OXFORD was slow to respond to calls for a blackout at the start of the Second World War. Many lights in the city were still showing on the night of Friday, September 1, two days before war broke out.

People in private houses generally responded well, “with only a small amount of light escaping from comparatively few windows”.

But the same could not be said of the streets and shops.

The Oxford Mail reported: “There was a lack of co-operation west of the city boundary, where electric street lights were alight until the police interfered.

“In Cornmarket Street and George Street, neon lights were left ablaze, and the police had to get them extinguished. “In other shopping centres, there were several premises where no attempt had been made to screen lights, and many other lights still showed.”

Motorists also came under fire for not masking their lights. Others had shaded their sidelights, but had left their headlights uncovered and were driving around with them full on.

Buses had their lights switched off on the top deck.

The Mail reported several accidents as vehicles crashed in the darkness. Some motorists passing through had left London for safer parts of the country, with luggage piled high on their roofs.

Cyclists were particularly at risk, many “riding an erratic course and travelling far too quickly for safety in the blackout”.

The Mail report continued: “Several had no lights, others had their lights screened so much that the light was hardly discernible, and others had made no attempt to dim their lights. Few had rear lights, which are now more essential than ever.

“At junctions especially, pedestrians had to be careful crossing the road, as cyclists were near them before they were aware of their presence.”

Motorists were asked not to leave their cars in the streets overnight, but to put them in car parks or in their garages.

Oxford shops had been busy selling screening material, but were confident there would be enough to meet demand.

Not everyone appeared to be bothered about the imminent war – several hardy folk enjoyed moonlight bathing in local rivers.

The Mail report ended on an optimistic note, saying that the following night, Saturday September 2, the blackout in the city was expected to be complete.