Title
My Oxford years
Description
Back in 1972 I finished my apprenticeship and went to work at Oxford Instruments in Osney Mead as a technician, I used to work in the old Boathouse at first till the built a new factory over it. In the winter it used to freeze and summer you would boil but I made many new friends there and used to go to the dances organised at Christmas or summer ones in a tent out the back. Friday lunchtime we would go to the Waterman in Osney for a pint before going back, not something you can do now. Sometime around 1976 I was moved to the main factory and met Dick Goodson who used to play Bass for a band called Prisim, I also got friendly with one of the girls who worked in the electronics part called Medilog and I remember fondly going to the Corn Dolly with her on Sat lunchtime to see the bands playing. On day we went to see Prisim. (I did read the Beatles played there in 1963.) Many years earlier in the early 1970,s I went to the Harwell Apprentices dance where I saw the J B Roadshow. Many years later at the Corn dolly Prism were playing and the lead singer from the JB Roadshow got up and did a set. It was amazing. The one song I remember is Long Train Running by the Doobie Brothers, Prisim use to play that and it stopped every one in their tracks to listen to it.
Other places I remember we used to go were a couple of Indian Restaurants, Undins Menzal along Walton Street and the Star of Asia along the Cowley road. Sometime in the1980's Oxford Instruments split and I ended up in Eyensham.
When I first started working in Oxford I would drive in every day in my mini. Leaving home near Wallingford at 7:30 and arriving at work around 10 to 8. Going over folly bridge I remember seeing the run-down warehouses along the Thames. Most got demolished and an area near the school was developed to build a new Hotel, I think to be called the Winson Churchill, it only got as far as the foundations then stopped it was like that for years till the area was developed to what you see now. Driving along to Frideswide square you would pass the old LMS station before going under the Botley road bridge that quite often used to get busses and lorries stuck under it. Getting to work in Oxford over the years took longer and I had to leave earlier. One summer in 1976 it was so hot we would start at seven and go home at 3.30 after that I started work at 7:30 to miss the traffic, by the time I moved to Eynsham I was starting at 7am the traffic had go so bad. The only time I ever misses it was when I got the train for a couple of years because of the petrol crises back then in 1973. When it was cheaper to by petrol that catch the train I started driving again.
Oxford brings back many memories but I do miss the old places and friends I had then.
Other places I remember we used to go were a couple of Indian Restaurants, Undins Menzal along Walton Street and the Star of Asia along the Cowley road. Sometime in the1980's Oxford Instruments split and I ended up in Eyensham.
When I first started working in Oxford I would drive in every day in my mini. Leaving home near Wallingford at 7:30 and arriving at work around 10 to 8. Going over folly bridge I remember seeing the run-down warehouses along the Thames. Most got demolished and an area near the school was developed to build a new Hotel, I think to be called the Winson Churchill, it only got as far as the foundations then stopped it was like that for years till the area was developed to what you see now. Driving along to Frideswide square you would pass the old LMS station before going under the Botley road bridge that quite often used to get busses and lorries stuck under it. Getting to work in Oxford over the years took longer and I had to leave earlier. One summer in 1976 it was so hot we would start at seven and go home at 3.30 after that I started work at 7:30 to miss the traffic, by the time I moved to Eynsham I was starting at 7am the traffic had go so bad. The only time I ever misses it was when I got the train for a couple of years because of the petrol crises back then in 1973. When it was cheaper to by petrol that catch the train I started driving again.
Oxford brings back many memories but I do miss the old places and friends I had then.
Date
1972- 1979
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