Tony Scott told the ArchiveI believe International Stores took over (from Eeles) in 1969 and altered and extended the premises, covered the cellars & converted the accommodation into a self contained flat.It was then became Gateway until it cl...
These photographs are all of Buscot Tanner and his family. They show1. 1911 Jingy on fiddle, Henry Radband with cake, Charles Tanner in doorway his brother Buscot Tanner in No1 position, David Edginton fool2. Buscot Tanner and his wife Sophia, se...
This photograph, taken in 1922 according to the date on the bottom right corner, is of a class at Bampton National School in Church View. It is sad that we don't know the names of any of the children in the picture. The picture was lent to t...
Taken early in the twentieth century, both pictures show Mr Gordon with his class, but the pupils are from different academic years. Some children can be seen in both pictures and clearly, they are older in the second picture.The school was the N...
Before combine harvesters were the norm, threshing was done any time from November onwards when other harvesting had been done and probably once the cattle had been brought in under cover for the winter. In this picture you can see a steam driven...
This picture shows Emmie Papworth standing outside her newsagents shop in Bridge Street. Emmie was a much loved person and I never heard a bad word said about her and I never heard her say anything unkind about anyone. She was always smiling. L...
Lloyd Hughes Owens read through old Vestry minutes and extracted bits he found interesting. They were hand-written notes and the Archive is indebted to Miriam James for typing them out to make life easier for the reader. These extracts are both ...
The caption on the back of the photograph says H. Chandler January 17th 1941. His uniform looks to be American.Grace Eeles lent the Archive this photograph to scan. Sadly we have no way of knowing if he was related to Albert Chandler the saddler...
The family tree and descendants of James Charles Green b.1838 who married Elizabeth Wing b.1839 and who both died in 1910 can be seen athttps://atom.bamptonarchive.org/index.php/9t45-72n5-n5k2There is a photograph here showing the family of James ...
This list was put together by Keith Chandler May 20th 1986 and records the first year some of the Bampton men Morris danced at Spring Bank holiday. They includeColin BatheMark BootyRoly BrownRichard BuckinghamRobin ConnaughtonAlister CookMathew G...
This is an article from the Witney Gazette in 1912 and is all about our Morris Dancers and more particularly William Nathan "Jingy" Wells whom the write calls Billy.
Gladmans, having got permission for 160 houses to be built at the NE end of New Road, got Richborough Estates to do the building. RE agreed to fund an extension to the village school in Bowling Green Close and provide money for bus stops, public ...
This article, written by Sue Reid and Robert Hardman is taken from the Daily Mail, December 17th 2014 and the writers talk about the despoiling of England by firms like Richborough Estates who are taking advantage of places like West Oxfordshire w...
Cyril Smith must have done more little jobs around Bampton than he could begin to count. He is one of those dying breed of men who can turn his hand to almost anything and today, March 2021, he is sadly frail and housebound and we miss hearing an...
This is the citation to PTE David Radband when he was mentioned in dispatches for his outstanding and considerable bravery when the fighting and insurgency in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, was at its height in 2009. This cutting is from the Nove...
These children are in fancy dress probably taking part in a village day of fun. But the ground looks very wet and muddy and as the front children are using an old fashioned bath chair for their 'part', the young boys are wearing hob-nai...
This picture shows the spire of Saint Mary The Virgin Church and the SW aspect of Churchgate House - once a vicarage - seen from the garden of the Old Grammar School.
This is a picture post card showing how bristles used to be burnt off a pig before butchering the carcass. The card was sent to Miss E Townsend at the Elephant & Castle Inn which her parents owned. While this was not taken at the Inn, Albert...
Adrian Simmonds' shop in the Market Square was like an Aladdin's cave. If there was something you needed he could nearly always find it somewhere in there. He also had the best supply of pet food for miles around. The letter of thanks...
This is Rose Radband born in 1889 dressed up as Britannia. Rose was Trish Cassidy's great aunt. She was also Poppy Adlem's great aunt and Poppy said :-"This is my Great Aunt also she lived next door to us in Church view and came ...
The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year. This issue is from December 2004. The topics covered and the advertisers include :-ARTICLES AND NOTICESVillage Traffic IssuesStrange Activities at Strainge’s Butcher Shop – The Old Layout ...
In April 2018 Peter Fullerton kindly wrote this history of the RAF Brize Norton base as it was the 80th year anniversary of the base.In 1950 the base was handed over to the US Air Force as a base for the B47 Stratojet Bombers. The base was hande...
3,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZenica vaccine have been flown by military aircraft to the Falkland Islands. The government has pledged to get vaccinations to all overseas territories
The Plough in Clanfield was sold by Martin and Chrissie Agius at the start of 2020 and throughout the period of the Covid-19 pandemic, much building work has gone on for the new owners and it is due to re-open early this year, 2021 or as soon as g...
Peter Lewis died on January 3rd 2021. Peter came to Bampton when he was stationed at Radio Station Bampton, Royal Corps of Signals, Weald. He met Sylvia while station here, married her and they never left Bampton. He was an electrician and for ...
Mercury Close and Pembroke Place play parks were closed because of covid-19. Several parents offered to clean all the play equipment each day to help prevent the spread of the virus. After discussing government regulations with which the Parish ...
Work is due to start on extensive restoration work on the Old Grammar School in Church Close. In January 2021 all that was required was the final signature from OCC and that signature has been waited for for several months. It was hoped the work...
By June 1934 the poor supply of water in Bampton had reached a critical stage and it had been failing since 1921. The Parish Council had blamed the Rural District Council, they had contacted the County Council and in the end the CC said they'...
These two newspaper cuttings are from a scrapbook compiled by Dr Davy at the beginning of the twentieth century. One of these cuttings refers to very low water in the Thames but there is also a report on the fish caught.
Sisters Janet & Jean Elward are seen swimming in the Thames at Sandy Beach in 1950.People in Bampton used to swim in streams and rivers in Bampton at one time. Sandy Beach is an area on the Thames a little down river from The Trout Inn along ...
In March 1923 three ladies bought The Bell Inn in the Market Square to convert it into the Women's Institute Hall. The three ladies wereLady Victoria Alexandrina Forester from Weald ManorAnna Lucy Bliss from Bampton HouseEdith Mary Cobb from...
This picture was taken about 1924 or 1925 and shows the Bampton Morris Men outside the Elephant & Castle Inn. At that period in time, nearly all boys and men wore hats not just the dancers.
Jo Lewington moved into Sandford Cottage in the late 1980s. A very keen gardener and potter, she set about creating a unique garden which she has continued to develop and latterly adapt to her abilities (2021). These pictures are from the early ...
These are photographs taken at the Fairford, Faringdon, Filkins & Burford (FFF&B) ploughing matches. There is one from 1980 which shows Doug Read in the High Cut ploughing class, two from 1982 which show horse ploughing which that year wa...
This booklet was produced by the EFDSS (English Folk Dance and Song Society). Sadly, there is no date anywhere in the booklet but prices are in pre decimal coinage and the photograph of the Bampton Morris dancers was taken in 1947. That does not...
The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year. This edition is from August 2004. The topics covered and the advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESCharities of Bampton – The New Bampton Charity ShopPhotograph of David Hawkins officia...
This picture, taken c1912 is looking along Bridge Street from the Market Square.The Talbot Inn can be seen on the left, next to it is a narrow red brick home and next to that is Thompson's high class grocery store which today is The Romany In...
This is the only department store that has ever been in Bampton and it sold anything and everything from lino to material, bolts of cloth, men's and women's clothing, footwear and much more and it also housed the Post Office.Today, the p...
The Elephant and Castle Inn on the left and the Methodist church beyond it with one house in between.The Bridges have always been a place where locals met to chat.There is a wall outside Bridge House, this side of the Inn which is no longer there ...
This is Church View looking North towards the church of Saint Mary The Virgin. Apart from the complete lack of cars, note the open ditch on the right with large stone slabs crossing it to afford access to each of the dwellings along the street. ...
This is a view of Broad Street looking to the North.The young trees on the left were a gift for the village from George Gerring. The trees that had been there were in a dangerous state and had been removed.There are gas lights on the left, a rece...
This picture was taken about 1912. On the left is the shop of J Beard where he ran a printing business and he was an insurance agent.In the very centre of the picture you can see the George and Dragon Inn on the other side of the road.Coming towa...
Wenman's Bakery and shop was at the East end of the Market Square. It was pulled down c1920 along with the little cottage to the est of it to create a space for the War Memorial. The horse from the bakery would be borrowed along with the on...
In 2007 Doug Read helped the Archive make a film to explain the essence of High Cut Ploughing which today, is done at Ploughing Matches. It used to be done with horses and then little tractors and the high cut with clean sides meant the broadcast...
This notice was produced January 14th 1731 and lists the Orders and Statutes for the Free School. While it was called a Free School it is interesting to note that there were actually fees to be paid.
This notice was produced in February 1924 and it explains how the trustees are prepared to hire out the Grammar School for meetings, in particular meetings of an educational or social manner.The charges include 6d (2.5p) for the lighting and 1/- (...
Doug Read had a passion for ploughing, in particular High Cut Ploughing most of his adult life and was awarded an OBE for his services to ploughing. He won many competitions and judged many. He also had other hobbies including vintage cars and h...
This prospectus was created in October 2001 for Bampton C of E Primary School.At this time, Julia Evans was the Headteacher and Rev. David Lloyd was the Chair of Governors.
This is one of several leaflets produced by the government and sent out to every household during the 1939 1945 war, referred to as WWII. The topic is Evacuation, Why and How. The topics covered include:-Why evacuateThe government evacuation sch...
The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year. This issue is from April 2004 and the topics covered and advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton Fire and Rescue Station Needs You!Photo of firefighters Mark Lloyd, Steve License, ...
The Bampton Beam used to be produced 3 times a year. This issue is from December 2003. The topics covered and the advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESSave Our Post OfficeRenovation Work in the Market SquareAffordable Housing Needs Survey- q...
Pierre Bovington, the son of Yvette is welcomed back home from the Falklands War in 1982. In the photograph are1. Herbert Lock, son of Bill2. Ron Hickman – butcher3. Henry Willis4. Betty Lock5. Yvette Bovington6.7. Pierre, Yvette’s son back from ...
At a meeting in 1934 there was considerable discord and some not very pleasant behaviour between councillors all to do with getting fresh water to Bampton.
After a very hot and dry summer the Bampton Horticultural Society held an excellent summer show although there were fewer entries in some of the flower and vegetable classes.The Lady Anne Montagu Cup for overall points was won by Mr J Horne.The cu...
The WI put on the pantomime Jack and The Bean Stalk in the WI Hall in 1969Inside the cow were Betty Collett and Valerie Adams played the cowJack & Jill were played by Penny Daniels and Angela Collett.
A Caversham firm want to make a 49 acre marina at Tadpole Bridge on the Thames. WODC lowlands area planning committee are objecting tot he plan because gravel extraction will have to take place first a marina could be built. The decision has been...
15 year old Claire Wythes first went along to Guides aged three because her mother, Margaret Wythes was Brown Owl with the Bampton Guides. Claire was awarded the Queen's Guide Award, the Guides top award, at the WI Hall by the District Comm...
The Bampton Horticultural Society has two shows a year and this is their autumn one. In the picture, Betty Collett the club secretary is seen holding a huge marrow with club chairman, John Snook. The John Taylor cup for the most overall points w...
Clare Dryden was invested as May Queen. Bob Harris, probably best known for presenting The Old Grey Whistle Test but at this point he was a presenter on Radio Oxford, put the sash on Clare. The ceremony took place in the WI Hall, Market Square. ...
In 1973 the New Inn on Bampton's High Street was re-named The Morris Clown.It was a very contentious issue because the jester in the Bampton Morris has never been called a Clown, always a Fool. That piece of history cut no mustard with the B...
In 197 Son Townsend clocked up 50 years as a Morris Dancer and later Fool in Bampton. He first danced out with the side in 1925. To mark the occasion a clock and silver salver were given to Son.The young dancers left to right behind Son are (I t...
Bampton always has a weekend filled with fun and laughter over the late May Bank Holiday. These cuttings talk about the Shirt Race and the Morris Dancing.In one of the cuttings you can also read about1. An exhibition of Arts and Crafts in the Tow...
Marion and Ted Lay lived in Bampton all their married life and as Jamie Wheeler says"They were the loveliest people you could ever meet. I claim a slight family association as their daughter Marjorie married Jim Brooks. It was a second marria...
Jason Seacole of Henry Box School in Witney was integral in England School Boys winning all their matches in the season. England beat West Germany in the final of the eight nations schoolboys' international in Dortmund in May winning 4-2. ...
Kite sculpture at Bampton Arts Centre Aug 8-22 1976 by Professor Kyle Hanton.The Bampton Arts Centre in later years was re-named West ox Arts and it is housed in the upper floor of Bampton's Town Hall.
This is the December 1998 issue of The Beam. A publication by the Parish Council that is produced 3 times a year and given free to all households in Bampton. Topics and advertisers are :- The Bampton BeamVolume 13 No.3August 1998 Pg. No. Summary...
The Great Shirt Race takes place on the Saturday before the late May Bank Holiday. The winners in this year were Anthony Collett and partner Richard Buckingham. Neither of them can be sure of the year, they won more than once but it will be 1978...
Properties in Mercury Close had been empty for quite some time since they were no longer used by personnel from USAF based at Fairford. Local MP Douglas Hurd came to see the vandalism to the properties.
Miss Marjorie Pollard OBE from The Deanery in Bampton officially opened Kingsgate flats for senior citizens in Aston in 1976. Mr Richard Godbehere was warden at the flats. Marjorie and Richard called in on Miss Joan Barton to see how she liked h...
Christina Ann James from Bowling Green Close in Bampton married Anthony John Shurey of Clanfield at Witney Registry Office in 1974. Best man was Richard Snook.
The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year and a copy given to every household. This issue is from August 2003. The topics covered and the advertisers include :-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton Market Square Phase 2 Improvements by Grah...
Yet again the local plan for housing has been delayed. West Oxfordshire District Council said it is because they've received far more feedback from local than they expected and they need time to go through them all. While we have no plan in...
A talk about the arms industry during the First World War and beyond will be held at the village hall in October 2014. Sue Smith and Symon Hill gave the talk on October 23rd.
Bampton residents were invited to take part in a survey; around 1,500 questionnaires were completed as part of the project to draw up a community-led plan for the village, to help guide future developments by reflecting residents' views.
A double page spread about the exhibition of the History of Morris Dancing put on in the Vesey room by Janet Rouse for the Bampton Community Archive June to the end of July 2014.
The Bampton Community Archive is trying to get a list of all the wells that used to be in Bampton. It was the late 1950s before there was mains water to the village. If sufficient information can be gathered an exhibition on wells in Bampton wil...
The developers Gladman Developments keep trying to get permission to create a new housing estate on land between the Aston Road and Buckland Road. Twice it has been turned down but the company has a 90 percent success rate. Now, at February 2021...
The Bampton Beam used to be produce 3 times a year. This issue is from April 2003. The topics covered and the advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton’s Pre-School Playgroup – New Building Needed – Help Required!The Skate Park is Ready b...
The Bampton Beam used to be produce three times a year. This publication is from December 2002. The articles covered and the advertisers include:-ARTICLES AND NOTICESBampton Skate Park by Alan DunbarThe New Bus Services by Cllr Fred GrayBampton ...
This picture must have been taken early in the twentieth century. It shows two ladies, a girl and a boy in charge of a hay cart and shire horse. It is by Meadow Farm along the Buckland Road. The style of cart is that of an Oxford cart.Suzanne W...