A trip through the Ripple archives, held in the Library, offers a fascinating look at Leicester’s huge transformation since the 1950s.
The Ripple’s first front page in December 1957.
The changing face of the Ripple’s front pages alone gives an idea of how fashion and design have changed over the years, and looking beyond the front page provides examples of how society has changed since 1957. In 1958, one concerned male student wrote to the Ripple’s editor complaining about the “increasingly short length of skirts on campus”, demonstrating how attitudes on campus were so vastly different 55 years ago.
The Ripple has regularly been at the forefront of reporting topical student politics and issues, and a trip through the archives identifies many significant campaigns that were responsible for changing attitudes in Leicester and the wider UK. Student activism on liberation issues, such as early protests for LGBTQ rights and anti-racism, were often front page news in the Ripple. Particularly during the 1970s and 1980s, anti-apartheid protests were also prominent as Leicester student activists demonstrated against the South African government of the time.
Leicester’s transformation to a multicultural heartland wasn’t often easy, and throughout the 1970s the Ripple reports ongoing tension between the National Front and anti-racist campaigners as Leicester’s population diversified.
In addition to social issues, The Ripple also offers a glimpse at the importance of other student concerns over time – especially the ongoing issue of tuition fees and cuts to education budgets. In 1984, The Ripple covered the controversial decision to close several university departments such as the School of Religion and Music, a decision which prompted protests on campus.
The Ripple in January 2009, announcing the large redevelopment plans for the Students’ Union.
Annual stories on campus that the Ripple has frequently covered include RAG events and union elections, events which have provided some notable headlines in years gone by. In 1977, members from RAG kidnapped cabinet minister and Labour MP Reg Prentice, attracting national media attention. The following year, students from RAG hoodwinked the national press by pretending to have been expelled from the USSR during a trip to the Soviet embassy. The Ripple has also reported several occasions when Leicester students made it into the Guinness Book of Records over the years, including a world record in 1988 for the “biggest drinking boat race” and for the “biggest tequila slam” in 2002.
An aerial view of campus in 1968, before many of the buildings we’re now familiar with.
Changes on campus have also been documented, from the construction of the Attenborough Tower in 1970, to the 2001 front page outlining the university’s development plans until 2030. The changing face of Leicester has also been documented during the Ripple’s 55 years. Redevelopment during the 1960s saw many new buildings and also attempts to build a new urban motorway between the train station and Welford Road. As a result, some of Leicester’s older buildings were permanently demolished and this frequently caused controversy at the time.
In addition to covering student news and topical issues, the Ripple has interviews many notable figures over time. In 1980, interviews with Robert Mugabe and Yasser Arafat were prominently featured. 1985 saw an interview with Bob Geldof, in which he discussed with the Ripple plans for Live Aid as well as the success of Band Aid in Christmas 1984. Other notable interviewees over the years include Paddy Ashdown, Sven Goran Ericsson, Alexei Sayle and Roy Hattersley.The Ripple has sometimes attracted national fame, particularly in 2006. Attempts by the NUS to restrict the sale ‘lads mags’ such as Zoo in the Students’ Union were criticised by the Ripple, criticism which received national attention.
In the same year, the Ripple was featured in BBC show Balderdash and Piffle, which looked at the origin of words. In 1988, the Ripple’s coverage of RAG events saw the first ever recorded use of the word ‘moony’, an somewhat unusual claim to fame!
The Ripple 
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