The Hook Norton Village Newsletter
August 2003 Series 28 No 4

Village Affairs



NEWSLETTER TEAM


Directory: Diana Barber
Advertising: Judi Leader
Distribution: Bunty Reid
Postal Services: Mrs M Padbury
Proof reading: Nigel Lehmann
IT/Web Support: Martin Baxter
Treasurer: John Stratford


FROM THE EDITORS
Summer has well and truly arrived.
The Ball, Music at the Cross roads and the Beer Festival have all been great successes and “SKOOL's out for summer!”
This month, donations in the Newsletter box totalled £64.60. Thank you!
Sadly, we report the deaths of Kathleen Johnson of Orchard Road and Dr Sidney Agnew late of Sibford. On behalf of the village, we send our condolences to their families and friends.

Andy Horne Helen Foster
hooknorton.news@btopenworld.com helen@monivea.freeserve.co.uk

The views expressed in the Newsletter are not necessarily those of the Editorial Team.

RATES – CHEQUES PAYABLE TO 'HOOK NORTON NEWSLETTER'
Text & advertising copy deadline MONDAY, 15th SEPTEMBER 2003
Text for Village activities Free (a small donation is welcome)
Inserts for Village Activities On request from Judi Leader
Commercial Advertising £22 per page & pro rata per issue
Commercial Inserts £20 per issue
Donations can be put in the Newsletter Box in the Post Office or posted to; Newsletter, c/o Hook Norton Post Office, Chapel Street, Hook Norton, Oxon.
  

FESTIVAL OF FINE ALES
Click for a large version!
Saturday the 19th of July saw the 10th Hook Norton Beer Festival, the biggest and best yet.
Seventy seven firkins of ale, that's over ten thousand half pints, were consumed by well over 1,500 plus people enjoying the sunshine, music and merriment. The last pint was drawn at 9.30pm into one of the thirteen hundred glasses sold. Food was available throughout the day with two excellent Pig Roasts being very much in demand. A barbecue, and the Fish and Chip van were also very popular.
Click for a large version!
Thanks to everyone at Hook Norton brewery, which provided a special brew for the festival together with all the sundries and cellerage; all the ticket sellers, bar staff; the unsung heroes - the beer beggars who get all of the beer - all of it donated; Pete Watkins and the many musicians who provide their services for no more than a pint glass and a pint of beer; the Morris Men of Owlswick and Adderbury; John, Carol and everyone at the Pear Tree and anyone else who helped in any way... the brewing industry in general for being such a generous lot. And thank you to the village of Hook Norton, for supporting the festival, and putting up with the parking problems!!!
The money has not been fully counted but we should have plenty of money to donate to charity.
Jem Hayward


HOOKY AT THE ROYAL
For one small Oxfordshire village Hooky made an impact at the Royal Agricultural Show at Stoneleigh this year. Sunday was hot and sunny, but the following three days were cooler and damp, kinder to the stock but less so to the visitors.
Ladies in Pigs, a British pork promotion group run from one of the Hooky farms was there with Francis Slade in attendance. They had a good pitch and a successful show, generating a lot of interest in this aspect of British Farming. Ralph Slade did his duty again as a steward in the Pig lines, keeping order among the many breeds there.
A special exhibition called the Grain Chain showed the growing, harvesting and processing of grain crops. The exhibition ended with the use of the grain by a baker, a distiller and a brewer. Hook Norton brewery was invited to join the exhibition and placed in a prime position, the only brewers with their own stand. 2,000 pints of special Royal Show ale were drunk and Stewart Main, the Head Brewer spent all the show talking to visitors, including John Craven and BBC Countryfile, about what goes into beer and offering tasters of Hooky beers. It became the favourite place for the judges and stewards to gather at the end of the day. The commentary in the main ring was fuelled by a much-appreciated crate of Hooky beer. They have been booked for the Show again next year, for a bigger stand and together with that special ale!
Helen Foster


HOOK NORTON WI
At our last meeting on 17th June at which Suzy Bolland was welcomed to her first meeting as our newly elected president, Mrs Wendy Hillary of The Elgar Society made a popular return visit to speak about Alice Elgar, and has promised to speak about the Elgar family again as part of our 2004-5 programme which is now being compiled. The Jubilee buffet lunch at the Red Lion, Little Compton on 22nd July will hopefully- have been consumed and enjoyed by the time this goes to press. Although there has been a W.I. in Hook Norton since 1922, it's first venue being the newly built Memorial Hall, it was suspended for a brief period and reformed in 1953 making this year an official Golden Jubilee.
Several members accepted the invitation from Sibford W.I. to their Group event on Saturday 28th June and enjoyed a lovely sunny afternoon. They were shown two beautiful contrasting gardens in the village and returned to a very highly rated W.I. tea in the village hall. Thanks were given to the Sibford ladies for their hospitality and to the gallant gentleman pianist who entertained during tea. Hook Norton W.I. will make every effort to keep up the standard when they host a Group meeting on 24th October. Instead of a meeting in August, an outing has been arranged to Sudeley Castle on 19th August. On 16th September as usual at 2pm in The Baptist Hall, Mrs. Alice Foster has been invited to speak on a 'Guide to the Paintings and Drawings in the Ashmolean' There will be a competition to display 'A Tiny Treasure.' Looking ahead to 21st October, Mrs. Christine Bloxham will speak on 'Halloween and The Supernatural'.
Look out for posters and join the W.I. at any of our meetings as a guest or prospective member.
Marion Roberts


HOOK NORTON GARDEN CLUB
Those who came to the Brewery Visitors Centre on 15th June to share in the Club's Golden Anniversary Celebrations will know what a thoroughly enjoyable village occasion it was. The Committee had collected and displayed photographs and news clippings, garden tools, a mock Show and the Show Cups. Four wonderful Flower Arrangements were made and donated as prizes in the free raffle draw. Homemade cakes and tea were served all afternoon whilst videos of past Flower Shows and the 1953 Fete and Flower Show were shown on a large screen. This was a great treat for those who recognised their families and friends and a treat for those of us who watched their delight.
On 2nd July over twenty members enjoyed a perfect summer evening visit to a garden adjoining farmland in South Newington. A wonderful collection of trees, grasses, fruit and vegetables as well as flowers all blending in with the landscape.
It is now time to prepare your entries for the Autumn Show on 6th September. Schedules and entry forms will be delivered to members in the middle of August and registration night will be Wednesday (not Thursday) 3rd September in the Memorial Hall. In the meantime, enjoy the remainder of this wonderful summer (after the rain that all gardeners are hoping for).
Verity Calderan


ST. PETER'S CHURCH
It has been another very busy and varied couple of months for St. Peter's and the local ministry, with many special events and celebrations. These included the Scratch Requiem, performed at the church over the weekend of June 7th/8th., which saw more than 80 singers combining with Cherwell Orchestra to perform the Mozart Requiem and Handel's Coronation Anthem 'Zadok the Priest'. This fabulous evening raised over £1,000 towards improved disabled access, with 10 per cent being donated to other charities.
The long-awaited Summer Ball (June 28th), held in the marquee at Hook Norton Primary School, was one of the highlights of the 'Events in the Tent' weekend celebrating St. Peter's patronal festival and the 10th anniversary of the primary school's Sibford Road buildings. With supper and dancing until 1 am, the event was a great success, raising over £4,000, half of which will benefit St. Peters and 10 per cent of which has been donated to The Children's Society. On Sunday 29th an uplifting Rock Gospel Service in the marquee saw a 100-strong congregation in very good voice. The children were the focus of festivities on Monday 30th , when the Bishop of Oxford joined the primary school for a picnic in the marquee and a school assembly, where the children learned all about 'being a Bishop', and had many questions answered. Still with the children, the Sunday Gang's most recent 'Pottery Tea' provided the opportunity for a swim, a picnic in the garden, and the chance to make clay plaques depicting scenes from the story of Moses. The plaques are stunning, and the children had a wonderful afternoon ,so, many thanks to Janet and Russell Collins for opening their garden, pool and 'kilns' to the Gang. And on the subject of children, Janet Collins, Sheila Smith and, Jenny Mead recently attended an illuminating day-course entitled 'Reaching Children', which provided the opportunity to discuss ideas and experiences relating to children's worship and children's services.
Forthcoming activities will include the annual sponsored "Ride or Stride", which raises money equally for our local church and the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust. Taking place on the second Saturday in September (the 13th this year), 'the Stride' is a great day out, so please collect your sponsor form as soon as possible! Forms and information are available from Breac MacLeod, Anvil House. iainbreac@dial.pipex.com. St. Peter's raised just under £500 in 2001 and £850 in 2002. This year the aim is to raise a four-figure sum. One half will go to the restoration fund. By the way, work on the pinnacles is still expected to start within a couple of months.
The next Alpha Course for adults starts on Tue. Sept. 16th, 7pm, at the Pottery. Please contact Janet Collins for further details, or to re-establish contact if you have previously expressed an interest. A joint Youth Alpha Course (for age 11+) also starts in Chipping Norton on Sunday Sept 14th, 7.30-9.30 pm. Please contact Janet for relevant forms and further details. There will be lift sharing to Chippy, so parents will not have to give up every Sunday evening, and the course is a fabulous opportunity for our 'older' youngsters. A few more dates for the diary: St. Giles' Wiggington: eve of patronal festival service, Sunday Aug 31st, 6.30 pm. St. Mary's, Swerford: eve of patronal festival service, Sunday 7th Sept, 6.30 pm. St. Peter's Harvest Thanksgiving and Supper is set for Friday 26th Sept, 7.30 pm. The Harvest Festival service will be on Sunday 28th Sept, 10 am.
Sophia Fox, sophiafox1@aol.com


BAPTIST CHURCH
I do hope that you have been able to enjoy the hot summer weather and that holiday plans have shaped up as you wished. We are hoping that this fine weather will continue during holiday club and look forward with anticipation to a great time with Ian & Elaine. Holiday Club runs from 4th August to 8th August and as in other years, we shall host a barbecue for children and parents on the Thursday evening 7th August starting at 6pm. Why not come and join us? You will be sure of a warm welcome and can see for yourselves what the children have been doing during the week. On Sunday 10th August at 10.30am we hope all the children and parents will again come along for the end of the club family service, you can be sure of a fun time and there might even be some prizes around!
Another date to look forward to is our Harvest Festival which this year will be held on Sunday 28th September at 10.30am. If this weather continues, the harvest may be gathered in record time and fields will already be ploughed with next year's crop waiting to emerge. The bible tells us that seasons will always follow each other, our creator God had planned it all to the last detail. How He must weep as we continually mess things up. Harvest time brings closure to one crop and the planting of a new one and with Jesus in our lives that's just what we can have too, closure i.e. forgiveness of our sins, and a new start with Him.
Julie Warren


HOOK NORTON PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP
Since the last newsletter, Playgroup is ready to open its doors again to everyone who will be attending the summer play scheme.
We have also received confirmation that the funding we applied for has been successful and this is obviously good news for Playgroup. We are now in the process of getting the required works done so that we will be able to offer the following facilities:
From September we will be open Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 3.30pm, still able to offer pick up from school, lunch club and take up to school. Age groups 2yrs to 5yrs.
In January (all being well) we will be able to offer full day care for 2yrs to 5yrs opening from 8.00am to 6.00pm. This means that we will be able to offer breakfast club, lunch club, pick up and take to school at both lunch time and after school.
If you would like further information, please contact either myself or Playgroup on 01608 730560.
Teresa Hughes Chairperson


FRIENDS OF HOOK NORTON SCHOOL (FOHNS)
With August upon us, hose pipe bans looming and the Hooky tarmac melting in the Mediterranean sun, I have to ask you: "Have you been giving enough thought to Christmas?" Because the Friends of Hook Norton School are talking of little else down on the beach. We're planning an extraordinary Christmas Fair on 6th December that will put a little summer warmth back into Hooky. So if you fancy selling craft wares or running a stall to raise some money for the school, please step forward and get in touch. We want to hear from you as soon as possible.
But before you start cooking those Christmas puds, pause please to cheer the many kind and generous folk who helped us to honour our commitment to the school to donate £4,000 in the last academic year, without having to dip into our reserves. And we were also able to buy every child in the school a special mug to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the new school at Sibford Road. (Thank you Anna Wright for all your generous help with this project)
In the coming year, we are going to need more hands on deck as we do what we can to help the school through the squalls of this year's strange and mysterious funding round. There is plenty that villagers who value their school can do – not least by pledging a regular sum through the Gift Aid scheme, by which the school benefits both from the donation and tax that can be reclaimed on it. And don't forget to drop your old printer cartridges into the school office for recycling. Each HP/Lexmark/ Canon cartridge can earn credit of 30p to £2.10 at PC World and so enhance our computer suite. Every little helps.
But most important, join in and help us with ideas and your time. We'll be having our Annual General Meeting on 24th September at which we would encourage volunteers to make themselves known. We need, at the very least, a new treasurer, as the irreplaceable Graham Wilkes, upon the arrival of his third child, has, like his counterpart, Eddy George at the Bank of England, had to hang up his quill. Thank you Graham.
We're looking forward to a busy and munificent autumn. Join us please and support your school.
Sue Wood, FOHNS chair, woodees@btopenworld.com


CHIPPING NORTON POOL – USE IT OR LOSE IT!
Chipping Norton Outdoor Pool is a wonderful summer facility for the residents of Chipping Norton and surrounding villages. It is ideal for families with its paddling pool and pleasant grassed area – take a picnic and the children will be happily occupied for hours. There are also 'Adult Only' sessions in the evenings and at weekends. The pool will be faced with closure in 2004 because it is subsidised by the District Council and both the equipment and facilities need to be renewed or upgraded. A campaign has been launched to try to save the pool. If you would like to join the committee, please contact Graham Gage or if you can help distribute leaflets etc, please phone Anne Evans. The best way to keep the pool open is to use it!
Anne Evans


WEA HOOK NORTON BRANCH
The Centenary event 'Bonham's at the Brewery' on Saturday 28th June was a great success. Many folk brought their treasures to be inspected and valued by four of Bonham's staff. Some were delighted; others disappointed, but all were pleased to hear the opinions of the experts. The WEA Committee would like to thank everyone who visited and the Clarke family for the use of the Centre. £100 was donated to the Leukaemia Research charity.
On 3rd July, 24 students attended a day school at the Brewery Heritage Centre when the subject was 'Empress Matilda'. Tim Porter, an authority on Medieval England, gave an interesting and absorbing lecture. Bristol, Cardiff and locally, Oxford Castle, played an important part in the conflict between the prospective Queen and Stephen. The outcome of the war finally decided that British Monarchs would reign by succession only.
The lecture was followed by a delicious lunch which included strawberries and cream. Everyone left with a determined aim to read more about this remarkable woman who seems to have been neglected when British history is told.


HOOK NORTON COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTRE
On a personal note, I would like to thank the retiring officers of HNCEC's Management Committee - Andrew Bowen (Chair), Don Cornelius (Vice-chair and previous Chair), Elaine Meek (as Treasurer) and Jane Orchard for their help and unstinting efforts in trying to ensure that Hook Norton had a continuing and thriving Community Education Centre over the past years (11 to my knowledge). On behalf of the many students and tutors from the surrounding area whose thanks have been conveyed to me, I would like to pass on to them a heartfelt thank you.
The new autumn brochure for Hook Norton and Banbury is now available and copies are in the local shops, libraries, post offices and surgeries. Postal distribution has been arranged for Hook Norton and the surrounding area during July but if you need a copy or further information please contact the Community Education Office on 01608 730052.
Carole Hazleton Administrator


FRIENDS OF HOOK NORTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY
The AGM will take place on
Monday, 8 September 2003 at 7.30pm
All who are interested in our Library are welcome.
The Meeting will be followed by a Battle
of Wits between two local teams.
Refreshments provided


2ND HOOK NORTON BROWNIES
The 2nd Hook Norton Brownies would like to thank everyone who helped to raise the £374.94 that we have just sent off to the charity 'Children with Leukaemia'. The girls spent a weekend in June doing 26 challenges for the Children's Marathon Challenge, linked to the London Marathon. They had great fun and achieved a great deal over the weekend. During Brownies on the following Tuesday, Paula Clarke kindly came and presented awards to the girls after judging a couple of the more competitive challenges.
The girls also took part in a litter pick during June, and amongst the usual cigarette ends, crisp packets and sweet wrappers, they were surprised to find a huge number of elastic bands on our pavements. We have since discovered that these are being dropped by the village posties who have them tied around large bundles of mail. We have contacted the sorting office to alert them to this wasteful practice and to urge the 'posties' to think of the environment when discarding rubber bands.
Diana Barber, 2nd Hook Norton Brownies


MY GUIDING POEM
My best guiding memories
I shall not forget
The things that I've done
The people I've met
I've tried new things
The good and the bad
But at least I had a go
And now I'm glad
As being a guide
Has been really fun
Going on trips
Having fun under the sun
Going to camp
Sleeping under the stars
All these memories
Are just a few of ours
But I'm still not gone
Not just quite yet
As I will go on to rangers
So do not forget
That I still have more to come
In the next few years
Lots more experiences
To overcome my fears
But as for guides
My times almost up
So wave me off
And wish me good luck
By Jenny Thompson


FIREFIGHTING
It is that time of year again, long hot summer days and so far, it has been a scorcher. With weather like this, we need to be more careful over the summer period. The weekend after Music at the Crossroads, Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service received at least 30 calls to report grass, hedge & field fires all over the county in addition to the numerous calls we receive for other incidents.
Hook Norton firefighters have responded to six calls either as a first response or assisting other crew's in extinguishing the fire. With this in mind, we all need to take action. The following points will help to combat accidental fires
Hook Norton is very fortunate in having a fire station which responds 24 hours a day and, particularly in the last 5 years, we have continued to provide cover for the community. We now have 13 Firefighter's at our station which enables us to respond with a much larger crew. We hope to hold on to this for a long time to come. If you are interested in a rewarding & satisfying career and enjoy working in the community then drop us a line. For more information contact James Clarke.
During May, June & July we have answered 27 calls apart from the grass fires. We have also dealt with Car fires at Great Rollright, South Newington & Bodicote. 14 Standby's at Banbury & Chipping Norton were also answered, as were 2 calls to kitchen fire's in Chipping Norton, a Barn fire at Bloxham and a RTA at Great Tew.
Enjoy the summer; long may it last, and be safe.
Joe Williams


WILDLIFE NOTEBOOK - MID MAY TO MID JULY
On 19th May Kevin Hope in Beanacre phoned me to say that there was a fledgling Sparrow in his garden that appeared to be abandoned. This is a problem every year when baby birds leave the nest but are not yet able to fend for themselves. They flutter about and 'cheep' plaintively but the best thing is to leave them alone. If you look and listen, you will probably find a frantic parent nearby, which is more than capable of looking after its offspring. These youngsters often leave the nest before they can fly properly and the adults will feed and tend them on the ground. Of course, they are vulnerable but they are not usually abandoned or orphaned. Once they are fully feathered and out of the nest, they will soon be independent. If you are worried about cats or other predators, just put the chick in a safe place, such as under a bush and keep animals indoors. Last year the RSPCA wildlife hospitals were inundated with more than 3,000 baby birds and the Society is appealing to the public to remember that handling or removing a young bird from its habitat can lessen its chances of survival. The helpline for anyone concerned is 0870 5555 999. We have a Blue Tit nest box in our garden and we really enjoyed watching the adults feed their young. We cannot see the front of the box very well but we were excited to see the birds leaving the nest on 7th June. We do not know how many but one bird was fully feathered and very small. Unfortunately, although the adults fed it for a little while they fed the other fledglings that were stronger and this little bird died. We are sure there would have been nothing that we could have done to save it.
On 30th May, Nancy Longmore in East End phoned to say that she was looking at a Red Kite being mobbed by a Crow. What a magnificent bird this is. One has been seen before in East End a while ago, so keep your eyes open, as you never know who will see one next.
Isita Pickering told me on the 4th June that she had seen a Great Spotted Woodpecker every day recently on the nuts in her garden.
Colonel Terence Holloway, who lives off The Bourne, phoned on 5th July to say that he had seen on his lawn a Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker.
There have been sightings of a Heron in East End on 18th and 26th May, a few sightings of female Sparrowhawk– this bird of prey (raptor) is roughly pigeon-sized and flies with a very distinctive action best described as 'flap-flap-glide'. The flight has a relatively powerful, determined feel. A Kestrel was seen on 26th May, 2 Buzzards on 6th July and one on 12th July, a Hobby on 6th and 7th June and a Bullfinch on 7th June and 8th July. Baby birds seen include Blackbird, Greenfinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Pied Wagtail and Sparrow.
Water is very important to birds, particularly when it is hot, so can I please remind you to change the bird bath water regularly.
Bob Brayshay saw a Fox walking down Orchard Road, East End at 11.00am on 23rd May. Other people have reported seeing a Fox walking down the middle of the road.
If you look out at dusk, you might be lucky enough to see a Bat flying around. Many Butterflies are in our gardens including Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small and Large White. Two Hawkmoths that have been seen are the Elephant Hawkmoth and Hummingbird Hawkmoth.
On 15th June whilst we were sitting in our back garden we heard a loud buzzing noise and I thought about going inside but before there was time to do anything we saw over our bungalow a large swarm of bees. Last year a swarm was reported in the Churchyard, but fortunately, I did not hear from anyone this year with a sighting in the village. Please phone or email me with your sightings.
Geraldine Moore email:geraldine.moore1@btinternet.com


HOOK NORTON LOCAL HISTORY GROUP
As part of Hook Norton's 'new' school 10th anniversary celebrations, the group put on an exhibition of old and new school memorabilia. Even some longtime residents had not realized that on 4th September 1939, school numbers were suddenly doubled to 230 by the arrival of evacuees. People were delighted to see old pictures of themselves and as scrapbooks were eagerly examined, I heard Heather say "Look, that's my writing". Lots of such happy nostalgia was around and our special thanks go to those Victorian children who genuinely played 'The Farmer's in his Den' with us.
Our new season begins on 2nd September with Dr. John Wilson talking on 'Early Photography and the Local Historian'. On 7th October, David Sturdy will be speaking on the historic buildings in our area and 4th November brings us the 'First Parish Council in Hook Norton – 1894'.
Goodies for the season include visits to the Ashmolean Museum, Bletchley Park, Tooley's Boatyard and Buscot. See you on 2nd September then!
Sheila Terry – Chairman


THE VILLAGE MUSEUM AT THE BREWERY
We have received more local property deeds to copy and add to our growing list of archives. These deeds reveal many more items of interest than just the bare details of property ownership. Eventually I hope the village museum would have an extensive database available on the web - but that is a very long-term project.
For the moment, our records are available for anyone to look at. We are able to search the censuses from 1841 to 1901 for the village, its parish records, settlement orders, wills and a lot more.
During the summer the museum is manned most Thursdays from 2 to 4pm (phone me first to make sure). At other times a phone call to me will gain you access to the archives.
An application for a grant has been submitted to Awards For All. If it is successful, it will mean that the museum will have a lightweight portable exhibition which it can take to the elderly, disabled, and others who may not be able to access the upstairs museum.
Barbara Hicks


HOOK NORTON REMEMBERED
When I first arrived in Hook Norton I was amazed to find so much industrial and commercial concerns in active existence. It was said that whatever was needed to maintain a comfortable lifestyle could be obtained in the village.
There had been two major industries overlying the mainly farming community, but by the time I arrived in 1947, one of these had closed. The Brymbo Ironstone Company, which had mined iron ore from the surrounding area for many decades, had been forced to close because it was cheaper to ship ore direct from Sweden to the smelting works than to dry and transport it from Hook Norton by train. All that was left was the deserted site with its rusting wagons and railway tracks and the two kiln towers. The retired manager, Mr Littleboy, lived in a modern house at the end of Crooked Lane, which he called "Lane End." There was only one remaining employee, Edgar (Nelson) Bowler who was retained as caretaker/manager and lived in "Crooked Cottage" in Crooked Lane. We lived with the Bowlers, Nelson and Reg, from November 1947 until August 1948. The other large industry, The Brewery, which had produced wonderful beer for over a century, and owned many Public Houses in a wide area, was thriving under the expert direction of its owner Mr Bill Clarke. The Brewery employed many local people.
Of the seven Public Houses in Hook Norton, four were situated on roads leading out of the village. The Gate Hangs High is at the crossroads on the Sibford Ferris Road, The Railway Hotel, hosted by the Manning family, was near the railway station on the Banbury road, The Pear Tree, hosted by Mr Heritage, is in Scotland End on the Chipping Norton road. The Wheatsheaf, on Southside, which, I believe, closed around 1950, was on the Swerford road. In the centre of the village, facing St. Peter's Church, were The Sun and The Red Lion, now both combined. Nearer to the Co-op and facing down Bell Hill, The Bell Inn was then hosted by Mr Bernard White.
Travel to places of employment was causing problems. Returning forces had, often, to find work in Banbury or Chipping Norton. Few people owned cars or motor-cycles, so public transport, sparse as it was, had to be relied on. The railway station, efficiently manned and controlled by Mr Moulder, dealt with the trains to and from Bloxham, Milton, Adderbury, Kings Sutton and Banbury, and in the other direction, to and from Great Rollright, Chipping Norton, Sarsden and Kingham. The Midland Red Bus Co. ran infrequent services from Banbury to Chipping Norton through Bloxham, Milcombe, Hook Norton and Great Rollright. Beyond these meagre services the humble bicycle came into its own, although fairly soon taxi services were available from Turnock's and Gaddes's. Gaddes's also had small coaches for private hire, and they ran a three shift contract service to the Northern Aluminium Works in Banbury, where employment was readily available.
Geoff Walton


ANNOUNCEMENTS



Martin Chiffers of Truro and Anna Celia Taylor were married at St. Peter's Church on 12th July 2003



Daisy Christine and Catherine Amy Stratford, daughters of Wendy Stratford were baptized at St. Peter's Church on 21st June 2003




Isabel Clare Lovat, daughter of Richard and Christine was baptized at St. Peter's Church on 1st June 2003