Last year, the Oxford Operatic Society celebrated its 60th anniversary. But in fact its origins go back to 1907, when it started life as the City of Oxford Amateur Dramatic Club.

This fledgling company appears to have operated for well over a decade until, some time during the 1920s, it split into two separate groups - the City of Oxford Amateur Dramatic Society and the City of Oxford Operatic Society.

In 1929, the two societies joined forces once more, to become the City of Oxford Dramatic and Operatic Society, and continued as such until the outbreak of the Second World War. Its first production was Merrie England, performed at the original New Theatre in George Street. This became the society's regular venue until 1932, when the theatre was demolished to make way for the present building.

From 1932-39 the society performed at the old Oxford Playhouse in the Woodstock Road - the legendary Red Barn'.

Frustratingly, archives from these early years appear to be virtually non-existent. But one survival from the pre-war era is a press cutting from 1933, which reports enthusiastically on The Yeomen of the Guard: "The first performance at the Playhouse last night promised a success at least equal to those which the Society has already achieved . . . the production was excellent, and went at a good speed."

The unidentified critic goes on to praise the principal singers, noting that Miss Muriel Langford, as Elsie Maynard, had a good voice and "acted fairly well", while Mr Harold Fowler, as Colonel Fairfax, was a little young for the part but "one only found this a minor disadvantage". As Lieutenant of the Tower, Mr George Walker intriguingly "sometimes sang well".

After a seven-year interruption for the war, the society reformed in 1946 as the Oxford Operatic Society, in a move spearheaded by three long-serving members of the old society - producer Percy Walters and performers George Walker and William Sawyer.

Once again, the first production of the newly-reformed group was Merrie England, this time staged at Oxford Town Hall.

Four more productions at the town hall followed - The Grand Duchess (1947), The Gondoliers (1948) and The Mikado and The Yeomen of the Guard (1949) - until, in 1950, the Society moved into the new Oxford Playhouse in Beaumont Street with a revival of The Mikado.

This has remained the society's home ever since, apart from a few productions at the Apollo Theatre and St Edward's School during the late 1970s and 1980s when the Playhouse closed. Recently, they have begun performing at the New Theatre again, as well as the Holywell Music Room.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the society settled into a regular pattern of one show a year, usually Gilbert and Sullivan, broken by the occasional excursion into non-G&S territory - such as a highly successful Die Fledermaus in 1966, Hansel and Gretel in 1967 and The Merry Widow in 1968.

The 1970s saw the society becoming more adventurous with the repertoire, notching up memorable productions of La Vie Parisienne, Orpheus in the Underworld, Carmen and La Belle Helene.

In 1979, Salad Days became the society's first musical, and it has continued to produce at least one musical every year since, with notable success. Gilbert and Sullivan continues to dominate the repertoire, though, and some of the operettas have been performed as many as five times over the last 60 years.

One of the extraordinary things about the Oxford Operatic Society is the number of people who stay loyal to the society for many years.

Glancing through some of the programmes, it is noticeable that the same names crop up in the cast lists and production teams over and over again. Audiences who have followed the Society since the 1960s may remember names such as David Heelas, Stuart Brothwick, Lesley Lowe, James McClue, Lindsey Ball, Mary Hedges, Rodney Denton, Michael Cowdy, Wendy A Lewis, Sylvia Patterson, the list goes on and on.

Some, sadly, are no longer with us, but they have all made an indelible mark on the society's history.

The current longest-serving member is 84-year-old Ronald Hewitt, who joined during the 1950s, and has since played numerous leading parts, including the "patter" roles in the Savoy operas. Ron will be playing Lord Brockhurst in the forthcoming production of The Boyfriend - the same part that he played 27 years ago.

"When you get to my age, it is easier to play the same part than it is to learn a new one!" he chuckled.

Inevitably, Ron has many fond memories of his years with the Society - including some notable mishaps both on and off stage.

"I remember being called to the bedside of George Walker, a splendid bass who was to sing Pooh-Bah in The Mikado in 1958. He had suddenly developed acute vertigo in the afternoon of our first night, and couldn't even get out of bed. There was no understudy and the show was saved by the musical director, Leslie Pimm, who was a similarly substantial build to George, singing the role with the libretto hidden in the folds of his bulky costume, and his deputy Ron Tandy conducted.

"Two incidents were famous in the society before I joined. One was the moment when the Mikado's front dentures shot out during his rendition of My Object All Sublime - but fortunately only at the dress rehearsal.

"The other was the Lieutenant of the Tower in The Yeomen of the Guard, who should have sung Who fired that shot? At once the truth declare!' but actually sang: Who shired that phot!' All subsequent lieutenants have been extra careful at that point."

More recently, Ron can remember a chaotic moment in the 1996 production of Orpheus in the Underworld.

"The chorus, dressed as shepherds, had to walk in a small circle with their shepherds' crooks turned inwards, coming to a point at the top. One night they got terribly stuck and couldn't be separated. One resourceful chap, in desperation, pulled his crook so hard that it flew into the orchestra pit, just missing the first trumpet!"

Fortunately, such mishaps are rare - which will be a comfort to the society as they gear up for their forthcoming production of The Boyfriend, which runs at the Oxford Playhouse from November 19-24. The show is directed by Barbara Denton, and musical direction is by Julie Todd. For tickets, call the box office on 01865 305305.

Thanks to Nicola Fitter, Ronald Hewitt and Ann Southwell for their help in compiling this article. For more information about Oxford Operatic Society, visit www.oxfordoperatic.co.uk