It is a picture that proves that times don’t change very much.

There were protests recently when the Government announced that nurses would be given a one per cent pay rise, despite all their efforts during the coronavirus emergency.

The message was much the same when the photograph above was taken nearly 50 years ago.

In April 1962, the Conservative Government, with Harold Macmillan as Prime Minister, had offered nurses a two-and-a-half per cent pay increase.

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They said that wasn’t enough and battled to get more, a campaign which received widespread support from other workers.

Among them were, not surprisingly, a group of factory workers, possibly from the Cowley car plant, who always seemed to be willing to back those in other industries and professions seeking more pay.

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Look how smart the factory workers were – in their ties and coats as they paraded with the nurses and their prominent banner.

We are not sure where the picture was taken, but presumably they posed for the Oxford Mail cameraman at the gates of one of the city’s hospitals.

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The only report we have been able to find at that time is one recording a visit of 40 nurses, male and female, to a protest meeting in London. The nurses, from Littlemore Hospital and Fair Mile Hospital at Cholsey, near Wallingford, attended the meeting called by the Confederation of Health Service Employees at Caxton Hall.

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They and their fellow delegates passed a resolution condemning the Government on its ‘paltry’ offer.

Can anyone identify any of the protesters?