Wednesday 23 April, 7.30 p.m., St Frideswide Church
All residents welcome. Meet your neighbours, enjoy a drink, hear our speakers:
We will also be voting on the updated constitution. Agenda here.
Photo courtesy Richard Thurston, West Street.
Joanna’s daughters, Louise Muller and Georgie Wilmott write: It is with much sadness that we share the news that Joanna Muller of 1 East Street passed away on New Year’s Eve. Joanna had luckily just spent a wonderful Christmas with her daughters Louise and Georgie and their families, before passing away peacefully at the JR Hospital.
Joanna had lived on Osney Island for nearly 30 years. She was a much loved friend and neighbour of so many. She had sadly been in poor health for many years but was always so positive in her outlook that she continued to make the most out of life – always warm, friendly and with a smile to greet everyone. In past times, she would enjoy long walks by the waterways but even when bad health meant she couldn’t walk as far, she would often be seen picking litter by the water. Joanna loved the community on Osney Island so very much.
Joanna’s funeral (all are welcome) will be held at Oxford Crematorium, Bayswater Road, Headington, OX3 9RZ on Thursday 6 February at 2 p.m. (ending around 3 p.m.) Flowers may be brought to lay on the coffin. For those who wish, donations will be collected for Age UK and Dementia UK.
The funeral will be followed by a celebration of Joanna’s life at Seacroft Hall, 3 Church Way, Botley, Oxford 0X2 9TH. Nearby parking is at West Way Square Parking (OX2 0LW), Elms Parade car park (OX2 9LG) or Tower Retail Park (OX2 0JJ).
Please don’t feel you need to wear all black.
To add your memories/condolences to this page please contact Jane.
Pauline Martin writes: Joanna was a friend indeed. And to so many – she brought a depth of interest and enquiry to every friendship, was a dedicated communicator by letter or a card through a local letterbox, by phone, email when she could or in person and scheduled her many contacts so as to have time and energy, capacity and focus for each one. It’s been my real privilege to have known and relished her affections over many years in a relationship I will cherish forever. ‘Your friend is your needs answered’ (Kahlil Gibran).
Jude Carroll, Pauline Martin, Vernon Orr, Jocelyn Wogan-Browne write: Islanders may have been familiar with the frail but striking figure of Joanna in her slouch hat, litter-picking on East Street in the early mornings. This was just one of her contributions to our community – she was a staunch Osney Islander. She also knitted muffs with buttons inside to keep busy the restless hands of people with dementia. She listened avidly as friends filled her in on island gatherings, book-group discussions, travel tales and more. She offered in return insights from her first-floor window on passers-by, memories from her New Zealand past, from her many travels, and from her work at the Westminster Campus above Raleigh Park.
Stoically positive, Joanna lived life courageously and, despite her illness, was determined to do and experience all that she could. She will be much missed by her many friends and family in the UK and overseas. She is survived by her two devoted daughters, sons-in-law, four grandchildren, and by Rafi, their black labrador.
Claire Robertson, Oxford Rivers Project Officer for Thames 21, gave a talk at the OIRA Annual Meeting on 24 April about river water quality on the Thames. You can download her PowerPoint slides here with a lot of useful links and information:
Thames21 and research institute UKCEH have also launched the Oxford Rivers Portal: https://oxfordrivers.ceh.ac.uk/portal.
On a single map, you can discover:
Mervyn’s niece Sylvia writes: Mervyn Grace, who had lived on Osney for over 40 years, sadly died in July 2023. Melvyn was a grandson of the famous cricketer E. M. Grace (W. G. Grace’s brother), and had a lifetime interest in all things cricket. After teaching chemistry for 14 years in Kenya, he returned to England and settled in West Court. He enjoyed living on Osney and having meals with family at The Punter and The Holly Bush. When he was in better health he regularly attended St Frideswide’s Church.
The funeral was held at North Oxfordshire Crematorium on Friday 28 July.
Following on from the Oxford Preservation Trust Green Award it was awarded in 2022, our yoga centre in East Street has won a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Regional Award: https://www.ribaj.com/buildings/regional-awards-2023-south-adrian-james-architects-vishuddha-yoga-centre-sport-leisure-oxford
The architect is Adrian James.
What is truly remarkable about the Vishuddha Yoga Centre is how well the drive for low energy and sustainability harmonises with the yogic philosophy of the charity that runs it. The use of natural materials, such as plywood and bare blockwork, has kept embodied energy low, while the careful modulation of natural daylight prevents overheating. This alignment of values gives the building a unique character and a true sense of purpose, making it a truly exceptional space.
The RIBA Journal, 18 May 2023
The promise of spring came once again with the first daffodils on the river bank. Like a caption, the colourful boat Promise slid into view and moored opposite my house, like a swan in the sun. Gratitude appeared next, in the ancient channel beyond Osney Mill and Osney Abbey.
Since that first spring day the narrow boats and barges have been migrating late this year as the weather has been so awful. Like other wildlife, they have avoided the daytime noise of construction machinery within the thankfully protected very tall, ornate brick and glass facades of the old power station. Perhaps because of that, as the willows weep more leaves, I now enjoy being woken by flights of wildfowl over our roofs and birdsong from all our gardens when it really is so quiet again here on our island.
Mark Van Oss
Very sadly Roy Hoare died just a month after his wife Eve.
Roy’s daughter Julie writes: My lovely dad Roy Hoare died at home, as he so dearly wished, on 25 March. Roy had lived on Osney Island for 20 years with his beloved wife Eve. He loved the area very much and he was often seen out and about chatting to everyone. Thank you very much to the many neighbours who helped and supported him and my mum over the years.
Roy’s funeral will take place on Friday 28 April, 1.30 p.m., at The Oxford Crematorium, Bayswater Road, Oxford OX3 9RZ. It will be followed by a reception at The Abingdon Arms, Beckley, Oxford OX3 9UU. Everyone is welcome at both the crematorium and the reception afterwards. We would like this to be a celebration of his long and happy life rather than a sombre affair and would like people to wear colourful clothes.
Eve Hoare of West Street died in Didcot Community Hospital on 21 February aged 93. She had been ill during the last year and had suffered a fall.
Eve’s daughter Julie St Clair Hoare writes: My lovely mum Eve had lived on Osney Island for 20 years with her beloved husband Roy. She loved the area very much. Many people will have seen her out walking her dogs Pippa and Georgie. Thank you very much to the many people who helped and supported her over the years.
Eve’s funeral will take place on Friday 10 March, 1.30 p.m. at The Oxford Crematorium, Bayswater Road, Oxford OX3 9RZ. It will be followed by a reception at High St, Beckley, Oxford OX3 9UU. Everyone is welcome at both the crematorium and the reception afterwards.
We would like this to be a celebration of her life rather than a sombre affair and would like people to wear colourful clothes.
Matt Dyson writes: Eve and Roy were my ‘back fence neighbours’ from Bridge St to East Street, and have been the most considerate, kind, and friendly people since I got here six and a half years ago. I first met them when we tried to tackle some ivy coming up underneath our shared fence, and Eve was such a wealth of information, care and inspiration for a rich full life. I saw her a little during the pandemic, dropping round a baked good was the last time I think, and I regret not having made time to see her more recently. She’s a reminder of the wonderful people worth making the time for.
Ben Thomas writes: We remember Eve in recent months walking the dogs around the playing field in the early morning, passing treats to us for our children, chatting about the state of world politics, and discussing philosophy on the phone with her grandson as he worked on his undergraduate degree nearby in Oxford… firing off emails, scanning pictures of her war-time years to send to the writer of a magazine article… sharing news of her remarkable family… cooking, gardening, and of course being there for her wonderful husband Roy, who must be missing her more than we can imagine.
Eve was living at 100% in her 90s. Perhaps it shouldn’t feel surprising when someone of that age is suddenly no longer part of neighbourhood life, but Eve burned so bright to the end that it really does.
David Walker died on 11 February 2023, aged 96. He had lived on Osney Island for over 80 years.
The funeral will take place on Monday 6 March, 2.00 p.m., at South Oxfordshire Crematorium, Garfield, Abingdon, OX13 5PA. It will be followed by a reception at Milletts Farm Centre, Frilford, Nr Abingdon, OX13 5HB.
David moved to Osney with his parents when he was 12 years old. His family owned a garage and four-bedroomed house at 41 West Street — the site of what is now West Court. Here David grew up and married Mary, who lived with her parents at 55 West Street. The couple spent their whole married life living in their South Street home. Mary sadly died in 2018, aged 91. David’s daughter Marilyn and son-in-law Phil were a great support to both David and Mary.
Osney will miss David’s cheerful presence on the island. He was a real gentleman, a good neighbour and always a pleasure to talk to.
Robert Lawrence writes: Susan and I became islanders, (almost) oblivious to its delights on arrival in January 1991 and David was one of the first residents we met. Then, as always, David was welcoming, genial, funny and deeply well informed about all aspects of Osney life. If was David who related to us the mystery of the ‘missing’ 41 West Street abode, the house formerly adjacent to ours and the site of what is now the main approach to the West Court flats. I’m pretty certain that he even managed to dig out and give us some notes he had kept on number 41 and the large house that used to be situated where the flats now are. David had a long life well lived for which we as fellow residents can all be grateful.
Brian and Fiona write: He was a great neighbour during our time in Osney Island and was always a great source of knowledge and information.
Richard writes: It’s a real loss to our community. He was such a gent and it’s so sad that he’s no longer around.
Osney Island 