10 photos of May Morning celebrations over the years

As thousands of people prepare to gather beneath Magdalen Tower on May Morning, we feature photos of the traditional celebrations from the Oxford Mail archive.

At 6am from the top of Magdalen College’s tower choristers sing the Hymnus Eucharisticus, which was composed in the 17th century by a Fellow of the college and has been sung every year ever since.

Oxford Mail:

Fifty one years ago, Morris dancers handed out fertility cake to those gathered for the celebrations.

In 1972, an estimated 5,000 people had got up early - or stayed out all night – to take part in the city’s centuries-old custom.

At 6am, there was hushed silence around Magdalen Bridge as choristers began to sing the Latin psalm from the top of the college tower.

But peace was broken as the unmistakable sound of ‘cuckoo, cuckoo’ rang out, prompting huge roars of laughter from many of the revellers below.

Oxford Mail:

When the choir had finished, the tower bells rang out, then the crowds streamed away, following the morris men along High Street, past a no-waiting sign which had somehow found its way on top of the Longwall Street traffic lights, into Catte Street, past the Radcliffe Camera and into Broad Street.

The morris men danced outside the Sheldonian Theatre and handed out their fertility cake, much to the delight of onlookers, young and old.

Oxford Mail:

The Oxford Mail reported: “Flowery hats were everywhere. Toddlers and girls were lifted shoulder high to see the Morris dancers.”

Meanwhile, at Magdalen Bridge, a few brave souls stayed behind to take punts on the River Cherwell.

Oxford Mail:

But according to the Oxford Mail, “no-one tried a swim in the icy waters, despite the efforts of some of the crowd to induce their friends to take an involuntary dip”.

There were no reports either of young people diving off the bridge into the shallow river, a practice which later brought a crop of needless injuries, despite being frowned upon by the authorities.

As usual, many schools celebrated the arrival of May that year by crowning their May queens.

East Oxford Secondary School, which had a long-standing tradition of marking May, held its 53rd May Day celebration when 15-year-old Joan James took over from her predecessor, 16-year-old Nina Batts.

Oxford Mail:

Nina handed over her title when she presented Joan with her crown of flowers and a commemorative silver cross and chain.

Almost the whole school – 240 children – took part in dancing on the playground, morris dancers gave a display and there was the traditional maypole to dance around.

The celebrations were watched by school governors, parents, teachers and pupils from East Oxford junior and infant schools.

Oxford Mail:

At New Hinksey Church of England Primary School, Allison Peachey, six, was crowned the 1972 May Queen.

Her classmates picked her because she had the prettiest dress – a deep pink dress she had previously worn as a bridesmaid at her aunt’s wedding.

Oxford Mail:

After Alison was crowned, each class entertained with maypole dancing, singing and country dancing.

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