of Rag Mags, poking fun at university life, contemporary politics, and societal norms. Despite its humour, it also served a serious purpose: proceeds from its sale were donated to various charitable causes.

The magazine’s content reflected the social and political climate of the times, with the 1920s being a particularly rich period for satire given the challenges faced in the post-World War I era. Student contributions to The Rag Rag offered a glimpse into the wit and creativity of the Manchester student body, capturing a unique voice that was both reflective of the university's culture and the broader currents of British humour.

The magazine contained numerous advertisements for local businesses which was termed "Ragvertising". The cost in the 1928 issue was £100 per page for which they claimed they would "sell 400,000 copies at least".

   Back cover advertisement for Pratt's Petrol

As the decades passed, The Rag Rag continued to be a central part of the University of Manchester's Rag Week. It became not only a platform for student expression but also a lasting symbol of the university’s commitment to charitable causes and student involvement in community engagement.

The front cover image reflects the racist attitudes and humour of privileged students during the 1920s, a time when cultural norms and sensitivities were vastly different from today. While it would now be seen as politically incorrect, it offers insight into the social dynamics of that era and serves as a reminder of how much perspectives have evolved.