There was a time when our local post men and women cycled round to both deliver and collect letters. There was a letterbox at Bampton and Brize Norton railway station and it was here a blackbird's nest was discovered inside the box. Great care was taken when emptying the box and in the end, the birds hatched and fledged.
Back in the 1980s a club or society had a bazaar or jumble sale almost every Saturday in the WI Hall and there would be a queue of people waiting to come in. This was the Christmas Bazaar held by the Playgroup to raise funds for its running. Mrs Lynne Evans and Mrs Diane O'Brien can be seen with young Neil O'Brien in the top picture and along with one of Father Christmas's helpers are Lizzie Betts, Kathryne Betts and Louise Burton.
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.
When Lloyd Hughes Owens created a series of albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s there were people alive who could remember seeing Fred Able in Bampton with his little cart, two donkeys and his dog.
Freda Daniels was not quite 3 years old when she was dressed up to sell poppies in 1929. She was born April 13th 1927. The photograph of her sitting has '3 years old' written on the back. When she married she became Mrs Freda Bradley.
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 newspaper cutting is from April 1st 1983. The anniversary of the Women's League was celebrated by joining with the Mothers' Union for prayers and a celebration tea. The PTA held a bazaar and raised £75 for their funds which in 1983 was a good amount of money. The same day head teacher Malcolm Mason took some of the school's boy to Wembley to see the schoolboys' match against Germany. The wives club monthly meeting had a special speaker called Mr Blue who talked about colour in the home; he had previously worked on the interior of Blenheim Palace.
In 1983 the Lowlands Area Planning Sub committee gave permission for 70 more homes to be built between New Road and Coalpit Lane. The said no more than 20 per year on the 8 acre site but in the event, there were more than this annually.
Although the caption talks about a 'Street Fayer' the picture is actually of Jim Smith and Martin Barber in fancy dress for the Shirt Race organised annually by the SPAJERS ie the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Junketing. The society organises fun things to raise money for the senior citizens of Bampton and Lew.