The Bampton Traditional Morris Men nearly always held their annual Morris Party in the Village Hall. These are pictures of their party and a session in the Horse Shoe. Photos by Bob West

Frank Purslow was not only an excellent melodeon player, he taught many local people as well. He also had a wonderful catalogue of music gathered throughout his life. It was shocking to see it all put outside the gate of his house after his death for the bin men to pick up. A little was rescued but the vast majority was thrown away. The letter from Frank shown here was a follow-on from one sent the week before and the text will explain all.

Colin and Gareth Knight dancing the Broom Dance

These photographs are very likely to have been taken in 1913. The fiddler dancing a jig to his own playing is William Nathan Wells, better known as Jingy.

On Spring Bank Holiday Monday 2003 Jamie Wheeler and Craig Godwin received their tankard for 25 years dancing and playing for the Bampton Traditional Morris Men.

This was Gala Day at Tickhill in Yorkshire. Bampton Traditional Morris Men, Squire Francis Shergold were three of the dance sides invited to take part along with Yorkshire Ladies side

Bampton always has a weekend filled with fun and laughter over the late May Bank Holiday. These cuttings talk about the Shirt Race and the Morris Dancing.
In one of the cuttings you can also read about

1. An exhibition of Arts and Crafts in the Town Hall
2. Cancer Research Bampton branch raising funds
3. The Community Fete organised by the Royal British Legion in the afternoon of Bank Holiday Monday
4. The Pumpkin Club which held a Tramps' Supper in the Cotswold Hotel on the Saturday night after the Shirt Race

Terry Rouse began dancing in 1964 for Francis Shergold's Morris side. That year was a very wet time and Francis's side was in need of somewhere out of the rain to rehearse ready for Whit Monday and Terry invited him to use his barn at Backhouse Farm. Already a keen dancer of both ballroom and country dancing, Terry loved what he saw and asked to join the side and so began a long career both as a dancer and in the later years the Morris Fool, finally retiring in 2000.

This is a group photo of the Bampton Traditional Morris Men taken at Grey Barn house in Queen Street in 1998. President was Francis Shergold and the squire was Tony Daniels. The dancers plus musician, cake carrier/collector and fool include:-

Bampton Traditional Morris Men 1998

1. Francis Shergold, squire
2. Peter Mathias
3. John Grout
4. Martin Landray
5. Billy Main
6. Peter Peterson
7. Jamie Wheeler - musician
8. David Townsend
9. Liam Main (I think)
10. Rod Stradling - musician
11. Jason Blackwell
12. Martin Ferguson
13. Craig Godwin
14. John Shuker
15. Tony Daniels
16. Paul Townsend
17. Jasper Walsh
18. Bob West, cake carrier and collection box
19. Cyril Smith
20. Terry Rouse, fool
21. Ray Borrett
22. Frank Godwin

10 Individual photographs of Morris Dancer's garments worn by Jingy Wells ,
Painting by of Jingy Wells plus fiddle by Bateman