It was a time for former apprentices in the car industry to reminisce.

Memories of days long ago when they were learning their trades at the Osberton Radiators’ factory in North Oxford were exchanged at their 24th annual lunch.

The plant, tucked behind homes off Woodstock Road, supplied parts for many famous cars and provided income for thousands of families for nearly a century.

At the lunch at the Rose Revived pub in Newbridge, near Witney, there was plenty of opportunity for the former apprentices to reflect on life at the factory.

Some recalled cycling long distances to and from work and attending evening classes as well as working all day as part of their training.

Others remembered the varied social activities – the factory had its own sports and social club, with football and cricket teams and a drama group.

One member recalled a cold winter night when workers decided to dump faulty parts in a nearby lake, expecting them to sink out of sight.

But When morning broke, the parts were still visible, frozen solid in ice. Somehow, the guilty men got away with it and nothing more was said!

Osberton Radiators began life in 1919 when the war ended and William Morris needed radiators for the cars he and his workers were building at Cowley.

Morris asked Mr HA Ryder, who ran the Doherty Motor Company in Coventry, to open a radiator factory in Oxford.

The new company moved into an old roller skating rink and bus depot in Osberton Road, off Woodstock Road, taking its name from the road where it was based.

The cooling elements of the early radiators were made of brass, steel and copper, soldered together.

The 10 workers initially employed had few soldering skills, but after a rapid training session, were soon producing radiators for the Bullnose Morris.

William Morris bought the firm in 1923 and two years later, started work on the former brickworks site off Woodstock Road it was to occupy for 75 years. In the 1930s, the factory diversified into producing exhaust systems, petrol tanks, bonnets and sumps and during the Second World War, it made radiators and other parts for Spitfire aircraft.

At the height of the war, 3,000 people worked there on day, night and twilight shifts. Boys from St Edward’s School often delivered Spitfire parts in their handcart.

The factory, which had its own Home Guard platoon, also produced radiators for the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine mounted on Lancaster, Halifax and Mosquito bombers and an assortment of military hardware.

After the war, the success of the Morris Eight and later the Morris Minor marked a busy era for the factory, but by the 1970s, it survived closure at the expense of huge job cuts.

In 1987, by then known as Oxford Automotive Components, it became part of the Unipart Group.

The factory closed in 2001 and the site has now been developed for housing.

* The former apprentices at the dinner were Peter Biggs, Derek King, Don Murray, Roger Needle, Ray Neil, Dave North, Norman Robinson, Don Robinson, Richard Powell, Geoff Shrimpton, Peter Silman, Bob Slatcher, Mick Stokes, John Thomas, Allan Webb, Ken Davies, Brian Webster and Les Bowler

For their 25th annual dinner next year, organisers are hoping to attract former apprentices who have not been in touch, and to collect anecdotes of factory life for an anniversary booklet. Call Brian Webster on 01235 223809 or email websterbrian1@sky.com