Derrick Holt, of Fortnam Close, Headington, Oxford, shares some reflections on life before the Second World War.

“WHEN I look back, life was much better than today.

Few people owned cars, producing a more tranquil world.

Roads were uncluttered by parked cars – in fact, one was not allowed to use the public highway as a parking lot.

If you wished to go anywhere, you walked, cycled or used public transport.

There was little need for a car since nearly everything you required was delivered to the door – the grocer, baker, fishmonger, butcher, greengrocer, newspaper boy, milkman, coalman and the postman, twice a day, were all there.

If you needed something urgently, there was always the small local shop or post office. For those things that could not be obtained locally, a bus trip to Oxford became necessary.

Most people lived fairly close to their place of work.

It was quite a sight to see hundreds of cyclists leaving the Cowley works. It was like disturbing a wasps’ nest – workers swarming through the gates and using the full width of the road.

There was no graffiti, no antisocial behaviour, no obvious drug problems.

I remember only one case of someone worse for drink and that was at Christmas.

There was also little thieving, despite most people keeping all their cash at home.

We had no television and only radio shortly before the war started. But what you didn’t have, you didn’t miss.

Entertainment was a trip to the cinema, occasionally the theatre, or a visit to the dance hall. Other local forms of entertainment were a fete, concert party or a whist drive.

Occasionally, the Army put on a tattoo or there was an air show.

In summer, we spent many hours swimming in the river – our preference was Long Bridges.

As children, we explored the local area or played on rough ground known to us as ‘the mountains’ – council play areas were rather boring. If stuck indoors, I would read or draw.

Holidays amounted to an occasional day excursion to the seaside or a summer outing with the church or chapel.

Men were the breadwinners, did household repairs and decoration, and looked after the garden and allotment.

The women did, in the main, what they were supremely good at – managing the home and looking after the children.

There was no waste of time and money trying to get to university.

If you had an aptitude, firms would provide you with an apprenticeship in a trade, avoiding the need to bring in workers from overseas.

If that was not what you wished, you could get a job on the production line at the car works.

For the high fliers, training in maths, law or medicine would be the preferred choice.

Altogether, a much better time to be alive.”