THIS picture shows five of the last telegram boys in Oxford. It was taken 18 years after the 1964 photograph you published (Memory Lane, June 20).

The Post Office telegram service ceased on September 30, 1982.

The Puch mopeds replaced the famous BSA Bantams which had been used for many years.

Two names I think I recall in the 1982 photograph are Paul Gray, second from left, and Derek Plested, right. The postmen higher grade in charge of the boys were Sidney ‘Sam’ Samworth and Dennis ‘Warren’ Cherrill.

Some of the lads appeared in a 20-minute film for a BBC schools careers programme, Going to Work – Post Office Cadet (a title which replaced ‘messenger’ and ‘telegram boy’), which was transmitted on January 18 and 22, 1982.

Brian Hollis’s letter (Memory Lane, July 4), referring to the strikes at the car factory, reminded me of the time I was delivering these telegrams to workers in Oxford and rural areas on a cold and foggy night getting home at 2am.

Happy days, though.

STEPHEN JONES
Oxford

THE two remaining names of the telegram boys in the photograph you published (Memory Lane, June 20) are Alan Stansfield on the left and the one next to him is Paul Greenaway (me). Our nicknames were Stan, Gren, Smiler and Cluckers.

They were carefree days. My best wishes to them.

PAUL GREENAWAY
By email