Shoppers flocked to sign a petition as a campaign to save a school gathered momentum.

Organisers stood with their placards in Summertown in North Oxford during busy weekends to try to prevent the closure of their infants’ school.

Jenny Bancroft, left, the campaign chairman, and Polly Mitchell are pictured above at the stall they set up in the shopping centre in 1975.

They handed out leaflets and explained to passersby why they felt it was important to save the school in Hobson Way.

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When the picture was taken, they had already gathered more than 1,000 signatures.

The other picture dates from 1957 when the school received a certificate after its pupils saved money regularly for 40 years.

It was one of eight schools in the Oxford area to be recognised by the Oxford Savings Committee, which encouraged everyone to put money aside for the future.

Headmistress Miss P Allan is pictured showing the certificate to some of her pupils, watched by Mr F M Walker, the committee chairman.

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He told the children: “A 40-year unbroken savings record is a great achievement.”

The school had a short history, lasting little more than 40 years. It fell victim to Oxford City Council’s decision to switch from a two-tier to three-tier education system in the 1970s.

A proposal to build the school was first put forward in 1889, but after years of delay and disagreements between the church and council, it did not finally open until 1932.

The threat of closure emerged in the 1960s when the council was drawing up plans to replace infants, junior and senior schools with first, middle and upper schools.

St Michael’s did not feature - it was said to be too small and its buildings substandard.

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There was a lengthy battle to save the school. Supporters argued that it was an essential part of the neighbourhood and parents would face a two-mile walk to alternative schools.

Protest meetings were held and the petition finally closed with more than 2,000 signatures. But it was all to no avail and the school finally closed.

Although the school had a short life, pupils have happy memories of it.

Les Bowler was there from 1940 to 1943 when Miss Ingle was headmistress. His teachers were Miss Eustace, Miss Patch, Miss Cooper and Miss or Mrs Allen.

He recalled: “I remember the compulsory rests we all had to take on camp beds – I could never sleep. If the weather was suitable, the beds were placed outside.

“Other memories were maypole dancing and music lessons, for which we were issued with castanets, triangles, cymbals, tambourines and drums – what a racket we made.

“We all had to take our gas masks to and from school. We wore them on occasions in the classroom, to test that they were working.”

Tim Pocock, of Green Road, Headington, a pupil from 1953 to 1956, remembered watching a partial eclipse of the sun, with eyes protected by photo negatives, and the wartime concrete air raid shelter still dominating the playground.

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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF