From 1993 to 2025, Oxford comes alive on May Morning! Choirs, dancing, and crowds under Magdalen College—see how this centuries-old tradition has changed… or stayed delightfully the same.
May Morning in Oxford: 1993 and 2025
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Join us for a magical journey through Oxford’s May Morning celebrations, comparing archive footage from 1993 with scenes from 2025. On both perfect spring mornings, locals and students packed the streets beneath Magdalen College to hear the choir, dance, and enjoy music and merrymaking. Captured beautifully in 1993 by Charles Beesley for the University Media team, this film offers a glimpse into Oxford’s vibrant traditions across generations. Spot familiar faces, feel the festive spirit, and discover how this centuries-old celebration continues to enchant the city.
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In this series we seek to rediscover film footage of Oxford’s past and make it available for public viewing. How has Oxford changed? How has it remained the same? What important events have happened at Oxford University? Each episode in the series makes use of archive films to explore when, where and how the films were taken, and what they can tell us about the history of the University, the city of Dreaming Spires and the surrounding Oxfordshire countryside. The series will include films...
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