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This group of English pensioners has maintained a strong bond since 1968, meeting at the pub every Thursday for 56 years. More than a habit, we could speak of religion.
The ritual is practiced in a sacred way, as an unbreakable tradition, by Paul Haynes, Bill Munden, Ken King, Peter Thirlwall, Brian Ayres and Dick Cotton. Even during the pandemic, the physical connection moved to the screen, and the late-night pub moment was virtualized in the form of zoom meetings.
Their collective alternation takes place between pubs in Sheffield and Rotherham by this group who are now in their eighties, and who, as they reveal to the BBC, have barely missed 20 or so meetings since 1968. ‘It’s very, very rare for us to miss a Thursday,’ says Peter, a retired electrical engineer, proudly. ‘Sometimes we’re all on vacation and we don’t make it. We can stay just three if things get really desperate.’ But how did it all get started?
The origins of this ritual were started by students Ken and Paul, who would take advantage of study breaks to play golf and have a pint afterwards. This became a tradition that the rest of the ‘team’ would follow.
However, the number of group members has changed over the years, as friends have come and gone. The conversation has also evolved, and adapted to the times and age. ‘We used to talk about soccer and sex. Now we talk more about prostates and pensions,’ jokes Peter, surrounded by his friends in the pub, about five miles south of Sheffield city center.
Last month a reunion was held to mark the group’s 55th anniversary, which ended up being delayed by a year, in the interests of expats.