Photograph of Oil Painting by Hilda Kent of The Talbot and Town Hall

Photograph of Oil Painting painted by Hilda Kent showing Arthur antique shop

While the title of this piece refers to the Shirt Race, which started as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, this articles talks about many people and is a lovely snapshot of social life in Bampton in 1959. People mentioned include:-

Albert Chandlers, saddler and leather worker and chairman of the parish council and still working hard at his leather work aged 81. Reference is made to the 100 or so council houses built in Weald since the war but there have been no council houses built in Weald, they were along New Road and the area north of New Road.

Percival O Money, "bespoke and surgical boot maker where everything was done by hand, even stitching when repairing footwear. Mr Money was a founding member of the debating society and secretary of the bowls club (which was in the grounds of Weald Manor.)

John Quick, one of the founder member of the SPAJERS - The Society for Ancient Junketer - who organise the Great Shirt Race and other events to raise money for Bampton's senior citizens while providing fun for all.

Mr & Mrs Arthur Scott-Norman licensee of the Elephant and Castle Inn in Bridge Street, knew each other in their school days then bumped into each other again in Tanganyika, never to be parted again. During the war Mr Scott-Norman was in the RAF and later in the Colonial office in Dar-es-Salaam and Mrs Scott-Norman was matron of the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar-es-Salaam.

There is much more of interest in the articel.

Mrs Rogers lived in Brook House on Bridge Street where she sold sweets and newspapers. Bampton is 18 miles from Oxford and 18 from Swindon and somehow, Mrs Brooks managed to get a sugar allowance during WWII from both Swindon and Oxford which enabled her to make and sell lots of sweets.

Brook House is the one on the left of the picture, across the road.

She is on the left in this picture with Mr and Mrs Albert Townsend from across the road at Castle View Farm. They are standing just inside the wall of the farm.

Marion and Ted Lay lived in Bampton all their married life and as Jamie Wheeler says

"They were the loveliest people you could ever meet. I claim a slight family association as their daughter Marjorie married Jim Brooks. It was a second marriage for them both and Jim had previously been married to my Auntie Joyce. I always regarded him as my uncle. Ted was a Morris dancer years ago and we always did one dance outside his house on Whit Monday and for Mrs. Lay after Ted died. Mrs. Lay was sister of Harry Pocock whose name crops up on this site quite often. He died the day I was born (or so Mrs. Pocock used to tell me)"

This letter, dated November 1st 1944 was send by Stan Smith's commanding officer to Stan's father informing him that Stan was missing but may be a POW. He was a POW and near the end of the was became one of the POWs who took part in the what became known as the Long March. They were marched from East Germany keeping ahead of the advancing Russians. Stan walked almost 1,000 miles. He survived.

Airman, Reg Smith, married Albert Radband's sister, Beryl Joan Radband.
He was the brother of twins Peggy and Dolly.
Godfather of Jamie Wheeler.
Marion Paintin said "Joan and Reg had two children Linda and Michael who married my sister Susan and they live at Brading on the Isle of Wight."
Lyn Dunsby said "Linda lives in Lowestoft. She keeps in touch with my mum (Ruth Wheeler.) Joan was my mum's friend but we always called her Aunty Beryl as that was her other name."

Ruby Riches was a headteacher in Aston. She celebrated her 100th birthday in the wonderful care home in Bampton, Rose Bank.

Olive McCage was born and grew up in Bampton; she was a typist at Brize Norton air base where she met a young American, married him and she emigrated to the USA when his tour of duty here was over.

Sandford House