Your answers
Why is the theological college St Stephen’s House, in Oxford, known as “Staggers”?
There was a fashion in the late 19th century among Oxford undergraduates for altering words in this way. Thus Torpids (rowing races) became Toggers, the Radcliffe Camera (library) Radders, the Divinity pass exam Divvers, the Proctors (university officials) Proggers.
In 1893, Oscar Wilde met an undergraduate, Alfred Hamilton Grant, who was known as Gragger, and exclaimed “This is dreadful!” as, indeed, at its height the fad must have been. There are now few surviving examples — among which are rugger, soccer (Association football) . . . and Staggers.
Gwynne Callow
London N22
. . . When I went up in 1958, practically the only other survivor of this slang in common use was “The Giler” for St Giles’ Street. A few traditionalists referred to the Athanasian Creed, which was recited at St Stephen’s House in accordance with the Prayer Book, as “the Athanagers Craggers”. Many in my years at St Stephen’s (1962-65) refused to use “Staggers” as being too redolent of a Baroque past.
(The Revd) Ian Randall
Fakenham
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, my old college, is called “Wickers”, and brings a reminder that in the good old days the “Rather-rathers” attended the Cowley Fathers, whereas the “Whole-hoggers” attended St Alyoggers (St Aloysius’s).
(Canon) Chris Oxley
Leicester
“Staggers” is a good example of late Victorian and Edwardian Oxford slang. Jesus College was called “Jaggers”. We break our fast with “brecker”. In Oxford sport, we contend for a trophy at “Cuppers”.
There is, no doubt, a subtext in the case of St Stephen’s House; for the ordinands have long had a reputation of working hard and drinking hard in preparation for lives of often selfless and extraordinary devotion to mission.
As a recent product of Staggers, I had a lot of fun, but still feel daunted at what is expected of me. Beneath the banter, Staggers is a very holy seminary.
(The Revd Dr) Martin Henig
Oxford
In Oxford in the 1920s there was a craze for “agger” endings. My father used to call the Basingstoke by-pass the Bagger-stagger-bagger-pagger.
Helen Oppenheimer
Jersey, C. I.
Others cite the Maggers Memoggers (Martyrs’ Memorial), Wuggers (Worcester), Bullers (Bulldogs), and even Compers and Benders (Compline and Benediction). Any more answers will go into the wager-pagger bagger. Editor
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