Kingham
Past 2
West street
Left. Lovely Painting of West street, Kingham
Painted by my talented sister Gillian Harding
Kingham boy scouts around 1960
Please note I have named those in the photo from my memory, if anyone can name any others I would be most grateful.
(Two names added. Thanks to Michael Pearce & Barbara Timms.)
Kingham School (date unknown)
Kingham School 1930's
Kingham School 1920's.
Only two are identified, Top row far left Alice Jepson and 2nd from right (next to teacher) Reg Sollis
Photo kindly supplied by Jean Greenway
Colonel Barrows Drill Boys. Memories written By E.J.Lainchbury senior who was a drill boy.
The first squad was formed of unemployed men who were paid a shilling (five pence in today's money) to be drilled.
Later it was formed of schoolboys who had little else to do in the 1870's. The eldest or 'biggest' boy was captain.
They were marched to and from surrounding villages including to Chipping Norton.
Their normal drill ground was Bury Pen Close but in wet weather they used Colonel Barrows old tithe barn. The boys were 'armed' with wooden rifles with a brass trigger guard.
One morning in 1899 Colonel barrow was found dead in his bed and so ended the Drill Boys 'regiment'.
Looking North from the Rectory roof (Ralph Mann)
Old Rectory stables (Ralph Mann)
Many more photographs taken by Rev Ralph Mann can be found on this page
Two delightful views of children playing in Church Street 1920's
The Village Hall
Looking down West St and seemingly taken from where the village hall now stands
A lovely old photo taken before the village hall was built and seemingly taken from the site where the hall was erected looking down West street. The end gable of Lainchbury's building can be identified middle left by the long flagpole attached. Date unknown but as it's before the village hall it must be pre 1910.
My late uncle Frank Palmer bought this old photo at a jumble sale, apparently the stall was being run by Mrs Emily Lainchbury and it was the last item she had, at the time they could not identify where it was taken but later Frank realised it was west Street.
The original was very 'brown' with little detail but using photoshop I was able to get the detail back.
I think it is a really interesting photograph especially with the snow.
Kingham has a lovely village hall, it was built and paid for by Charles Baring Young, he was a great benefactor and friend to Kingham, as well as providing the village hall he repaired the church, rebuilt the old Manor House and of course built Kingham Hill Homes.
For the full history of Kingham Village Hall there is an excellent little booklet entitled "Celebrating the Centenary of Kingham Village Hall" published in 2010 and written by Chris Harvey and Gillian White. As well as the history of the hall the booklet also contains lots of interesting history of Kingham itself.
One thing I always remember about the village hall was that as a child I noticed that the uppermost windows still had traces of blackout paint still on them left over from WWII, I have no idea why I remember this? It is also where I met my future wife.
Village hall built in 1910
Inside the hall
The kitchen
Charles Baring Young MP 1885-1892.
Charles Edward Baring Young
Top Charles Baring Young. Bottom Kingham Hill homes
Charles Edward Baring Young passed away on 22nd September 1928
Charles Baring Young was born in 1850, he was a barrister and MA. When his father died in 1882 he inherited a fortune. Being a devout Christian and philanthropist he was inspired to help underprivileged and orphan children.
In 1883 he purchased both Daylesford and Kingham Hill estates to establish Kingham Hill homes. In 1885 he was elected as an MP for Christchurch. He resigned the seat in 1892 to concentrate on the school.
Although originally resented by the village when he arrived due to certain frictions he eventually became a great benefactor to and friend of the village.
He paid for the restoration of the church, built and paid for the beautiful village hall,rebuilt the old manor house and of course Kingham Hill homes.
He established the homes as a place where boys with a boarding need could be educated and prepared for life. The school had a farm, various workshops, chapel, sanatorium and a range of boarding houses. He ensured that every boy left the school with a good chance in life, he even established a farm in Canada where boys could make a new life for themselves.
Photograph taken by Ralph Mann
Haddon House.
Haddon house is reputed to have been built by Richard Haddon around 1670.
The house is so well built that all of the stones in the frontage are fitted together perfectly leaving no space for mortar in the joints.
The house was purchased by Caleb Lainchbury in 1912 who added a extra storey and new roof.
In the early 1920's two unnamed ladies held spiritualistic seances in the house, the story was published under the title Haddon's story.
For many years it was the home of Mr Charles Lainchbury one of the directors of Lainchburys of Kingham.
Kingham. Coronation carnival for King Edward VII. 1902. E.J. Lainchbury jnr is small boy middle front with sword.
Manor Farm Cottages
Manor Farm cottages 2016 (Taken by S.A.Hewett)
1983. (Taken by Ralph Mann)
The old Manor House (picture by E.J. Lainchbury)
The old Manor House (picture by E.J. Lainchbury)
Manor Farm Cottages
The old manor house was possibly the oldest house in Kingham and stood in large grounds. At some point it was converted into three cottages.
It became very dilapidated and was demolished in 1922. The present Manor farm cottages were rebuilt on the same site. The interesting ornamental chimney from the old house was saved and fitted to the new house. The new house was built by C.E.B. Young who is mentioned above.
During the great Thunderstorm of 1910 the brass vane of the ornamental chimney was struck by lightning but fortunately was undamaged.
The original house had quite extensive gardens covering the area where Rathbones Blacksmiths were and the present village hall.
Today most of the grounds around the house is taken up with new housing.
Ornamental Chimney
Back of the cottages 1949
William Warde Fowler Author & Ornithologist
Fowler House
William Warde Fowler was an Oxford Don, prolific author and an expert ornithologist. He was born in 1847. In 1873 at the age of 27 he rented a house in Kingham (corner house) until 1878 when the owner needed it back. Not wishing to leave Kingham he bought an old farmhouse next to Corner house and arranged for his brother to design a house for him, the result is Fowler house.
Warde Fowler wrote many books especially on the subject of Roman Britain and of course ornithology, he also wrote the famed book "Kingham Old and New" pointing out that the good people of Kingham wanted to read it as long as they can borrow a copy rather than spend their five shillings (25p today) actually buying a copy. He passed away on June 15th 1921.
For more on Ward Fowler there is an excellent book entitled "Warde Fowler of Kingham" by Gordon Ottewell published in 2010.
Fowler with his dog Billy
The Great Kingham Thunderstorm of 1910
According to William Warde Fowler in his book Kingham "Old & New" a huge thunderstorm took place at Kingham on June 7th 1910, in fact he devoted a whole chapter to it comprising no less than 14 pages!
By all accounts it was a formidable storm, the air had been damp and close with growling thunder for several days. The storm lasted for many hours and many objects were struck although little damage was done. The storm started around 7:30 in the evening.
Men who were working on their allotments threw down their tools and ran for home. By 8:00pm the thunder and lightning was incessant and lasted for almost 4 hours whilst rain poured down in a continual stream. Water in the streets was some 3 feet deep with a foot of water in some cottages. Mr Lainchburys pea straw rick was set on fire whilst Mr G Johnstone's house was struck and a meteorite fell on his lawn.
Mr Fields had over 30 chickens drowned and Mr Hamlet lost 50 chickens and a duck. The 16th century ornamental chimney on the Manor house was struck on the brass vane but little damage was done to it apart from some slates blown off the roof. One boy reported that during the storm the cuckoo sang all the time. They had to move the furniture upstairs in Miss Joynes house to keep it out of the water.
Fortunately no persons were injured in the storm.
The next chapter in his book is about the Great drought of 1911, followed by a chapter on two great snowstorms.
Blacksmith made gates (Photo A. Lainchbury)
Blacksmith, New Forge (Photo by Rev Ralph Mann)
Coronation Day 1953
Coronation 1953
Village hall. coronation 1953
Kingham Club
Kingham Club 1905
Kingham Club 1920
Kingham Club 1920
Kingham Club
Before the NHS most villages ran their own sickness benefit club, one such was Kingham club founded in 1842. There was a rival club called the Slate club which became more popular as they shared out the assets annually. Every year on ascension day Kingham club celebrated with a dinner held in the Plough Inn. There was a procession to the church led by a band.
Travelling showmen would gather on the green at the same time which is why subsequent Kingham fairs became known as Kingham Club. Hatwell's Amusements from Carterton were one of showmen families that attended and I well remember all of us youngsters in the school getting excited during lessons whilst seeing the fair arriving in their brightly painted vehicles. As a young man I did part time work for the Hatwells, they were very nice, decent people and treated me extremely well, I liked them very much.
In the old photo below you can see the club banner, this measured 10 feet x 4 feet wide (3.05 x 1.22 metres) the banner featured a single-furrow plough and a bird in flight with all around decorations. In 1955 the banner was owned by E.J. Lainchbury senior.
To the right is an image of the plough emblem on the banner.
Kingham Club outside the Plough Inn 1906
Kingham women's institute 1932. fancy dress competition.
Children's victory fete at (date unknown poss 1919) F.Packer
The Allotments with yellow rape in background. (Photo Rev Ralph Mann)
Kingham All Blacks football team
The team was originally called The Kingham Swifts, after WWI in 1919 the name was changed to Kingham Village Football Club, during 1928/29 the club was renamed as Kingham All Blacks. Around the time of WWII a minor team was formed using the name Kingham United F.C. eventually the two clubs amalgamated to form Kingham All Blacks & United F.C. Today they are simply known as Kingham All Blacks F.C.
They currently play in the Witney and District F.A.
Kingham All blacks. (Names as known) Back L -R : Mr Attewell, Alf Willetts, Tom Attewell, Terry Cox, Roger Keen, Charlie Cook, Lewis Newman, Alan Harding, Ian Esson, David Townsend, Mrs Willets. Front row L - : Keith Bartlett, Terry Harding, Dave Matthews, Chris Thomas, David Bartlett. lad in Football kit is Pete Smith.
(Photo originally posted on Facebook Memories of Kingham group by Teresa Townsend. Names supplied by Barbara Timms)
Kingham All Blacks
Back Row
Dave Timms, Keith Allen, Tom Attewell, Harold Smith, Ron Hall, Pete Guy
Front Row
Roger Keen, Stan Smith, Ken Perkins, Terry Harding, Bob Slatter.
(Photo courtesy of Barbara Timms)
Kingham FC , winners of the Chipping Norton and district League cup 1923-4. Albert W Simms centre front Charles Lainchbury front R.
(Posted on Memories of Kingham Facebook group by Steve Sheffield)
Kingham All Blacks
Back Row. Reg Rathbone, David Lainchbury, Bill Talbot.
Middle. Ron Dunbar, Jack Newman, Gerald Huxford, Ron Notman.
Front Row. Don Williams, Bob Slatter, Tom Attewell, Colin Drinkwater, Bill Sollis.
(Picture and names courtesy of Barbara Timms)
Hat Trimming Competition 1918
Kingham fete 1911
Dinners
Top Right. L to R. Chris Simms, Brian Huxford, Ken Perkins, Danny-Lough Scott, Margaret Terry, Alma Drinkwater.
Top Left. R to L Philip Knotman, Ken Perkins, Ray Ford, Roger Keen, Elaine Keen, Jim Long, Dot Long, Peter and veronica Guy. (thanks to Barbara Timms for extra names)
Bottom. Chris Simms, Arthur Perkins, Mrs Perkins, David Knotman(?) Dennis Matthews, Keith Harding, David Matthews
Two images of a steam engine in trouble at Kingham. Although Lainchburys would no doubt be involved in the repairs it is thought that this is not actually a Lainchburys owned engine. It is an agricultural type engine with wide wheels used mostly as a ploughing engine rather than the ones used by Lainchburys for threshing. I understand that Lainchburys did not own any engines like the one in the picture.
Thanks to Judith Buxton Dean for supplying the two pictures.
Site of Lainchbury's old works 2018
A sad sight, the derelict Lainchbury factory closed 1983
You will find a great deal more about the Lainchbury company on my other web-site Lainchburys of Kingham
One of Lainchburys old threshing drums it's work long finished, outside a barn in Kingham.
Picture kindly supplied by Andy Wiggins
The Lainchbury company were involved in steam threshing from 1862 when John Lainchbury bought his first steam engine. Until the early 1950's. After combines arrived threshing machines almost became redundant overnight. Lainchburys had many old threshers stored away around the village in various barns until the 1960's
