History
By Rt. Hon. Lord Andrew Salisbury M.B., B.A., B.Ch., B.A.O., B.A., F.R.C.S., F.A.C.O.G., M.D., M.A, F.S.A., A.L.A., Hon F.B.A., C.Eng., M.R.C.P., G.C.M.A, F.R.I.C., M.Phil, D.Phil, phD oxon.
Toastie making has a long and prestigious history, particularly at Oxford where fellows have been making toasties for 1000 years. In fact toastie making goes back before the foundation of the university itself.
Originally toastie making was an elaborate and complex ceremony involving Latin rites and only fellows with at least 20 years experience in the toastie scene were allowed to take part. Toastie making was so successful that academics came from around the world and this was how the university itself came into being. Concerns were raised that toastie making was disturbing the fellows from more serious pursuits, particularly at Merton where toastie making involved raucous sexual orgies.
In the 1960s a reform movement began to make toastie making more 'open' by removing the restrictions - the PM at the time, Harold Wilson said " I have a dream, I dream of a world in which all God's children, Oxford fellow or cockney fishmonger can enjoy the delights of a toastie, I dream that they will hold hands and together go forth towards a world, no a heaven, of toasties' at this point he broke down in tears and could not go on. Edward Heath retorted that change was due to the obnoxious influnce of continentals on British toastie tradition.
Change won through and soon toasties were the in thing to do, replacing cannabis as the main recreational activity of rebelious teenagers. The pressures on young teenagers to have toasties were unbearable - 'go on have one, all the cool kids are doing it' was heard across the playgrounds of England.
A new development has been the emergence of Rosalind Hook onto the toastie scene. Her inspirational leadership has been pivotal in the survival of one of Britain's most sacred and oldest traditions. The people of Britain owe Ms Hook a burden of gratitude for the contribution she has made. In 1999 she established the toastie society at Merton colllege. With the help of a dedicated band of disciples she plans to set about bringing the toastie scene back to Oxford, its rightful home.