You are here:
Didcot
Didcot maps
Historic maps of Didcot and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Didcot maps
Didcot area books
Displaying 1 of 7 books about Didcot and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Didcot
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Didcot.
Add your memory of Didcot
or of a photo of Didcot.
Kiln Cottage
Not so much a memory more a request. Does anyone remember a place called Kiln Cottage which I understand was an orchard/?farm? I had a postcard from my grandfather to my grandmother when he was in the forces address to 1 Kiln Cottage, Didcot. Very old members of the family (even older than me) remember visiting the farm as children. My grandparents were William Thomas and Elsie (or Alice) Dollimore. I would love to know if anyone had any memories as I am attempting my family tree. My email address is pw007g3283@blueyonder.co.uk
Sheila Carrington
Oxfordshire memories
Boot Inn 1955, Now The Old Boot, A Private House
Ceased operation as a pub in 1959. Now (2007) privately occupied by the Beran family. Previous owners were a builder who divided the land, the village schoolmaster, and the Jarvis'. A few relics of its pub days remain with serving hatches still visible and vertical planking in the hallway. The black rectangle to the left of the building was the privy, now gone. The large tree behind has gone but we have a Silver Birch of equal size by the front gate.
Location
High Street, looking towards the cross.
We lived in the next house to the Post Office/stores (with the Walnut tree on the left) from 1959 - 1976.
When my family moved to Sutton Courtenay in the 1960s this was the only shop left in the old part of the village. It was a fabulous place with big glass jars of sweets behind the counter, I used to visit here as soon as I received my pocket money! It was run by the Mussells, I think (pronounced 'Muzz-ells'). My sister got a job there on Saturdays. Unfortunately it eventually closed in the early 1980s.
The Village of Fond Childhood Memories (1955 )
I would have been three years old back then, living, as we did, at 77 High Street with my grandparents (the Dentons). Harry (my grandfather) used to keep bees and was regularly praised for his beautiful floral front garden. I, my brother (Desmond) and our parents later moved to Frilsham Street. The village is still my most favourite place in the entire world as it encapsulates all my cherished childhood memories. I left the village for work, aged 17, in 1969 but still seem to know it like the back of my hand decades later.
George Orwell
George Orwell (real name Eric Blair), who was the author of '1984' and 'Animal Farm', is buried in All Saints' churchyard.
Wartime Boarding School
I was evacuated from London to Blewbury Healm-wic Boarding School in 1941 (the thatched cottage shown in the photograph). The Williamson sisters ran the school, owned I believe by their brother, a naval architect (submarines). They opened the school for refugee children, teaching many subjects including Maths, French, English, Literature, Art, Geography and History.
My sister and I spent many happy years at the school, visiting racing stables, church fetes wtih donkey races (jockeyed by Gordon Richards and other renowned names). The school had the use of a cherry orchard with cows, chickens etc.
I remember the church, thatched wall path ways and the 'Load of Mischief' and 'Barley Mow' pubs. In my later years I played for the local cricket team. I matriculated in Oxford and finally moved back to London.
