In 1974 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 think?) Clive Tanner, Fred Cook, Mat Green and Malcolm Willis.
The young children with their flower garlands are L-R Tim Waller, Emma Carruthers, Louise Walker and Martin Landray

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 Brewery, Courage (Central) which is a pity. Now 48 years on, this perceived poorly renaming is hardly ever mentioned but there are still those who feel the name should be corrected.

North Berkshire Cup, Bampton 4 Ardington 0
North Berkshire League Division II, Letcombe 2 Bampton A 2

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 Beam
Volume 13 No.3
August 1998 Pg. No. Summary of Content

1 One article on page one.
BAMPTON’S GOT ONE AT LONG LAST – A BUS SERVICE INTO OXFORD. Bus Route 18 – By Jonathan Phillips –District Councillor. Including timetable.
2 Three articles and one advert on page two.
BAMPTON VILLAGE HALL – advert.
Bampton Village Hall. Don Quixote de la Mancha.
FRIENDS OF ST MARY’S BAMPTON.
BAMPTON FIRE STATION Still Under Threat!
3 Nine articles on page three all under title ‘BAMPTON PARISH COUNCIL NEWS’.
Traffic Calming.
Police.
Allotments.
Pavilion.
Land between Aston Road and Buckland Road.
Millennium.
STOP PRESS! Traffic Calming Update.
Help required to set up an Indoor Bowls Club.
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION POPPY APPEAL Bampton and Lew
4 Nine adverts on page four.
Toby Vines.
E. TAYLOR & SON FUNERAL DIRECTORS.
Market Square Garage, Bampton.
THE CROP SHOP – TOO
N. WOODLEY BUILDING MAINTENANCE.
BAMPTON FAX BUREAU.
THE APPLIANCE DOCTOR.
Curtain Choice.
BEAMTECH
5 One article on page five.
NEWS FROM THE BAMPTON MILLENNIUM COMMITTEE – including form entitled ‘BAMPTON MILLENIUM COMMITTEE’.
6 Five articles on page six.
THE WITNEY AND BURFORD HOSPITAL CAMPAIGN.
AGE CONCERN
LIGHTS OF LOVE
West Oxfordshire Citizen Advocacy.
VOLUNTEER LINK-UP
7 on page seven.
MISSING
8 on page eight.
MISSING
9 One article on page nine.
BAMPTON PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP Taking care of their early years
10 One article on page ten.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
11 One article, one advert and one cartoon on page eleven.
W.R.S.V. by Jean Howell, Bampton / Aston Organiser
Sharing the Caring with community care – advert.
Bampton Bill – cartoon.
12 Four adverts on page twelve.
STE-MARK WINDOW CLEANERS & PRESSURE WASHERS
PHILIPPA RAYNE – Registered Osteopath. FIONA GEARY – Physiotherapist. LESLEY MELLIN – Reflexologist. Aromatherapist.
THE PUMPKIN CLUB CHRISTMAS BINGO
ARGOSY BLINDS
13 Three articles on page thirteen.
LAVENDER FLATS Written by Mrs Joan Smith
THE MUMMERS ARE BACK!! By Don Rouse.
This is a story about the life of a Labrador pup called Mandy-Jane.
14 Two articles on page fourteen under the title THE GARDENING PAGE.
BAMPTON GARDENING CLUB NEWS.
WEED’S AND WHAT TO DO WITH THEM By Edie Bindweed
15 Two articles on page fifteen.
ARCHITECTURE ROUND BAMPTON Written and drawn by Gilbert Marsh. Garden Gates in Bampton.
What’s happening in Market Square.
16 One article on page sixteen.
ROYAL AIR FORCE, BRIZE NORTON Do we Care! By Flight Lieutenant Adrian Dant M Inst. Pet. RAF Station Environmental Protection Officer.
17 Two articles and one advert on page seventeen.
New Boss for Signals Units Released by Flight Lieutenant Dave Rowe, Community Relations Officer.
REMEMBRANCE DAY by Mrs E. Quick, an Ex-service Great Grandmother.
OLD PILOTS, BOLD PILOTS by Archie Jackson – advert for book.
18 Eight articles on page eighteen under the title ‘NOTICE BOARD’.
BUSH CENTRE.
BAMPTON EXHIBITION FOUNDATION.
THE PUMPKIN CLUB CHRISTMAS BINGO.
BAMPTON BRIDGE CLUB.
BAMPTON WELFARE TRUST
THE CHILDREN’S SOCIETY
SOMEWHERE IN BAMPTON SOMETHING LURK’S
BAMPTON CLASSICAL OPERA
19 Four articles on page nineteen under the title ‘NOTICE BOARD’.
FOXBURY FARM Books Wanted
BAMPTON YOUTH CLUB
HAWTHORN FARM RIDING FOR THE DISABLED GROUP.
THE BURFORD SINGERS
20 Three adverts on page twenty.
PITSTOP
GREY GABLES GARAGE
Electric Vehicles Ltd.
21 Two articles on page twenty one.
THE COOKERY PAGE By Gilly French. Party Food. General Ideas. Recipes.
THE TAPPERS HIT TOWN by Rachel Piggott
22 One article on page twenty two.
OUT OF WORK FARMER –TURNED AGRICULTURE CORRESPONDENT By Dan Rouse
23 One article and one advert on page twenty three.
Contd ... OUT OF WORK FARMER –TURNED AGRICULTURE CORRESPONDENT By Dan Rouse
24 Five adverts on page twenty four.
New carpets fully fitted.
ANDREW BOWMAN MASTER THATCHER.
CHENNELLS
R. COOPER
A. SIMMONDS The Old Fashioned Village Store.
25 One article on page twenty five.
LETTERS TO : AUNTIE BEAM
26 Three ads on page twenty six.
BAMPTON ENVIRONMENTAL WATCH GROUP by Margaret Bruce-Mitford
CARPENTER home improver
D&K Building Services
27 Two adverts on page twenty seven.
Select Blinds
Farmington STONE Company
28 Three adverts on page twenty eight.
CARPENTER / HOME IMPROVER
SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BAMPTON
D & K BUILDING SERVICES
29 One article on page twenty nine.
WEST OXFORDSHIRE ARTS ASSOCIATION NEWS AND EVENTS
30 One article on page thirty.
Macmillans Cycling Challenge by Jo Lewington
31 Three articles on page thirty one.
THE ROBERT VESEY ROOM BAMPTON LIBRARY
W.O.A.A. Highlights July, August and October by Margaret Bruce-Mitford
32 One advert on page thirty two.
Bampton Youth Club
33 Three articles on page thirty three.
Competition Corner August winner 1998
THE BAMPTON BEAM NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
THE BAMPTON BEAM’S CROSSWORD
34 One advert on page thirty four.
Piggott’s School of Dance
35 Three articles on page thirty five.
Diary of Forthcoming Events
BAMPTON DIRECTORY 1999
THE BAMPTON BEAM – publishing information
36 One advert on page thirty six.
BAMPTON SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

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, 1979 or 1980.

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. Earlier in the tournament they beat France 6-1 and Jason scored a hat trick in the match.

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 place we are open for speculators to put in application for housing developments which really annoys residents

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.

The Bampton Beam used to be produced three times a year. This issue is from April 2002. The topics covered and the advertisers include:-

ARTICLES AND NOTICES
Parish Council and District Council Elections 2nd May 2002
Photograph of flooding and Morris Dancers outside the Elephant and Castle 1932
Bampton Riddle
A Skateboard Park for Bampton?
Bampton Village Hall
Bampton ‘250’ Club list of winners
Blood Donor Session Cancelled – by Susan Phillips
Grand Plant Sale
Bampton Methodist Chapel by Linden Burley
The Burford Singers
Magpie Lane Concert in aid of Friends of St Mary’s
The Secret Gardens of Bampton by Ian McLintock
Easter Church Services at St Mary’s
Bampton Parish Council News by David Hawkins, Chairman
Village College
Support for the Post Office
Town Hall – Lift for Disabled
Parking on Pavements
Do Fouling
Golden Jubilee Celebrations
Council Tax Increases
Oxfordshire Special Conservation Award (OSCA) Success
Market Square Improvements
West Oxfordshire District Council News by Jonathan Phillips, District Officer
New Pavilion Manager – Ray Willis appointed
Parish Assembly Meeting
Bampton Classical Opera 19th and 20th July 2002
Farmers’ Market, Monday 6 May 2002
New Bus Timetables
A Bampton Museum? By Jo Lewington
Letters and emails to the Editor
The Bampton Recreation Ground
Bampton-in-the-Bush Cricket Club
The Pavilion
Bampton Youth Football Club
Bampton Archery Club
Short Mat Bowls
Bampton Town Football Club
The Horseshoes Football Club
Bampton Gun Club
Bampton Weightlifting Club
Bampton Badminton Club
Bampton Archery Club
Bampton Tennis Club
Society for the Protection of Bampton
Parent Partnership Oxfordshire
Could you be a Citizen Advocate?
Learning Grant Scheme
Sobell House Hospice Charity
Volunteer Link-Up
Age Concern, Oxfordshire
Remembrances of My Service in the US Army Part1: Panama to Bampton by Dick Ford, US Army 1941 – 1945
May Garlands by Ruth Wheeler
Spajers News by Don Rouse
Minor Injuries Unit at Witney Community Hospital
Notice Board
Still Too Fast – speeding cars
Macmillan Cancer Relief, Bampton, Faringdon and Carterton
The Children’s Society
Bampton Ladies Group
The Cancer Research Campaign
Bampton Youth Centre by Colin Allport
The Bush Club
Flower Guild of St Mary the Virgin, Bampton
Bampton Welfare Trust
Bampton Exhibition Foundation
Bampton Bridge Club
Community Lunches
Bampton Websites
Useful telephone numbers
Out and About – photographs of Bampton and the Bampton Gardening Club
Shillbrook Wood by Colin Allport
Answer to the riddle on front page – photograph of Francis Shergold and Fred Lomas
Thames Travel Bus Timetable
Letters to Auntie Beam
The Gardening Page by Edie Bindweed
The Gardening Club News
Out of Work Farmer Turned Agricultural Correspondent by Don Rouse
Two Very Committed Women of Bampton by Fenella Gray – Hilda Kent and Margaret Howes
Bampton Golden Jubilee Celebrations
David Cameron MP – advice centres across West Oxfordshire
Postwatch Representative – voice of the consumer, Derrick Millard
Bampton Spajers Golden Jubilee 50th Shirt Race
A Decade of Bampton Classical Opera by Gilly French and Jeremy Gray
The Bike Project by Jo Lewington
The Cookery Corner by Gilly French – entertaining on a budget
West Ox Arts
New West Ox Arts Administrator – Abigail Ballinger
Medieval In Minds – Alison Merry and Friends
North Oxfordshire College, Banbury, Exhibition
Exhibitions in the Robert Vesey Room, Bampton Library
An Eye on the East – Hugh Sowden
Gallery Life Drawing Classes
Oxfordshire Arts Week – Open Studio
Crossword
Town Hall Bookings
Calendar of Events
WODC Environmental Services

LIST OF ADVERTIZERS
Oxford Double Glazing, Summertown, Oxford
Grey Gables Garage
Londis, community shop
Garden Trading Company
The Morris Clown
Bampton Fax Bureau at Emmies Newsagents
Cotswold Electronics, TV, Video, Audio, Microwave repairs
Lynwood Leisure Buildings Ltd
Bampton Cars
The Horseshoe Inn
N Nurden, Motor Body Repairs
Patrick Strainge, Butchers
Philippa Rayne, osteopath, Fiona Farmer physiotherapist and Lesley Mellin, reflexologist and aromatherapist
Danetree, veterinary surgeons, Faringdon
E Taylor & Son, Funeral Directors, Carterton
Curtain Choice
N J Woodley, building maintenance
Temples, DIY, Ironmongery, Paint, Wood, Cement, Sand, Gravel, Toys, Gifts and Candles
A Simmonds, The Old-Fashioned Village Store
Andrew Bowman, Master Thatcher
Tony Hughes, scissor sharpening
The Pitstop and Oxford Carb Services
The Elephant & Castle
The Robert and Doris Watts Residential & Nursing Home, Carterton
Pellmans, solicitors, Eynsham
The Flower Mill
Foxbury Farm, Brize Norton
The Appliance Doctor
Little Chicks Childminders
Live-in Home and Pet Minding Service – Jacqueline and Merv
Don Rouse Cars
Abbey Properties Estate Agents
The Romany Inn
Electric Vehicles Ltd
Domino Menswear, Witney
R Cooper, Builders, Painters, Decorators, Carpentry, Joinery, Dry Stone Walling
The Standlake Garage
Bojangles Hairdressers
Bodytalk, remedial sports massage

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 about

1. An exhibition of Arts and Crafts in the Town Hall
2. Cancer Research Bampton branch raising funds
3. The Community Fete organised by the Royal British Legion in the afternoon of Bank Holiday Monday
4. The Pumpkin Club which held a Tramps' Supper in the Cotswold Hotel on the Saturday night after the Shirt Race