The gift of a loaf of bread to every child at Burford Primary School couldn’t have been better timed.
Bakers were taking industrial action at the time and there was a general shortage of bread.
So mothers must have been delighted when their little ones trooped in with a crusty loaf under their arm in the autumn of 1977.
The gift, however, was nothing to do with the bakers' dispute — it was a town custom going back more than 300 years.
Two men left £2 12s a year in their wills so that 12 poor children could have a loaf every Sunday.
But Burford Parish Council decided that every child should have a loaf once a year.
The ceremony usually took place in the summer, but was put off that year until December because of the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here