Mailbag: February 10, 2014

YOUR picture of kids playing in foam supplied by the fire brigade (Memory Lane, January 20) brought back memories.

I recall the brigade supplying foam one summer to an adventure playground in Kidlington.

This was in the early 1970s and the playground was in a field off Benmead Road rec. It has long since gone and the land built on to create Mead Way.

I have no idea who set it all up, but it did have a ‘zip wire’ (similar to the one in the image, but definitely with no safety harness!), strung from a large tree, which we all queued up to use.

There were other ‘things’ to play around on, but my memory escapes me as to what.

Perhaps other Kidlington kids of the time can recall more about this adventure playground and tell us who set it up and organised it.

PHIL BENNETT The Moors Kidlington

I wonder what Lindsay is doing?

AS SOON as I read Mary Stiff’s letter about the Seven O’Clock Club at Bullingdon community centre at Headington, Oxford (Memory Lane, January 13), I thought – I know that girl (Lindsay Spence).

In those days, I drove a minibus to schools in Abingdon. Lindsay lived in Benson and I picked her up and took her to school. I wonder what she is doing now?

JOYCE RAYNER High Street Sutton Courtenay

Cuppa memories

DID you work at Littlemore Hospital or know anyone who did work there?

If so, Littlemore Local History Society welcomes you to share memories over a cup of tea from 2-4pm on Wednesday (February 12) at Edith Kempson House, Chapel Lane, Littlemore (off Railway Lane) For details, contact Mary on 01865 712969 or Rita on 01865 514374 or email ritabevan@paston.co.uk RITA BEVAN Littlemore Oxford Brother’s fair hair caused confusion I WRITE regarding the Tuckwell dynasty (Memory Lane, December 23 and January 20).

The nearest Trevor Tuckwell got to Australia was in the 1950s when he was in the Malayan jungle serving in the Army. He definitely had black hair – in fact, it was jet black. Maybe it was his late brother, Ron, who had fair hair and caused the confusion.

Trevor later worked at Wolvercote Paper Mill for a number of years, followed by time at Unipart, Cowley.

He and his wife Sheila and daughter Catherine then moved to the Isle of Wight – they live in Sandown.

I was in the Far East from 1950-3 in the Royal Navy, serving in both Malayan and Korean waters, but never met Trevor. My wife Sheila is Trevor’s older sister.

I hope this will answer the questions in a number of past letters to Memory Lane.

TONY LEWIS Pegasus Road Blackbird Leys Oxford

Proud firemen pose with trophy

THIS photograph from retired Wantage firefighter Fred Holmes is of Wantage firemen.

Fred says it was taken in 1955 or 1956 and he has named them all.

He thinks the trophy is a Fire Station Efficiency Competition Cup – fire brigades used to run efficiency competitions.

The appliance in the background is a Commer Water Tender and we think the registration number was FRX 321 and it finished its working life as the second appliance at Faringdon in 1972. It was at Faringdon in 1970 when I started.

BILL LAW Faringdon

Motorcyclists were fair game

YOU featured David Brown with his Norman B4 motorcycle and his brush with police over noise (Memory Lane, January 13).

As motorcyclists, we were fair game for the police and, without question, the magistrates took their word as true.

I enclose a photograph of me in the 1960s on my Triumph 21 motorcycle with my mate, Mick Baston, on the back. The photograph was taken by his lovely wife, Ann.

Yes, we did have characters. One called Lenny New had an Ambassador Super S motorcycle. When put into gear, the chain would revolve twice on the worn sprocket before moving forward.

Lenny finally decided to replace the worn sprocket. Unfortunately by then, the chain was ruined!

One must not forget Malcolm Adams, Witney motorcycle gang leader, whose BSA Road Rocket silencers were held together by baling wire.

GLYN LIMMER Roosevelt Road Long Hanborough