'Go Thou and Do Likewise' is on the top of the banner of the Friendly Society. On Hospital Sunday the members walked from their headquarters in one of the inns to St Mary's for a service and in this picture, they are seen leaving after the annual service. Before the days of the National Health Service, those who could, paid into 'the club' ie the Friendly Society and if they were ill and could not work, sufficient money was provided for the family to buy food. It was literally a life saver for them. The National Health Service came into being July 5th 1948.
1a Foresters A photograph of the Foresters with their banner outside Oathurst, now called Rosebank Nursing Home. Bampton’s Brass band is with them. People paid into clubs like the Foresters then, if they were unable to work, the club kept them from starving. This was before the welfare state came into being and so these friendly societies were very important.

This report on the Survey & Plan of Bampton was done under the guidance of M W Robinson FRICS MTPI in October 1966. It makes very interesting reading and the conclusions are as relevant today as they were then. The topics covered are 1. Population 2. Situation 3. Character 4. The people 5. Shopping 6. Principal road connections 7. Schools 8. Open spaces 9. Social facilities, Public Services etc 10. Surface water drainage 11. Sewage disposal 12. Water supply and much more. It makes a very interesting read particularly in the light of all the dwellings that have been built here since October 1966, all those being built now (Jan 2017) and those being proposed when considering the access into Bampton has not been improved yet in 1966 one of the conclusions states was that Bampton could not take further development, a by-pass was not possible and no further space for parking other than possibly in Church Street could be made. Houses have since been built on the land in Church Street

On May 21st 2014 the Bampton WI banner was hung in the south wing of St Mary The Virgin.The banner was made by Pat Barratt, second from the right, and shows several aspect of Bampton life, notably the Morris dancing,

Bampton had a brass band in the very early days of the twentieth century. The picture of them playing outside the Town Hall, taken in 1908 was kindly lent to the Archive by Barbara Daw.

December 17th 1902 in aid of The Foresters' Brass Band.

This is a poem written by John Bolderson, a man from Witney, who was referee for Albert Radband's Bampton Football Club. He makes amusing mention of Frank Hudson, Eric Truman, Rodney Adams, Simon Goddard, Jim (Ginger) Townsend, John Marsden, Frank Barrett, Philip Hewitson, Roger Siford, Mick Walsh, George Siford, Terry Craven, Peter Hawks and William Truman.

This is a picture postcard of Bampton Football team in the 1906/7 season. The card has been sent to Miss K Phillips in Stanton Harcourt from Bampton on May 13th 1907.

Bampton Weightlifting Club

In 1999 there was a mass cycle ride organised to highlight the need for a cycle pathway from Bampton to The Trout Inn at Tadpole bridge on the Buckland Road. The bridge crosses the River Thames.

Helen Cadd wrote"The photo was posted over from America by Olive McCabe, nee Olive Peacock back when the photo was taken . Aunty Olive found the photo in a set of drawers she was clearing out.

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