Peter Franklin has a constant reminder of the Oxford Candy Stores.

He has one of its glass sweet jars, still with its label, at his home in Mill Street, Kidlington.

He writes: "It is a 4lb jar, for Hollands Court Caramels, which sold at 7p a quarter, with a 10p charge for the jar.

"It is post-decimalisation as prices are in p's, not d's. I use the jar for pickling onions."

Other readers, too, remember the stores, run by the Plested family, which traded for 80 years.

The firm started in business in Aylesbury before 1900 before moving to Oxford in the early 1920s. It was based briefly in St Aldate's, then, in 1923, moved to Littlegate Street, St Ebbe's, when it took over the Star confectioners.

It stayed there until 1969 when it moved to new premises at Sandy Lane West, Littlemore.

Mavis Marnell worked for the company in St Aldate's when it was run by Aubrey Plested.

She recalls: "Wholesale confectionery was sold from the lower floor. The sweets were made upstairs.

"I worked with Mr Barnes, the sweet maker. There were only two of us then. Mr Barnes would have a big cauldron on the fire to make the candy.

"Afterwards, it would be put on a table and coloured in different pieces. Then it would be threaded into a small machine and shaped into boiled sweets.

"I would then form them into big rings on the next table, which was dusted with fine flour. When they had cooled, I would transfer them to my table, where they were weighed into 7lb glass jars.

"After putting the Oxford Candy Stores label on the jars, I would then take them down to the shop where they would be bought and then sold in local shops.

"All this was done by hand. Even the big bags of sugar were hauled up on a chain from the cellar."

The firm stopped making its own sweets in about 1958, but continued to supply sweets wholesale to corner shops as well as running a cash and carry warehouse. It closed in 1976.

Any more memories of the Oxford Candy Stores?