Photos of the Military Funeral of Jason Mackie held in St. Mary's Church Bampton on 4th June 2009. Reverend Philip Francis took the service. PDF includes letter of condolence from Prince Philip, Captain General Royal Marines. and a letter from the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the order of service.
'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.
A second Downton Abbey film is being made and once again Saint Mary's church, Churchgate House, the Old Grammar School and the area around the church in Bampton will be used for some of the location shooting.