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Photographic Memories
The following two photos have been provided by Mr J. Taylor and are of Will Twynham who lived on the South side of Wales Street and worked for his great-great Uncle Joseph Colegrove, Farmer and brewer, of what is now Studleigh Farmhouse and the old brewery.  This is a picture of Mr Taylors Great-grandmother with Selwyn Colegrove, the son of her brother John Frederick. The picture was taken in the yard at the back of Studleigh Farmhouse. Most of the background has now gone. Selwyn Colegrove grew up to become the Chairman of the Auckland Stock Exchange.
 Written MemoriesFrederick Kerby, of Charlton, born in King’s Sutton 3rd May 1889, written in the 1950's
My first recollections of King's Sutton are of playing in the ruins of the old paint factory, in the field still known as Factory Meadow, behind the railway station, and of gathering snowdrops around the remains of the old Monastery, adjoining St. Rumbolds Well at Astrop.
The children were invited to parade May garlands in procession at Mr. E Gregory's, Whittall Street, on May Day, when each one was presented with a penny and two gingerbreads Another occasion always looked forward to by children was the Annual Summer Treat, when all the school children were invited to Astrop Park by Sir William Brown and Lady Brown. Assembling at the school they marched in procession with flags and banners headed by the village brass band to Astrop House, where they sang National songs, followed by tea, sports, and boating on the lake. At the close every child received a gift.
A tragedy occurred in the early 1890's when 2 youths Jesse Harvey and Frank Harris were drowned in the river Cherwell, when gathering water lilies. During a gale in 1896 the larger pinnacle on the SE corner of the church tower at the base of the spire crashed through the roof, causing considerable damage. At this time the spire was found to be defective, and the top 20 feet or so was taken down and renewed: The work was carried out by Messrs, Cross & Sons of Smethwick.
Following the death of Mrs. Willes of the Manor House about this time, her son, Mr. W A. Willes left the village to reside at Bournemouth. This severed a connection with probably the oldest family in the village: They had been Lords of the Manor for generations, and many of their ancestors are commemorated by stained glass windows and plagues in the Church: The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (1900) was commemorated by a dinner for adults, tea for children, sports and general celebrations. This was provided for by public subscription.
Following the death of the last of the Parsons family about this time land belonging to them was sold for building purposes, This was adjoining 'The Knob', as the cart track leading from 'Yew Tree House', Dobbin Street round to the Astrop Road was known. Several new houses were built and 'The Knob’ was converted into a road, now known as Richmond Street. The present Recreation Ground, formerly allotments was let to the parish on a long lease for a nominal rent by Sir William Brown. To meet the unemployment in the district generally, Sir William Brown let the rights of excavating ironstone on a large portion of the Astrop Estate to Messrs, Alfred Hickman Ltd: of Wolverhampton. This was a great benefit to the surrounding district. Street lighting was installed in the village at the end of the last century, this was by oil lamps which had to be lighted and put out singly. During the Boer War the relief of Ladysmith, relief of Mafeking, and the entry into Pretoria were duly celebrated and 2 men from the village, Mr. T Matthews and Mr. W Cox were given a good reception on their return. The main annual holiday was on Whit Monday when the two village friendly societies, or sick clubs, held their yearly meetings. They had their headquarters at 'The Bell Inn' and 'The Three Tuns' respectively, and celebrated with a procession to a service in the Church, each club official wearing their badge of office, and each led by a brass band. This was followed by dinner and the Annual meeting. On this day the village green was fully occupied with roundabouts, swings, shooting galleries, coconut shies, and side shows appertaining to a village holiday. These celebrations were culminated when the National Insurance scheme came into operation. The club held at the Three Tuns was taken over by the Oddfellows and the one at the Bell Inn dissolved and the funds in hand distributed to the members.
A disastrous fire occurred at Twyford Field Barn buildings, when some animals perished, as they could not be rescued. There was a fire at Park Farm about 1901. This was probably the last time the King's Sutton fire engine; a manual pump on solid wooden wheels was used at a fire. This relic of the past is still in existence, and is housed in the Parish Council cottage near the station.
The church choir under their conductor, Mr. A Pamphett, won first prize on the two occasions there was a competition for this, held at Neithrop House, Banbury. The Coronation of King Edward VlI was celebrated in Astrop Park on the postponed date, owing to the illness of the King, in 1902. A new dial was added to the church clock on the eastern side of the tower, hitherto the only indication of the time was the striking of the clock. The surplus funds from the Coronation were devoted to this purpose.
The Churchyard was closed for burials and a Cemetery was obtained in 1903. This is on the King's Sutton-Aynho road, the first interment there was the infant daughter of the schoolmaster Mr. A H Tilbury. A handsome Lych Gate was erected at the cemetery by Sir William Brown in 1904.
There was a fire at Twyford flourmills in 1906 when a large quantity of grain and flour was destroyed, The first resident of the village to own a motor car was Mr. E Browne of Greycourt, Astrop, in 1906. There was a tragedy at the railway station this year when a youth, Arthur Jones, was killed by an express train on the first week of his employment there as a porter.
The C of E School was considered to be inefficient to accommodate the number of scholars, and a new school was built in Richmond Street, by the County Council in 1908. The contractors were Messrs, Hickman & Son of Market Harborough. The old school, now the church hall, is used for social gatherings.
The belfry in the church was removed in 1910. This aroused controversy at the time, but there were no reactions, The Coronation of King George V (1910) was celebrated in a similar manner to that of King Edward VII and the Diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria, but the proceedings were somewhat marred by a very heavy thunderstorm.
In 1914 fire destroyed the house, butchers shop and premises on the corner of Whittall Street -Bulls Lane. The First World War took its toll of the young men of the village; the names of the fallen are engraved on the War Memorial erected in the cemetery.
A new ironstone work was opened by Messrs. Alfred Hickman Ltd, at Sydenham on the King's Sutton-Adderbury railway.
A picturesque thatched cottage with 4 gables facing the green was burned down in 1919. The first council houses were erected in 1921 when the Brackley RDC built 18 houses and developed Astrop Gardens.
Miss Mary Lovell, (the last of the Lovells) whose ancestry goes back hundreds of years died in 1925. She was buried in the family vault in the churchyard, a faculty having been granted by the Bishop.
In the autumn of 1927 two young men of the village, J Berry and S Taylor, cycling home from work were in collision with a car at Souldern Gate and both received fatal injuries, and to add to the tragedy, the next morning thatched cottages at Paradise were burned down, and six families rendered homeless.
The ironstone works closed down about this time, but employment was provided by the new Aluminium works at Banbury and by building operations in the district.
A further tragedy occurred at Twyford Mill in 1933 when Mr. J Spokes got into difficulties while bathing in the pond. His father, Mr. A Spokes, dived in to save him, but both were drowned.
The Silver Jubilee of King George V was celebrated in 1935 in a less elaborate style.
The peal of 8 bells were taken down, one that was cracked was re-cast, and they were re-hung on steel girders, replacing the old timber framework. This work was carried out by Messrs. Taylor of Loughborough in 1936.
A further 8 council houses were built by the RDC (Rural District Council) in Richmond Street. A new Methodist Church was erected in 1938 by Messrs Hermon & Son. In this year the RDC developed the Newlands estate, building 40 new houses.
The top of the church spire was found to have moved, and was taken down and rebuilt in 1939. During the Second World War an enemy land mine was dropped near the village and damage was caused to houses near the green. The names of the fallen in the war were inscribed on the existing war memorial. Two old elm trees, land marks for generations, near the church gates were felled in 1946,as they were considered a source of danger. Further developments have been made by the erection of 40 houses in Orchard Way, and an extension to Newlands; about 100 new Traditional houses have been erected in 'Dairy Ground' estate. With the demolition of many old houses in the lower area, the village has greatly expanded in a northeasterly direction. Since the last war about 20 private houses have been built in the village.
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was commemorated by the provision of swings and amusements in the recreation ground for children, and the different districts catered for their separate entertainment. A copper beech tree was planted on the Green.
During the foregoing period the crafts which are now non-existent in King's Sutton include - the village tailor, saddler and harness maker, village blacksmith, wheelwright, boot & shoe repairer, hurdlemaker, hay-tier. The two daily carriers to Banbury with horse drawn vans were put out of business by bus service and increased motor traffic.
Vicars: Rev FJ Bullock, Rev HS Frost, Rev HS Beard, Rev WH Maxwell Rennie, Rev FJ Boss, Rev E Blaxland, Rev H Gibbons, Rev CT Kirtland, Rev AS Midgley,
Resident Baptist Ministers: Rev J Churchill: Rev H Firth-Guyton, Rev J Hunter, Rev E Nowell, Rev C Chipperfield, Rev WG Branch, Rev JW Mayo, Rev EH Terrell, Rev GD Moss, Rev FJ Hedyn.
Head schoolmasters: Mr E Good, Mr H Close, Mr A H Tilbury, Mr H E Easey,
Police constables; Packer, Smith, Crisp, Bates, Webb, Wheeler, Dowding, Neasham, Coles, Isham,
Edith G. Gillam, born in Kings Sutton 1875, written 25th February, 1958.
My parents came to live in King's Sutton in 1871, and my Father was one of the earliest employees of the Gt.Western Railway. I was born in this village in 1875. One of my earliest memories is of running out of the house to the station to see the trains, and of course my Father who worked in the Signal Box. I was only about 4 years old. I well remember starting to attend School (with 3d tied in the corner of my handkerchief) on Monday mornings, to pay each week for my education. This was a Church of England School (now known as the Old School House) in Astrop Rd. The School Master & Mistress, their two daughters, and an Assistant Master (who was also organist & Choir Master) comprised the staff. The boys were taught in the upstairs rooms and the girls downstairs. Mr. & Mrs. Good were very nice & well-respected people, & the school children were well taught and disciplined.
We have a very beautiful Parish Church and the spire is landmark for many miles around, it has a lovely peal of eight bells. There is also a Baptist Chapel & a Methodist Chapel. It used to be the custom for the Sexton of the Parish Church to ring the bell at 5am, 12 noon, and 8 pm winter and summer, and if there was a fire in the village, a big & a little bell were rung from the belfry. Places of worship were well attended. Men went to Church on Sunday mornings with their boots & leggings well polished, they sat on the left-hand side aisle, and the older ladies in plaid shawls & bonnets on the right side aisle. Sunday school children in the spare pews, and under the belfry, the main congregation sat in the centre aisles.
King's Sutton was quite a self-supporting village in the early days, the main industry as agriculture, there was also a paint works, an Ironstone works, and a pillow lace school, where some beautiful lace was made & most of the brides in the village had some of this lace on their wedding garments, and periodically a lady came from London to buy quantities of this lace to re-sell in her shop. There was only one resident Doctor in this village (now there isn't one). There were 2 Butcher's shops, 4 Bakers (now only 1) 6 Public Houses (now 4) 2 Shoemakers, who used to make the shoes for all my family, and a Saddler who did a good trade, 2 millers, as well as 3 grocery shops. Eggs in the summer were often 24 a shilling (5p), farmhouse butter a shilling per lb. Two carrier carts went into Banbury twice a week, & would take passengers; this was considered a treat to the younger people.
The Club Feast used to be held on Whit Monday, when the Club members paraded to Church at 11 a.m. with their band for a service, and the Vicar used to be paid £1 (a golden sovereign) to preach a sermon, & afterwards he was invited to dine with them at the Bell Inn. Following this the members with their brass band paraded the village playing outside various houses. The same day there were stalls, swings & all the attractions of a fair, held in the Square. Then there was a feast in July with the same attractions, but no Club Members or their Band.
There are two famous springs, one at St. Rumbold's Well at Astrop, & the Bogwater near the Station, both are reputed to have medicinal value. I remember fetching water from these springs for drinking purposes, & many folk would use nothing but bogwater for making their tea. In 1887-88 there was a lot of unemployment & distress in the village, and a Soup Kitchen was run by ladies (resident in the village) at the 'Reading Room" in Dobbin Street, now called Richmond Street, the old Blacksmith's Forge was also in this Street, hence the name "Dobbin Street”.
We had no street lighting when I was young) & the first outside lights were paraffin oil lamps which were put out at 9.30pm then followed gas lighting, and now its all electric outside lighting in the streets. Indoors the only means of cooking was on a fire, afterwards came gas, now also electricity. For household purposes we had to fetch water from the different wells situated in the village, & sanitary conditions were very primitive.
St. Peters Day, 20th June, the dedication Festival of the Church was a great day, the visiting Clergy & the Choir, all robed, walked in procession from the Vicarage to the Church singing as they went for evening service. There were several treats during the summer months for the school children, and always a Christmas tree at the School, (& tea) when presents and prizes were given.
The village has changed, where there were green fields & allotments, we now have a Council Housing estate & several privately built houses and bungalows. Most of the workingmen had allotments to grow vegetables for their families, and nearly every poor workingman kept a pig.
Yes, I have seen changed in village life, on the whole living conditions have improved considerably. I have many happy memories of my young days, and after living away from the village for some years, I have returned to spend the remainder of my life in a cottage (from which as a very small child I used to spend my weekly pocket money (½d) then a small shop kept by a Mrs. Cooper.
Edith G. Gillam. 14 Red Lion St, King’s Sutton, Banbury
Piece written by Miss Lillian Ayriss after a visit of the Banbury Historical Society had shown how rich people lived. Here she describes the life of the poorer folk. Date unknown.
My ancestors belonged to the village many generations ago, particularly on my mother's side. Her mother is the only Grandparent that I can remember. She was born in 1835. That was long before the Education Act of compulsory school attendance. Wages were very low, only a few shillings and there was much poverty and even hunger. It was a time when child labour was used in the mines and factories and boys were used to clear chimneys. In those days this was just an agricultural area and boys would be employed on the farms 'crow-minding' and just for a copper or two would spend their time with wooden clappers scaring the birds off the cornfields. Where the Co-op now stands there was a building known as the Lace-making school, where the Buckinghamshire lace (commonly called pillow-lace) was taught. This was kept by a Mrs. Tibbetts and my Gran went there from the age of 6, starting at first to thread the needles. A book was passed round at times and somehow, without any tuition, shefound out how to read and used to say in after life, when she was old and housebound, that she wouldn't have known what she would have done without being able to read. She married quite young and lived for a time at the Ox-house. This stood in a field between Walton Ground and Aynho. At that time the dreaded scourge of smallpox became rife in the village and Red Lion Street was barricaded up. A smallpox house was set up in a house then known as Little Mill, where the sewage works now are in Mill Lane. My Grandfather, the eldest son and the baby fell ill with the disease. As their home was in the middle of a field they stopped there, but everyone else was afraid to have contact with them and what little money there was could not be accepted for food. News of their plight reached the village and it was agreed that they could not be left to starve. So an old woman who had had the smallpox was given food to take to them and this was left in a hedge some distance away. Grandmother's brother left his employment to help her. He had also had the illness some time before. His job was that of estate carpenter and the Bailiff gave him the sack because of the smallpox. This happened at a time when there was no such thing as dole, insurance or social security. To go back to the invalids - the baby died although it had been vaccinated, a grave was dug for it, lights were put round it and quick lime. My Great Uncle pushed it up to the village during a snowstorm in the middle of the night, one of my brother's, then only a boy, going with him. Grandmother did not see another woman for three months as no one would dare come near. The beds etc. had to be burnt and there wasn't any money to get new ones. One day my Great Uncle met his former employer and what passed was mentioned. Uncle put the question, “what would you have done if your sister was in such a plight?” Uncle was given his job back. The Crimean War was in 1854 and children of those days made up ditties about what was going on in the world. One such was, 'A thousand old women a going to enlist, won't they give the old Russians atwist? I can remember when the church verger, Mr John Taylor, used to ring the bells at 12 noon and the curfew at 8pm. If we were let loose from school as the noon bell started it was the custom for those of us who lived at this end of the village to race home to try to get there before the noon bell stopped. While, when the curfew bell rang we were under orders to come in from play and get ready for bed.
I understand that many years ago there was a bell rung at 5.30am calling men folk to work. They were early risers, but also early to bed. On Harvest time my Grandfather was working late. About 9pm. Grandmother went outside and looked to see if he was coming. An old lady, Rachel Holt, who had retired for the night looked out of her bedroom window and called, what is the time Mrs. Hayward? The answer was "9, o'clock: Rachel". Soon a bucket came out of the back door. (For some reason the old lady was in the habit of putting a bucket out of the door in the morning, so must have thought it was morning) Gran said, "I hope you understand, Rachel, that it is 9 o'clock at night, not morning'. "Oh is it? Well, I might as well have my breakfast now I'm up. I do not know whether she had another one the next morning. The longer I live I realise how hard life was for those in days gone by and how resourceful and courageous they needed to be.
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