Archive photo shows children dressed as witches at Oxford party

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 24 Oct, 20:32 · Archive

Two five-year-old girls dressed as witches attended a children's Halloween party at the Old Fire Station Arts Centre in Oxford in 1980.

An archive photograph captures two five-year-old girls, Harriet Cross and Emilie Sloggett, dressed as witches at a children's Halloween party held at the Old Fire Station Arts Centre in George Street, Oxford, in 1980. The pair were among numerous children attending the event dressed as wizards, witches and other scary creatures.

Activities at the party included bobbing for apples and entering a fancy dress competition. Children also watched a show called The Magic Exploding Mixture. Meanwhile, parents sipped mulled wine, referred to as witches' brew. The venue occupies Oxford's former fire station building, which has since relocated to Rewley Road near the railway station.

The photograph was taken by Mail photographer Chris Love and originally published with the headline 'Such a scary pair!'.

How it is being reported

• Children dress up as witches for Halloween partyTHE dictionary tells us that a witch is “a person, usually female, who practises or professes to practise magic or sorcery, especially black magic, or is believed to have dealings with the devil”.Oxford Mail · 24 Oct, 20:00
• Children dress up as witches for Halloween partyTHE dictionary tells us that a witch is “a person, usually female, who practises or professes to practise magic or sorcery, especially black magic, or is believed to have dealings with the devil”.Oxfordshire Guardian · 24 Oct, 20:00

In this story: Harriet Cross · Emilie Sloggett · Old Fire Station Arts Centre · Oxford

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