THESE families had good reason to celebrate – the war was over at last.

After six years of conflict, the Allies had beaten the enemy and peace had returned.

And what better way to celebrate the end of the Second World War than to have a street party.

This was the VE (Victory in Europe) party held in Copse Lane, Oxford, in 1945.

The photograph right was taken by Roy Kerry, who now lives in Mark Road, Headington.

He was prompted to send it in after reading Hazel Bleay’s memories of life in the Copse Lane area.

He has fond memories of one particular meeting.

He writes: “In 1943, after visiting a family who lived in nearby Colterne Close, I was introduced to two young ladies who were talking at a gate in Brookfield Crescent.

“One was Hazel and the other one was Sylvia Maling.

“Next day, I returned to meet Sylvia again and she became my sweetheart.

“Sylvia and I were married on April 30, 1949, and lived in St Clement’s for a few years before moving to Headington.

“We had two sons, David born in 1951, and Paul in 1954.

“I lost Sylvia on April 14 last year, just two weeks short of 62 wonderful years together.” In the picture above, Mrs Bleay, now of Swan Walk, Thame, is the fourth girl from the left at the top of the picture, and next to her in the dark shirt is Sylvia’s brother, Donald. Like Mrs Bleay, Mr Kerry remembers the Romany gipsies who camped in Marsh Lane.

He recalls: “These were a different sort of people to the travellers we have these days.”