Mr & Mrs Harry Sollis owned and ran the Swan Inn in Buckland road for many years. In the last few years, Mrs Sollis ran it as a widow. Emmie Papworth, nee Bishop was a relative and adored Mrs Sollis; Emmie is seen with her in two of these pictures and her son Tom is with them in one of them. Mrs Sollis eventually sold The Swan by auction October 1st 1964; it was bought by Tim Tomlins.

The outbreak of Coronavirus in 2020 has caused devastation to the way of life all around the world. New restrictions and advice were being given daily by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and two specialist advisers each day at 5pm from the week beginning Monday March 16th 2020.

It was announced during this week that all schools were to close but the pupils of key workers could still go to nominated schools to allow their parent to continue with his or her essential job. Also, pupils who would normally have free school meals would be able to go in order to have at least one square meal per day.

On Friday, the list of key workers was published and this article from the on-line Witney Gazette lists those key workers.

An instruction from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York this week said there would be no services until the risk of catching coronavirus has passed. Weddings can take place with a maximum of 5 people attending but that did not say if it was the bride and groom and the clergy plus two, or those 3 plus 5. Not helpful.

This is the funeral program from the church service for Constance Irene de Hamel. Constance did many things but is possibly best known for being a continuity announcer during WWII

There is a sound recording of Constance talking about her whole working life on YouTube at https://youtu.be/lnKzcJOBO8Q

Colin Harold Bathe died on May 8th 2011 at the age of seventy three. His close friend David John Titchener, widely known as Curly, preceded him by just a few months dying at the age of seventy six on January 20th 2011. Both were well known in the area around their home town of Swindon for numerous activities relating to sports and motorised vehicles, but it is their involvement with traditional music, Morris dancing and song for which they will be remembered by Bampton people.

The article gives you far more information about these two men.

These three pictures are of Ann and Francis Shergold and brother Roy Shergold at the Elephant & Castle Inn in 1999

All 13 photographs were taken during the celebration of Francis Shergold's 80th birthday. As well as Francis other people seen in the photos include Roy Shergold, Paul Goss, Rod Stradling, Bob Davenport, Bob West, Ted Poole, Martin Landray, sister Ruth Wheeler nee Shergold, wife Ann Shergold, Danny Stradling, Reg Hall, Margaret Landray.
Francis's birthday was January 31st and he was born in 1919

This card was sent from Jan, Jasper and Andrew Walsh to Andrew West in 1986.
Francis Shergold seen on the left, Terry Rouse centre the fool, Tony Daniels behind Terry. Jamie Wheeler playing the accordion.

These 9 newspaper cuttings are all from 1968. The topics covered include

Deputy county surveyor faces a barrage of complaints including roadworks in the Market Square, Village green areas being used as dumping grounds, badly sighted new road signs, 19 council houses had been built in Bampton.

Michael Pickard, younger son of Mr & Mrs Pickard of Knapps Farm, is off to Russia with his bride Elizabeth Hart after their honeymoon in Malta with his work for ICI with regard to a new fibre plant.

Theft of a Jaguar in Bampton and the collection box in the Jubilee Inn with money for Bampton's OAPs and £65 from Albert Coles of St Mary's Trailer Court.

Bampton Town football club reached the final of the Fred Ford Memorial Cup

Basic reports from St Mary's, the Bingo club, Darby & Joan club, British Legion, Baptist church and the NSPCC

Work has started on building Lavender Place Flats on the site of the farmyard of Home Farm, the farmhouse being on High Street and recently (2018) renamed Leat House which is a great shame as it's history has been lost with the name change.

Bampton Youth Club re-opens with new leader Mr Michael Yeo

Wedding of Daphne Jackson to Allan Pullin.

George Dafter awarded Imperial Service Medal from the Post Office, he retired and he celebrated his 65th birthday.

Doug Read OBE (he gained the OBE for services to ploughing) was a huge fan of classic cars and owned several over the years. These are four of them and show

1. Trojan Tourer 1924 model owned by Doug Read. Douglas Read driving, passengers David Hunt, Bill Bullock and Geoff Hunt
2. Photograph of a Riley Monaco in 1933
3. Photograph of MG Model J.2. 1932 in 1948.
4. Photograph of MG Model T.A. 1937 driven by his wife Sally (nee Raymond) in 1953 (Sally was buried in Nov 2020)

Win Jones aged 94 is a very remarkable lady. She works hard at keeping fit and that is probably what has helped her to get over being infected with covid-19