Advert in Witney Gazette for Pumpkin Club Annual Street Fair
May Day

Small newspaper advert in Witney Gazette 1984 Butlers wine merchant

Extract from Kelly's Directory listing private residencies, occupations and organisations of Bampton in 1935.

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.

Image of crowd outside the Londis Shop
watching the Shirt Race

Images of Parkers Solicitors, now Marks Kitchen, (previously Constable's Bakery,) Rosemary House, and the Poachers Rest Restaurant (previously Barclays Bank) West end of Market Square
Supplied by Andrew Hilditch c 1990

West face of the Town Hall and Eeles shop

Market Square

The last year we had a Flower Garland competition before Covid 19 put a temporary stop to it.
Ariah and Paisley Neatham 2019 (with the red coat and hood) first picture with Dawn Newland and the second one with Ruth Wheeler.
Third picture with the same two children plus Archie Comely and Ella Connors.