Booklet produced to commemorate 50 years of the Shirt Racer as part of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations, with a message from Don Rouse and details of how the Shirt Race came about in 1953. The booklet was printed by Margaret Johnson of Witney, and contains advertisements of local Shops and businesses.

Keith Mitchell and Rhona Peacock in fancy dress for the shirt race in 1983. Their pram was made into a coffin on wheels.

The first Shirt Race in Bampton was run to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and it's been run every year on the Saturday

Ann Shergold, Penny Daniels and Dora Townsend cooking a S.P.A.J.E.R.S. dinner

The SPAJERS once again held the Donkey Derby on August Bank Holiday Monday 2018. Many village clubs and societies have stalls in the field and there is a wonderful tea tent.

49 photos of The Donkey Derby held in Sandford Field, August bank holiday 2021
Master of ceremonies was Don Rouse and village communities had various stall, the Donkeys are jockeyed by children with parental consent.
Stalls included
Bampton Belles WI Cake stall
Splat the rat
Guess my name
Shopping Village
Face painting
Jo Lewingtons garden pottery
Buckingham Christmas time
Sue Stanbridge Stamps
Needle Felt
Tombola

The cuttings are from the Standard, Times, & Echo dated Friday 1st June 1973. “Holiday festivities in Bampton”, “Bampton shirt race comes of age” and “Bampton Annual Fête”
This cutting describes the race and states it is in the 21st year. Harry Hampton and George Hunt , the winners of the first races in 1952/53 were the judges. Paul Bovington relayed the information. Junior class winners were Neil Hitchins and Darryl Hirons, and Adult Winners: Michael Bradley and Geofrey Lane from Black Bourton.
Junior Race: 1st -Anthony Collett Andrew Bathe, 2nd - Malcolm Walker and Kevin Paintin, 3rd - Clive Tanner and Valerie Adams
Senior Race: 1st Richard Snook and Mickey Smith, 2nd - Richard Buckingham and Darryl Hirons 3rd - Gordon Walker and David Pearce.

The pandemic of covid-19 affected every aspect of the lives of people all around the world and the fun over the whole Bank Holiday weekend in Bampton should have started with the Shirt Race on Saturday May 23rd which had to be cancelled and the day of Morris Dancing on Monday May 25th, which, as you will see below, just managed to maintain an unbroken tradition of 102 years. There would normally have been many spontaneous music sessions in our pubs as well but the pubs are closed because of the virus. There would also have been a competition to see which group of children could make the best flower garland and one family made sure there was a garland to be seen and it was place in the west porch of St Mary's church, because the church is locked because of the virus.

The last time there was no Morris Dancing at all at Whitsun in Bampton was 1918. The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, moved this bank holiday to the last Monday in May, following a trial period of this arrangement from 1965 to 1970.

Here in Bampton our dancers were determined not to have another year like 1918 and so three different pairs of dancers from squire Craig Godwin's side danced a jig, one in New Road, another outside Churchgate and the third one outside their headquarters of The Romany. A pair from Laurence Adams side danced outside the Church gates also. No times were published so a crowd did not gather.

Keith Chandler took the photographs and Jamie Wheeler posted the following on Memories of Bampton.

"In 1960 Bampton Morris didn't have a musician. Reg Hall came to the rescue. In 2020, 60 (yes 60!!) years later Bampton Morris didn't have a musician (albeit for very different reasons). Reg Hall came to the rescue. Let no-one ever doubt the debt we owe to Reg (and don't forget Rod Stradling either). Reg would, of course, be the first to admit that it is a double edged sword and that he has gained plenty from it too in the form of fun and friendship. Roy Shergold once said to me that he (Roy) had taken more out of the Morris than he had ever put in. I don't think that was particularly true of Roy. It certainly isn't of Reg. Thank you!!"

When Keith Chandler sent me these photographs he wrote the following:-

"There was some morris dancing today, and you could see it as long as you knew the when and where in advance. Two-man jigs only. Matthew Green didn't turn a set out at all. Craig Godwin's side did three stands, two dancers at the first (New Road), a different pair at second (Church Gates) and third (outside The Romany). Lawrence Adams' side did one stand only (Church Gates), himself and his son Jonathan. So, a handful of jigs as a token gesture to maintain continuity. The last time there was no public performance was 1918. Hopefully, things will be back to normal next year."

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.

The 46th Donkey Derby took place in 2015. The afternoon's fun is organised by the SPAJERS (Society for The Preservation of Ancient Junketing) to raise funds to treat Bampton's senior citizens and at the same time provide fun for everyone