Back in the 1980s a club or society had a bazaar or jumble sale almost every Saturday in the WI Hall and there would be a queue of people waiting to come in. This was the Christmas Bazaar held by the Playgroup to raise funds for its running. Mrs Lynne Evans and Mrs Diane O'Brien can be seen with young Neil O'Brien in the top picture and along with one of Father Christmas's helpers are Lizzie Betts, Kathryne Betts and Louise Burton.
There was a time when our local post men and women cycled round to both deliver and collect letters. There was a letterbox at Bampton and Brize Norton railway station and it was here a blackbird's nest was discovered inside the box. Great care was taken when emptying the box and in the end, the birds hatched and fledged.
This article was written by Fenella Gray in the summer of 2012 where she documents the history of the Community Shop up to that point. In 2008 the Archive made a film about the Community Shop up to that point. For a while, the shop had to close because the owners of the premises felt the storage facility at the back was a fire hazard but happily, the shop re-opened not too long after next door but one in Rosemary Lane with much improved facilities.
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.
Bampton Meadows, a new housing development is to be built by Taylor Wimpey at the bottom of Mount Owen Road on the Aston side. Taylor Wimpey have agreed to pay £1.4 million on local amenities.
Councillors across the political spectrum at West Oxfordshire District Council have agreed that changes to the planning system are not suitable for West Oxfordshire.
Witney Gazette August 2014. WODC vows to fight the study showing that the area should build 13,000. The council in August 2014 was still updating its local plan and that has left the whole area open to speculators to build large estates in areas that are known by locals to flood and where local doctors' surgeries are already so full it can take 3 weeks to get an appointment. There is far more detail in the article.
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 envelope and cutting were lent to the Archive by Freda Bradley. Sundown Cottage was in the grounds of Prospect, the house immediately in front of you as you walk down the lane past the south side of the Grammar School. Mr & Mrs Rose bought it and they bought Prospect. The little cottage was later removed. We don't know why Freda brought the envelope with the cutting; sadly whoever she lent it to didn't record that