Nostalgic memories of Watchfield's local history
Share your own memories of Watchfield and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 13 in total
I was first at Watchfield in 1958 when I attended a Military Course there in "Aerial Delivery". It was the home of 16 Parachute Heavy Drop Coy RAOC and other units involved in Air Supply. In 1962 I was posted there transferring from The Parachute Regiment. I made 39 of my 218 Parachute descents there, many at night. The DZ was also used for the Air Dropping of vehicles and Supplies. When my Unit moved to RAF ...see more
Around this time my family lived at No 12 Watchfield Road. I am not quite sure from the photo but our house may have been just to the right of the house on the right hand side of this picture?
Hi, there's a fastastic online "Watchfield Chronicle" with a detailed history of the village. My own interest is family history. My ancestors were there 1760s - 1860s, but my interest is wider as this gives context. Do get in touch if you are building a picture of Watchfield life.
steven.carter1@ntlworld.com
Steven Carter
I moved to Watchfield in 1940 and left in 1950. My dad, Mr Woolman, worked for the army and had his office in Homelees Farm in the camp. What a change has taken place at Watchfield. Gone are the places we could play in safety. The brook is now overgrown and no where to paddle. The cottage at Tuck Mill has gone and the stepping stones are nearly covered in weeds. We used the pathway to Shrivenham and used the ...see more
This was the NAAFI shop that served the military quarters at Watchfield, which housed the then many miltary and civilian staff of the Royal Military College of Science, and some of the students at the college, many of whom were from overseas.The RMCS is now the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and is multi-service.
I am not a native, so to speak, of Shrivenham/Watchfield, but lived in one ...see more
Hi I was at Arnhem camp in 1958/59. This was where the heavy drop platforms were rigged with Landrover+trailer, before being transported to Abingdon airfield. There they would be loaded into a Beverly aircraft (with the boom doors removed). The RAF would then fly back over Watchfield and drop the platforms on the DZ at Arnhem Camp.
I now live in South Australia, on a trip back to the UK in 2009 it ...see more
My maternal grandmother and three of her siblings were born in Watchfield in the 1860-1870s. As far as I know they lived in a farm cottage, until they moved to Highworth in the late 1870s where they lived in the public house called 'The King and Queen'. My grandmother was a first cousin to a woman who was murdered in WATCHFIELD, and her husband was hanged at Reading Jail for his crime. There are I believe still ...see more
I was in the RAF at Abingdon on two different postings during 1963/4 and 1967/69 and very often did detachments to the Parachute training school drop zone at Weston on the Green as the aircraft controller. In general Weston was used for dropping men and Watchfied was used for heavy drop excercises howver on some occassion when Weston could not accept a drop due to weather or maintenance ...see more
I was born and grew up in Watchfield, which was originally about 100 houses. Rapid changes to the village occurred in the late 1930s when Beckett Estate was aquired for the army. Then came the airfield and REME workshops. In the early 1940s the village was flooded as a rapid thaw melted snow on the airfield and the water came down the road. After National Service in the early 1950s I did not live at ...see more
Hi, My father was stationed at Arnhem Camp in the 1960s, he was a paratrooper. The Paras at Watchfield were 16th Parachute Heavy Drop. I attended Watchfield Primary School and have fond memories of my time there, two teachers stand out in my mind, Mrs Late and Mr Biggs. In my day the village had a Jet petrol station and next door to that a small shop called Smiths, the shop was managed by Mrs Paige. Up by the Eagle pub ...see more