Mailbag

IT WAS interesting to see the picture of the women working in the kitchens at Hill End Camp, near Wytham (Memory Lane, February 3).

I thought I would send this picture taken at the camp, where I went many times in the 1950s.

We were all members of Cowley St John Boys’ Club in East Oxford. I have superimposed the names on the picture.

RYAN COLE, Australia

MISSING FRANCIS

I WAS saddened to hear that a friend of mine, Frances Baker, died on Saturday, December 21, aged 78.

Frances died in her sleep – she had not been well for a long time, but I did not expect her to pass on.

It was quite a shock – she had given me a Christmas card just a week before.

I had known her since the 1990s, when I did my washing at a laundrette in Cowley Road, Oxford, where she was in charge. She had other laundrettes at the time.

However, in more recent years, she had been in charge of the Rub a Dub Dub laundrette in Kennington.

When she was younger, she had lived in South Africa and had met Nelson Mandela – she said he was a nice man.

After the Second World War, she had been with the armed forces stationed in Germany. In recent years, she had been keen on bowls, and went on trips with the bowls club. She also liked her holidays abroad.

She had a son, who is now in charge of the laundrette in Kennington. I will miss her, as will the many people who use it.

ANDREW McLEAN, Lake Street, Oxford

LAMENT FOR POOR ELEPHANTS

YOU appear to lament the loss of animals being used in the circus (Memory Lane, January 13). Thank God, you are in a minority.

I am unfortunate enough to remember the elephants being paraded through the streets of Oxford.

Even as a 10-year-old boy, it was possible to recognise the sad resignation in the eyes of these majestic, wild animals as they were reduced to mere objects of entertainment for pathetic human eyes.

Those of us who have respect and reverence for all God’s creatures will not rest until human barbarity against them is a thing of the past.

Anyone who doubts the barbaric treatment of baby elephants trained for circus ‘entertainment’ should go to elephants.com If you are not reduced to tears watching it, you are not alive.

MARLON CLEGG, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford

Editor’s note: We were not supporting or condoning the use of animals in circuses. We were simply stating facts – that animals were once used in circuses and no longer appear in them.

THE GARRETTS WERE A HOSPITABLE COUPLE

YOUR picture of Mr and Mrs Garrett at Deddington Sub Post Office (Memory Lane, February 3) reminded me of when I trained the couple when they took over the running of the office in the summer of 1965.

I was working at the Head Post Office in Oxford at that time and it fell to me to initiate Mr and Mrs Garrett into the procedures to pay pensions, sell stamps and postal orders etc, run their sub office and in the accounting methods in use at the time.

I remember the couple with some affection as they were most hospitable to me during the fortnight or so I was there.

MALCOLM BELL, Westminster Way, Oxford

SCHOOL PHOTO JOGS RECOLLECTIONS

YOU mentioned Pauline Cox, head girl of Temple Cowley School in Oxford, receiving the Hanks Cup for service to the school in 1962 (Memory Lane, January 6).

Colin King was headmaster when I was there. The teachers at that time included Mr Munday (gardening), Mrs Axwell (art), Mr Lander (woodwork), Mr Theabold (science) and Mr Scott (maths).

I worked for British Leyland for 21 years, but left when Leyland workers were transferred to the Pressed Steel works at Cowley.

RON SHARP, Main Avenue, Sandford-on-Thames

GLADIATORS ARE STILL PUSHING FORWARD

I WAS interested to see the picture of the Gladiator Club’s bed push through Oxford in 1984 to raise money for the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (Memory Lane, January 27).

Thank you for continuing to give our club coverage about its impending sale.

It is such a pity that the trust has decided to sell the club, particularly as the trustees are all old members themselves.

It was the Cowley Fathers’ wish that the trust could be wound up and the club closed only in the event that it was no longer viable.

We have minutes from the Cowley Fathers’ meetings in the 1960s that state that the trust would only come to an end if the club ceased to function.

We are a thriving club which does a lot of good work in this community and certainly have no intention of closing (unless forced to), so we are continuing our efforts to try to raise the money to buy the club.

If anyone thinks they could help, we would be very interested to hear from them.

I would also like to use this letter to thank Oxford City Council publicly for making us a community asset and for the continued support of all our other friends.

JANE CASEY, Secretary,Ridgeway Road, Oxford

PUB GOT SPORTS NEWS WITH A TWIST OF LIME

I WAS fascinated by your story about the Sports Mail, the Green Mail or Green ‘Un (Memory Lane, February 3).

It brought back memories of some 50 years ago.

From late 1959 to December 1964, I was landlord of the Nags Head pub in Thame.

The Green Mail in those days was delivered by a Mr Hayfield (known by everyone as Colonel Hayfield). He used a tricycle for transport.

My order was 20 copies week in week out, all to sell in the pub! This ensured I had at least 20 early customers on Saturday night, many of whom spent the rest of the evening in our pub.

The Green Mail was the only way to get Saturday’s local sports news on the day it happened.

Did I make a fortune for my enterprise? No, but 20 people went home happy in the knowledge that they were up to date with all the local sports news. Today, it’s totally different.

RON SLATER, Thame