I've put quite a lot of effort over the last few months in trying to make sure that the odd things that have emerged from our shed have been matched with the best possible new homes. I'm rather proud of this one. It's the top of a very damaged wooden box that once contained a wreath - I don't know what for - which came from a florists in the covered market at the High Street end of Second Avenue.

They had only the 291st telephone in Oxford. In 1889 there were 55 telephone subscribers to the Oxford exchange; in 1899, 111; and by 1924 there were 1,090. I reckon this means that Field and Jacob acquired their telephone between 1905 and 1915. That doesn't of course tell me how old the box is. Anyway, fast forward to now and there are two florists in the covered market, one in First Avenue at the High Street end and one in Third Avenue near the middle. I took this picture in to both of them to see whether they were interested. The staff in Jemini were ever so excited and one of them remembered Field and Jacob in the covered market. Yes, they'd love to take this battered old piece of wood, restore it and display it in the shop. Very satisfying.