Photo taken by Bill Govier of Ursula Booth
Landlady of the Romany

Two photos taken by Bill Govier showing Peter Elliott Landlord of the Talbot

Roy Shergold and others in the Romany
photo by Bill Govier

Th Horse Shoe Public House in Bridge Street,

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.

Bridge Street shops, pubs and houses

Picture postcard across the east end of the Market Square showing part of the Town Hall, The Drapers, The Talbot and Hythe House. It is addressed to Mrs W. J. Johnson at Syringa Cottage in Aston post dated September 28th 1905

The Elephant and Castle Inn was a thatched building until fire ripped through it September 30th 1958. The following day firemen Son Townsend from Castle View farm and Cyril Weeks from the Horse Shoe went to help clear up and in the photo the two boys are also from the Horse Shoe Inn in Bampton.
At one time in late C20th Joan and Lionel were the landlord and landlady and they can be seen behind the bar with Dora Townsend, sister of Son the fireman.
The Elephant & Castle Inn after the fire in September 1958. It was started by a rocket firework let off well before bonfire night. People with thatched roofs used to soak them with a hose pipe before the evening on a bonfire night if it hadn't rained.
The Elephant and Castle in Bridge Street before the fire in 1958 after which it was rebuilt with a tiled roof. A protective wall was built in front of it in the 1970s to stop people from spilling out and straight on to the road. The handsome Elm tree in the background was lost to Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970s.
The Elephant and Castle Inn on Bridge Street.
A horse and cart outside the Elephant & Castle on Bridge Street, circa 1940s Elephant and Castle date unknown but a fire destroyed the roof in 1958 and was replaced with stone tiles. [postcard].
Elephant and Castle with Mrs Penny at the door
Ducks on Mill Green with Bridge House on the left next to The Elephant and Castle in the background.
Joan & Lionel, landlords of the Elephant & Castle, with Dora Townsend in the middle
Firemen clearing up Sept 30th 1958 after the fire at the Elephant and Castle. Son Townsend from across the road at Castle Farm and Cyril Weeks. The two boys from the Horse Shoe Inn.
The Elephant and Castle Inn with no wall in front to stop people falling out of the door straight into the road in 1965. The two bay windows have also gone now.

Horse Shoe, 1910. Two ladies and a dog in the doorway