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.

• Death of John Daniels
• Wedding of Betty Gifford-Harris and John Joyce

Two local families, Barry & Geraldine Court and Gerald & Yvonne Clutterbuck & son Lee set off to cross Africa 1975.

Bill Hudson MM was Frank Hudson’s father. His wife, one of Dora Townsend’s sisters died when Frank was 7 weeks old and Frank was raised by his grandparents on Castle View farm so Bill could go out to work; but Bill lived in Broad Street so saw Frank all the time. At one time Bill worked in Central Garage in the Market Square. In this picture he is seen with people from other outlets for Ferguson Tractors at the Fifteenth product course on April 29th 1947 where he represented Bathford of Swindon.
Frank never knew his father had been awarded the MM medal until he found it when clearing Bill’s house after he died.

Photograph of Bill Hudson with others on a course in 1947. He was Frank Hudson’s father. His wife, one of Dora Townsend’s sisters died when Frank was 7 weeks old and Frank was raised by his grandparents on Castle View farm so Bill could go out to work but Bill lived in Broad Street so saw Frank all the time. At one time Bill worked in Central Garage in the Market Square. In this picture he is seen with people from other outlets for Ferguson Tractors, at the Fifteenth product course on April 29th 1947 where he represented Bathford of Swindon.

Written on the back of the photo are the names of the others
Lenfield Engineering (Kent) - A.C. Jacobs
Cortlett Sons and Cowley Ltd Isle of Man - Mr H Corkhill
Tractors Swindon Ltd Bathfield Mr W Hudson
Avon Valley Tractors Ltd Evesham - W.R. Frost
Burgess Motors Stafford - E.W. Beard

B Row Bill Hudson F Ginger 'Son' Townsend Center Albert Gladys and Dora Townsend Mary with baby Mary me and Mary Townsend (gran)

Brothers Jack and Son (Albert) Townsend

These are brothers Jim and Dick Daniels. Jim is the older brother standing in the front in a scout's uniform. Dick is in the background. A few years later Jim joined the Air Scouts and did circuits and bumps and enjoyed it despite not liking heights.
Their had a sister called Freda who became Mrs Freda Bradley and she wrote a lovely book about life in Bampton she recalled during her life.