The lovely black and white photograph shows Mrs Clark in her shop doorway. The shop was in the High Street on the north side almost opposite Bovington's wet fish shop.
The pub in the High Street named The Morris Clown (as at 2018) began life as The George. Steve the present landlord found the ancient wooden name board in the cellar but it fell to dust when he tried to lift it. A long time ago it became the New Inn as seen in the first photograph which is at least pre 1920 because the cottage at the est end of the Market Square is still standing and that was pulled down to make way for the War Memorial. Over the door can be seen a sign which says Clinch's Entire Eagle Brewery, Witney. There is another line underneath which sadly is not readable. The lower board says Commercial Inn, Lila Clack and two more lines of text which I can't read. The opposite side of the road is the department store owned by T. W. Pembrey which ran the length of present day No7 High Street, Lesta House, Strawberry Cottage and across Bushey Row, then called New Inn Street the shop on the corner. On the end wall of the New Inn on the third picture text can be seen which in part says Commercial something and Posting House. A little of this lettering can still be seen in 2018. What was Pembrey's is now Busby's department store. Note the thatched hay rick camera side of Lime Tree House. Thatching hay ricks kept the hay in good condition and shed the rain off; rick thatching was a specialist job and in Bampton Ben Tanner and his brother were particularly skilled and Reg Rouse was also.
These three pictures show the Shirt Race over several years. The first race ever took place in 1953 to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. All the contestants wore long night shirts hence the name. The children's race is seen by the bridge in Buckland Road. In those days the race started by The Swan Inn just beyond the bridge on the left. In later years, the night shirts were done away with and with fewer and fewer prams available, the modes of transport have varied and the costumes are now so good there is a competition before the races to judge the best one.
This Ordnance Survey Plan SP3003-3103. Dated 1971 shows area Bridge St east to end of houses, north to new school, Colvile Close etc Properties and Streets listed : Air Training Corps Ampney Lodge Apple Tree Cottage April Cottage Army cadet Hut Bakery Bampton House Bay Tree Cottage Belgrave Cottage Blackthorn Cottage Blackthorn Cottagre Bourton Cottage Box House Bushey House Calais Farm Cheapside Chestnuts Churchgate House Churchgate House Clevelly Cobb House Corner Cottage Cornmill Cotsway Cotswold Lodge Courtlands Dairy Farm House Deanery Farm Down Home Elephant and Castle Eton Villas Felix Cottage Fernlea Field Cottage Fishers Bridge Fleur de Lys Folly House Folly View Fox Close George and Dragon Grayshot House Ham Court Haytor House Highmoor Brook Inglenook Cottage Kilmore House Kilmore House Landells Leighton Cottage Lester House Library Lime Tree House Little Pinkneys Little Place Cottage Littlemead Lynton Mead Mallows Manor House Matthew House Melita Moss Rose Cottage Oathurst Estate Plantation Pococks Close Police Office Poplar Cottage Primrose Cottages Priory Cottage Prospect Cottage Prospect House Prospect Place Quebec Cottage Rhandom Roseann Rosebrook Rosemary House San Toy Sandford House Southrop House Southside St Johns House St Oswald Sunnyside Cottage Thatched Cottage The Bungalow The Deanery The Eagle The Elms The Gate Cottage The Glen The Grange The Grey House The Haven The Hermitage The Horse Shoe The Jubilee The Malt Shovel The Old Forge The Vicarage The Yews Town Hall Tudor Cottage Turnings Vaizey Cottage Vicarage Victoria Cottages Vine Cottage Weald Manor House Wheelgate House Windsmore Windsor Cottagres Yew Tree Cottage Youth Club Ampney Orchard Aston Road Bowling Green Close Bridge Street Broad Street Buckland Road Bushey Row Chandler Close Cheapside Church Lane Church Street Church View Colvile Close Glebelands High Street High Street Lavender Square Manor View Mercury Close New Road Queens Street Rosemary Lane