Memory Lane readers are clearly music fans - let’s see more pictures of our local bands.

That was the cry after we featured some of the hundreds of pictures that Oxford Mail photographers have taken of musicians of all ages over the years.

Picture 1 shows members of the newly-formed Bicester Brass Band in 1984. Their message was clear - come and blow with us and make music.

The town had been without its own band for decades, except for an excellent ensemble formed by the local air cadets.

Music figured prominently at Sandhills Primary School at Headington, Oxford, as you can see in Picture 2 from 1993. Headteacher Joe Johnson joined pupils in making a pop music video.

The young musicians were Sarah Bradley, nine, Rosalynn Wyatt, 10, Laurence Baxter, 11, Alison Gregory, nine, Lara Chaplin, eight, Jeffrey Simmonds, nine, David Orman, 10, and Abby Allen, nine.

Chalgrove band are in action in Picture 3 at the village fete at Warborough in 1980, while in Picture 4, from the same year, we see Chipping Norton Silver Band celebrating its 45th anniversary with new green, black and gold-braided uniforms.

Jenny Smith tunes up while bandmaster Cecil Smith gives her tunic a quick brush-up.

Among those at the practice evening was Jack Sussens, manager of the Chipping Norton branch of the National Westminster Bank.

The bank had given £100 to the band towards the cost of the uniforms after it had performed at charity concerts at Heythrop Park, the bank’s staff training college.

In Picture 5, we see Harry Mortimer, director of music at Morris Motors at Cowley, left, receiving a silver trophy from Gordon Pearce in 1979.

Mr Pearce was presenting the trophy in memory of his father, Charles, who was a member of Hook Norton brass band for 35 years.

It was to be presented to the best quartet at the national brass band championships which the Morris Motors band organised annually.

Susan Long, 15, and Keith Alcock, 13, in Picture 6, doubled Wantage Silver Band’s representation in the National Youth Band in 1978.

The bass tuba players joined Jonathan Kowszun and Helen Pollard at national level.

Jim Ledbury, the Wantage band’s publicity officer, said: “To have four youngsters in the National Youth Band is quite an achievement for a small town.”

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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. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.