Back row, left to right, C
Derry, B Morby, A Hosband, G Hosband, R Coe
Front row, C Shepherd, B
Winterbourne, T Baughen, F Maule, F Timms, W Lane
Bloxham
Town Crier
Thomas
Baughen was the Town Crier of Bloxham 1887—1918,
then his son Thomas took over the role 1918-1939. On
Coronation Day, 2nd June 1953 he put on the uniform
for the first time since the outbreak of the 2nd World
War, to make his last announcement as Crier.
There’s
a bell ringing on Little Green! The children came
running to see, Mothers with babies in their arms, and
Grannies and Grandads came to their doors.
“Oyez!
Oyez! Oyez! In the name of Our Sovereign Queen
Elizabeth the Second - God Save the Queen. The
programme for the Coronation Celebrations, 2nd June
1953 is as follows. School children will have a
day’s holiday, there will be a service at 11am in
the Parish Church, this afternoon a procession at
1.30pm from Strawberry Terrace through the village.
Tea in The Ex Servicemen’s Hall, a Dance tonight and
a bonfire at midnight to conclude the Celebrations.
God Save Queen Elizabeth”
During
the night of 1st June there were heavy storms, but
despite the rain the celebrations went ahead. At the
head of the procession, the Union Jack was carried by
Mr Percy Manning, with his medals pinned to his chest.
The Bloxham fire engine was in the parade, drawn by a
1918 tractor, with a brass band playing the music.
After the parade, Percy at 73 years of age sat on the
fire engine, blowing a long brass horn. There were
donkey rides for the children in The Clump and later
in the afternoon there was a tea party for children
and villagers held in the Ex Servicemen’s Hall,
which was decorated with pictures of the Queen and
Prince Philip. There were paper chains round the walls
and in the middle of the table were vases of flowers,
blue flag iris and white lupins.
The
ladies from the village did the tea party and each
child received a Coronation mug. There was a dance in
the hall from eight until midnight, with a huge
bonfire in The Clump to finish off with. Norman Rivers
had put a big screen into a nissen hut along the
Barford Road so the villagers could see the coronation
as it happened in London and there were so many people
they had to stand. Everyone enjoyed themselves and a
good time was had by all.
Anne Williams
(Can
you name these ladies who did the Coronation tea? If
so please tell us, we would love to know)
