Memory Lane

PREMIUM

Kingsley Vallis with his sultana cake, which won him a runners-up place in the area finals of a national baking competition at the Randolph Hotel, Oxford, in 1980

New bread for breakfast - the motto of the Vallis bakery
We take a loot at the story behind Vallis & Son bakery in Headington, the great British bakery.

Nurses and factory workers demand a square deal for NHS staff in April 1962

PREMIUM Do you know these nurses who protested over pay in 1962?

The Mattock brothers, left to right, Robert, John and Mark, with a new rose, named Benson and Hedges Gold, which they exhibited for the first time at the 1979 Chelsea Flower Show

PREMIUM How Mattock became the most respected name in the rose growing business worldwide

Dressing up, making jam and a lorry pull were fundraisers for the Churchill Hospital

Karen Hall and Tina Long take part in a pancake race in Stonesfield

Dressing up for the pancake race in Stonesfield

Audrey and George Cullimore

Family celebrates four golden wedding couples

A group of intrepid hikers sets off from Oxford School in the snow on the 1986 Cyril Gardner Memorial hike

Youngsters defied snow and ice to trek 33 miles through Oxfordshire

PIC BY JON LEWIS
08.07.14. Oxford
Catchline: Rod
Priority: Pic
For: OE
From 'Sailing' to punting!
Ben Heathcote and Jenna Lee-James star as Stuart Clutterbuck and Sweet Lady Mary in 'Tonight's The Night' - based on the music of Rod

Looking back at all the fun of punting in Oxford

Iannis Philippakis of Foals at Truck Festival in 2019

A look back at Truck Festival in 2019 - will it go ahead in 2021?

City councillor Rae Humberstone leads the annual roundup of livestock in 2014

A look back at popular open space Port Meadow

Oxford has a colourful history of rugby clubs

Darts hotshots – left to right, captain Andrew Smith, Andrew Reid, Simon Jackson and Mark Willett, pictured in 1976

Marston youngsters are sharp enough to win darts competition

7 Steam engine No 75001 passes Wheatley with empty stock to London. Picture: Great Western Trust

Memories of the Oxford to Princes Risborough line

Andrew, Deborah and James Oram look unsure about Dorothy Tombs

Witches gather at Town Hall for a good cause

Botley Primary School pupils show off their tapestry to mark the Millenium. Their creation toured the nation and beyond.

Remember When: Primary school pupils' tapestry toured world for Millenium

Farewell to the County Scout Commissioner Ken Anderson at Youlbury in 1961 – front row, left to right, Bill Barnes, ?, Ken Wellstood, Joan Wellstood, Mrs Launchbury, Len Launchbury, ? , ?, ? , Ken Anderson

MEMORY LANE: Huge turnout to say fond farewell to a Scout leader

Lady Townsend, centre, pictured with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, Alderman Percy Bromley and Mrs Mary Bromley, at her 80th birthday party in 1969

PREMIUM Why Lady Townsend shone a beacon for women when men dominated public life

Families at their VE Day party at the Queen’s Arms pub at Cowley in May 1945

MEMORY LANE: Party at Cowley pub to mark end of the war in Europe

Monty Hillier with one of the many trophies he won during his athletics career

MEMORY LANE: From outstanding athlete to sporting administrator – he was the full Monty

Reg Earl with his book on 100 years of the Oxford telephone service

MEMORY LANE: Telephone boxes trapped any users up to no good

Kathy Moss and her 13-year old niece, Nicola Walker, 60ft up St Martin's Church tower during their 24-hour vigil in 1981

MEMORY LANE: Appeal helped save icon of historic village’s skyline

MEMORY LANE: Celebrating beginning of spring in years gone by

Firefighters and footballers with the Milk Cup at the launch of Fire Safety Week in 1986

MEMORY LANE: Cup-winning U’s helped promote fire warnings

A Fun Day ended in terror as a parachutist plunged into spectators in September 1986

Remember When: Fun day terror as parachutist plunged into spectators

St Johns Ambulance experts demonstrate emergency techniques at the carnival in June 1986

Remember When: Blackbird Leys carnival 1986

Talk show host Jeremy Kyle signs copies of his new book at Borders bookshop, Oxford, in June 2009. Picture: Antony Moore

Remember When: Jeremy Kyle met fans in Oxford

Oxfordshire firefighters use a hydraulic platform to try to rescue a pigeon from behind Boswells on Broad Street, May 1, 2009. Picture: Andy Eddy

Remember When: Firefighters went on dramatic rescue mission

Curator Colin Harrison, left, shows the Millais painting of Ruskin to Ashmolean Museum director Christopher Brown, centre, and Hedley Swain, of Arts Council England in 2013. Picture: Antony Moore

Remember When: £7m painting that destroyed a marriage returned to Oxford

Roger Bannister

Remember When: Roger Bannister ran the four-minute mile

The Easter Plastic Duck Race in Blewbury, April 15, 2001, in aid of the restoration of the church tower. Picture: David Fleming

Remember When: 500 plastic ducks competed in race

Chadlington Easter egg race at the The Tite Inn, April 15, 2001. Picture: David Fleming

Remember When: Children had to chase their eggs down the road

Gordon Brown is being presented with a Mini pedal car for his son, made by apprentices. Pic by Jon Lewis

Remember When: Gordon Brown visited Mini plant

Steve Rich and Tim Badcock with the old town well in Abingdon. Picture: Antony Moore

Remember When: Abingdon war memorial was falling over

'Sparkling Oxford' Campaign. Photo by Terry Lee

Remember When: Sparkling Oxford campaign cleaned up city

Hundreds of people protest against the Iraq war in Carfax in the centre of Oxford on Thursday, March 13, 2003. Picture: George Reszeter

Remember When: Young strikers took to the streets of Oxford in 2003

Post-Christmas sales at Next in Cornmarket Street, Oxford, on Saturday, December 28, 2002. Picture: George Reszeter

Remember When: Shoppers queued to get into Next on Cornmarket

Wallingford Peace Group members drink a toast to the treaty

Remember When: Wallingford celebrated Ronald Reagan peace treaty

The Musical Chairs dancing group rehearse a routine in December 1986

Remember When: Wheelchair dance group did a musical number

Mime dancers faced arrest for their popularity in August 1989

Remember When: Street dancers got into trouble with the law - because they were so popular

Banbury firm Percy Gilkes Printers

Remember When: Banbury printers was recognised for safety

The Green Road roundabout in 1987

Remember When: Plans to improve Headington roundabout

Vandal-proof telephone box smashed on first day on May 15, 1970

Remember When: Yobs smashed new phone box before it even had a phone

Shoppers clear the shelves as Woolworths in Templars Square, Cowley, closes for the last time in January 2009. Picture: Damian Halliwell

Remember When: Woolworths in Cowley closed

December 1959, Vicarage sold for £40,000

Remember When: Vicarage sold for £40,000

The new branch of Wychwood Stationers which opened on Cowley Road in May 1982.

Remember When: A new stationers opened on Cowley Road

National Union of Public Employees members at Oxford's Town Hall in January 1979

Remember When: City was shut down by strikes

Japanese couple were the first customers for of Oxford's new 'taxi bus'

Remember When: Japanese visitors were baffled by Oxford taxi bus

Protestors supporting a day of action for Oxford hospital staff in October 1982

Remember When: Protest strikes force JR to cancel operations

Fiona Turner (left) and Kathy Paine (right) in 1983

Remember When: Student nurses cycled on tandem for charity

Remember when presents were this cheap? Pic and story taken from our archives from December 19, 1975

15 Christmas presents for under £1 in 1975!

Remember when: Klara the chimp was the champ at the party on December 27, 1974

Remember When: Police brought real chimp to children's party

Remember when: disabled shopping night on November 26, 1985. Annie Powell, 87, of Oseney Court with her helper Barbabra Henderson

Remember when: 1,600 shoppers browsed in peace

Remember when: plastic tech nicolour playground was installed in Hinksey Park in July 20, 1979

Remember when: Space station playground crashed to Hinksey Park

Adventure playground in Bullingdon Road in June, 1977

Remember When: Playground became battleground over vandals