70th anniversary of Oxford Leiden twinning - exhibition in Oxford
Twin cities
Oxford-based artists in front of Christ Church. The artists took part in an Alice in Wonderland themed exhibition as part of events to mark the 70th anniversary between Oxford and Leiden.
http://oxford-leiden.org.uk/
Museum of Oxford
2016
Oxford Leiden link
Stained Glass Window in Leiden
Twin cities
Ian Smith, Roel Dragt and Beryl Craig with the stained glass window they unveiled in Leiden for the 60th-anniversary celebrations. The window was a gift from Oxford. Oxford received a gift of a stained glass window in return, which is installed at Oxford Town Hall. Beryl and Ian were part of the first athletics team to visit Leiden in 1946 and Roel Dragt was a member of an early Leiden water-polo squad. 65 people from Oxford took part in the trip to Leiden for the celebrations.
http://oxford-leiden.org.uk/
Museum of Oxford
2006
Oxford Leiden Link
Mayor in Leiden parade
Twin cities
The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Beryl Keen, and her husband, Bryan, are pictured in a horse-drawn, flower-decked carriage taking part in the annual October 3 Parade in Leiden in 1996. The theme that year was Partners. in honour of our 50th anniversary.
Museum of Oxford
1996
Oxford Leiden Link
50th anniversary of the twin city link
Twin cities
Members celebrated the 50th anniversary of the twin city link in 1996 by joining in the Lord Mayor's Parade in Oxford. They are pictured outside the Horse and Jockey pub in Woodstock Road alongside a single-decker bus decorated with balloons, streamers and posters for the occasion
Museum of Oxford
1996
Oxford Leiden Link
Performing with Horns of Plenty
Music in Oxford - performing with the street band 'Horns of Plenty'
I have played the alto saxophone since joining the Horns of Plenty street band in February 2008. The band kindly gave me some free lessons with professional saxophonist / flautist Pete McPhail to get me up to speed. After a couple of years I changed to baritone, a bigger Eb saxophone and moved to the rhythm and bass section of the band.
I was with the HOP for 3-4 years performing personally with the band at over 50 gigs; although the band did many more than this. One of the biggest events I was a part of was 'Street Band Gathering'. Jo Ross organised this for us as part of an Oxford Contemporary Music initiative. Jo invited street bands from all over the country to come and join us in Oxford for the weekend. On the Saturday we did workshops at a hired educational centre and then performed at Oxford castle quarters in the evening.
On the Sunday we were joined by the Ambling Band from Bristol. They played for us at the educational centre on the lawn as well as performing with us on Broad Street with all the other bands as part of a mass gathering. We played a symphony together which had 5 verses. The sound was amazing!
The attraction of playing with the HOP was being exposed to a lot of vibrant music and the excitement of going on trips out and meeting other bands. The HOP were and still are a street band comprising 12-20 people, playing a lively mix of township, jazz, New Orleans, Afrobeat, Soul, Reggae and Balkan music.
Museum of Oxford
2008-2011
Graham West
Nic Vickery's "Gracie Fields" Portrait
International Conflict
"'Gracie Fields' was inspired by that fantastic band of ladies who worked through both World Wars, known as the Women's Land Army. I have a cherished photo of my Gran, 'Kitty', taken in 1917 in her 1st World War Land Army uniform. Although my Gracie may be in 1940s garb, she stands for a generation that faced life and an ever changing reality with determination and fortitude. " <br /><br />- Oxford born artist, Nic Vickery <a href="http://www.nicvickeryanimalartist.com/">www.nicvickeryanimalartist.com/</a>
Museum of Oxford
<a href="https://www.nicvickeryanimalartist.com/">Nic Vickery</a>
Missing the Hustle and Bustle
The Covid-19 Pandemic and Oxford
"At first I enjoyed the peace and quiet, and the cleaner air with hardly any traffic. Once I was the only person on High Street; on another occasion I seemed to have Christ Church Meadow all to myself. <br /><br />In spring the city would be thronged with the first wave of foreign language students. Their numbers and noise irritated me so it was good to have some respite. As the days passed and the novelty wore off, I suddenly realised that all the assumed benefits were reminders that we were living in a dystopian nightmare; facing an existential crisis that the peace and quiet accentuated. <br /><br />The normality that returns will never be the same, and nor would we expect it to be. We want to keep the cleaner air, and less congested roads. But I want the foreign language students to return, and all our other visitors, and they can be as noisy as they like."
Bob Weatherhead
Museum of Oxford
April 2020
Bob Weatherhead
Natural Bread Serves the Botley Community from their Pop-Up Shop at Bakery Door
The Covid-19 Pandemic and Oxford
Natural Bread is an independent Oxford-based artisan bakery. They make a range of handmade bread, pastries and cakes fresh every day.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Natural Bread team realised they needed a new outlet for customers in Botley. They turned their bakery office into a pop up shop, opening every Saturday and offering fresh baked bread, cakes, Wessex Mill flour and Mayfield eggs.
Claire VĂ©ry, owner of Natural bread, has described the experience of working during a pandemic. She explains, "we are a small team and it has been all hands to the pump to keep the business going...but we are determined to continue serving our local community. We have been inspired and touched by the many messages of support from customers who have visited our little pop-up shop - thank you all."
<a href="https://www.naturalbreadcompany.co.uk">The Natural Bread Website</a>
The Museum of Oxford
Natural Bread
Daily Info Organises Virtual May Morning
The Covid-19 Pandemic and Oxford
Due to the social distancing requirements set by the government, May Morning, an Oxford tradition, has been cancelled. However, not to be stopped by the coronavirus, Daily Info has organised a virtual May Morning. The above poster, created by Meredith Goodburn, details the events for the Facebook live video. Daily Info will stream video from the following events:
- The Magdalen College Choir singing Hymnus Eucharisticus with traditional bells and prayers
- Morris dancing
- A spoons tutorial from Rachel Borek
- A performance by musician John Otway
- A history of May Day from Tim Healey
- A recording from Folk Weekend Oxford
- May music from a Welsh folk group
- May morning singalong
Museum of Oxford
May 1st 2020
Daily Info
Meredith Goodburn
Oxford's Man Choir Performs Remotely
The Covid-19 Pandemic and Oxford
In this video Man Choir, an Oxfordshire based men's choir group, perform a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors." The group recorded this video remotely from their homes using mobile phones and iPads.
Museum of Oxford
20th April 2020
<a href="http://manchoir.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR1IJZDDiISTHcSgbKwnKx9O1pwm0QAgqzGFaItvUbzpG6PPiPXp8F8q6bo">Man Choir</a>
Video