21 May 2025, 14:00 - 15:30
‘Do you remember Woolworths, or Gills or Russell Acott?’
Shops often evoke powerful memories of time and place. It could be a favourite childhood treat, a first job, first date, or even a regular meeting point.
Join Maurice East to explore the history of Oxford through the fascinating stories of ever-changing city centre shops through the ages.
The tour will include: the ‘shambles’ of medieval Oxford; the lost Jewish quarter of St Aldates; the covered market; coaching inns; grand tearooms; the controversial destruction of a famous hotel; and much much more!
Tickets cost £15 and are available to purchase online (booking fee applies) or at the Museum shop.
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Accessibility and further information
Meeting point: Museum of Oxford shop (located inside the Oxford Town Hall). Please arrive 5 minutes before the start of the walk and check in at the Museum Shop with our friendly front of house team.
The walk lasts 1.5 hours.
The route is flat, on paved streets and is easy walking, but please note the walk can include cobbled streets and narrow pavements. Please email museum@oxford.gov.uk if you would like to discuss any access requirements ahead of booking a walk.
Please note that this walk is recommended for ages 16+.
Meet your tour guide: Maurice East
Maurice East is a local historian who was born and raised in Oxford. He interprets the social history of the city through the lens of growing up as a ‘townie’ and shines a spotlight on stories far off the usual tourist trail. His main area of research is the history of car making at Cowley and how the arrival of industry, cars and blue collar workers changed Oxford forever in the early twentieth century.
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