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Roke
Roke maps
Historic maps of Roke and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Roke maps
Roke photos
We have no photos of Roke, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Benson| Ewelme| Warborough| Shillingford| Wallingford| Dorchester-On-Thames| Stadhampton| Watlington| Days Lock| Chiselhampton| Little Haseley| Little Milton| North Stoke| North Moreton| Cholsey| Long Wittenham| Great Haseley| South Moreton| Clifton Hampden| Nettlebed| Nuneham Courtenay| Cuddesdon| South Stoke| Moulsford| Garsington| Stoke Row| Sandford-On-Thames| Blewbury| Littlemore
Roke area books
Displaying 1 of 7 books about Roke and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Roke
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Oxfordshire memories
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
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
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
Parish Church Cemetery
I visited Warborough had lunch in local pub looked round the church cemetery.There were quite a few 'Beislys' interred there during the 1800's.
Also one name on the WW1 memorial.
Are there any Beislys still living in the village or nearby.I believe one of the landlords of a pub in Shillingford was Beisly at one time?
Wartime Memories
I well remember living in the village from 1940 to 1944 being evacuated there as a 6 year old from the East End of London. I lived very close to the war memorial and attended school set up for evacuees in the cricket pavilion on the village green. My temporary parents were Mr & Mrs Bailey who looked after me very well and their upbringing has stood me well during my lifetime. One very strong memory I have is attending the church regularly and on one occasion giving a reading during the service. I recently located Mrs Bailey's grave in the church grounds and was pleased to find it but a little disappointed at the state it was in. During my time living there the church and the grounds were immaculately kept. Are there any other persons with similar memories of Warborough? I would love to read them.
Sheila And Lily Phillips
Does anyone remember my mother and grandmother? My mother Sheila, married John Edwards and moved to Jersey in 1959. Lily lived in Warborough till her death in 1979. She lived in Gravel Walk, Warborough until approx 1973 then moved to sheltered accom until 1979. My mother died in 1977. I went to the local village school where I remember teachers called Mr Dance and Miss Kirby. My father who is still alive played cricket on the village green. He also played badminton and tennis. My gran also worked in the village shop. I also remember Mr King who had the post office. My brother Martin now lives in Spain. We were 5 and 3 when we moved to Jersey but I have many happy memories of visiting Gran in the 60s and 70s . Please contact me at lesleyperry53@hotmail.co.uk if you remember my family.
Happy Days!
I wrote this in reply to Joyce Norgrove's comments, but thought I'd put it here too. I lived in Warborough from 1959 to 1970 - a wonderful place to grow up in. We lived in the School House, my father was the Headmaster of the school and I was in the school when we moved to the new site. We lived in what was Miss Nobbs's house of course. Although I only remember meeting her once, but the family stayed friends with Miss Kirby for the rest of her life. Mr King was also a friend of ours, as well as being Scout Leader he also sang in the church choir, and his seat was opposite mine - woe betide me if I made too much noise during the service! And yes I certainly did fall in the ditch! My friend Shirley Noakes and I were trying to cross the plank over the ditch with a bike betweeen us would you believe and in I went! Head... Read more
