These photographs taken by Bob West record some of the activities of the late May Bank holiday weekend in 2000. Francis Shergold's morris side and visiting teams Sherbourne and Eynsham
The map was produced in 1921. The first map is has been reused to show where council houses were to be built on the south side of New Road and where the sewerage pipes were to be laid to the sewerage works along the Buckland Road.
Mains sewerage came to Bampton in 1958 after a long struggle and at a cost of £105,000. Miss Marjorie Pollard was the driving force but in the end, it was the death of Horace Morse who emptied the 'night soil' buckets twice a week which made it imperative. Jack Bellinger was the first manager of the sewerage works.
This Ordinance Survey map was produced in 1974 and covers the area from Hobbs buildings/Deanery Farm in the north, due east to Coal Pit Farm, south to Bampton centre, on south to Weald, east to Aston and south to the Radcot Cut and Great Brook and the Thames.
In October 2012 the Bampton Environmental Watch Group had a wonderful talk given by John Leighfield on the history of maps and in particular maps of Oxfordshire and Bampton. It was very interesting to note that the first maps of Bampton showed the rivers and streams but no roads, showing the importance of waterways. It really is worth looking at the maps of Bampton carefully, you'll see just how old some buildings are, where the mill was in Bampton and Kerwoods Yard which was one area for the very poor with dwellings that had no land with them, they afforded the occupier a roof as opposed to 'the park bench' but no land on which to produce any food. It's referred to in early census forms and people come to Bampton asking where it is - it's on page 15 of this pdf
These photographs, all taken by Bob West at the Spring Bank Holiday day of Morris Dancing 2000. All but the last two are Tony Daniels' morris side, (now at 2020 under Craig Godwin). The next to last picture is of Sherbourne Morris and the last picture is Eynsham Morris, both guests of the local side.
The annual weigh-in for the Pumpkin Club, October 14th 1983. John Buckingham aged 21 had the heaviest pumpkin at 142 lbs. John Simpson and Ron Bateman both from Radio Oxford were weigh-masters. One pumpkin was found to have concrete in the middle and was obviously disqualified but there were roars of laughter when the owner was said to be Mr U B Foulde aka Graham Taylor who had created it for fun. The junior section was won by Gerry Lea Markey. The marrow section was won by 13 year old Dale Stevens. Produce donated by locals was auctioned off after the weigh-in and was expected to raise about £300 for Bampton's elderly which would be distributed at Christmas.
The Sunday before Bank Holiday Monday the Morris sides in Bampton have their last practice. In these photos the Bampton Traditional Morris side can be seen in the garden of the Horse Shoe, their headquarters at the time. People include Reg Hall on fiddle, Joe Perry accordion, Jamie Wheeler accordion, dancers John Shuker, Ray Borrett, Tony Daniels, Craig Godwin, Jonny Shuker, Andrew Lloyd, David Townsend, Billy Main plus Francis Shergold with pint and white stick.
These are the young dancers in Francis Shergold's side 1980, the Bampton Traditional Morris Men. They include Keith Rouse, Jamie Wheeler and Craig Godwin.
