Ted Dixey took a very active part in Bampton life. He was a Morris Dancer for several years as was his father. He learnt to bellring in 1943 when ringing was permitted again and rang to within a very few years of his death.

Robert Courts was elected to take over as MP for Witney and West Oxfordshire when David Cameron retired from being MP for the constituency. Robert emails a news roundup more less weekly and this one has much in regarding Coronavirus, also referred to as COVID-19.

Robert has given me permission to copy his letter and put it on this website and wishes me to make all aware of his email address robert@robertcourts.co.uk

The outbreak of Coronavirus in 2020 has caused devastation to the way of life all around the world. New restrictions and advice were being given daily by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and two specialist advisers each day at 5pm from the week beginning Monday March 16th 2020.

It was announced during this week that all schools were to close but the pupils of key workers could still go to nominated schools to allow their parent to continue with his or her essential job. Also, pupils who would normally have free school meals would be able to go in order to have at least one square meal per day.

On Friday, the list of key workers was published and this article from the on-line Witney Gazette lists those key workers.

An instruction from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York this week said there would be no services until the risk of catching coronavirus has passed. Weddings can take place with a maximum of 5 people attending but that did not say if it was the bride and groom and the clergy plus two, or those 3 plus 5. Not helpful.

Most of these photographs of the Grange in the High Street were taken early in the twentieth century.The Morris dancers are seen there in the 1980s.

Dr Alan Cole came to practice in Bampton in 1959 and was here long enough to have in some cases, looked after three generations of a family. He was 90 in 2020.

Freda Bradley wrote a lovely book called 'Bampton; The Way It Was.' These are photographs of her parents and grandparents and of Freda when young with her brothers Jim and Ken with their grandmother Mrs Dewe, taken in 1937.

On February 17th 2016 work began to dismantle the old pipe organ in St Mary's. Douglas Clare, one of our two churchwardens in April 2019 wrote the following article for the May issue of Contact.

Lew House and the attached estate was put on the market in 2019. It could all be sold as one item or lots of land could be purchased separately. This Knight Frank sales brochure gives all the details.

This is the family tree of Richard Edginton.

Names in the family tree.

Barrett Basson Bellinger

Bone Buckingham Bunce

Burchell Butler Cole

Edginton Elward Fowler

Griffiths Hewish Hibberd

Jones Jordan Knott

La Croix Loveridge McGregor

Merchant Merrick Mills

Newman Perchard Preston

Tanner Tinson Townsend

Whitlock Woodley Wraight

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.