1980 in Oxford was the year when pop artist Andy Warhol visited for a book publication, and the last MG car body at Pressed Steel Fisher in Cowley came off the line.

Here we look back at some nostalgic photos from the Oxford Mail archive.

Aunt Sally rivalry was clear to see in Littlemore when regulars from The George took on Littlemore Royal British Legion.

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And another star was in the city when TV's John Inman showed up at a Blackbird Leys school to launch a new minibus.

Mr Inman was a popular face from the comedy show Are You Being Served.

But the visit of legendary pop artist Andy Warhol caused much more of a stir.

Oxford Mail:

His purpose was to attend a promotional party for his book of celebrity photographs, Exposures, which was held at 29 Charlbury Road, a large North Oxford property belonging to St Antony’s College and home to its Warden, Sir Raymond Carr, and his family.

Oxford Times writer Chris Gray recalled in 2014: "Bigger than ever in Britain at the time, according to his biographer Victor Bockris, Warhol was on a three-day visit to London, staying at the Ritz Hotel.

"Matthew Carr was a talented portrait painter and well-known figure on the Oxford student social scene. He heard on the grapevine that Warhol was eager to meet some of Oxford’s smarter undergraduates and persuaded his parents to allow use of the family home for the purpose. The college butler poured the cocktails.

"I was present at the party both as a friend of Matthew’s and as a reporter for the Oxford Mail. Rob Judges, one of the Mail’s photographers, was there as well.

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"There were older people present at the Charlbury Road party, too, friends of Raymond Carr in the main, keen to cast an appraising eye over the American visitor.

"They included novelist Iris Murdoch, who lived just along the road, and Lord Goodman, the Master of University College, who was with his regular companion of the day, Ann Fleming, the widow of James Bond’s creator Ian Fleming.

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"They were given, as I reported, “a typically laconic performance” from Warhol. “For someone who admits to being a compulsive once-a-day party-goer and who owns a magazine called Interview, Mr Warhol was extremely reluctant either to be seen to enjoy the party or to be on the receiving end of Press questions.”

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.