These three photographs are of one of the visiting sides to Bampton in 1985 dancing in the Market Square outside the Village Hall in two pictures and at the West end of the Square in the third picture.

This is one of the earliest photograph of the Bampton Morris Men taken in 1897, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year.
The dancers are
George Wells/Taylor
Thomas William Tanner
Joseph Rouse
Robert Dixey
George Dixey
James Dewe
Charles Henry Tanner, ragman
Henry Radband, sword carrier
William Nathan Wells, fool, known as Jingy
Richard Decimus Butler, musician

Market Square

This photograph was taken in the early nineties. In the background, on the extreme left can be seen the popular restaurant, The Poacher's Rest. Next to the restaurant is Adrian Simmond's shop. Further to the right it is just possible to see the little shop that was originally owned by Onisipherous Collett, who built a car in the garage behind the shop,in the very early 1900s. The shop later became Elsie Hughes's wool shop and later a newsapaper shop. It is now known as Exeter House.To the right of the picture can be seen The Market Square Garage. When it was demolished, it was replaced with Thornberry Flats for people aged 55+. The beautiful blue, 4.2 litre straight 6 twin overhead cam E type Jaguar, was owned by Mr. Jimmy Watts of Black Bourton.

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.

Photograph of John Temple standing in the doorway of his Hardware Store, Next to Londis Shop in Market Square. Not known date.

John Temple Advert in Witney Gazette 1984
Shop in Market Square selling Hardware, DIY, Fishing Tackle and much more

Images of Parkers Solicitors, now Marks Kitchen, (previously Constable's Bakery,) Rosemary House, and the Poachers Rest Restaurant (previously Barclays Bank) West end of Market Square
Supplied by Andrew Hilditch c 1990