Archive

  • War Proclamations posted in Oxford

    The following notice has been posted tonight in Oxford His Majesty the King having been graciously pleased to order by proclamation that directions be given to the Army Council for embodying the Territorial Forces, all men belonging to the said

  • Call to alms can save gardening project

    AN ENTERPRISING duo selling plants from the gate of their almshouse hope a generous donation can save their gardening project over winter months. Jeane Mason, 64, and Lily Smith, 85, fear their plants could fall victim to the future frost, as they

  • Memory Lane Mailbag:A close call

    YOU pointed out that “hardly a week seemed to pass without a dispute” at the Cowley car factories in your article about the engineers’ one-day strike (Memory Lane, June 23). In 1973, the year of your photograph, Oxford City Council wished to name

  • Memory Lane Mailbag: An own goal can happen to anyone

    THE Wheatley School team, that won the Bradbury Cup (Memory Lane, June 30) – I believe it was the Bob Gray Cup – played Bayswater Secondary School, Barton. I played at left full-back for Bayswater in this game and unfortunately deflected the ball

  • Memory Lane Mailbag:Team shows it's ha'penny-wise

    THIS is a picture of the jubilant shove-ha’penny team from the Bakers Arms in Jericho, Oxford, who, 25 years ago, won a crop of awards. In the 1988-9 season, they won the League One title, the Warmington Cup, the Clapton Cup and the Mixed Pairs

  • ‘Fine site’ for an airport

    PORT Meadow was once suggested as the site for a civilian airport for Oxford. During the First World War, part of the historic meadow was transformed into a military aerodrome for training members of the Royal Flying Corps. Every morning before

  • Nibblers were berry honest

    MOST people eat a strawberry or two – perhaps even more – when they go to pick-your-own farms. But the guilty could ease their consciences by making a donation in the aptly-named ‘nibble jar’. Proceeds from the jar were given to a Rotary International

  • Teen singer charmed all those who she met

    THE headmaster wasn’t the only one bowled over by Helen Shapiro – the chairman and secretary of the parent-teacher association were impressed too. The teenage singing sensation was invited to the summer fete at Bayswater School, Headington, Oxford

  • The changing face of Adderbury

    Sorting potatoes THESE two women pictured in 1959 had a keen eye for sub-standard potatoes. Those of good quality would pass along the rollers at the village factory and be put into 5lb bags. The advantage of pre-packed goods, it was

  • Keeping the boss happy

    YOUNG Co-op workers met the boss at a dinner to celebrate their success in the organisation’s staff training scheme. They are seen with Arthur Ledger, president of the Oxford and District Co-operative Society, at the Elms Hotel at Iffley, where

  • Running out of steam

    TODAY it is busy and provides some of the most punctual train services in the country. But when this picture was taken in 1967, the railway line from London through Princes Risborough and Bicester to Banbury was under threat. A special train hauled

  • RUGBY UNION: London Welsh sign Tonga prop

    LONDON Welsh have bolstered their pack by signing Tonga prop forward Eddie Aholelei. The 32-year-old joins from Super 15 side Melbourne Rebels and will link up with international teammate, and fellow prop, Taione Vea ahead of their return to the

  • Maybe they can take a selfie of potholes next

    IT was lovely to see the picture (July 10) of county councillors Hudspeth and Nimmo Smith enjoying themselves on the river at Henley – wonderful. So perhaps for their next trip together, they will travel down the London Road, Headington, and take

  • Well done to all who are improving standards

    I AM so happy that Bayards Hill School was open and not closed for the strike, as we all know it is in need of improvement and since the new Head has been appointed a fantastic job has been done. We have had a brilliant sports day with all the

  • Zebra crossing will cause more problems

    PART of the joy of living in York Road has been the proximity of the splendid Windmill Primary School and the beautiful Corpus Christi Church. York Road in term time hosts a procession of children accompanied by parents and grandparents as they

  • Impressed by good behaviour at fun day

    WHILE I appreciate that the Grenadier Guards Football Team received a lesson on how to play the game from Kidlington FC, losing 11-0 at the charity football match and fun day held at their ground on Sunday, July 6, can I congratulate them and say what

  • When wages are down whole economy suffers

    WHAT a disgrace that hundreds of public service workers in Oxfordshire were forced to go on strike. The teachers, firefighters, job centre staff and others have seen their living standards drop by almost a fifth. Yet this Coalition Government

  • What will happen to the rubble when towers go?

    IN all the concerns about when these long-serving towers will be blown up it seems no one has considered what is going to happen to the huge pile of rubble left behind. Are we to expect large fleets of haulage lorries continually transporting the

  • Munshi "must have known" about house fire plan, court hears

    JURORS have this morning been told it is inconceivable Fiaz Munshi did not know about a murder plot to torch an East Oxford home. The 38-year-old denies murdering Anum Khan, eight, and Majid, 15, in the Magdalen Road blaze in 1997. But the

  • Dvorak rarity on the Buxton Festival bill

      Dvorak rarity on the Buxton Festival bill The Jacobin: three and a half stars Orfeo ed Euridice: four stars With a deserved reputation for adventurous programming, the Buxton Festival has turned this year to a rare work by Antonin

  • Update: M40 reopens after car fire near Thame

    THE M40 has reopened southbound between junction 7 at Thame and 6 at Watlington after a car fire closed two lanes. One motorist stuck in the delays said there were tailbacks of about a mile.  For automatic updates see our Live Traffic Service

  • The shops rekindling our interest in books

    WHEN Mark Thornton opened Mostly Books in Abingdon in 2006, he continued to sell the pots and pans the cookware store had left behind. Eight years on, the kitchen utensils at the Stert Street store are long gone. But the father-of-two is constantly

  • Benefits cheat jailed for four months after claiming £47k

    A BENEFIT fraudster has been jailed for four months after claiming more than £47,000 he was not entitled to. Antar Sabbah, of York Avenue, Headington, was given a prison sentence after appearing at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday last week.

  • The Scales of Justice - 22 people up in court

    People convicted of offences at magistrates courts in Oxfordshire recently: Andrew Harris, 32, of Lenthall Road, Rose Hill, Oxford, admitted stealing wine worth £14.99 from a Co-op in Oxford on May 4 and two ready meals worth £5.20 from a Co-op

  • Sport reflects something of the joy in God

    POOR Brazil. How that humiliating World Cup semi final defeat hurt the great football-loving nation, and how it revealed the importance of footballing success for them. And Roger Federer, how his defeat by Novak Djokovic wounded him, although he

  • Tinchy Stryder takes Astonbury in Aston Rowant by storm

    HE’S normally used to performing in front of thousands on the big stage. But for one night only on Saturday, Tinchy Stryder was seen at a more intimate gig. The rapper headlined the Aston Rowant cricket club fundraiser on a farm in Crowell,

  • Injured person cut free after two-car collision

    A person had to be freed from wreckage after a two-car crash in Bloxham at about 11.30pm on Friday. Firefighters, police and paramedics were called to the scene on the A361 and the victim was freed from their vehicle and taken to the Horton Hospital

  • Moonlight strollers rise and shine for Sobell House Hospice

    A HOSPICE which provides care for terminally ill patients will benefit from a fundraising midnight walk. Walkers followed the nine-mile route for this year’s Oxford Moonlight Stroll from St Edward’s School into the city before returning to the school

  • 007 Goldfinger Aston Martin drives too hard a bargain

    A bid of £320,000 was not enough to win the Aston Martin thought to be responsible for the iconic brand bcoming the car of choice for James Bond. Talks are now thought to be ongoing between the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4’s owner and the highest bidder

  • CRICKET: Oxfordshire's delight as victory books final spot

    OXFORDSHIRE reached the Minor Counties knockout final for the first time in their history after a dramatic turnaround against Wiltshire at Bicester & North Oxford. Luke Ryan’s men ended up winning yesterday’s semi-final by 105 runs to set up

  • Police search high and low for missing Andrzej

    A 52-year-old man was last night still missing in Witney following a police search over the weekend. Polish man Andrzej Jedryka was reported missing at 12.30am on Saturday and police had said they were concerned about his welfare because of his

  • CRICKET: Rowant suffer heavy loss

    ASTON Rowant fell to a crushing 131-run defeat at the hands of High Wycombe in Division 1. After inserting their rivals on a green wicket with good conditions for swing bowling, Rowant were soon up against it as Gavin Baker (51) and George Russell

  • CRICKET: Manley's the hero as Banbury win last-over thriller

    BANBURY maintained their position at the top of the Division 1 table with a sensational two-wicket victory over lowly Gerrards Cross on Saturday. Going into the final over, both sides could have won the game with Banbury needing 12 runs and Gerrards

  • CRICKET: Oxford on the end of a hammering

    OXFORD were on the end of a hammering in their Division 1 clash at home to Henley. The hosts went down by ten wickets in a one-sided encounter and slip from fourth to seventh in the table. After choosing to bat, Oxford lost wickets at regular

  • CRICKET: Centurion Cater hails Oxfordshire spinners

    JONNY Cater was quick to credit his spin-bowling teammates after his century helped Oxfordshire book their place in the final of the Unicorns Counties Knockout Trophy. The Banbury wicket-keeper batsman made an excellent 101 not out in Oxon’s 263

  • Swan census starts

    AN annual 12th century tradition of counting swans in the River Thames is due to start today. The five-day census of swan upping was due to start in Surrey and end at Abingdon Bridge at 5pm on Friday. As part of the census, the Queen’s Swan

  • Space mission lift-off

    COUNTY space scientists have helped launch two satellites that are now sending back information on asteroids. The satellites were launched last week by scientists based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Harwell to gather data including temperature

  • Pink walkers can be proud of their effort

    UNIVERSITY Parks were awash with a sea of pink yesterday as hundreds of women did their bit for Cancer Research. There were countless touching stories from those taking part including 15-year-old Sarah Davis who was running in memory of her mum

  • Spirits soar as community unites for academies fete

    A SUMMER fete was held to bring a community together after three primary schools became academies. Falconry, dog stunts, go-kart racing, choir singing and vegetable contests delighted crowds at Blackbird Academy Trust’s summer fete and show at

  • Monday, July 14

    3:44pm Jayden trial: Blakeley's co-defendant is his younger brother Jake 2:46pm London Welsh sign Tonga prop 2:45pm

  • RESULTS: July 12

    Division 1 Great Brickhill 124 (A DeBeer 40, M Mannering 4-15, D Warner 3-52), Cumnor 125-6 (J Dale 43no). Thame Town 152 (S Lachlan 41no, W Rooney 41, W Taylor 39, J Gear 4-32, W Platts 4-64), Buckingham Town 153-6 (A Pearson 60, S Myatt 30

  • To spend or not to spend is the question for councils

    TAXPAYERS’ money of course has to be spent very wisely. And authorities should be doing all they can to ensure it goes a long way. That’s why it’s right for Councillor Bob Johnston to be warning that an opportunity to save millions on the much-needed

  • Call for joined-up thinking over £123m flood channel

    A CHANCE to save millions on the £123m Oxford flood alleviation channel could be missed if agencies cannot work together, it has been warned. The Western Conveyance, which received a £26m Government grant last Monday, would divert the Thames from

  • Firefighters across Oxfordshire stage two-hour strike

    FIREFIGHTERS across Oxfordshire staged a two-hour strike this morning. Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) walked out between 6am and 8am over plans to change pensions and the retirement age of firefighters.  It's part of a series of strikes

  • Driver arrested after hunt

    A 24-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested on suspicion of being drunk in charge of a vehicle after a police hunt in Radley on Saturday night. Thames Valley Police were called to the village at about 10.30pm to reports of a car being driven erratically

  • End in sight for five fit fundraisers

    AFTER running the Town and Gown 10k, the 12k Cornbury Monster and doing the 19-mile Cycle4Life, the end is in sight for five fundraising fitness fanatics. Darren Davies, 44, who runs Gladiator Fitness UK in Marston, assembled the group to get them

  • Meeting to discuss hospital inspection

    THE chief executive of the county’s hospital authority will address councillors about a critical inspection of Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital this week. On Thursday Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust’s Sir Jonathan Michael will speak to the

  • Cycling for fair trade

    A PAIR of fairtrade-supporting cyclists took part in a bike ride around the county. Alison Merryweather-Clarke and Sue Campbell were among many people cycling around Oxfordshire’s fairtrade centres for the “Tour de Fair”. The pair from the

  • Artists from around world sketch city perspectives

    People from across the globe came together for a three-day sketching event held in the city this week. More than 30 people joined the art workshop at George Street’s Old Fire Station to sketch various city centre locations. Worskshop participants

  • Bench plaque taken off by ‘childish’ city council

    COUNCIL bosses have been accused of “childish” behaviour for removing a bench’s plaque just days after the seat was installed. Independent Oxford city councillor Mick Haines was shocked to have the plaque returned to him by post. It was accompanied

  • CRICKET: Super Sanklecha does it again for Shipton

    A five-wicket haul from Anupam Sanklecha and a fine knock of 70 from Calvin Dickinson steered Shipton-under-Wychwood to a six wicket win at home to Falkland in Division 2. Last week, Sanklecha captured five wickets in Shipton’s 69-run victory against

  • CRICKET: Pat's all-round show leads Horspath home

    Dynamic all-rounder Pat Foster powered Horspath to a seven-wicket win over Finchampstead in Division 2 at the Recreation Ground. The former Durham MCCU seamer took 4-64 as Finchampstead were bowled out for 235 after being put in to bat, before

  • CRICKET: Matt's high fives move Great Tew off bottom

    Matt Woods took five wickets as Great & Little Tew recorded an 88-run victory at Chesham to move off the foot of the Division 2 table on Saturday. The success sees Tew leapfrog their rivals and provides a first win in five matches. Chasing

  • RESULTS: July 12

    Division 1 High Wycombe 291 (63.5 ovs, A Duncan 71, J Benning 69, G Baker 51, G Russell 43, M Hammond 5-78, A Muttitt 3-59), Aston Rowant 160 (42.1 ovs, W Morrick 39, J Smith 34, L Bethell 33, G Harper 6-40). Gerrards Cross 257-4 (64 ovs, D

  • Botley Road sewer repair work finishes five days early

    WORK to repair sewers in Oxford's Botley Road has finished five days early. Temporary traffic lights have been operating since Tuesday and motorists faced delays as a result. They were due to be in place until Friday but yesterday workers finished

  • Thousands get in the pink for race to combat cancer

    CANCER was given a kicking yesterday as more than 5,300 women ran, jogged, and walked their way through University Parks to raise cash to fight the disease. The Race for Life event in Oxford is expected to have raised more than £350,000 for research

  • Protesters fight to stop housing plan

    CAMPAIGNERS have called plans to replace a community centre with flats an “insult to the people of Cowley”. They gathered at the site in Barns Road, Oxford, on Saturday, against a proposal by the city council to build 40 flats. Protesters were

  • Sex allegations against sacked surgeon false

    A SURGEON is in line for a NHS payout after he was sacked over false allegations he sexually harassed two young trainee doctors. The consultant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was dismissed in 2012 after two young doctors said he made sexual

  • Capture tower swifts and you could feature in exhibit

    A FLOCK of birds nested in an iconic museum tower has provided the inspiration for a wildlife photography competition. Snappers are invited to submit their shots of swifts to Oxford University Museum of Natural History’s wildlife photography exhibition

  • ‘Free parking is needed’ in town revamp

    COMMUNITY leaders have called for free parking as the final plans to complete Bicester’s £70m town centre regeneration were approved. Cherwell District Council has given the go ahead to a £6.5m five-storey civic building, which will house its Bicester

  • RESULTS: July 12

    Division 1 Great Horwood 230-9 (G Davies 56, K Grant 4-31), Garsington 234-5 (C Woodward 61, D Prosper 49no, A Robertson 44, C Wharton 43). Minster Lovell 204 (C Tinsley 60, E Dunn 42, L Day 34, T Rothwell 3-25), Hook Norton 93 (C Dare 45,

  • Rethink over size of wharf’s proposed community centre

    A COMMUNITY centre which is part of plans for a redeveloped Jericho Wharf could be scaled back after fears were raised about views of a church. English Heritage (EH) has said the proposed centre is too large and will block views of the neighbouring

  • Garden tribute to class teacher

    CHILDREN, teachers and family members commemorated an Oxford primary school teacher who died aged 39 by opening a peace garden. Angela Clare, known by her maiden name of Miss Sloan to children, taught year one pupils at St Aloysius’ School, in

  • Temporary road fix is branded potty

    A WOMAN has accused Oxfordshire County Council of “wasting money” by filling in potholes just five weeks before her street is set to be entirely resurfaced. Olive Minett, of Corn Street in Witney, spotted workmen patching up her road last Wednesday