Edith Susan Quick nee Sheppard died on September 10th 2020. Edie came from a Bampton family of several generations. Her husband John was the principal founder member of the SPAJERS, our charity which creates fun events to raise funds for local senior citizens. They include the Shirt Race, Donkey Derby, Josie's Grand Draw and in conjunction with Bampton's fire brigade a wonderful bonfire and firework night. In the past there have been balls in Weald Manor.
We were all sorry when Adrian Simmonds had to close his shop. It was like an Aladdin's cave inside and he aimed to have 6 new things each week. There is a letter to the Bampton Beam here from Toby Hopkins and one from Adrian himself.
The Wedding Neil O'Brien & Sarah Bisp September 27th 2003. The gathering is on Church Green on the south side of Saint Mary's. Di O'Brien is Neil's mother and was school secretary in Bampton for many years.
Tom Smith was the son of a gypsy Queen and for 1969, the number of people and cars who came to his funeral was a very memorable affair. To this day, locals call the bend just outside Bampton on the Bampton to Brize Norton Road 'Hoppy's Corner.' It's on the right leaving Bampton just after passing the allotments.
This letter, dated November 1st 1944 was send by Stan Smith's commanding officer to Stan's father informing him that Stan was missing but may be a POW. He was a POW and near the end of the was became one of the POWs who took part in the what became known as the Long March. They were marched from East Germany keeping ahead of the advancing Russians. Stan walked almost 1,000 miles. He survived.
These are brothers Jim and Dick Daniels. Jim is the older brother standing in the front in a scout's uniform. Dick is in the background. A few years later Jim joined the Air Scouts and did circuits and bumps and enjoyed it despite not liking heights. Their had a sister called Freda who became Mrs Freda Bradley and she wrote a lovely book about life in Bampton she recalled during her life.
This is Elsie Hughes with three boys and a girl. Elsie had 2 daughters, Mary and Sylvia and one son Jim, so I'm not sure who the 4 children are. She was married to Len Hughes and the last place they lived and worked was the garage and shop next to Cromwell House in Cheapside. The property is now a private dwelling called Exeter House.
This lovely photograph shows James and Elizabeth (nee Fox) Green with their children Lizzie, Harry, Jack, Jim, Rose, Fred and Percy taken about 1902. Harry, really Henry Arthur Green died in the WWI