Bampton Livestock Sale 15th October 1873

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.

Photo taken 1925 outside the Elephant and Castle. Jingy Wells is playing the fiddle and Reg Tanner is to the left of him as you look at the photo.

The attendant at the back on the rigt is Sally Ellis. It's possible that the attedant on the left is Faye Fairclough (Smith).The picture is taken in front of The Elephant and Castle pub in Bridge Street. The building dates from the 17th century with alterations in the 19th century and in the 1960's. It seems to have been a public house for most of its life but it closed at some point in or after 2000 and is now a private house. It had a thatched roof until 1958 when a firework, let off some weeks before the 5th November, struck the roof and started a fire.

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.

Taken about 1958 opposite the Elephant & Castle and by Castle View farm. Gladys was one of the daughters of Mary Elizabeth and Albert Townsend. Syd White and Bobby Wells in the centre front. Sisters Lynne and Teresa Rouse on the left edge.

These were the tickets for The Spajers' Christmas Draw. Notice the price of tickets - 6 pence . That would have been 6 old pennies , equivalent to just over 2 pence nowadays. Miss M Roberts, know to Bampton as Peggy Roberts, opened the first Bampton Hairdressers in her house, Fleur de-Lys. This was the left -hand red brick house , close to and opposite the War Memorial. She later moved the business to the shop , now the Pottery Shop, opposite the Morris Clown.

From left to right, Marion MacNab, Cath Bradbury, Les MacNab (Landlord Jubilee), Maggie Mace, Don Bradbury (Landlord Horseshoe), John Rainey (Landlord Elephant & Castle), Tom Mace,
Harry Walton (Landlord Talbot) and Helen Rainey.

This photograph was taken in the early nineties. In the background, on the extreme left can be seen the popular restaurant, The Poacher's Rest. Next to the restaurant is Adrian Simmond's shop. Further to the right it is just possible to see the little shop that was originally owned by Onisipherous Collett, who built a car in the garage behind the shop,in the very early 1900s. The shop later became Elsie Hughes's wool shop and later a newsapaper shop. It is now known as Exeter House.To the right of the picture can be seen The Market Square Garage. When it was demolished, it was replaced with Thornberry Flats for people aged 55+. The beautiful blue, 4.2 litre straight 6 twin overhead cam E type Jaguar, was owned by Mr. Jimmy Watts of Black Bourton.

One hundred pensioners were treated to a day out in Weymouth by The SPAJERS. A wonderful time was had by all. However, when the coaches were halfway home, it was realised that two passengers were missing! Mr. Don Rouse, Chairman of SPAJERS, phoned the police in Weymouth who conformed that the two ladies had reported in and then booked themselves in to an hotel. Next day, Mr. Rouse returned to Weymouth to retrieve the lost pensioners.