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10 entertaining photos from 1983

Loyal bakery customers saved Berry's, an Oxford bread shop in March 1983.
Loyal bakery customers saved Berry's, an Oxford bread shop in March 1983.

Here we look at photos from the Oxford Mail archive in 1983.

It was the year when customers stepped in to save Berry’s Bakery in north Oxford, and singer Barry Manilow dropped in at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock.

Residents were horrified when they heard company owners planned to turn Berry’s Bakery, in South Parade, into an estate agents.

READ MORE: Oxford cafe is given notice to quit 

But the Summertown customers continued to buy their loaves from the bread store after it was saved by public demand.

Bakery manager Greta Wojcik, who had been manager for seven years, was delighted with the news.

In Wallingford the same year, Helen Chapman turned plenty of heads as she rode around Wallingford on this unusual bike.

Oxford Mail:
Oxford Mail:

Long John, as the bike was known, was ideal for nipping through the town’s congested streets and delivering car batteries and other bulky items.

It belonged to Haynes Bros, auto-electrical engineers.

READ MORE: Hollywood star spotted at the Big Feastival

Managing director Keith Haynes saw a similar bike in Denmark and decided he had to buy one to help with his deliveries.

And Oxford University students were having fun on the rooftops.

Oxford Mail:
Oxford Mail:

Christ Church student Henry Robinson donned a flying jacket and goggles as he bounced off the top of the High Street buildings.

The 21-year-old took his chances on Friday 13 and dangled 40ft in the air above the crowd.

Read more: 10 nostalgic photos of 1977

Mr Robinson was a member of the Dangerous Sports Club, which tried to escape the boredom of everyday life with their risky acts.

The stunt also marked the opening of the Oxford Student Travel Centre and later Mr Robinson was carried through the new store in a wheelchair on skis.

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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.