The post box topper was made by two talented ladies:Mandy Wileman and Lynn Smith of St. Mary's Court. It was made to celebrate the coronation of King Charles 111. Mandy also crocheted two post box toppers to celebrate Morris Dance Day. Sadly, one was stolen and the second was thrown into the road. These two stoic ladiies were not to be beaten. They crocheted a beautiful Christmas tree, which they took to the Market Square and displayed at the switching-on of the Christmas lights. This enabled them to raise £25.00 for the charity; Help for Heroes. Well done, Mandy and Lynn.

Rupert Gooddy, a Loyd House pupil from 1970 to 1974, died on July 10 2023, after a short period of illness.
He was brought up in Blackheath, South-East London, the son of John, the clerk to the Governors of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, and Barbara, a radiographer. He attended Carn Brea prep school, Bromley, excelling as a sportsman, and was at one stage coached by Derek Underwood, the celebrated England seam bowler.

In Loyd House his sporting progress continued and within two years he had represented Bradfield’s cricket 1stXI. He was a batsman of real power and had an excellent eye. One school report said: “Gooddy played a well-judged and entertaining innings.” Another described him as “a most dependable opening bat and a fine gully.”

Ru’s family spent a good deal of time with his maternal grandmother at Byworth, West Sussex, which may be what inspired his love of country pursuits. He fished and shot, pastimes he pursued enthusiastically all his life. As a boy he kept doves in the garden at Blackheath.

While at Bradfield Ru, ever the nonconformist, with his great friend James Sutherland, acquired two ferrets, Blodwyn and Bill, which were kept out of harm’s way in his Housemaster’s garden, until one morning the Housemaster’s wife opened the front door to find Blodwyn tucking into the contents of her milk bottles. Blodwyn and Bill were “asked to leave”.

He was also an accomplished footballer, golfer and tennis player, his achievements matched only by his insistent pall of self-effacement, any compliment waved away with a genuine lack of conceit. He was ludicrously modest, as well as kind and caring. While he could be, as he admitted, ‘a grumpy sod’, he was essentially an engaging mixture of understated, unshowy charm and quietly forceful mischief, an astute listener and a huge enthusiast for merriment and fun.

Ru was a brilliant and generous host; excellent at putting people at their ease. He spoke with great gentleness and warmth, often almost in a whisper. It was part of an easy, engaging charm, but you underrated Ru at your peril; possibly in business sometimes people did and regretted it. He was a doer, softly spoken but a man of action.

Professionally he was a shrewd, hardworking and extremely successful entrepreneur. There had been early signs of this flair. At the age of six, Ru reported very excitedly that his parents were allowing him to use a couple of square yards of space in their garden, for his own devices. He explained: “I want to grow cabbages that I can sell to my mum.” Thus, the successful businessman was born.

The interest in horticulture was developed in his time at Writtle Agricultural College, Essex. During that period he spent a year working at Wyevale Nursery in Hereford, where he gained a love of the Wye Valley and Black Mountains, his parents having bought a cottage near Hay-on-Wye, which Ru loved. He went on to work at Northmoor Nurseries and in 1979 he opened his own nursery, Rupert Gooddy Plants Limited, Bampton.

Ru clearly belonged in Oxfordshire, where he lived for over forty years, indulging enthusiams for motorbikes, fishing and of course cricket. Moving there was absolutely the making of him, and he married his wife Elizabeth in 1990. His son Francis arrived the following year and daughter Mimi a year after that. The marriage lasted for 17 happy years.

One of the people who worked for Ru for many years was Di Newman. She said of him: “He was such a good bloke. Funny, caring and looked after his staff really, really well … If anyone was in trouble, he’d help them out, he’d go above and beyond… he would always give the young a chance by offering them work and he would always consult his staff before making decisions. He was out in all weathers with us, and never asked anyone to do a job he wouldn’t do himself. He was fun-loving and always rewarded well … Nothing was too much trouble for him. You couldn’t fault him. He was a lovely, lovely man …”

He enjoyed life to the full and was enormously and rightly proud of his son Francis, who followed Ru into the nursery business and helped it go from strength to strength, and daughter Mimi. He had a gentle, all-encompassing love of life. He was generous and loyal, with a wonderful warmth. His distinctive and hugely lovable personality will be enormously missed by all those who knew him.

James Hanning

Jean Countess of Donoughmore, who died aged 89, was kidnapped by the IRA along with her husband in 1974. The Earl and Countess of Donoughmore were kidnapped from their home in Knocklofty, Clonmel, Co Tipperary in June 1974.
She married John Michael Henry Hely Hutchinson in 1925. He was the elder son of the 6th Earl of Donoughmore. During the second World War she was in charge of the Red Cross in the East End of London and was made an MBE for her work in 1947.
Following the death of the 7th Earl of Donoughmore in 1981, he was succeeded as the 8th Earl by his son , who came to live at Bampton Manor, Broad Street and later at Frogwell, Bushey Row.

This is a newspaper article written by S.P.B.Mais, following a visit to some Oxfordshire village inns. The Elephant and Castle in Bridge Street; The Malt Shovel in Lavender Square; The Horse and Groom in Black Bourton (now The Vines) and The Plough at Alvescot are all mentioned. The writer says by far the most interesting character was 85 year-old Mr. John Kent of The Malt Shovel, Lavender Square, Bampton. At that time Mr Kent had been landlord for 34 years and had an abundance of fascinating stories to tell.

This newspaper sketch shows the fiddler Billy Wells - better known as Jingy Wells. Second from the left is Charles 'Cocky Tanner', the Bagman.Charles danced for forty years. At the back can be seen the Fool, Dave Edginton and at the front, extreme right, is Thomas 'Buscot' Tanner, the Squire.

Arthur Hill and Mr Fred Lomas crossing a very quiet High Street. Arthur Hill had the little antique shop, now the hairdresssers, next to The Horseshoe. It was stacked to the ceiling , with just a small path through to view the many antiques. Arthur would often refuse to sell items, particularly if they were in the window. Fred Lomas, in his later years, was the guard at The Midland Bank, opposite Arthur's shop. Duttons at this time was a greengrocers, delicatessen and pharmacy.

Fascinating memories of the village of Lew and the people who have lived there, along with memorable events by Donald Rouse

First ever meeting held in the newly restored upper room of the Grammar School June 9th 2022. The upper room was named The Lewington Room after Jo Lewington, whose idea and dedication brought about this amazing restoration.

Alec Wixey is the dancer in Royal Marines uniform. He caught the train from Lympstone barracks in Devon to Swindon, got a lift to Bampton, danced all day in full uniform and went back to barracks in the evening. Francis & Roy Shergold on the left, Pete Allam far right. Sitting , on the right, is Mrs. Ellis with Gary Gerhardt and Mrs Snook with Wayne. Standing on the left are Sheila Stephens and Margaret Clements (Hayes).