These were the days when a policeman was always around as you walked across Carfax in Oxford city centre.

If you needed to report a crime, no need to call the police station or dial 999 - you spoke to an officer nearby. If you needed directions, help was also available.

One of the officers in charge, Sergeant Doug Jeakings, became so well known that he was dubbed “The Chief Constable of Carfax.”

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He and his colleagues would be on hand to direct traffic if the traffic lights failed and deal with any police or other query that arose.

Before the days of mobile phones, they kept in touch with their bosses at St Aldate’s police station via a pill box outside the Midland (now HSBC) bank at Carfax.

Sergeant Jeakings had joined Oxford City Police, as it was then, in 1941 and served in the RAF later in the war. He was promoted to sergeant in 1957.

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Wally Cox, chairman and secretary of the Oxford City Police Association, representing former city officers, has fond memories of the popular sergeant.

He writes: “He was 6ft 3in tall and pretty heavy, so the force obtained a bike with a double crossbar just for him.

“He was very well liked and was known as the Chief Constable of Carfax. I can remember him telling me: ‘The traffic is Oxford is increasing by leaps and bounds and the pedestrians are surviving in much the same manner.’

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“He was a very keen fisherman and when he retired, he got his ideal job with Thames Water.

“Unfortunately, he died very soon after retirement, a great loss.”

One of the later officers based at Carfax was Pc Joe Wake, seen above in happy mood directing traffic in 1983.

Despite his smiling face, he was issuing a grim warning via the Oxford Mail to cyclists breaking a law that many still do today - ignoring the riding ban in Queen Street and Cornmarket Street.

A three-year-old boy had narrowly escaped serious injury when he was hit by an illegal cyclist and flung six feet across the road.

Pc Wake issued a warning that everyone caught riding in the two streets would face prosecution.

Cycling was banned 24 hours a day at that time.

He told Oxford Mail reporter David Duffy: “We have had a number of accidents involving cyclists, all of whom have been prosecuted.

“In one case, a three-year-old child’s trousers were caught in the pedals of a cycle, which lifted him at least three feet into the air and threw him six feet across the road.

“The injuries on that occasion were slight, but could have been fatal.

“Both streets are used by the partially sighted, hard of hearing, old, infirm people and mothers with children.

“They don’t expect cycles to come past.”

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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF