Boys at Southfield Grammar School in Oxford were under pressure not only to do well in their studies but to join the Old Boys’ Association.

And to make sure no-one escaped the net, they were persuaded to part regularly with small sums of money as their ‘joining fee’ while they were still at school.

History master and deputy head Jack Brashour was the teacher who suggested (or probably demanded) that pupils pay – and most didn’t argue with him!

The result was that the Old Boys’ Association was guaranteed a constant supply of newly paid-up members when pupils left at the end of the summer term each year.

The idea was also adopted at the City of Oxford High School for Boys, although not as early as at Southfield. In 1958, the Old Oxford Citizens’ Society complained too few former pupils were supporting it.

Mr FCA Jones told the annual meeting there were many old boys whose support extended only as far as wearing the old boys’ tie or scarf. He said: “It is not good enough and we should make every effort to get them to back up the society.”

Secretary Mr R C Taylor said a new scheme by which boys still at school paid something every term so that they became ‘ready-made members’ when they left gave the society a “rosy prospect”.

He said: “I don’t think we have anything to fear as far as the future is concerned, but I agree that there are many who left before this scheme was introduced, who ought to be supporting us.

“We have tried to do all we can to bring them in, but so far we have not been very successful.”

Oxford High School was at the corner of George Street and New Inn Hall Street, while Southfield was off Glanville Road, East Oxford.

The schools combined in 1966 to form Oxford School on the Southfield site.

It is now Oxford Spires Academy.