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Christmas Common

Christmas Common maps

Historic maps of Christmas Common and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Christmas Common maps

Christmas Common photos

We have no photos of Christmas Common, although we do have photos of these nearby places:

Watlington| Stokenchurch| Nettlebed| Ewelme| Radnage| Benson| Stoke Row| Hambleden| Little Haseley| Great Haseley| Little Milton| Medmenham

Christmas Common area books

Displaying 1 of 7 books about Christmas Common and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Christmas Common

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Oxfordshire memories

Elizabeth Emma Wheeler

Hi My grandmother was Elizabeth Emma Wheeler, who, as far as I can ascertain, came from Watlington. I have not been able to find much information about her, even from her only surviving daughter. The only indication I have found about her early life was that she had some connection to the Dr Barnado's childrens home. I don't know if she was actually a Barnado's child, and if she definately came from Watlington. I would be grateful if anyone could give me any information that might help me trace her origins, and if there was a Dr Barnado's home in the area. Thanks Ray Mitchell - 08/01/10

George Jones

Hi,

I have recently traced my family back to George Jones born abt 1811/12 in Aston Rowant where he lived with his wife Jane and Son William. Other than the fact that he was an Agricultural Labourer and Jane a Lacemaker I know little else of them. If anyone can help I would love to talk to you, even if you have an old street map of the village or any old photo's. I recently travelled to Aston Rowant but although a beautiful village I would love to know how it looked years ago.

With Kind regards
Sharon Jones

Kathleen Schlesinger Home

In 1944 my mother was in the Ruskin Emergency Hospital in Oxford giving birth to my brother. Before going to hospital she sent me to the Kathleen Schlesinger Home at Russels Water. I was 4 years old but I do remember bits of my time there. I was there from around 3rd August until 6th September, a long time for a 4 year old to be away from his mother. I have some letters written by members of the staff to my mother.

Russel's Water isn't a very big place and I wonder if the building is still there. Strangely, no local historian, nor anybody at Henley Town Council have ever heard of the place.

If anybody reading this has any memories of the Kathleen Schlesinger Home, please send me an email, rick_n_jane2004@yahoo.com

Rick Wilmot

Living at Model Farm

The Edwards family lived at Model Farm from 1953 to 1957. We went to Chinnor School, my brother Stuart went to Lord Williams, Thame. My mother Phyllis started 1st Shirburn & Luknor Brownies and was Captain of 1st Watlington Guides when Lady Valerie Parker was District Comissioner. She also sang in Watlington Church choir. My father Ben was Farm Manager, in his spare time he was a Special Constable. I have three sisters, Priscilla, Kathryn and Bridgid. Our grandmother Daisy Sturt lived with us. My memories of that time are swimming in the corn in the corn stores and sliding down the grain shutes in the dryer. Also putting the chains on the sacks of corn so they could be lifted up on the winch to the top floor of the building. Sheep dipping in the dip by the Dutch barns. walking with Dad at night during lambing time to check everything was ok. Having loads of lambs living in the kitchen if their mothers could not raise them and... Read more

Morris Dancers at Nettlebed

The Bull Hotel And High Street c1955
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I remember coming to Nettlebed in 1993 to play my piano accordian at this pub (and several others!) for Whitethorn Morris.

It was a gorgeous sunny summer day and crowds gathered round to watch the entertainment. Whitethorn Morris is a women's clog morris team from Harrow and they always look smart in their scarlet and blue kit with shiny black clogs. We brought our own band to play and had a really good day's outing in Nettlebed along with with dancers and musicians from other morris sides.

A Memorable 'stay' at Joyce Grove - Nettlebed

Joyce Grove c1955
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As a young student nurse at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington W2 - I recall fond memories of Joyce Grove where I undertook my initial six week training period, prior to joining the staff at St Mary's Hospital. What a magnificent house it was, huge to a young girl from a three bedroom house in Hertfordshire. Large rooms, open fireplaces where one could imagine the open log fires of earlier times - the entrance hall led to a large room with such a fireplace, and a grand staircase, where one could imagine the elegant ladies of ealier times walking elegantly down the stairs to join their partners. Another room led into what I was told was a music room - large enough to hold a grand ball - it was breathtaking. We ate our meals in another large dining room - our tutors sat at the head of the tables and we moved, in turn, to sit next to them each day during our stay, they were testing our powers of coversation,... Read more

Nuffield, English Farm & Conduit Cottages

Does anyone happen to have any photos or information on Conduit Cottages which until about 20/25 years ago were a pair of semi farm cottages belonging to English Farm? They could be reached either by a track from the Nuffield-Stoke Row road which lead to what is now I believe Phoenix Cottage or from further along the same road nearer to Nuffield at the side of other farm cottages which lead to the actual farm. At one point a Mr. Francis, Cowman at the farm, lived here. Either way you then walked up a track to the Conduits which were in the middle of fields by a copse and three ponds. In the 1950s the farm was owned by Mr. & Mrs. Mundy (Monday?) and Mrs. Mundy's brother Mr. Purdy. The Conduits have since been converted into one very grand house, the ponds are gone and everything appears to be landscaped. The farm was purchased a few years ago, the old house renovated and the farm... Read more

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