A Quaint Old Custom Is Observed At A London Brewery: William Ripley, 21, of Dagenham, was crammed into a hot barrel yesterday by his work mates. And under the benevolent eye of the "guv'nor", Mr. Les Churchill, they smothered him for some five minutes with all manner of things. There were bits of rice, carrots, lots of beans, some peas and cold canteen soup, pigswill, large numbers of feathers and a good deal of tresole and waste beer. It was all, of course, what has passed for good clean fun in the coopering trade for over 500 years. Like countless coopers before him, William was suffering the ritual "trussing the cooper" on completing his five-and-a-half-year apprenticeship. But because the trend is toward metal containers the barre-making craft is dying and so is the "trussing" ceremony. Photo shows William Ripley still manages a smile in spite of his ordeal during the ancient "tussing the cooper" ceremony at a London Brewery yesterday.
Photo measures 8 x 10.25 inches.
Photo is dated 10-7-1967.
Photo back:
