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.

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.

John and his wife Lizanne have lived in Bampton for many years and for much of that time they were churchwardens and sacristans. They were a couple who just quietly did much for the village without fanfare. Lizanne made recycled cards for several years which were much sort after in the Vesey room. It’s good to know their three sons don’t live far away and promised John they would take good care of Lizanne.

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.

Newspaper article about the cancellation of 2023 Shirt Race, which had been one of Oxfordshire’s most popular social events was cancelled in 2023 , The historic Great Shirt Race at Bampton, organised by the Spajers (the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Junketing) - has delighted hundreds of people annually for seven decades. Cancelled because three committee members had resigned. Don Rouse, one of the organisers still in post, was Master of Ceremonies at this race since 1970.
The modern version began in 1953 when village gasman John Quick, farmer Doug Read and fishmonger Paul Bevington dreamed up the idea of a pram race through the streets to celebrate the Queen’s Coronation.

Beautiful Illustrated Certificate (unfilled) to Certify membership of Ancient Oder of Foresters Friend Society; Before our National Health System came into being in July 1948, people could pay a little each week into a club or Friendly Society and if they should find themselves unable to work through illness or accident.

Photograph of Bampton Children enjoying a show or pantomime in the WI Hall (Village Hall) in 1963.
The children are numbered in the second photo and named as follows:

1. Angela Brooks
2. ?
3. Patricia Preston
4. Lyn Beckley
5. Esther Green
6. Raymond Bradley
7. Sharon Foreshew
8. Richard Shepherd
9. Shelagh Danford
10. Roy Clarke
11. Fenella Quick
12. Maureen Clarke
13. Andy Clarke
14. Ann Jackson
15. ?
16. Mrs Edie Foreshew
17. Jean Cole
18. Lorraine Barber
19. Francis Barber
20. Neil Anderson
21. Kevin Bradley
22. ?
23. Jenny Bishop
24. Teresa Taylor
25. Lyn Wheeler
26. Darryl Hirons
27. ?
28. Anthony Collett
29. Ann (Biz) Cole
30. Tish Cole
31. Dougie Forshew
32. Penny Shergold
33. Pearl Paintin
34. Bridget Shergold

Display Boards used to exhibit the restoration of the Old Grammar School. These boards explain the restoration of the Old Grammar School built in the mid 1650s with a legacy of Robert Vesey, as a school to educate the children of Bampton. The Old Grammar School has been in some kind of trust for the village for 370 years. The current trust called the Bampton Exhibition Foundation (“BEF”), was set up in 1906 after the school had officially passed into the hands of the Government Education Department. Bampton Community Archive wanted to secure the future of the building for another 300 years, and give a formal home for the foreseeable future and continue the job of creating and maintaining an historical record of Bampton and surrounding villages. Thanks to lots of hard work and generous support from the landlords (Bampton Exhibition Foundation), WODC, OCC, all our visitors and the benefit of the ‘Downton Abbey’ connection helped to raise sufficient funds to undertake the long-planned improvements to the interior of the Old Grammar School. The building reopened in May 2022. Downstairs Library and Vesey Room with its exhibition space and shop and upstairs a spectacular space which had not been accessible since 1961.

Photographs with names of children and mothers as follows:

1. Josephine Keyte,
2. Linda Smith
3. Jackie Cook
4. Graham Cook
5. Trevor Bradley
6. Freda Bradley
7. Cheryl Becket
8. Violet Becket
9. Shane Becket
10. Fenella Quick
11. Sheila Danford
12. Sharon Forshew
13. Tish Cole
14. Biz Cole

Conservative Flyer for Ted Fenton, District Council Candidate for Bampton, Clanfield and Black Bourton. This was for the West Oxfordshire District Council Election to be held on Thursday 4th May 2023.