Mailbag, March 10, 2014

THIS wonderful photograph of a team of workers repairing a road, with a steamroller in centre stage, appeared in The Times newspaper.

The caption did not identify its location or date, but on closer inspection, I wondered if it was taken in Oxford, outside the Examination Schools in the High?

It must have been hot work as can be seen by the row of jackets hanging from the railings on the extreme right of the photograph.

If it is indeed in Oxford, I wonder if any of your readers can send in any more information about this interesting photograph.

RICHARD SAMUELSON South Street Middle Barton

I still remember the steps!

WITH regard to my photograph of the four girls in Mother Goose at the New Theatre, Oxford, in 1944 (Memory Lane, December 30), I am sure the girls are, left to right, Jean Phelps, Betty Cheeseman, myself and June Ashton. As Diana Brown wrote (Memory Lane, January 27), we were frogs and water lilies and I still remember the steps. Happy days!

MARY EVANS (nee Winterbourne) Hanborough Road Eynsham

Honour of being first baby at unit

I WAS the first baby born on Christmas Day 1931 at the new maternity unit, which had opened two months earlier at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford (Memory Lane, January 20).

I always knew it was special for my mother because she was presented with a beautiful wooden cot.

My two brothers, my sister and then my son Stephen used the same cot until the springs gave up the ghost when Stephen used it to jump up and down to the tune of Eddie Calvert playing Zambesi.

Stephen was born at the Churchill Hospital on May 7, 1954, another memorable date – Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four minute mile at Iffley Road on the evening of May 6.

Sadly, my husband missed the race because he was visiting me in hospital.

While attending the ENT Department at the old maternity hospital, I was able to point out to my grand-daughter Sarah the plaque commemorating the opening of the unit by William Morris.

I still didn’t realise that I had the honour of being the ‘first’.

About 10 years ago, I was being transferred from the main John Radcliffe building to the Women’s Centre and it was a pleasure to see all the pictures displayed on the walls – a real exhibition of the history of the hospital.

In the 1960s, my sister Dorothy worked with Nancy Griffin and later my daughter Alison worked at the newly-opened Women’s Centre before she married and moved to Worcestershire.

Recently, my grandson, 26-year-old James, had an ear operation and was full of praise for the treatment he received and the kindness of the staff.

My family and I realise how lucky we are to have such a wonderful service here in Oxfordshire, especially as the purse strings are being pulled tighter and tighter and the staff all soldier on without letting the problems in the health service affect their ability to do their job.

Thank you for Memory Lane – Monday is the best day of the week!

ANN WALKER Rectory Road Great Haseley

Do you know who school visitor was?

THIS photograph may jolt readers’ memories.

I don’t know much about it. All I do know is that it was taken, possibly by a local press photographer, at Headington Primary School in Margaret Road.

My father, Gilbert Heath, was headmaster there from 1948 to 1965.

He is on the left at the rear of the photograph and the gentleman greeting the children appears to be someone of importance. I have no idea what the occasion was.

PETER HEATH Ferny Close Radley

A record of school times

SORTING through old papers kept by my late mum (she kept everything my brother and I were involved in in our lives), I found a Wheatley Secondary School Record published by its editor, the indefatigable Jeffery Babb, and including these photographs.

• TOP PUPILS: Prefects with staff at Wheatley Secondary School in 1960. Back row, left to right: Catherine Gibbons, Ann Sheppard, Muriel Haggett, Kay Humphries, Brian Barrett, Nigel Wallbridge, Richard Wallbridge, Timothy Young. Front row: Mary Maule (vice-captain), Margaret Covey (girl captain), Miss Brock, Mr Anson, Mr Allen, John Day (boy captain), Peter Westbury (vice-captain)

• EARLY DAYS: Staff at Wheatley Secondary School in 1950. Back row, left to right: Mrs Clements (secretary), Mrs Barclay, Mr Gould, Miss Trickett (Mrs Badcock), Mr Saunderson, Miss Leinster, Mr Allen. Front row: Mrs Anson, Mrs Moore (senior mistress), Mr Anson (headmaster), Mr Hart (senior master), Miss Bottrill (Mrs Gould)

The School Record was published in 1960 to celebrate 10 years since its formation.

It listed achievements by pupils over those 10 years, including those of an England Schoolboy international footballer.

In 2013, there was a school reunion, attended by some of those pupils and, of course, Jeffery Babb, still as spry as ever and seen at one time wandering across the stage in the main hall where, in my day, he would play the piano during assembly accompanying the hymns.

While engaged, he would also keep a hawk eye for those who were not singing, as I found out on one occasion to my cost. It resulted in there being no more enthusiastic vocalist than me during the rest of my time at Wheatley.

CHRIS PAYNE Turnpike Road Bicester