FESTIVITIES to greet the arrival of May have been muted this year, but we have plenty of reminders of celebrations from the past.

Pupils at the Heyfords Primary School, in Picture 1, delighted villagers as they paraded their May garland around Lower Heyford in 1987.

Leading the procession were May Queen Maxine Nea, in the white festive dress, and May Lord Stuart Houston, both eight.

The celebrations lifted spirits as the school, on a split site between Upper and Lower Heyford, had been recommended for closure.

Picture 2 shows May Queen Amy Saunders, 11, at Cholsey’s festival in 1990 with her three six-year-old helpers, left to right, Sarah-Jane Dawes, Navin Virahsammy and Jessica Gardner.

Other colourful parades took place at Wheatley in 1989, seen in Picture 3, and at Manor School, Didcot, where 150 children paraded in floral hats and fancy dress –the May King and Queen, Christopher Lawrence, six, and Caroline Cage, five, are in Picture 4.

The four children in Picture 5 – left to right, Stefan Archer, Jenny Woodman, Matthew Hughes and Ruth Matthews – led the May celebrations at Aston Rowant School in 1987.

Jenny, eight, and Matthew, nine, were elected May Queen and King to lead the annual walk to Kingston Blount for the May festival. Stefan and Ruth, both eight, were their attendants.

Beverley Brown, in Picture 6, was Yarnton’s May Queen in 1978. She is seen with a men’s drag team who played football with a women’s team to raise money for a new village hall.