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.
Alec Wixey is the dancer in Royal Marines uniform. He caught the train from Lympstone barracks in Devon to Swindon, got a lift to Bampton, danced all day in full uniform and went back to barracks in the evening. Francis & Roy Shergold on the left, Pete Allam far right. Sitting , on the right, is Mrs. Ellis with Gary Gerhardt and Mrs Snook with Wayne. Standing on the left are Sheila Stephens and Margaret Clements (Hayes).
These were the tickets for The Spajers' Christmas Draw. Notice the price of tickets - 6 pence . That would have been 6 old pennies , equivalent to just over 2 pence nowadays. Miss M Roberts, know to Bampton as Peggy Roberts, opened the first Bampton Hairdressers in her house, Fleur de-Lys. This was the left -hand red brick house , close to and opposite the War Memorial. She later moved the business to the shop , now the Pottery Shop, opposite the Morris Clown.
Taken about 1958 opposite the Elephant & Castle and by Castle View farm. Gladys was one of the daughters of Mary Elizabeth and Albert Townsend. Syd White and Bobby Wells in the centre front. Sisters Lynne and Teresa Rouse on the left edge.
This is a newspaper article written by S.P.B.Mais, following a visit to some Oxfordshire village inns. The Elephant and Castle in Bridge Street; The Malt Shovel in Lavender Square; The Horse and Groom in Black Bourton (now The Vines) and The Plough at Alvescot are all mentioned. The writer says by far the most interesting character was 85 year-old Mr. John Kent of The Malt Shovel, Lavender Square, Bampton. At that time Mr Kent had been landlord for 34 years and had an abundance of fascinating stories to tell.
The attendant at the back on the rigt is Sally Ellis. It's possible that the attedant on the left is Faye Fairclough (Smith).The picture is taken in front of The Elephant and Castle pub in Bridge Street. The building dates from the 17th century with alterations in the 19th century and in the 1960's. It seems to have been a public house for most of its life but it closed at some point in or after 2000 and is now a private house. It had a thatched roof until 1958 when a firework, let off some weeks before the 5th November, struck the roof and started a fire.
This newspaper sketch shows the fiddler Billy Wells - better known as Jingy Wells. Second from the left is Charles 'Cocky Tanner', the Bagman.Charles danced for forty years. At the back can be seen the Fool, Dave Edginton and at the front, extreme right, is Thomas 'Buscot' Tanner, the Squire.
Arthur Hill and Mr Fred Lomas crossing a very quiet High Street. Arthur Hill had the little antique shop, now the hairdresssers, next to The Horseshoe. It was stacked to the ceiling , with just a small path through to view the many antiques. Arthur would often refuse to sell items, particularly if they were in the window. Fred Lomas, in his later years, was the guard at The Midland Bank, opposite Arthur's shop. Duttons at this time was a greengrocers, delicatessen and pharmacy.