WHO members Frank ‘Butcher’ Long?

If so, and you have a picture of him, his family would like to hear from you.

He was the ferryman who took thousands of men, women and children across the Thames to Tumbling Bay bathing place, off Botley Road, Oxford.

The only known picture of him is the one reproduced here, taken from a family photograph.

Butcher, who lived in Bridge Street, Osney, was mentioned in a letter in the early days of Memory Lane.

Randolph Ealey, of Wootton, near Abingdon, wrote: “From May 1 to September 30, Tumbling Bay was our leisure centre and it wasn’t possible to reach it without the assistance of Butcher Long.

“He was a very cheerful chap, despite crowds of boys frequently rocking the boat.

“The bathing place was strictly controlled by Charlie Stockford, armed with a 3ft cane.

“If you got up to mischief, as we all did, you were rewarded with a whack across the backside.

“As Tumbling Bay had running water, it acted not only as a bathing place but also a bathroom to many not enjoying that luxury at home in West Oxford.”

Another of Butcher’s skills was to entertain the crowds at St Giles Fair by dancing around a spade.

If you have any memories or pictures of him, please contact John Chipperfield at the Oxford Mail.