Jake Thackray saves beer thief?

Subject: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 07:06 AM

I was told a story which I believed because the teller was there at the time. Mr Thackray was doing a gig and was sitting out the back of the pub after performing when a chancer snook in the pub back door and tried to make off with a heavy beer keg. The weight of it floored him and landed on his arm. Jake heroically stepped in and lifted it off and saved his half severed arm and maybe saved his life. Unfortunately I can't remember the place or time. Anyone else hear about this?

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 10:16 AM

If that really happened, don’t you think he’d have written a song about it?

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: JHW
Date: 14 Sep 21 - 06:32 AM

Might not have been real ale

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 08:56 AM

Why let real ale or not get in the way of a good story? I'd love it to be a real tale! Do his sons never key in? Anyone know them? They would know if it was true, but one doesn't want to make a fuss.

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: Rain Dog
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 09:24 AM

Let's hope it was a light ale.

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: cnd
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 09:36 AM

Having moved many kegs around in my life (I worked for a time in a brewery, often cleaning their kegs) I have to doubt how far he could have gotten with a full keg. The smaller ones (sixtels, 1/6 of a barrel) weigh about 55 lbs full, while a regular keg (1/2 a barrel) is about 140 lbs (advise: don't drop one on your foot!). Picking up even a half full keg on your own takes a Herculean effort, both because of their weight and their shape.

Additionally, I doubt it would have done more than bruise his arm. They've been made for decades with rounded edges to limit the damage they'll do if they are dropped. I suppose it could be a really old one depending on the age of the story, but it would have to be an old story and an older keg!

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: cnd
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 09:38 AM

However, it does sound like quite a story! I hope it's got a real basis to it

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 11:58 AM

When I shared a house with Irish, Scots, and Scouse builders,
I woke up one morning to find a full metal barrel of lager in our kitchen..

One of the Irish brickies [a big fella] and his cousin [another young big lad]
had been out on the piss and decided to end the night
by liberating the barrel from the back yard of an off license,
which must have been at least half a mile from our house...

I can only guess they rolled it along the pavement makig a hell of a clatter,
probably laughing and singing along the way..

But it seems noone was perturbed enough to call the police...

We enjoyed that barrel, we did...

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 12:43 PM

In the UK 1/2 barrel would be about 210 lbs, including the weight of the keg. I used to handle (not lift) wooden barrels at about 420 lbs - that was in 1958.

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: Newport Boy
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 12:56 PM

That was me at 12:43. I've been switching OSs and hadn't noticed my cookie was missing.

Subject: RE: Jake Thackray saves beer thief?
From: JHW
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 01:53 PM

I've done brewery work too including washing casks (not kegs). Mostly 9s but some 18s. And delivering full ones. Hard work.
Agree there should be a song about event.