Record
No.
Series
Title
OT 250
West Oxford Joan Bates
History
OT 251
West Oxford Francis
History
Harris
OT 252
West Oxford Gillian
History
Sawyer
OT 253
West Oxford Ann Allan
Content
Describes childhood memories of living in Botley. Going to a Dame school
run by a very erudite lady until she was nine then to local school; games
played in the street, swimming at Tumbling Bay, going on long walks with
other children or alone, the river and canals, parents knew they were safe.
Fascinated by the barges and the families who lived on them; the little
chapel for barge families, with Sunday services, a school and a night school
for adults. Botley Road still countrified, very cars. St Giles' Fair - people
came even from London by special excursion trains. Visits to Seacourt Farm
which her grandather took over in 1870's, like going to a country estate; the
adults enjoyed doing some rough shooting, the children gathered
Descriptions of shops and businesses with colourful accounts of the shop
owners, publicans and customers.
Education at Cumnor, and Botley Senior School. Left school at 14: gives
memories of his work history in the Botley area, first with a description of
Steveco's coal works from 1939 to 1941 and then of Kingerlee's Joinery
Works where he was Before the War they had built the Apollo Theatre and
much of Botley Road, but during the War not much building work, mostly
they made padded boxes for car radiators for MG etc. Returned to Kingerlee
after 2 years in the Navy. The firm's move to Road in 1958. (A lot of
interference on side 1). Botley Road: the slaughterhouse, shops and
businesses.
Gillian Sawyer was born at the Oxford Maternity Home in 1934. Her parents
both came from railway families, and her father worked at Oxford Station.
She went to West Oxford Girls' School from 5 to 15. The teachers good but
strict. Sunday School at Railway Mission. Playing with friends in the air raid
shelter during the war - when the siren went they would run home. Could
play with tops and hoops in the road, no cars except delivery vans. They
would walk to Hen Wood, Raleigh Park, Tumbling to swim. Their house: no
bathroom, outside loo, coal fires, lived in the back room, did not use the
front one much. Shoppng: did not need to go into town, local shops, bakery
delivered hot crusty bread. Her father was a porter but managed to buy 3 at
£220 each. He was in the Home Guard in the war. People in the area: lots of
families, everyone friendly, most were railway or college employees.
Interviewee was born in Oxford in 1948 and lived in Mill Street. Her father
Interviewer
Date
Graham,
Malcolm
17.3.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
4.9.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
8.9.1997
Graham,
15.9.1997
History
OT 254
West Oxford John Power
History
OT 255
West Oxford Brendan
History
Carter
worked at Christ Church, responsible for one 'staircase' occupied by
undergraduates, her mother helped. Most houses in Mill Steet and Cripley
Road belonged to the college. describes the family house and life in general
in the 1950s, and gives a vivid account of school life at West Oxford School
in both the Infants and Juniors; from there she won a scholarship place to
Milham Ford Grammar School. As early as the age seven, children were
allowed to go on their own to Tumbling Bay, Osney Lock and the recreation
ground. Shopping in the local shops and at Sainsbury's at Carfax. The family
moved to a better house in Abbey Road, then to Binsey Lane.
Interviewee was born in 1938. His home was in East Oxford and he went to
school there but spent much time living with his grandparents in West
Oxford, where he saw the poverty of the area. His grandmother, who cleaned
the Institute, a local centre, was generous and gave food to the poorer
children. Description of the housing and living conditions and general
poverty of the area in the 1940s and 1950s. Railway workers who lived in
the area were Labour supporters; they were 'treated slaves' by the employers.
Account given of the rich tradition of the allotments which gave people the
joy of having enough food to share with others. Was not at first interested in
politics but stood for and joined the City Council in 1979 to about plans for
building on an area of open land. Stayed on the Estates Committee,
emphasised the need to make housing a priority when land became
available. Scandal of the houses bought by Robert Maxwell. His account of
his work on the City from 1979 gives an insight into how the area became as
it is today. Problems of traffic in Botley Road, which the Park and Ride has
not solved.
Brendan Carter was born in Cowley; the family then moved to a bigger, 3
storied , house in Abbey Road, Botley which his mother ran as a lodging
house, taking especially Irish guests. No bathroom, washed in a tin bath,
sometimes going to Paradise for a proper bath, until they had one installed in
the 1960's. Games, bonfires, collecting train numbers, swimming at
Tumbling Bay, favourite radio programmes. Went to St Frideswide's School,
where the head master used a rounders bat to punish the (on the hand), then
to West Oxford, where he remembers Mr Summers' enthusiasm for football;
his mother then arranged for him to go to Cowley St John for secondary
school. Played bar billiards and football for the Democrats' Club. Shops in
the Road. and the slaughterhouse and dairy, are described in some detail.
Malcolm
Graham,
Malcolm
18.9.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
19.9.1997
OT 256
West Oxford Jim Tyler
History
OT 257
West Oxford Mel
History
Summers
OT 258
West Oxford Leslie Jones
History
OT 259
West Oxford Gwen Ilsley
History
Interviewee was born in 1901 and lived in Oxford from 1907 when there
was nothing beyond Binsey Lane, and there were bridges which no longer
exist. Went to Wesleyan Church Grade School. Worked for a time at
Kingerlee building firm, his first job them to take packing cases round to the
marmalade factory. He recalls playing in the fields, punting down the river
and back for Eights Week, watching boats which brought coal up to the
terminus in New Road, and seeing Folly Bridge from New Road houses
were being pulled down in St Ebbe's. Played bowls for 53 years. He gives
details of shops and open spaces which no longer exist or have been
converted.
Mr Summers was born in 1921 in Wales; he trained as a teacher after
wartime service in the RAF and after teaching practice came to West Oxford
School. There he taught, later becoming headmaster, from 1949 to 1981.
When he first came to Oxford he people were rather reserved compared with
the Welsh. He describes his years at the school including the addition of a
nursery class when St Thomas' School closed down, his encouragement of
football and swimming, exploring the flow of the river with children to find
out why the fields flooded etc. Never had discipline problems. He found that
children of immigrant families coming into the area adapted quickly.
Encouraged activities such as collecting paper to earn money for school
funds. He anecdotes about specific inspectors, teachers, pupils, school
festivals and management meetings.
Interviewee was born in 1923 and after two years at Lucy's he worked on the
railway from 1940 to 1986, starting as a cleaner, as was usual. He was based
at Oxford throughout. Hours were long and irregular, especially in the war
years, when men do 18 hours without a break. He gives details of freight
trains and passenger trains and about the lines served by Oxford station, with
anecdotes about speeding and brake failures. He talks also about
nationalisation of the railway and the of steam trains.
Interviewee was born in 1914 and lived in West Street, Osney Island, all her
life. Started school at 3, unofficially, not compulsory until 5. Children would
go off together, no problem, and come back when they were hungry.
Swimming at Tumbling Bay. children went to Sunday School and then on to
church. Memories of the Vicars of St Frideswide, of Sunday School outings
and the Christmas tea with a lantern slide show. To West Oxford School for
girls, classes of 30-40. She describes her early life at Hunt and Broadhurst in
Graham,
Malcolm
25.9.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
20.10.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
23.10.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
27.10.1997
OT 260
West Oxford Greta Betts
History
OT 261
West Oxford Bill Stevens
History
& Norman
Bunning
OT 262
West Oxford Ken
History
Charlwood
the 1930s, 40s and 50s; during the War she was doing secret work, printing
information for the Navy and aerial photographs for use in air raids on
Germany. Descriptions are given of local shops and businesses showing
much the area of Botley Road and Osney Island has subsequently changed.
She recalls the Co-op bakery, noisy at night with men singing and trolleys
being pushed around on tiled floors, and the slaughterhouse where blood
came out on to the street.
Interviwee was born in 1920 and has lived in the same house in Henry Street
all her life. She describes life at a small private school in the area and life at
West Oxford school. A description of the house during her childhood is
given. The Co-op is described in detail and also other smaller businesses and
shops in the area are itemised. Childhood games and friends are described in
detail.
Interviewees were born in 1920. They describe school life at West Oxford
School where one teacher, Mr Wainwright, encouaged sport and numerous
cups and shields were won. Swimming at Tumbling Bay, and, for the team,
at Merton Baths- they would run and back from school. Bill's first job at the
local cinema. Details of working at Webbers Butchers in the 1930s and early
1940s until, and after, the War. Bill joined the RAF, was an electrician at an
air base where the planes were involved in spies and supplies for the
underground resistance to occupied Europe. They give many anecdotes of
people they knew, jobs they did such as killing pigs and chickens and
collecting manure from the station, where horses worked for the railway and
also passengers. Amusing descriptions are given of drinking home made
wine when delivering meat and odd brushes with the police. Shops and
businesses in Botley Road and Lamarsh Road.
Ken Charlwood was born in the 1920s in Lake Street, New Hinksey. He
describes this area in the 1930s and 1940s: the waterworks at Hinksey Lake,
the cottages built for the navvies who dug the lake, walks to Chilswell Hills
and to Youlbury Camp with Scouts, and the Prisoner of War camp on
Harcourt Hill. He talks about the army workshop in fields by the Ring Road
where tanks were equipped ready for the D-Day invasion of Europe. He was
apprenticed to Kingerlee's building firm where his father as an apprentice he
had to go to night school, and paid for this and for the exams. Finished his
apprenticeship after the war, joined a firm which was working on restoring
buildings, including one on the corner of Ship Street and Cornmarket. In the
Graham,
Malcolm
28.10.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
4.11.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
6.11.1997
OT 263
West Oxford John Alden
History
OT 264
West Oxford Thomas
History
Henry
Kingerlee
OT 265
West Oxford Don
History
Chapman
he moved to Hill View Road in West Oxford and he gives a detailed account
of working on the allotments in this area. He joined the West Oxford
Bowling Club, a social rather than competitive group.
A detailed description of the development and changes in Alden Press,
founded 1831, from 1953 to the late 1990s, is given by John Alden, a family
member, who started work there in 1953 as a trainee manager. At that time
the press had a contract the publishers Jonathan Cape, but dependence on
one firm was not reliable, so the connection was severed in 1959. The press
was then housed in Binsey Lane having moved from Cornmarket in 1926.
The premises and type of work at Binsey Lane are in detail. The firm moved
to Osney Mead in 1965; more space, open plan office, but access problems
as the planned new road did not materialise. Much of the firm's work now
scientific journals and books. Used to publish Alden's Oxford Guide but this
been superseded by other guide books. Huge changes with new technology;
printing can be done anywhere e.g. Hong Kong, and typesetting is now done
in a branch of the firm in Northampton.
The interviewee is the great grandson of the founder of Kingerlees Building
Works, founded in the 19th century; he joined it after training as a quantity
surveyor in London. In the twenties the firm did much work in London:
banks, theatres, etc. It employed many people and contracts were carried out
for buildings in different parts of the country. During World War 2 work
was done for the Forces at Abingdon, Upper Heyford, Steventon etc. After
the second World War employment changed as were less keen to work away
from home, and the business became smaller, but much work was done in
Oxford, in colleges, hospitals, the car factory etc. He describes moves from
Queen Street to Mill Street and Abbey Road and finally to its present in
Lamarsh Road.
As a student at Oxford, Don Chapman enjoyed debating and writing essays,
and this led to an offer of work for the Oxford Mail from 1959. He began as
a theatre critic, but moved on to other subjects and developed what became a
six days a week column after the 17 century Oxford gossip and historian
Anthony Wood; he aimed to reflect the interests of the public and to include
items of local history. He describes the Oxford Mail and Times building in
Shoe Lane, New Inn Hall Street, printing press all departments, convenient
for distribution and for keeping up to date with the local news but expansion
was impossible as rents in central Oxford were too high, hence the move to
Graham,
Malcolm
12.11.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
13.11.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
13.11.1997
OT 266
OT 267
OT 268
custom built premises at Osney Mead. Advantages and disadvantages the
new site and attitudes to new technology. He recalls his early life in West
Oxford, with reminiscences about particular shops, swimming at Tumbling
Bay, walking to St Aldate's where he sang in the choir, and to Boars Hill and
along Willow Walk.
West Oxford John &
Interviewees are related, two generations down, to Charles Hector Wig,
History
Richard
headmaster of St. Frideswide's School, West Oxford, from about 1900 until
Jeffery
1932. He was from Suffolk and obtained the headship on the insistence of
his future father in law. As a he encouraged sport, and got the boys to work
in his garden, but the interviewees say they do not know much about him as
a person. Wig's house, built in 1910 on Harcourt Hill, is described: it was
surprisingly large and grand for a school teacher afford, and in an area with
well off poeple and university dons as neighbours. After he retired, Wig and
his wife spent 6 years living with his unmarried clergyman son, while
tenants lived in the house and the garden was neglected. A daughter, of one
of the interviewees, used to walk to Oxford High School in North Oxford
from Harcourt Hill, crossing the river by the ferry at Hinksey, no longer
there.
West Oxford Frank &
Frank and Ethel Fowler were born in 1923 and lived in Bridge Street all
History
Ethel Fowler their lives. They describe their home, in which she was born, the road and
the local area in the 1930s and 1940s. Playing marbles in the street, no
traffic, only one man had a used as a taxi, swimming at Tumbling Bay,
going to West Oxford School from age 3 to 14. In the summer women sat
outside their houses watching the street, chatting or doing embroidery. Their
house flooded in 1947 only, but every year the street was The sawmill, the
Democrats Club, the bakery, going to the town centre to the Angel Cafe and
the Carfax Assembly Rooms. The friendly neighbourly atmosphere now lost
is recalled warmly. Frank worked at the Co-op Garage, which serviced the
Co-op fleet about 400 milk tankers, food and coal lorries etc. as a fitter, and
eventually became responsible for several other garages including Chipping
Norton and Swindon.
West Oxford Mike & Pat Mike and Pat Ferret have lived in Osney all their life. When they were
History
Ferret
children,all the people in Osney were families, now they are mostly
professional people and commuters. Mike describes working at Woodward's
Bakery from 1958 and going into with Mr. Woodward in 1969. He recalls
how bread was baked and describes some old ovens which were used from
Graham,
Malcolm
16.11.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
25.11.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
3.12.1997
OT 269
West Oxford David
History
Walker
OT 270
West Oxford Bill Munsey
History
OT 271
West Oxford Tom
History
Ballance
1902 until 1976. He and his wife extended the bakery shop to a general
store, with long hours and a good number of staff. Business was good the
1970 and 1980, but ways of life changed, as people commuted to work by
car and did their shopping on the way back at the new big supermarkets.
However, the bakery is still making a profit, producing about 700 loaves
daily, with more variety as French sticks and ciabatta. Their early life in the
1940s and 1950s in South Street and West Oxford School is also recalled.
Interviewee moved to West Street in 1936 aged 13 years. He was at school
first in East Oxford and then at the central Technical School. He describes
the purchase by his family of the Osney Service Cars business for £1,250 in
1938. He gives a description of its facilities and how it ran at this time,
including details of the building's plumbing system and the working of an
old petrol pump. At that time people parked their cars in the streets or at the
garage. The house they lived in had gas and water had to be pumped. His
mother and stepfather took over a general shop; after they died, he continued
with the taxi business. He became very interested in amateur radio, and has
contacted people all over the world including all 50 of United States.
Interviewee was born at Osney Mill in 1933; later he lived at Cumnor when
his own children were young, working at the Mill, then managed by his
uncle, rather than becoming a corn merchant like his father. He moved back
to Osney to take over the when his parents died. He recalls the mill business
in the later 1930s and 1940s and describes the working of the mill and the
employees, as well as some of the businesses to which they supplied flour.
They produced about 4 tons of flour a week. as more and more of their
customers, were taken over by big companies, trade declined and they now
supply to smaller firms, definitely not to supermarkets. He gives a
description of the area near the Mill, in particular the local shops and the
which he helped to build in the 1960s.
Tom Ballance's father bought the boat building business at Binsey from the
Bossom family in 1952. They built small boats, sailing dinghies and
launches, and have now diversified. As owner, Mr Ballance also manages
the Marina. Binsey has changed little during his lifetime: the Perch pub has
expanded, part of the Common has been fenced to stop people from driving
straight down to the river, and the duck pond has gone, but it still feels fairly
remote and there is no road access to the which can be a disadvantage for
business,
Graham,
Malcolm
4.12.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
8.12.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
10.12.1997
OT 272
OT 273
OT 274
West Oxford Bob Allen & The speakers have both lived in West Oxford for most of their lives. Bob
History
Edith
Allen was born in the house his grandfather had lived in, and he lives in it
Bartlett
now. He speaks about the ginger beer factory, the dust pollution from the
coal fired power Tumbling Bay, seeing animals driven from Oxpens Market
to the slaughterhouse, and Saint Frideswide's Boys' School. Edith Bartlett
was at West Oxford (girls')School; she recalls marching in to Assembly,
buying Savings Stamps, and country and Morris They talk about life in Mill
Street in the 1940s and 1950s, the local shops, local characters and games
played in the street and round about, including hide and seek in the
cemetery, scrumping in Mr Muncey's garden, chasing each other in the
subway, lighting bonfires and watching the fire engine come, birds' nesting,
climbing trees, cycling to Raleigh Park. They recall vividly the snow and
subsequent floods in the winter of 1947.
West Oxford Jenny
Interviewee moved into Helen Road in 1971 when her former husband took
History
Lindsell
up a mature student scholarship at the University. At that time the area had
many small shops and businesses that employed local people. She became
involved in the activities of Community Centre, where there were a drama
club, barn dances and Bingo, a lunch club for pensioners, etc and regrets that
it now has less place in local life. Her main concern became the need for
community participation in planning such as the to build a road to relieve
traffic in Botley Road, by demolishing houses in Binsey Lane and
destroying the green area behind other houses, and the Maxwell scandal
when houses were bought up cheaply causing disruption and anxiety. Osney
Mead workers from outside into the area, local shops disappear, the area has
no focal point, councillors for the area do not live in the ward, people do not
know what is going on. Ecological/Green policies have met with some
hostility.
West Oxford Renie
Renee Haffenden was born in 1916 at 62 Bridge Street where she has lived
History
Haffenden
all her life. She recalls her childhood in West Oxford and describes cooking
over the open range, games played in the street, gathering flowers for
Mayday celebrations, in the river, fireworks, going to the cinema, watching
ice hockey matches at the old rink in Botley Road, schooling at West Oxford
School. The rag and bone man, the Salvation Army band, the allotments,
shows at the Recreation ground with for the best vegetables, cakes etc.
People worked for the railway or the Post Office; there was also a small
boatbuilding firm. She gives a detailed description of working at Hunt and
Graham,
Malcolm
10.12.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
16.12.1997
Graham,
Malcolm
14.1.1998
OT 275
West Oxford Charles Gee
History
OT 276
West Oxford Mary
History
Walton
OT 277
West Oxford June &
History
David
Warne
Broadhurst stationery manufacturers in the 194os and 50s. Her husband lost
his life serving in the RAF 6 months after their marriage in 1942; her second
husband was very involved in various sports, and was a football referee.
Interviewee bought Medley Manor Farm, Binsey in 1958. He describes
living and working on the farm from then to the present day. He describes
parts of the house in detail together with a visit from Geoffrey De Havilland
in 1961 whose grandfather had the house previously. Details are thus given
of the house and the area at the beginning of the 20th century together with
other changes in the area during the later 20th century.
Interviewee was born in 1917 in Duke Street. She describes in great detail
the family run corner grocer's shop and off licence which was within their
house during the early part of the 20th century. Vivid descriptions of the
interior of the cellar and store room are given. The processes of ordering,
taking delivery and stock taking are itemised. She goes on to describe a shoe
repairers shop which she and her husband ran from 1944 to 1958. Further
detailed descriptions of the ice rink cinema during the 1940s are given.(A lot
of interference on tape 2 side 1)
Generalised description of childhood, teenage and early adult life in West
Oxford during the 1940s and 1950s. Some wartime experiences are itemised.
Detailed descriptions of local shops and businesses are given together with
the dentist and doctor the area. Several local characters are also described
vividly.
Graham,
Malcolm
16.1.1998
Graham,
Malcolm
20.2.1998
Graham,
Malcolm
22.2.1998