Benson memories
Here are memories of Benson and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Benson or a Benson photo.
Old Caravan Field Near Benson?
My husband was at RAF Benson in 1969. We got married in November, but could not find any accommodation around the airfield. In desperation we rented a tiny caravan in a farmer's field south of the airfield. There was no running water and the one outside tap tended to freeze in winter. The few caravans were managed by an elderly couple - the old lady I remember vividly, as she had long straggly grey hair and always wore the same outfit: big baggy sweater over a kilt over blue jeans and wellingtons! To get to Benson you came out of the caravan field, turned left and at the end of this lane was a pub, on the main road. In the other direction, turning right out of the caravan field, the lane led to a main road where you caught the bus into Wallingford (I worked at the Institute of Hydrology for a few months).
We went back to Benson recently - took photos... Read more
Memories of Benson
My memories of Benson started in 1946/7 when we moved to Sunnyside, which in those days did not have the recreation field. Nor did the village have street lighting apart from a couple in the High Street, one of which was on the wall of Franklin's Farm. The shops in those days were Slaughters Stores, High Street & Chamberlains Stores, Castle Square. There were 2 butchers in High Street (Wm. Lee & the other I can't remember the name), Stan Blisset had the hairdressers next to Slaughters Stores. Tom Shotton was the postmaster. Bill Aldridge ran the greengrocers shop, opposite Crown Hotel, and was later taken over by Wm Turner. Gurneys Garage was a small unit in Chapel Lane. My stepfather, Stan Pether, was born in the house between the Post Office & the Crown Hotel, and was one of the local postmen for several years. I recall Mrs Wharton running the cake/sweetshopin High Street and Eva Small ran a sweetshop in Brook Street next door to the pub. In... Read more
Memories of Oxfordshire
Ewelme School 1957
I am Mick Phillips and I was at Ewelme School in 1957. Mr Coles was the headmaster and Miss Walker was my class teacher. We were 9 and 10 year olds in the upstairs room and the younger children were taught downstairs by a Miss Lewis, who got married around that time to someone from RAF Benson.
I remember Miss Walker being presented with some flowers at assembly one morning by Mr Coles to mark her 25th year at the school. She was a rather serious Irish lady in her fifties who rapped my knuckles for not understanding fractions and read to us from Wind in the Willows on Friday afternoon. Although probably no record exists, the BBC came to the school and filmed an item which included one or two classroom shots and a studio interview with Miss Walker. I can't remember what the item was about, but Miss Walker was impressed with the BBC's efficiency and timing and suggested how we might benefit by applying the same attitude.... Read more
Haywards From Loders Dorset
John Hayward (1813) came from Loders in Dorset and settled in this area of Wallingford, of Benson, Bradfield, Englefield and married local girl Mary Anne Kitchen. His son Robert James eventually farmed Uxmore Farm at Ipsden, near Stoke Row in Berks/Oxon. I am collecting a photographic record of the Hayward family in these areas for a family tree.
Ingrid Wilson
Hi Ingrid Wilson,
Apologise reply to your query - windows - Francis Frith site got problems connecting, my reply cancelled several times. If I can contact you direct I can give you info about the Hayward family tree free, so far as I have got. You are welcome to assist with further research.
yoga-prakash saraswati
lunarorange20022@yahoo.com.au--new email
sfrancesten@gmail.com---new email
aussieworldpolitics.blogspot.com
Wallingford During The Second World War
I arrived in Wallingford as a 10 year old boy with my sister and mother on a cold winter February night. We had been bombed out from our house in Dagenham just a few days before and my brother, who was stationed at Benson with the army, had arranged for us to take a room in The Lamb, I believe it was, to get us out of London and away from the bombs. It did not take mother long to get us some rooms in a house in St Mary's Street, number 18, where we stayed with a lovely old lady named Mrs Naish. Her son was the local signwriter. Next door to her little cottage was the chemist shop and a garage car showroom where I used to peer in the window at the lovely old cars.
I started at St John's School and vividly remember walking to school down the lane by the post office, and at the end was a large recreation area like a small... Read more
Ingrid Wilson
Hi Ingrid Wilson, pleased this site put us in contact re Hayward family tree.
Contact me at lunarorange2002@yahoo.com.au and I can send info for free. I have brother George in the UK who is up-to-date with UIK cousins more than me, and be pleased to help. He knows some of your relies etc.
yoga prakash saraswati
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