Mary Elizabeth Townsend nee Portlock

Long before the days when everyone had a TV and many IT toys and gadgets, the WI Christmas Party was much enjoyed my many children. This group photo was taken 1956 at a Christmas party given by the WI.

Wedding Day for Natasha Papworth, seen here with her parents Tom and Sylvia Papworth. They are standing in the doorway of their home, Emmies, the papershop which sadly closed for the last time in 2012.

This picture is of Edie Quick, mother of Fenella Gray, Jenny and Ken and wife to John.John along with Paul Bovington was a founder member of the SPAJERS.

Sandford House

Tom Smith was the son of a gypsy Queen and for 1969, the number of people and cars who came to his funeral was a very memorable affair. To this day, locals call the bend just outside Bampton on the Bampton to Brize Norton Road 'Hoppy's Corner.' It's on the right leaving Bampton just after passing the allotments.

This is Elsie Hughes with three boys and a girl. Elsie had 2 daughters, Mary and Sylvia and one son Jim, so I'm not sure who the 4 children are. She was married to Len Hughes and the last place they lived and worked was the garage and shop next to Cromwell House in Cheapside. The property is now a private dwelling called Exeter House.

This delightful drawing of Francis Shergold by Alan Beers is dated 1990. Francis was squire of the Bampton Traditional Morris Men

The photo shows 3 Dr Landrays:

• Robert Landray (GP in Bampton)
• Margaret Landray (worked under maiden name of Dr Bray, anaesthetist at Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon)
• Martin Landray (consultant physician, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford; and Professor of Medicine & Epidemiology at University of Oxford).

All 3 went to the Medical School at University of Birmingham (but I was a bit later than the other two!). All 3 still live in Bampton.

All written by Martin

Albert and Mary Elizabeth Townsend and family (Castle View Farm) marriage dates