Launton Lines Issue 250 August 2021

August 2021

Issue 250

Some events in July in the village Happy Birthday to Muriel Beck Congratulations to Mrs Muriel Beck of Sycamore Road, Launton on reaching the grand age of 100 on 4 July this year, here with her birthday card from H. M. The Queen.

Photo from Ed Sanders

We have had the following message which we are happy to pass on.

“Muriel Beck and family would like to thank family, friends and neighbours for the beautiful cards, flowers and warm wishes received for her 100th birthday - a very special day enjoyed by all. THANK YOU!”

A flight of 9 biplanes in the skies over Launton on 9 July.

Photo by Andrew Rayner The front cover shows a heron silhouetted on the top of a tree behind Chestnut Close on 18 July, against a blue summer sky. “There were two herons flying over, but only one landed on the tree, and I got the picture.” Photo by Staff Photographer Ella Rayner

The Editor writes …

This issue is No. 250 of Launton Lines. Did we know when Issue 1 came out in August 1995 (16 black and white pages that came out quarterly) that we would still be going strong 26 years later? The first 201 issues (to July 2017) were led by Pat Tucker as Chairman. Launton Lines stands as a record of her commitment. For most of this time distribution has been overseen by Shirley Johnson and her delivery team.

We have many long term contributors: Tony Jeacock is approaching his century, and advertisers have been with us from the early issues. It is also the first issue from our new printer, Lonsdale Direct. And the first produced on my new micro computer.

Hence it is a few days later than normal. Apologies.

In this issue there is an update from PHIP on the Parish Hall (pages 10-11), a first response from Mulberry Homes about their development on Blackthorn Road (page 5) and info and photos on the PHIP Bake Sale (pages 16-17). The Community Cafe is recruiting a Support Worker (page 30) and Greta Walker concludes her memories from Launton’s past 55 years on pages 31-34. And, unfortunately there are photos of litter round the village (page 24).

Finally, please support our advertisers. They need you as much as we need them.

Robert Cornford Launton Village Support: Contact Details

A Support Group for Launton.

Group email: village.help@launton-pc.gov.uk PHONE Numbers: 9:30am to 5:00pm 07522 231 100 - Janice 01869 241755 - Lesley 01869 247171 - Jane Olds 01869 242685 - Nick Cherry (Launton Parish Council) Pharmacy Runner

Launton Lines

A monthly newsletter for Launton. Published around the first of each month by the Launton Community Communications Group © 2021 Launton Lines

email: launtonlines@launton.org website: https://launton.org/launton-lines/ The Launton Lines Committee 2020-2021 Jon Spinage, Chair Jenni Walker, Advertising Manager Robert Cornford, Editor | 241883 Michael Stack, Treasurer | 242600 Kathy Gilbert, Associate Editor Shirley Johnson, Distribution | 369269 Contact the Parish Council To book the Parish Hall Council Clerk | Mrs Jane Olds Contact: Joan Packer Address | 13 Oak Close, Bicester, Phone: 07903 610405 OX26 3XD Parish Hall Committee: Christine email | clerk@launton-pc.gov.uk Massey; Audrey Deeley; Lynne Harper; Joan Packer; Simon Turner, Robert Cornford Phone | 01869 247171

LIGHT UP A LIFE

Would you like to sponsor an evening’s floodlighting at St. Mary’s Church in memory of a loved one, to give thanks for the birth of a child, or to celebrate a baptism, birthday or wedding?

A minimum donation of £10 is suggested which can be Gift Aided.

Please contact Joan Packer on 01869 241694 by 20 August for entry in the September 2021 issue of Launton Lines.

July 29 | Sponsored by the Ayris Family.

In loving memory of Kathleen [Kath] Ayris - Mum. You will for ever shine bright in our hearts, with love from Mick, Sharon and Rob, Sam and Richard, Steve and Danii, Emily, James, Jackson, William and Ethan August 7 | Sponsored by Clare Farmer.

Louise, greetings on your 60th birthday.

Lovingly remembered, from The Family August 29 | Sponsored by Mary Brydon.

Remembering my dear husband Tom

Bicester Festival is on 11 - 26 September

With street events and music.

It should be great fun.

Put it in your diary.

More details next month.

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 4

Mulberry Homes in Launton In November 2020 we contacted Mulberry Homes to introduce Launton Lines, to ask them some basic questions about their plans and timetables for future work for the December issue. We had no reply. We tried again in December then gave up. It was winter and the weather was horrible and the route into the site was very wet and muddy, and we could wait until spring.

We also knew that the Parish Council had not been very successful in getting replies from them - see regular Council updates.

So imagine our surprise to get an email and a Press Release in early June this year about the opening of the show homes on the site. We took this chance to ask some of the questions from November, and some supplementaries. Here they are, with the replies from Unsworth Sugden, the PR company working for the developers: answers came through on 5 July.

1. What are future key dates for milestones at Launton Mews? - The show home is now open, however we can’t provide exact dates for upcoming milestones until closer to the time.

2. What plans do you have for ‘localising’ the housetypes shown on your website? - The street scene CGI’s are indicative of the materials Mulberry is using in Launton.

3. When do you plan for the first houses to be occupied? - Hopefully this month.

4. Do you have any updates on the public spaces planned in the application? – Mulberry is providing a good amount of public open space at the development.

5. Do you have any plans for engagement with the village community of Launton? I would be happy to include regular reports on your work in Launton Lines. – Mulberry is happy to have regular contact and updates with Launton Lines.

6. How was the name “Launton Mews” arrived at for the whole development? What plans are there for naming the street plan on the estate? – The development name Launton Mews was selected as Mulberry wanted the location of the village ‘Launton’ to feature in the commercial name.

7. What plans are there for the long-term management and financing of the communal areas especially the garden area? - The garden club is being constructed by Mulberry and handed back to the residents of Launton Mews to self-manage.

8. What will be the final number of homes: your PR release says 66 private homes and 20 affordable homes on the site. Is the total of 86 homes correct? That figure is correct Three days later we had an update on question 8. “Ever so sorry about this, we were provided with an incorrect figure for the homes. The total number of homes at the site is 66 - which includes 43 open market ‘private’ houses and 23 affordable homes.”

More next month.

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 5

Launton Parish Council: the Informal Meeting held on Thursday 1 July at 7.30 pm online via Zoom Councillors present Mr Ed Sanders, Mrs Lesley Thompson, Mr Simon Turner (Chair), Mrs Jackie Webber In attendance The Clerk, Mrs Jane Olds; CDC Counmcillor David Hughes; five members of the public; and Thaina Sa’id (East/West Rail) East/West Rail Thaina Sa’id apologised for the confusion over the site tours. The tours arranged previously were just intended for local representatives to give feedback to the local community (which Lesley Thompson wrote about in the June edition of Launton Lines). However, it is hoped that once the health and safety hurdles have been overcome that more members of the public will be able to visit the site.

The construction is still in the ‘civils’ phase. Work is continuing on the earthworks and structures. The footbridges at Grange Farm and Jarvis Lane are scheduled to be opened in late September/early October; the footpaths to the bridges are still to be completed and the route to the Grange Farm bridge is still to be agreed as the new route is not on the line previously agreed.

The Charbridge Lane construction works are still on schedule to be completed by 24 December. The installation of the bridge beams has been completed and the main structure is under way.

The focus for Station Road is still on the earthworks of the northern and southern embankments.

As has been publicised previously, the London Road level crossing in Bicester will be closed between 28 and 31 August.

Report from District Councillor Councillor Hughes reported that the Council had started to have in-person meetings, but it had been awkward because the officers had not been able to join the meetings.

The proposal for the changes in the brown bin/food waste collection service had been taken to the CDC Executive Committee for consideration.

Further news would be published shortly but it was currently with Officers for further investigation.

Finance The Finance Report is available on the Parish Council website.

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 6

Oxfordshire Strategic Rail Freight Interchange OCC Councillor Corkin had flagged up the proposals for the new rail freight interchange near Ardley on social media, but no consultation has been released.

Parliamentary Boundary Commission The Council has welcomed the amended proposals for the Parliamentary constituency boundaries. The new proposals include a new constituency for Bicester which will split it from the current Banbury constituency. The consultation closes on 2 August.

Village Matters Parish Hall The Agreement for Lease documents have been signed by all the relevant parties and returned to the Parish Council’s solicitor for finalisation. The work now starts in earnest!

Yew Tree Field A case has now been opened by the CDC Enforcement Team about the blocked ditch between Yew Tree and Sycamore Road. It is hoped to have more information shortly.

Agenda items and dates of the next meetings All being well, the 5 August meeting will be in the Parish Hall, at 7.30pm.

In order to mitigate the Covid-19 effects, we will do our best to make sure that the hall is as safe as possible, but this will mean that we will not be holding the usual open session from 7pm. Unfortunately, we are not able to hold hybrid meetings at present - please arrive in time to use the hand sanitiser and find your seats!

If it is decided that it is not safe to meet in person in August, there will be another informal advisory meeting so the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Clerk can gauge the feeling of the other Councillors and act accordingly, with the usual Zoom link - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/76605157135 (Meeting ID: 766 0515 7135) at 7.30pm.

Agenda items for the 2 September meeting need to be with the Clerk by 19 August and items for the 7 October meeting by 23 September.

If you’re not signed up to our mailing list to receive news from the Parish Council, you can find a signup form at the bottom left hand menu of the Parish Council website at www.launton-pc.gov.uk/ Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 7

Another Opening, Another Show Launton Village Players will soon perform their Summer Show Another Opening, Another Show on the afternoons of 14 and 15 August. (see the back cover of this issue.) After a break of eighteen months it is wonderful to be able to put on a show again. We are very happy to be returning to the garden of Rose Cottage where we did our first summer show in 1992. Many thanks to Bob and Maureen Roberts for inviting us back and sharing their wonderful garden with us for the weekend.

The title of our show “Another Opening, Another Show” is from a song in the musical Kiss Me Kate (itself based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew). The music and lyrics of this song, and of all the original show, were written by Cole Porter. Our title also refers to the “opening up” of restrictions allowing us to do “another show”.

We would love you to join us: tickets are on sale online through Eventbrite, they are £10 adult and £5 child (plus booking fee). Our profits will be donated to the Hummingbird Centre in Launton which does wonderful work supporting cancer patients and their carers and families.

Please remember to bring your own chairs or a picnic blanket, and our ushers will help you find a good spot in the lovely, and large, garden, safely socially distanced from others. We are maintaining a Covid-19 aware site and even though government regulations may be lifted by the time we perform, we will still have mitigation measures in place, such as plenty of hand sanitisers, environmentally friendly disposable mugs for tea and coffee and wrapped biscuits and crisps.

Come prepared for the English weather: we may have rain or sunshine, or both, so you may need sun cream and a hat, or wellies, a raincoat and an umbrella! There will be payment for refreshments by contactless devices, and non-alcoholic drinks can be enjoyed before the show as well as in the interval. These can be purchased online beforehand, or on the day. Gates will open an hour before the start of the show so we can do our best to avoid clusters of people and you can sit and enjoy the lovely garden with a Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 8

cup of tea/coffee or fruit juice.

We have some blue badge off road parking and if this is required do contact us at tickets@launtonvillageplayers.org.uk There is only limited parking in the area, and if you can do so, please walk. If you would like to drop off chairs or other picnic paraphernalia at the garden, and then go and park elsewhere that is fine. Please be considerate of the neighbours when arriving and leaving.

We do hope you will enjoy the show. It is a mixture of sketches, songs and even a melodrama! We celebrate the use of “words”, we “reflect” on the last year as well as looking forward to new “openings” and “shows”.

We are aiming to use a variety of material; some is silent, some is more over the top and some is relevant to today’s world. And as this is a summer show we will have sunshines, but let’s hope not in the rain!

Enjoy, and thank you for your support.

The LVP team

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Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 9

PHIP Report for Launton Lines August 2021

The first meeting of the Parish Hall Improvement Project (PHIP) since late January 2020 was held via Zoom on 20 July. Until lockdown the group had regular open meetings in the village: this Zoom meeting had to make up for a public open meeting. We alerted the whole PHIP email group, posted on village facebook pages, and in Launton Lines.

There were four main things discussed at the meeting: 1 Report on progress as the Parish Council attempts to take out a lease on the Hall, and then to plan to carry out the necessary improvements and raise funds to carry it out 2 Consider proposals from PCMS (the architect the Parish Council has chosen to work with) on a plan of work for carrying out the improvements 3 Consider making PHIP a registered charity 4 Finance and fund-raising by PHIP - report and future plans.

The Lease There are two stages to this: To start with there is an Agreement to Lease (AtL) that gives the Parish Council the right to carry out work needed to bring the Hall to an acceptable Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) level. Once the EPC is fixed, then the Diocese agrees to lease the Hall to the Parish Council, and The Lease comes into force. The AtL has been Signed by all parties, and Sealed. We just wait for it to be Delivered. Then work can start.

We have three years to carry out work needed to secure an acceptable EPC, and plan to do this as part of the improvements, so we don’t have to do EPC-based work that then has to be ripped out - a serious waste of money!

Architect’s proposals We have outline proposals from Alex Bond of PCMS. He recommends that we secure adequate insulation on the interior of the Hall (not on the outside as it would involve a lot of adjustments to windows and roof); replace the windows and doors; remove the suspended ceiling in the main Hall and open to the roof, then insulate the underside of the roof; dig out the concrete floor beyond the folding doors, and extend the suspended wooden floor through the whole area, and replace the existing floor; replace all plumbing, heating and electrical work; demolish and rebuild the kitchen, with a new entrance at the car park end, and update and install a new layout to the kitchen. The hall will need updated toilets, but this needs further work to discover drainage and sewerage provision.

We would like to have a covered entrance area on the front of the Hall, but the large copper beech tree there will limit work we can do. There may also be new requirement for ventilation post-Covid-19.

Overall, we would like to retain many of the features of the Hall, but bring it up Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 10

to date. As part of this we plan public meetings with plans, to get community feedback. We hope the first of these will be towards the end of September (date to be confirmed when government advice is clearer).

We plan to do work over the 2022 summer holiday, when school is closed and there is less traffic to the Playing Fields. Much depends on progress with the architect and in sourcing builders and of course on successful fundraising. We expect the Hall to be open for hiring until at least June 2022.

PHIP as a registered Charity We need to become a registered charity as our current annual “income” is over £5,000 - the floor for registration. A working group is looking into the most appropriate structure and governance, and we hope to learn from other village groups that have undertaken registration recently. We need to do this quickly as many sources of funding that will want to see charitable status.

Watch this space for reports.

Finances and fundraising PHIP currently has £22, 198.12 in the bank – a useful back up to initial costs of work on the Hall. PHIP currently use a sub-account of the Parish Hall banking with Lloyds, but needs to have an account in its own name.

The first fundraising event of 2021 was the 3 July bake and produce sale - see report and photos in pages 16 and 17. It raised a total of £588.47, of which 20% (£117.69) was given to Christian Aid Week leaving £470.78 for PHIP. Thanks to all who gave goods to sell, and all who came to buy.

We are planning to hold another event outside the hall on 16 October as a Harvest Market; 50% of money raised will go to St Mary’s Church. We hope to bring Paul the Apple Juicer Man to the event as well. Make a note of the date and hope for good weather.

Other ideas include reviving the Quiz we had to cancel in March 2020, and starting up the film nights in the Hall again. But we recognise that it is hard to organise indoor events too far into the future!

We have also decided to buy a contactless payment device (SUM UP) for PHIP to make running fundraising events safer. It is a small cost (less than £30) and will also need a dedicated smart phone (about another £45), and a renamed bank account to link to.

PHIP has two people on the Parish Hall Working Group which brings together the Parish Council, The Parochial Church Council, the Parish Hall Committee, and PHIP to Do Something About The Parish Hall.

Robert Cornford | Information Officer | PHIP Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 11

East West Rail Q and A At the end of June we asked some questions of Thaina Sa’id at East West Rail that people had asked us. But first we need to clarify that physical tours of the site will not be available for all comers. But we did ask if she could tell us about plans for show and tell and open information meetings in the future. We think a virtual site tour video would be great online.

Then onto the Q and A.

1 Is there any update on progress on the Grange Farm footbridge and opening the Rights of Way there. Dog walkers are very interested. This is is currently scheduled to open as a public right of way in late September or early October 2021.

2 What is the green covering on the banks between the Launton Road Bridge and Manor Farm: Or is it just grass seed growing? Yes it is grass seeding, called hydroseeding 3 People have noticed that some track has been laid between Charbridge Lane and

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Bicester Village Station. Does this mean that there is no more use as a haul road?

That route was never used as a haul road as there was track on the other side of the footbridge, our works only ever started at the footbridge

4 Someone asked us what the final weight will be of the concrete for the bridge works on Charbridge Lane - including or excluding the pile driver work below ground. I will follow this up and get back to you.

5 How have the balancing ponds you have been building coped with the recent rainfall this year? We have not experienced any issues with the balancing ponds 6 Is there any more info on the archaeology in Launton? I have attached a document with further information on the archaeology in Mill Meadow and will keep you updated on any other findings.

We will post a link to the archaeology fact sheet on the village facebook page. It’s mainly about the post-roman road and the things found on it.

Tuesday to Friday 8am to 5pm | Saturday 8am to 3pm | Sunday 9am to 1pm | Closed Monday Tel 01869 252619 | 1 Station Road, Launton, OX26 5DS | info@thebluetexel.co.uk | www.thebluetexel.co.uk

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 13

News from St Mary’s Church for July 2021

S E R V I C E S I N AUGUST During August we are continuing to introduce the lifting of Covid restrictions but will still be maintaining a cautious approach.

Please contact Revd Peter or one of the Churchwardens if you have any queries or concerns - details below.

All Services are in-person, except for the two on 1 August 2021 which will be delivered via Zoom.

The major change is that you will no longer be required to pre-book a place but will need to register on arrival and wear a face covering in the Church.

Our planned Services for August are as follows 1 August

8.00am

BCP Holy Communion

10.00am

Family Service via Zoom Please join us to celebrate “Pets and Animals”

8 August

6.00pm

Evensong

In St Mary’s

15 August

9.30am

Morning Prayer

In St Mary’s

22 August

9.30am

Holy Communion

In St Mary’s

3.00pm

Children’s Bible Storytime In St Mary’s Churchyard More details will be posted on the Church Face Page

9.30am

Morning Prayer

29 August

via Zoom

In St Mary’s

In light of current uncertainties, please refer to Launton Church Facebook page for up-to-date information, or contact the following Revd Peter revpeterwright@gmail.com 01869 573177 or 07710 531 921 Or one of the Churchwardens at St Mary’s Joan Packer j.packer779@btinternet.com 01869 241694 Celia Manderson celiamanderson@aol.com 01869 571735 Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 14

Launton Watercolour Painting Group We are hoping (lockdown permitting!) to resume watercolour painting sessions in the Parish Hall on Monday 13 September. We meet on Mondays between 2pm and 4pm.

The Group has been active since Patsy Stephens started it in 2004, until March 2020 when ‘lockdown v1’ stopped it.

David Meeks has agreed to continue as our tutor and we paint a wide variety of subjects, including landscapes, seascapes, animals, birds, flowers, buildings, and still life. What we do is decided democratically.

What will it cost? Well, we only have to cover the tutor’s fee and the hire of the hall so the more members we have, the cheaper it gets. But, owing to the Covid situation, there is a limit on our numbers, ideally about 12, when we can space everyone about 2 metres apart.

If you, or any of your friends, are interested in joining us please contact John Stephens on email johnandpatsystephens@gmail.com or phone 01869 249 725.

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The PHIP Cake, Bake & Produce Stalls, July 2021

The gazebos were up by 9:15 outside the Parish Hall on 3 July, and tables set up and covered by 9:30. The gazebos were a safety device: if we hadn’t had them, we know it would have been solid rain after the early morning sharp shower. They worked! The biggest rain-related problem was a large puddle in the gutter at the front of the Hall, but some strategic car placement forced passing vehicles to slow down and avoid the water: instant traffic control.

By 9:30 the goods started arriving: cakes (full size and cup), quiches, foccacia bread, biscuits, baked savouries, jams, chutneys, marmalades, and then all the plants and produce. And in the hall entrance was a table displaying donated paper and card craft goods - boxes, display bags, gift cartons - someone had been busy over the lockdowns.

By noon it was all over - everything gone, and we had taken £588.47, shared 80% to PHIP and 20% to Christian Aid Week. We live in an extraordinarily generous village. People donated things and then came along and bought (we hope) different things. And it was a social occasion, too. See photos opposite.

We’re already working on an Autumn Fair on 16 October: note the date!

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Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 16

The PHIP Sale Photos

Clockwise from top left: Marmalades, chutneys and breads table; The sale in full flow, and the sun came out; A catch up by the cake table; The team at the wrap up; Hard choices at the cupcake table; A happy choice and customer at the craft table.

Launton WI Report for July 2021

At long last we can see some light at the end of the tunnel as restrictions are eased and we begin to pick up the pieces of a more normal life. Once again we held an alfresco Committee meeting (see photo) in a garden but hope to resume our usual evening meeting in The Bull from August. And we enjoyed another social gathering on a very hot Tuesday. Some braved the heat to walk in the Island Pond Wood (see photo on page 21) and then joined the more faint-hearted of us for lunch in The Bull garden where Karen kindly ensured that we had enough umbrellas to provide shade.

Our July meeting, however, still had to be held on Zoom (with thanks to

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Jane Olds for enabling this). Graham Sutherland told us tales of ‘Wicked Women’, although his subtitles of ‘Wicked, Wilful or Unconventional’ or ‘Sinners or Sinned Against’ seemed more apt. He highlighted three notorious cases of women who were tried for murder.

Charlotte Corday definitely killed Marat, famously in his bath, although many would call it an assassination rather than a murder and was guillotined for her crime in 1793.

But Edith Thompson and Florence Maybrick, both tried for the alleged murder of their husbands, seemed to be more victims of the moralistic attitudes and prejudices of the times and were convicted on very flimsy evidence. Edith Thompson was accused of conspiring with her lover to murder her husband, and hanged in 1923. Florence Maybrick’s sentence of death was commuted to life imprisonment after a huge public outcry at the perceived miscarriage of justice; all attempts to secure a pardon were thwarted by Queen Victoria and it was only after her death that Florence was finally freed after 14 years in prison in 1904, and lived until  Continued on pages 20 - 21

Grange Mews News August 2021

Commercial Offices, Industrial Units and Storage for Lease

Well, 19 July has passed and life seems no different other than more instructions (oh no ... not instructions, mostly advisory) .

So, no change in reality! Just more complications.

Matt and his team have finished a complete refurbishment on the exterior woodwork of the Hummingbird buildings, and this has been followed by Barrie completing his seasonal painting.

However, Mechelle and the team are not to be outdone, and the flora showing in the sunshine is magnificent.

Internally lighting has been transformed to the latest LEDs supplied and fitted by LKT, who started life at Grange Mews.

We look forward to the resumption of the Hummingbird programme on 10 August subject to the vagaries of Covid-19.

Talking of change, it is time to welcome DM Fences who, while doing other fencing, also specialise in garden fences.

Originally based in Bicester, they have expanded from their container into a working unit with 3 phase electricity, and we fitted fibre broadband to their unit today, one day ahead of schedule.

We see how busy they are by the turnover of waste to and from their skip.

We wish them continued success.

We let offices and industrial space and can be found at pacox@grangemews.co.uk and our website www.grangemews.co.uk Phone 01869 252846 or 07711 778 230

1941. Some interesting legal questions were raised regarding the use of circumstantial evidence, the right of defendants to testify or change their plea, and the role of prejudice and the press in such cases. The topic certainly led to a lot of discussion about how much things have really changed regarding a woman’s perceived place in the world and the expectations of how she should behave.

July was a busy month for birthdays and Pat C, Cathy, Celia, Jane, and Chris all received one of Maretta’s pretty cards while Maretta had a card made by Cathy at a craft evening led by our late member Liz Colyer.

We were informed that the Resolution ‘A Call to Increase the Awareness of the Subtle Signs of Ovarian Cancer’ had been overwhelmingly adopted and will now become a NFWI mandate for a national campaign of education and awareness.

We were all very sad to hear that we had lost one of our oldest and longest standing members. Gwynne Harrington has been a stalwart of Launton WI and helped to make our meetings pretty unique as she

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provided the piano accompaniment to our rendition of Jerusalem at the beginning of the evening. It made our WI feel very special and many visitors and speakers commented on how much they enjoyed it. We send our The group walk on 20 July in the condolences to Alison (a Island Pond Wood former member of Launton WI until she moved away), Jane, and all Gwynne’s family.

We are hoping that our August meeting will be the last one held on Zoom. Valerie Calderwell will be talking on ‘Myths and Legends of the Stars’ on Thursday 12 July starting at 7.30 pm.

Gaye Cornford

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 21

Wildflower Meadow And Blackthorn Planting: 1 We have received this report, and photos, from Peter Cox at Grange Farm, Launton.

It seems the fashion for firms to promote their “green thinking” and invest in the saving of CO2. Here are four photos showing planting here on our land at Launton. The work was planned in 2016 and planted three years ago. This is part of the mitigation works undertaken with EWR. The background planting beyond the pond (one of the six dug), is of a mix of blackthorn planting to enable the brown hairstreak butterfly to lay its eggs; these are the size of a pinhead and individually left in the clevis of the bush branches. There are strongholds of brown hairstreak in areas of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Blackthorn is also the home for the black hairstreak butterfly which has a limited range from Oxfordshire to Peterborough.

We also have wych elm which is the only home to the rare white letter hairstreak and has a small countryside cover only in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Photos by Peter Cox Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 22

Wildflower Meadow And Blackthorn Planting: 2

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 23

Seen in the village in July

Photos by Robert Cornford

 Some of the working party in the Woodland on 24 July after raking hay in the wild orchard area into mini-ricks. It was to be collected later for deposit in the woodland (see the report opposite).

The workers had all done a couple of hours, and had enjoyed the open air and wild nature.

 Then left and far left, there was rubbish that had been thrown over the fence by the picnic table gathered from the ditch, then up on display on the table with one of the working party who had helped gather all the rubbish.

We just asked, “Why!?”

Meanwhile, at the Yew Tree Close playground on Tuesday 27 July, people had at least bagged up their rubbish before leaning it up against the bin.

But they could have taken it home and put it into their own bin.

Photo by Mary Brydon Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 24

Report from The Woodland This is an unofficial report from one of the working party in the Woodland on 24 July who gathered to rake up the grass that had been cut a few days earlier. Generally, we try to clear grass cuttings in the Meadow area at the top of the woodland, to encourage wild flowers to germinate and grow. If we leave the grass to lie after being cut, it provides too much nutrient for flowers to thrive, and just feeds more grass. At the top of the woodland the volunteers were raking the grass into piles but soon realised that there were not enough people to do this and then carry it all into the woods. So the drying grass was left in piles to be dealt with later.

At the same time as raking the grass on the meadow area and in the wild orchard, others cleared the cut grass in the southern area of the woodland by the picnic table in preparation for the Teddy Bear’s Picnic to be held on Saturday 31 July. All that grass had to be moved into the woodland, to leave the area clear for the bears and their guests.

Everyone was enjoying the work - it was threatening rain but only a few drops fell for the whole morning, and the oppressive heat of the previous week had gone. After 90 minutes ALL ROOFS, GUTTERS & CHIMNEYS they all took a break and gathered at the picnic table, in the shade of HOUSE MAINTENANCE | REPOINTING the Wood’s oldest tree - an oak at INTERNAL & EXTERNAL DECORATING least 200 years old.

PATIOS | DECKINGS | FENCING Each had their own refreshments and someone noticed a couple of cans lying just over the fence by FOR A PERSONAL SERVICE CALL the tree, and climbed over the wire to pick them up. Then they PETER N. SOUTHAM realised that there was a pile of 01869 278333 rubbish that had been chucked into the bushes by people using OR the table. All the rubbish came out 07721 633 220 of the ditch, and was out on the table, then put it into a bin liner. peteroofer@aol.com It’s waiting for the owners to INSURANCE APPROVED collect! You know who you are!

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 25

Launton Bus Service: the future

As villagers will know, the Stagecoach bus service to Bicester and beyond was updated early in January following a steady reduction in the numbers who used both the Launton and Langford branches of the route. The old S5 route wasn’t subsidised by Oxfordshire County Council, and it wasn’t economically viable for Stagecoach to continue it.

Councillor Ian Corkin helped to work with County Officers to find some developer funding to create the new 27/28 service and we have been fortunate to benefit from this service for the last six months.

As was explained at the time, this was going to be for a limited time only and it has recently been reviewed. The current passenger numbers to and from Launton average 19 a day; of course, the Government’s working from home recommendations and general advice not to travel have clearly had a material impact on usage and while it is hoped that this will significantly improve in the future it is likely that the 27/28 service will stop at the end of August (still to be confirmed).

However, the good news is that the County Council was recently made aware of a commercial decision by the Red Rose Travel bus company to start a new service - 17 - between Aylesbury and Bicester. As it was clear that the 27/28 service was not going to be viable, the County Council took the opportunity to ask Red Rose if they would be prepared to divert the service through the village - which they have agreed.

The Parish Council was notified of this possibility in June and provided feedback to the County Council on the proposal and alternatives. This new proposal has a number of benefits including new links to Waddesdon School and Aylesbury together with prolonged availability of funding. Unfortunately, there are also some disadvantages, the most prominent being the loss of the through ticketing arrangement with the S5. At the time, these discussions were confidential, but the County Council has now confirmed that the services have been registered.

The new service 17 will commence on 31 August 2021, in time for the new school term. Holders of Stagecoach travel passes valid beyond this date should contact the company for reimbursement and any feedback on the new route would be gratefully received.

The Clerk will be happy to forward comments on or you can contact the team directly at public.transport@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 26

Red Rose Route 17

Aylesbury - Waddesdon - Bicester This timetable is taken from the Red Rose website

www.redrosetravel.com

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Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 27

Volunteer Driver Service North Oxfordshire (VDS)

A quote from Sharon Jeacock from Launton who recently used the VDS. “Myself and my son used the volunteer driver service for our vaccinations.

On both occasions I found the drivers very polite, friendly and on time in picking us both up. My son is autistic so all the above were important to him and made him feel at ease. That made the whole process much less stressful for him and me! They waited while we had the vaccine then took us both home, only about half an hour. I would recommend VDS and would definitely use them again.”

Volunteer Driver Service is supported by Launton Parish Council. It was established in April 2012 as a project of Citizens’ Advice.

Volunteer drivers use their own cars to take people to appointments when there is no suitable alternative transport available. Passengers pay 45p a mile to help cover the driver’s fuel cost, this charge starts from the driver’s home.

Please call: 0300 3030 125 for further information or to book a journey For further information contact Launton Village Support Group; see page 3 for contact details.

C B BATHROOMS Experienced Bathroom and Shower Installer and Tiler General Plumbing and Heating Maintenance Leadwork Specialist Chris Barrett 11 Spindleside, Southwold, Bicester, Oxon OX26 3XH Home | 01869 250861 Mobile | 07773 853 640 Email | barrett.c3@sky.com

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 28

Road Closures Report correct at 22 July 2021  16 January to 24 December 2021: Charbridge Lane road diversion - a

temporary road has been constructed to enable the building of the road bridge over the railway (EWR) Until 25 March 2022: Station Road, Launton will be CLOSED from  beyond Grange Farm for the construction of the new overbridge and road alignment (EWR).

10 May to 6 August 2021: Steeple Claydon Road, Twyford will be  CLOSED for bridge repair works 6 August (8pm) to 9 August (6am): A4421 at Newton Purcell  Contingency dates (CLOSED if earlier work schedule slips)  28 August to 2 September: London Road Crossing, Bicester will be CLOSED to facilitate alterations to the signalling system and level crossing  31 August to 15 October 2021: Station Road, Marsh Gibbon CLOSED for reconstruction of the bridge  28 March - 17 June 2022: Bicester Road, Marsh Gibbon CLOSED for rebuilding the bridge.

These closures are correct as at 22 July 2021. See the Parish Council website at https://www.launton-pc.gov.uk/road-closures/ for any updates This information is correct as we go to print but is of course subject to changes.

Please don’t shoot the messenger!

Recent deaths in the village

We have had notification of the following deaths of Launton residents.

Pamela (Pam) Richards née Hacking died on 7 June, age 95. Pam lived on Bicester Road.

Colin Maskell died on 25 June, age 72. For many years he ran the carpet business from Station Road, then Bicester, then Grange Farm. Most houses in Launton have or had floor covering he supplied. We hope to include a full obituary in a future issue.

Gwynne Harrington died on 17 July, age 94. She was a teacher in Launton School for many years and had a wide musical life. She had been a long-time member of Launton WI. We hope to include a full obituary in a future issue.

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 29

Would you like to be paid to work with children in a lively, fun environment for a few hours a week?

Launton Community Café Support Worker Needed

We are looking for a Support Worker to develop and run children’s activities during Tuesday afternoon (2.30-4.30pm) sessions of the Community Café in Launton from September.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to make a very significant contribution to the community in a lively, fun environment.

The scope of the role will include: helping plan the re-opening of the Community Café in September with regard to the children’s activities; co-ordinating with, and possibly training, the volunteer group in relation to the children’s activities; helping run the afternoon sessions of Community Café with particular focus on the children’s activities; preparing for eventual hand-over of activities to volunteers.

The Support Worker will:  be paid on an honorarium basis for the sessions themselves and also for planning and weekly preparation;

 report to the Vicar of St Mary’s Church; be subject to the ‘safer recruitment’ process, including DBS checks; 

 have experience of working with children in a similar or related role.

For more information please contact Revd Peter Wright Email: revpeterwright@gmail.com Tel: 01869 573177 Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 30

A letter from Greta Walker part 2: more memories of people who should not be forgotten

My friend Sylvia Ravenscroft was one of the first to buy a house in Chestnut Close, opposite the bottom pub. She only lived there for six years but she made her mark, helping to start the playgroup, and we organised many concerts and dances to raise money for a scanner that was desperately needed at the Oxford hospital.

It was round about this time that the news in the village was that Pat Gold was coming back to live. Well, none of the new ladies knew who this was.

“Who is Pat Gold?” we cried. Well, we soon learned. It was Pat Mitchell her married name. But as always in those days, in a village we were still known by our maiden name. I guess if anyone does remember me in Quainton, I am still Greta Hazel. Anyway, back to Pat. We soon knew her; she started the playgroup. My first question was, which she still remembers, “What are your views on discipline”? My son David went to a playgroup in Bicester which was, in my opinion, awful - so he very soon joined Pat’s group. The kids were lovely. We mothers all took it in turn to help.

I remember it so well; we always knew where Eleanor Rose and Emma Jane Brown were because they made straight for the dressing up box and the high heeled shoes. I guess it wouldn’t be allowed today (elf and safety!) but thankfully no one broke an ankle. Pat Mitchell did so much for the village in so many ways. We worked together a lot: we didn’t always agree but we were respectful of each other’s views.

I remember Anne Harding ringing me to see if I was going to the village hall to something Pat had organised. When I said yes, she said “Oh thank goodness because I daren’t refuse Pat but now I know that you are going we will have company!!!!!” Never mind Pat, you did a lot of good for the village.

Her Mum and Dad were of course Mrs and Squadron Leader Gold hence the murmur “Pat Gold is coming back to live”. Her Mum died as a young woman with cancer, her Dad was very involved with both County and District Council.

Pat and I and Professor Peacock started the Action Group to oppose Laings’ plan to build 169 houses where the Island Pond Wood is now - and we won. Then the CDC plan was for infill homes but because people wanted rid of Kerby Engineering for many different reasons (they closed the works and relocated to Bicester in 1987), the Planning Authority approved the change of land use to Housing, hence The continued on pages 32-34  Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 31

Glades. Around the same time The Poplars was built. How things have changed in 41 years!

It is hard to believe that in the early sixties there were only two small Doctors’ Surgeries for Bicester and the surrounding areas. Both were near to the Bicester Methodist Church. The Victoria Surgery was on Victoria Road, where I and my family were patients, and on the opposite side of the road on Bell Lane was the other practice. Doctors at Victoria Surgery were Dr Forbes, Dr Mutch, then Dr Smith, Dr Stephenson and, quite a bit later, Dr Talbot. Many years later my daughter-in-law Jane (Robert’s first wife) was a very much-loved nurse at the Cottage Hospital and also Victoria House Surgery. Sadly, she died a few years ago with cancer.

Mrs Sansome lived at Apple Cottage, West End and each year we used to check to see who had heard the cuckoo first. Sadly, we hardly ever hear it now. It was called Apple Cottage because of the number of apples from her trees and I remember Sylvia’s husband used to gather them and sell them in his office and the money helped Mrs Sansome with a few extras.

Earlier I mentioned Anne Harding: it was John and Anne who built the shop in Bicester Road. I had a little red book which I handed in on Friday with my grocery requirements and John would deliver on Saturday morning. Monica Matthews and Barbara Jeffries helped them in the shop. There were no supermarkets in WE ARE NOW BICESTER’S LONGEST ESTABLISHED those days, and Budgens was the INDEPENDENT FAMILY-OWNED & RUN FUNERAL DIRECTORS first to appear in Bicester sometime BICESTER’S ONLY INDEPENDENT FAMILY FUNERAL DIRECTOR later. John went on to leave the A caring traditional 24 hour service Provided by Mr Hancock and his team personally grocery business and joined with Barry Siddall to form Siddall and  Private Chapel Of Rest Harding - Builders Merchants,  eventual selling to Jewsons.

Jaguar Fleet of Funeral Cars  We are now in Station Road where Perfect Choice dear Mrs Freeman lived. She was Funeral Plans the infant teacher and taught two of my boys. She was a very sweet and gentle lady. Then they went up into Mrs Harrington’s class. She was well known for her musical ability playing in so many ways, and also providing piano accompaniment for Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 32

Jerusalem at each meeting of Launton WI. [Editor’s note: Gwynne Harrington died in July this year.] And finally there was Miss Bellman - the Head Teacher. I have a feeling she didn’t care too much for boys and when I think about her then class, I can understand why - David Walker, Christopher Jones, Richard Howson, Paul Harding to name a few. They really didn’t want to learn!!!

Then on to Bicester Road, where Mr and Mrs Jack Ancil lived - a lovely couple: Jack was a Parish Councillor for over 50 years. On his retirement, we (the Parish Council) had a reception for Jack at my home, The Oaks. So many people came to wish him well. He held court all afternoon, with so many funny tales. When I was a Parish Councillor, I was given the brief to liaise with the Parochial Church Council to organise new ground to extend the Churchyard. We could have handed it to CDC, so making it a cemetery.

We didn’t want to do that but, as the Church had no money, the village had to raise it - which we did. At the next PC meeting, Jack asked, “How is the churchyard coming on?”. I said I had just organised to take the wall down, and Jack said, “Thank God for that. I didn’t want to be over the wall all on my own.” Well, that didn’t happen, and he died a couple of weeks after the reception we held for him. By then the churchyard was completed.

Another person I must mention is George Gregory, another lovely man. He and Jack Ancil put on funny stage plays, so they were roped in for another concert we arranged in the village hall for the scanner and they wanted to borrow a pair of red knickers. I asked around and found a pair for them. On the Saturday after the concert, George rang my doorbell, handed me a plastic bag and said, “Ma’am, I have put the knickers in this bag. I didn’t want the neighbours getting the wrong idea!” Sadly, that weekend he was at the school (where he and his wife were caretakers) and he had a stroke so as a result he was a very poorly man, never the same again. They had a daughter Carol Gregory, who died a young woman with cancer and Carol’s husband also died. I know they had a son, but I haven’t seen him for many years.

I remember too that Mrs Connie Austin was the post lady and Mrs Cannon (Shirley Johnson’s Mum) was the lady who delivered the newspapers. Mrs Gibbons was the Avon Lady and being new to the village, it was lovely to chat to her. I also remember Gerda Inns, such an attractive vivacious lady. Gerda was Austrian and lived with her grandmother until she joined her Mum who had married a British soldier. She told me how she came through Cologne on her way to England by train and she said the city was just in ruins. She married Mick Inns when she was 18 and became a naturalised British Citizen. She and Mick went to join their son in America.

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 33

Her daughter Nikki went with them and this is where Gerda still lives, now an American citizen. Sadly, Mick died on their Golden Wedding Day. I would like to finish with a few words about my family. Robert lives in West End Close, with his second wife Sue. David, who some will remember as a successful motor bike racer, winning many championships, now lives in Thailand with his lovely Chinese wife, where he has swapped motorbikes for pedal power where (until Covid-19 closed down tourism) they run successful holiday bicycle tours covering all of Asia. Richard was a member of Charlie Street a popular band in the area, when he was younger. Some of you may have been to his gigs. He is now married to Jenni and is father to Tate, now 16 and Paris and Chanel and they too live in West End Close.

Greta Walker

More news on the relaunch of the Community Café Last month we announced that we are busy planning the relaunch of our greatly-missed Community Café.

This is a community initiative to give an opportunity for local residents to meet up for welcome social time whilst enjoying a cuppa and some cake visitors can also chat with new friends, getting to know more people.

The café runs on Tuesdays during term time and people of all ages are welcome. There are two intergenerational sessions: The first session is in the morning, between 9 and 11am, when carers and  toddlers can meet up to socialise and use our baby weighing scales to keep an eye on their baby’s well-being.

The second session runs between 2.30 and 4.30pm. We are currently  inviting applications from suitably qualified individuals to act as a Support Worker (grant funded) to organise activities to keep children engaged and we are also seeking to attract more Volunteers. Please refer to page 28.

Anyone interested in the Support Worker rôle, please contact Revd Peter: Email: revpeterwright@gmail.com | Tel: 01869 573177 If, however, you are interested in becoming a Volunteer and have even just one Tuesday afternoon available, please contact Rowan on rowanboughton@hotmail.com

You will be very warmly welcomed at The Community Café!

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 34

Covid Vaccination - Why all the fuss?

Like many people, I’ve had my two vaccinations against Covid-19. I never doubted the benefits. As I grew up, I had one vaccination after another, all designed to stop me from catching something harmful or deadly. These days, vaccinations cover diphtheria, polio, tetanus, hepatitis, whooping cough, tuberculosis, meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia, measles, mumps, rubella, some types of cancer. I never thought that today, among some people, there’d be a hoo-ha about being vaccinated against the deadly Covid-19 virus. After all, the vaccine protects both you and the wider community. However, not everyone is convinced.

There’s a battle being fought on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by so-called ‘anti-vaxxers’, who really don’t want you to get vaccinated.

How significant are these anti-vaxxers? Recent research suggests that public attitudes towards vaccination split three ways. First, there are the people who accept the benefits of vaccination. In the UK and USA, this group is an estimated 70% and 90% of the population. Second, there are ‘anti-vaxxers’, who can’t be persuaded to change their views.

Between those two groups come the ‘undecided’, who are open to persuasion. If the ‘undecided’ would choose vaccination, that would immunise more of us, improve our safety and help defeat Covid-19.

If you’re an anti-vaxxer, the Covid-19 vaccination programme is a conspiracy. Bill Gates, from Microsoft, will apparently inject you with a microchip that then tracks you. He’ll know who and where you are 24/7. Covid-19 sceptics also believe that the 5G mobile phone signal causes Covid-19. In Merseyside, someone is doing three years’ jailtime for attacking a 5G mast. It’s madder still in America. They had an unhinged President who floated the idea of injecting bleach to kill the virus. One of his followers loyally followed that advice - and died.

America is also where the ‘QAnon’ movement started. QAnon is a baseless internet conspiracy theory that’s been around for years but it’s grown quickly during the pandemic. They’re not just anti-vaxxers.

QAnon followers believe that a group of Satan-worshipping Democratic politicians, Hollywood celebrities and billionaires runs the world. This Satanic group, which also includes the Pope, practises Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 35

paedophilia, human trafficking, and harvests a supposedly life-extending chemical from the blood of abused children. QAnon also claim that John F Kennedy is alive (he’s been dead since 1963), the Rothschild family control all the banks (they don’t) and children are sold through the website of online furniture retailer Wayfair (they aren’t). These social media keyboard warriors are frustrating the US fight against Covid-19 with their far-fetched, evidence-free, alternative worldview. Happily, since President Biden took over in January 2021, the US has been at least as successful in Covid-19 vaccinations as the brilliant NHS vaccine roll-out.

However, the UK has its own Covid clowns. The Johnson Variant of Covid-19 was invited in from India by the Prime Minister during April 2021. By mid-July it was causing around 50,000 new cases daily, increasing the pressure on our over-stretched NHS. With the mid-July scrapping of compulsory safety regulations, this clueless government appears to be repeating what it tried and quickly dumped in March 2020 herd immunity through mass infection. By opening up before completing the vaccination programme, the government is abandoning those who are unvaccinated or, like me and millions of others, who are clinically vulnerable to this deadly virus.

Vaccination works. Otherwise, our incompetent Prime Minister wouldn’t keep banging on about Britain’s ‘world beating’ (it isn’t) vaccine roll-out, in which he played no active part. Vaccination cuts your chance of catching the virus - and dying from it. It also reduces your ability to infect other people. Maybe that’s how we’ll convince the ‘undecided’ to reject the anti-vaxxers. Getting vaccinated is our personal contribution to our common good, however young or old you are. Right now, our priority is persuading young people to get vaccinated. They may feel ‘young and fit’, but they too can die from Covid-19. Many thousands of them are already suffering from the debilitating condition called ‘long Covid’, which attacks some vital organs.

Anti-vaxxers hate wearing a mask. It offends their freedom. They insist on being free to pass on Covid-19 to anyone they mix with - in a shop, supermarket, office, Tube train, bus, or another public space. Masks don’t fully prevent you from passing on the virus, but they limit its spread. By being compulsory, they involve every citizen. A mask is a Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 36

symbol of social solidarity in our common fight against Covid-19.

Wearing a mask is unselfish. Not wearing one is selfish. Giving people a choice is reckless and senseless, like the government’s madcap message ‘Don’t wear a mask. Be vigilant’.

Fighting a pandemic needs clarity, not dithering. When there’s danger to life, we shouldn’t rely on ‘personal choice’ and ‘common sense’. We need laws, like in motoring - speed limits, seat belts, drink-driving, driving licences, MOTs, working hour limits for HGV drivers. The government must lead. Instead, they pass the buck to people and businesses to do what they think is right, or do what they fancy, or do nothing. This government doesn’t care.

If there are any anti-vaxxers reading this, bleach is for cleaning toilets.

Bill Gates isn’t tracking the way you live, even though Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple might be. Support our common cause. Take the vaccine. Wear a mask. Save lives, including your own. This really isn’t over.

Danny Cunningham

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 37

Memories of an Ex-Launton Boy This month the Ex-Launton Boy muses on the photo of the 1958 village football team in the last issue of Launton Lines, and puts names and some details to most faces.

I read with great interest some of the articles in last month’s issue of Launton Lines, some of which prompted memories that I had inadvertently overlooked when digging into the vaults of the deepest depths of my own recollections on a monthly basis for my contributions.

For example, my attention was drawn to the 1958 photograph of the Launton Football Club team of the day and the names attaching thereto. So many characters in their own right, but alas, I have to admit I cannot remember them all ... but let me try.

The photograph is unfortunately a bit fuzzy but I believe the W. Jeacock referred to on the extreme left in the back row was the father of Geoff, Mick, Barbara (Jeffrey) and David as well as one more whose name eludes me. We referred to them collectively as the ‘Razzle’ Jeacocks from Sherwood Close, who we have since discovered were distantly related to my immediate branch of Jeacock. This distance was diminished a little as my Uncle Bernard married Phyllis Spicer, who was a London-based relative of the ‘Razzles’, her mother being the sister of Mrs ‘Razzle’ Jeacock.

Then we have Frank Timms, carpenter and joiner by trade as I recall, who was one of the sons of Mr and Mrs Timms who were for many years our immediate next door neighbours who, before they moved into a bungalow in Sherwood Close, lived at number One Green View, Station Road. As I recall, Frank married June, a petite blonde lady and I believe they had a couple of children and at one time lived on the opposite side of Station Road to us and a little bit up towards the duck pond end of the village. Sadly, Frank’s brother, Eddie, who moved to Marsh Gibbon to live, took his own life, having suffered with mental issues for a number of years.

Marcus Jones was one of the thirteen children of Mr and Mrs Bill Jones (Mrs Jones having been a Marriott before she married), who also lived immediately next door to us at number Three Green View, Station Road.

Marcus, who sadly died at a relatively young age from an ongoing illness, although I cannot remember exactly what, was the one in the family who was called up to do his National Service in the army, but he signed on for a little longer than the compulsory minimum of two years. I believe he became a Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 38

Corporal or Lance Corporal in the PTI Corps (Physical Training Instruction Corps) as a PTI Instructor, for which he would have to have been exceedingly fit.

Unfortunately the fourth person is slightly obscured and I’m not sure whether (the caption just says “J. Jones”) whether it is Julian Jones, younger brother of Marcus or ‘Jimmy’ Derek Jones. If, as I suspect, it is the latter, then ‘Jimmy’ was one big character in the village whose main love was speedway, being a great fan of the Oxford Cheetahs and a great supporter of the Launton Grasshoppers cycle speedway team. There are many stories one could tell about ‘Jimmy’ whose brother was Cyril Jones who married Rita (daughter of Mrs ‘Paper’ Marriott). ‘Jimmy’ never married. There were many households in the village which at the time took part in a weekly football sweepstake which ‘Jimmy’ organised and ran very successfully as I recall.

R. Timms is from the Sherwood Close Timms family, but I have no idea whether or not they were related to the Station Road Timms family. One of two brothers, both redheads, I believe this one may be the one they otherwise referred to as ‘Sonny’, although from the photograph it really is difficult to tell. If it was ‘Sonny’, then he was a larger and louder than life personality liked by everyone. His brother was very much quieter and more subdued.

And Eddie Cannon was father of Shirley Johnson and a carpenter and joiner by trade. I hadn’t realised he had been a player in the Launton Football Club team, but like ‘Jimmy’ Jones, he loved his speedway and was also a keen fan of the Oxford Cheetahs, along with his son, Michael (Pop) Cannon. Shirley was once herself a player in the Launton Ladies Football Team and is the one who very kindly submitted the photograph being discussed.

Alan Marriott was tragically killed in a motor cycle accident on his way home from work near what we called the Hundred Acres Field near the corner of Garland’s Cottage. A dashingly handsome chap with a pencil-thin moustache, very much in the Errol Flynn/David Niven mould, he was the team’s goalkeeper. His somewhat larger brother, Bert, was a career man in the Royal Navy, married to the diminutive ‘cockney’ Londoner, Grace, by whom they had two daughters, Patricia and Jill, the latter of whom joined the WRAF. Alan had a daughter, Valerie, with whom I had a friendship at junior school when we played cowboys and Indians on the school back lawn Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 39

in the summer. Those were the days!

Reg Jesty was married to a very attractive Welsh lady, Eileen, who to me seemed never to age. They had two children, red-headed Sandra, who was my age, and son Steven who was a year or so younger. They too lived in Sherwood Close, next door to Barbara (née Jeacock) Jeffery and her late husband, John. I believe that when the Jestys moved from the village, the Spry family moved in, having previously lived in the lane opposite us in Station Road. You may recall from earlier issues that ‘Curly’ Spry was the village weekend barber, his full-time hair cutting being for the American servicemen stationed at RAF Croughton. Sadly, I believe ‘Curly’ died before the family moved to Sherwood Close.

I know that for a short time the family of North moved into a large house (possibly an ex-farmhouse) in Station Road on the opposite side to us, again in the direction of the village duck pond, but I remember very little about them and I’m not sure therefore whether the G. North in the photograph is of the same family. I remember Raymond who I believe tried to get into the police force, but whether or not he eventually got in I couldn’t say, as I believe at the time there was a minimum height requirement of 5ft 10 inches and I think he still had a bit of growing to do. And I remember the youngest, Desmond.

Phil Butler was a character who lived in a cottage opposite what was once the village shop in Station Road, on the opposite side to the Butcher’s shop.

He was an electrician by trade as I recall, and married to Doreen. They made a lovely couple and had a couple of children, a girl Debbie ... and I can never remember her brother’s name.

Geoff Jeacock, one of the ‘Razzles’, was a very jovial individual and I think moved to Marsh Gibbon. I honestly do not remember a great deal about him as he was a fair bit older than me and I was more familiar with his younger brothers, Michael and David, the latter of whom was more often than not addressed as ‘Razzle’.

Ray Marriott was also known as ‘Carrots’ or ‘Goosegog’ (don’t ask me why!).

Ray was married to a larger and louder than life but very lovable Welsh lady who, I believe, had served in the WRAF. She and my mum were quite good friends for many years. I believe they had a couple of children, though I recall very little, if anything about them.

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 40

C. Benn, I can tell you absolutely nothing about, as I do not recognise the name, much less the face.

Vic Redfern was married to a very glamorous looking lady and was father of Joanna and Alistair, who eventually became the Bishop of Derby and a Peer in the House of Lords. Vic, who rode his bicycle nearly everywhere, became a fully qualified football referee. They too lived in Sherwood Close before moving away.

And there you have it for this month. The rest of what I had intended to write about this week in relation to last month’s issue will have to wait, possibly until next time. In the meantime, may I say thank you to Shirley for having submitted the photograph in the first instance, thereby helping to bring back some of my memories and throwing a light on some of the past characters of the village of Launton.

Keep healthy and stay SAFE! Tony Jeacock | The Ex-Launton Boy | August 2021

The latest on food and garden waste collections

Changes to food and garden waste collections are coming this autumn. All households will be getting a new food waste caddy. And from February, garden waste collections will be a paid-for, opt-in service.

The new outdoor caddies will be delivered to your door between September and December. They will be three times the size of the existing indoor ones, and you’ll be able to lock them to keep pests out. So, by early January, food waste from all 70,000 homes in the district will be collected once a week instead of fortnightly.

We’re investing £1.2m in the new food waste service, which will include new lorries and help support 21 new jobs. The weekly food waste collections should push our recycling rate above 60 per cent, putting us on course to be in the top ten districts nationally for recycling.

It will lead to an overall increase in the amount of food waste collected, and the waste will be used to generate green electricity.

The garden waste service will be charged at £40 per year, and you will be able to sign up from December. The charge will be reduced to £36 per year for anyone who signs up before 1 February.

Our brown bin service has operated in the same way since 2010 and garden waste has been a paid-for service in all other Oxfordshire council areas.

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 41

Diary Dates: August - September 2021

It looks as though it’ll be a few months more until we can sensibly produce a listing of events and activities for the months ahead. So this shows only events that we are fairly confident will go ahead.

Two of the three pubs (The Bull and The Launton Arms) are serving both drinks and food outside and inside. They still request people to wear masks when walking around, and provide sanitiser. It certainly looks (based on research in Bicester’s Sheep Street) as though most people are continuing to wear masks indoors. The Playing Field Bar is open for drinks and big-screen television.

Aunt Sally has started judging by the shouts echoing over the village on Wednesday evenings. The Countryside Craft Centre in West End has a forward programme of shows every second Sunday with a growing number taking part - but may need to close following CDC investigations.

The Village Players have their Summer Show on 14 and 15 August (pages 8-9 and 44). The Parish Hall has started taking bookings.

In the past we have listed Parish Council meetings and (we hope) the Council will meet in the Parish Hall from 5 August. Most of the services at St Mary’s will now be in church (page 12).

The deadline for the September issue of Launton Lines will be Friday 20 August: we may need to make it a little earlier as we settle down with the new printer. Please send contributions (words and photos) to launtonlines@launton.org.

Christian Aid Week Collection The village collection in May and the donation from the PHIP Bake and Plant Sale raised a total of £348.

There may also have been other donations online that went direct to Christian Aid. Thank you to all concerned.

Mary Brydon Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 42

Launton Dog of the Month

As we’ve been outside and walking a lot more we’ve got to see and know many of the dogs of the village. Launton Lines wants to feature our canine stars in the months ahead. Here is the seventh report.

Dog’s Name: Marley Age: 10½ years Gender: Female Breed: Staffordshire Bull Terrier/ Labrador Cross How long in Launton: 10½ years One interesting fact: We didn’t choose Marley, she chose my daughter by going round and round her legs.

I came from: Oxford.

Habit: I love to bark at pigeons in the garden Favourite food: Chicken Favourite game or toy: my brown teddy. I love to play hide and seek with it.

Favourite walk: I enjoy walks in Shelswell Park and in Launton, where I have lots of canine and human friends. I love visits to The Bull where I am a bit of a celebrity.

If you would like your dog to feature in this column please email Kathy Gilbert, kathleengilbert533@googlemail.com or phone The Dog Of The Month on 07812 604 032.

Another Opening ...

Two of the senior stage crew for the Village Players’ upcoming Summer Show try to remember how to erect the Stage Arch, which has been in storage for some years. The Village Players website asked people to suggest speech bubbles to be added to the picture. Left hand character: “I think it was about this long!”. Right hand character “Are you measuring in Metric, or Imperial, or Rods, Poles and Perches, or Chains?”

... Another Show

Launton Lines August 2021 | Page 43

Launton Lines is the newsletter for Launton It is published monthly by the Launton Community Communications Group which also manages the Launton website www.launton.org and the Launton Village Facebook Page and Group www.facebook.com/launtonvillage Launton Lines is delivered free to every address in the village. It is funded by its advertisers and Launton Parish Council.

Further print copies are available at £1.00 per copy from Shirley Johnson (01869 369269) Launton Lines is also available online from January 2020 on www.issuu.com © MMXXI Launton Lines. We reserve the right to edit articles submitted for inclusion.

Neither the Committee nor the Editor is responsible for views expressed in readers’ contributions.