THE OAK RECORD LABEL was Co-founded by Ronald Godfrey Jones and folk singer Derek Serjeant.  It took its name from Serjeant’s Surbiton folk club, The Oak.  

The label’s first pressing — RGJ-101 — featured Serjeant himself. 

What made Oak different? 

It was a label that lived inside a studio. Artists could record, cut, and either have short-run of acetates without leaving the building or have a master acetate disc cut and order a quantity of vinyl pressings to sell at clubs.  

 With Ronald Jones behind the desk custom built for him by EMI at Hayes, the early recordings used iconic Neumann U67, AKG C12 and Altec Condenser microphones, EMI TR90 and EMI BTR4 tape machines. The masters were cut on a state-of-the-art Neuman Disc cutting lathe. 

 With the studio attracting a stream of mod, beat, and blues acts from across the South East, the resulting pressings ended up with Oak Labels. Many of these releases were limited to 99 pressings as above this amount would be liable to purchase tax (now VAT).  

 The small batches produced made Oak records both rare and collectible. More than that, it embodied the early spirit of producing your own record.  

 Sadly in 1968 the company had to vacate the Morden premises to make way for the new Merton College. 

 The hire department was moved to a vacated school building in Camp Road Wimbledon. A Mission Hall in Beulah Road Wimbledon was purchased to rehouse RG Jones recording studio.