Oxford 1937 Student Prank [entertainment dept.]

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Barbara
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Oxford 1937 Student Prank [entertainment dept.]

Post by Barbara »

I read this narrative in the memoirs of a later important British statesman and thought it worth recounting.
The story surely reflects the completely different tenor of the times and also the marked respect for the upper classes which has vanished entirely in the Western world.

The story of this trick by a Balliol College student is true, not a joke. [ Otherwise this could have possibly fit into the Bad Jokes thread. ]

Let us remember that at that time, the 1930s, Britain was still the 'owner' of the Indian Subcontinent, which includes today's Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. During British rule of India, there were many local Princes who were won over to cooperate with their English overlords. Many of these considered it a point of prestige to send their sons to Harrow, Oxford and other eminent institutions.

One of these potentates, Raja Maharaj Singh, of the Kapurthala royal family - later the very 1st Indian Governor of Bombay and knighted - had attended Harrow and Balliol and hence sent his eldest son, Raja Ranbir Singh, to follow in his own footsteps.

Bored, however [like many of the Oxford students of that time ], the young prince dreamed up a way to test drive a 1937 Rolls Royce and, at the same time, invite his friends out on a lark that they would not soon forget. Ranbir, in his most authoritative voice, would call a Rolls Royce car dealer, presumably in London, and coolly request that they send him the latest model Rolls so he could check it out to purchase.


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1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III - perfect for a student junket...!
But HOW did the Rolls dealer let this go down to Oxford without even a dime of security deposit ? These were the last days of the British Empire before WW 2 destroyed England as a world power, and even the word of university students from noble families could be trusted.


And - while they were at it - could they also include a sumptuous picnic lunch in the trunk for himself and a few friends ?

The dealer, dazzled by Ranbir's princely rank, would comply with all his requests. Thereupon, Ranbir and a few pals - including the author of the memoirs - would take off for the races at Newmarket for the day and gobble their gourmet meal washed down with the finest champagne sent compliments of the dealer. Ranbir would then return the Rolls with a polite note that while he appreciated the chance to test drive it, the vehicle did not meet his high standards [ ! ].


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Not good enough for a 19 year old prankster undergraduate.

Last edited by Barbara on Sat 17 March 2018 10:44 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Luke
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Re: Oxford 1937 Student Prank [entertainment dept.]

Post by Luke »

:)

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