WHAT a wonderful nostalgic picture of the residents of Cranham Street, Jericho (Memory Lane, Oxford Mail, July 18), the occasion being the celebration of the 1951 Festival of Britain.

In the write-up, it says the Festival of Britain had two purposes – to light the gloom of the post-war years of austerity and show everyone that Britain still led the world.

A far cry from today, where Britain no longer leads but is led and governed by an unelected body in Brussels, thanks to recent Government administrations who have allowed this to happen.

There were few men pictured in the photograph, perhaps they had to work that day and I guess most of them served in the Second World War, perhaps some didn’t return. I wonder what they would think of how things are today?

Community spirit was at its best in those days and during the war where every man, woman and child played a part. It’s a bit different today. People’s attitudes have changed and in lots of cases (as long as I’m all right, Jack), shut the door on the world. Most streets have multi-let houses and one does not know half the people living in the neighbourhood. Many such houses become untidy and gardens are a disgrace.

Thank goodness for some traditions we are still allowed to uphold. In (the issue) a couple of weeks ago, there was a for and against the Royal Family, the emphasis on Prince Charles, the republican giving his views against as always. Thank goodness they are in a minority. Without the Royal Family the Great would be gone out of Great Britain forever.

MICHAEL CLARKE Lewell Avenue Old Marston