THESE children took to the river to celebrate their school’s birthday.

Shepherd’s Hill Middle School at Blackbird Leys, Oxford, had reached the grand age of 21.

This was clearly an occasion to be marked with a special treat.

So with exams out of the way and the long summer holiday approaching, it was decided to board a steamer for a trip from Oxford to Abingdon and back.

This picture was taken at Folly Bridge at the start of the first trip, involving half the schoolchildren, those aged from nine to 11.

The following day, it was to be the turn of the 11- to 13-year-olds.

For the older children, there was an extra treat – a picnic on the river bank at Abingdon before they set off on the return trip.

The two parties were following in a long tradition of boat trips organised by Salter Brothers, the long-established Oxford boat builders.

The firm began life in 1858 when brothers John and Stephen Salter took over Isaac King’s boat building firm based at Folly Bridge.

In its early days, the fledgling firm of J and S Salter built a huge variety of craft, including many of the university barges which once graced the Thames alongside Christ Church Meadow.

In 1888, the company, now renamed Salter Brothers after John Salter’s sons, John, James and George joined, started a steamboat service between Oxford and Kingston-upon-Thames with a boat called Alaska.

It was the start of regular trips on the Thames which thousands of people, including the pupils from Shepherd’s Hill Middle School, have enjoyed for more than a century.

Do you recognise yourself or anyone else on board? Write and let me know.