Funeral service of David Geoffrey Hawkins, held in St. Mary's Church Bampton. As David was in the RAF a tribute in the form of a flypast of the A400M was given and this can be seen at https://youtu.be/v26BlMQHg2E

Jack Langley Townsend on left in Egypt c1943 in RASC

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.

2 photos with writing on back of John Clarke born 1937
Showing Fancy Dress and school photos
attended Bampton School

Bill Hudson MM was Frank Hudson’s father. His wife, one of Dora Townsend’s sisters died when Frank was 7 weeks old and Frank was raised by his grandparents on Castle View farm so Bill could go out to work; but Bill lived in Broad Street so saw Frank all the time. At one time Bill worked in Central Garage in the Market Square. In this picture he is seen with people from other outlets for Ferguson Tractors at the Fifteenth product course on April 29th 1947 where he represented Bathford of Swindon.
Frank never knew his father had been awarded the MM medal until he found it when clearing Bill’s house after he died.

Photograph of Bill Hudson with others on a course in 1947. He was Frank Hudson’s father. His wife, one of Dora Townsend’s sisters died when Frank was 7 weeks old and Frank was raised by his grandparents on Castle View farm so Bill could go out to work but Bill lived in Broad Street so saw Frank all the time. At one time Bill worked in Central Garage in the Market Square. In this picture he is seen with people from other outlets for Ferguson Tractors, at the Fifteenth product course on April 29th 1947 where he represented Bathford of Swindon.

Written on the back of the photo are the names of the others
Lenfield Engineering (Kent) - A.C. Jacobs
Cortlett Sons and Cowley Ltd Isle of Man - Mr H Corkhill
Tractors Swindon Ltd Bathfield Mr W Hudson
Avon Valley Tractors Ltd Evesham - W.R. Frost
Burgess Motors Stafford - E.W. Beard

Sam Bennett. He moved to Warwickshire but walked to Bampton to fiddle for the Morris at Whitsun. He would arrive at Mr & Mrs Townsend's Castle Farm on Bridge St and announce 'I be 'ere'. To earn his keep, he'd stay on for a few weeks doing farm work for Mr Townsend.

"The war took away many of the young men, and for the first time in recorded history the Whit Monday performances were suspended during 1917 and 1918. However, Wells had recently taught the dances to a group of men at Alvescot, and on the Whit Monday 1919 two of these stepped into the reformed Bampton set. One stayed only that year, but the older, William Flux, had married a daughter of long-time lead dancer Thomas Tanner, and became the organiser of the team.

This brought him into conflict with Wells - Flux wanted them to dance more at Pubs, Wells at the private houses - and this reached crisis point in 1925. The following year Wells refused to play for them, so both Bertie Clark from Alvescot and Sam Bennett from Ilmington were drafted in to provide music.

In 1927, for the first time in recorded history, two teams appeared on the streets: the old side under Tanner and Flux, and a young side recently raised by Wells. They continued in relatively peaceful co-existence for some years, but by the mid 1930s performances by the Tanner side were more sporadic, with only Wells fielding a team most Whit Mondays.

The final appearance by the Tanner team was in 1941, and it was left to Wells to keep it going during the war, and beyond." Keith Chandler

• Death of John Daniels
• Wedding of Betty Gifford-Harris and John Joyce

Assortment of newspaper cuttings from reporting on the Whitsuntide celebrations of Bampton. Morris Dancing .Shirt Race, Chariot Race photographs of the competitors and interesting articles about Bampton Residents The Headings are:
• “Foreigners” Defeated in Bampton Shirt Race
• Racing the Roman Way in Bampton
• Nightshirts on Wheels
• Bampton has a shirt race round its eleven inns: includes articles about Albert Chandler, saddler; and Mr Money shoemaker; John Quick founder of the SPAJERS; The Landlord and Landlady of the Elephant and Castle, Mrs and Mr Scott Norman;
• Morris Dancing-600 years of history at Bampton: mentions Arnold Woodley, Jingy Wells and Sonny Townsend
• Bampton Pram Race: Photographs of Ian Morris and Richard Elliott; Bob Rees and Pete Lawes; R Hatherell and John Edwards
• Bampton still has nightly Curfew: includes mention of Shirt Race, Morris Dancers, and photos of Francis Shergold and Mr Hughes-Owens, headmaster of Bampton School, Marjorie Pollard, hockey and cricket international. Wesley Jones, Col J J Powell. Mr John Bampton Station Master. Paul Bovington Fishmonger
• The reigning champions still unbeaten in the Bampton shirt race Robert Radband and Cyril Smith winners, George Shergold and Ted Hicks oldest competitors
• Bampton Spajers Annual Shirt Race: Group of photos
• Bampton Donkey Derby Photos of Andrew Bridgeman, Neil Tanner, Shaun Wixey Richard Taylor and Mrs Vera Elward Ann Hudson, Roger Peck, and Josephine Buckingham