When Lloyd Hughes Owens created a series of albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s there were people alive who could remember seeing Fred Able in Bampton with his little cart, two donkeys and his dog.
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.
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.
Bampton celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II over 4 days at the beginning of June 2012. These are a few of the reports of some of the events which took place.
In May 2012 our papershop known as Emmies, run by Tom and Silvia Papworth closed for the last time. The letter gives a history of the shop, the people who ran it. It documents not only the passing of the papershop but records the very active part both Sylvia and Tom have played in Bampton's life, for which those of us lucky enough to have known them, their families and their shop will always be very grateful.
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.