Nine photos of the late 1960s when students protested

Sadly, the Cadena Cafe in Cornmarket did not last much longer and was demolished the following year.

When the Cadena closed in 1970, there were many tears.

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One regular wrote: “What can ever replace the gorgeous smell of baked bread and coffee beans as you passed? It was there, over a tea of brown and white bread and butter, boiled eggs and chocolate eclairs and with the orchestra playing a medley of romantic music, that I became engaged.

Read more: Staying true to their mission - Ruskin College

“Such happy days. Without the Cadena, Oxford will never be the same again.”

The late 1960s was a time of great student protest and Ruskin College students got in on the act by carrying strike banners through the city on May Day, instead of taking part in the usual celebrations.

The college itself has a fascinating history.

In 2014, Ruskin celebrated its 115th anniversary.

Dr Chris Wilkes, then acting principal of Ruskin College, said at the time: “One of the reasons we have been successful is that we have stayed true to our mission of educating adults who for one reason or another didn’t do well at school. That’s our original purpose.

“Obviously we are not part of Oxford University but our students have often gone on to university, including at Oxford.

“In an ideal world there wouldn’t be a need for us but there is and we educate a lot of students each year.”

When it was first set up in 1899, Ruskin’s focus would have been on the working class but since then it has opened its doors to anyone who needs a “second chance in education”.

Oxford was chosen as its location because of the city’s reputation for educational privilege.

And it remained the case that many of the college’s students faced financial, personal or social obstacles that have made it impossible for them to seize educational chances earlier in their lives.

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Dr Wilkes added: “People can be disadvantaged for a variety of reasons and they may come from a more middle class background but for whatever reason have not done well at school and gone on to university. It’s about educational disadvantage so people can come to us if they have not had that opportunity.”

The college’s links with the Labour Party and trade union movement mean many of its alumni have gone on to become politically active - these include some famous and radical personalities such as former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Jack Ashley, former MP for Stoke on Trent South and disability campaigner.

Ruskin College was founded in 1899 to provide educational opportunities for working class men who had not been able to make it into university.

The college was inspired by and named after Victorian art critic John Ruskin because of his writings on workers’ education.

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Originally based in St Giles, the college moved to its purpose-built building in Walton Street in 1912 where it remained for 100 years.

Over the course of its history the college has been visited by figures ranging from Mahatma Gandhi to Tony Blair.

In 2012 it moved all its activities to its Old Headington site and the Walton Street building was sold to Exeter College.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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