Memories of Kingston
John Farmer remembers
I was born at Kingston and lived there until 1952. Whilst living there as a child, I attended the Village School.
My parents Alice M. HENLEY and Thomas L. FARMER married at Kingston Bagpuize Church on 30th August 1919. After marriage they moved to Clifton Hampden whilst they waited for a house to become vacant in School Lane.
By 1920 they were living in No. 3 School Lane and a son Thomas was born and another son was born later called John.
Both Thomas and I attended Kingston Bagpuize School - now the Scout HQ.
The Headmistress was Miss Castle who lived at the School House, next to the School. The Middle school teacher was Mrs [ Hetty ] Young who lived at No.1 School Lane.
The Infant school teacher was Miss Russell who lived at the Post office.
When Miss Castle retired we had a Headmaster, but I cannot remember his name. I left soon after he came, may be it was Mr Stephenson or a similar name.
Thomas and I attended Kingston Church from an early age, I was baptised and confirmed there and also sang in the choir. To encourage attendance at choir, children were paid a small fee for each service attended, something like a 1/2 or 1 penny. ( old money of course.)
Also we had a visit to Oxford pantomime and a slap-up tea at the Cadena a large food shop in Cornmarket Street, each year. Also a party at the Vicarage. I cannot find any photos but sure we have some.
The Vicar of Kingston Bagpuize Church was Rev. Witherington who lived at the Vicarage at Bottom End of village, not used [as a vicarage] now.
He and his wife were a very good team and worked very hard in the village and knew every one.
In those days Kingston was his parish. He was active in every part of village life.
Our family continued to live at 3 School Lane, and my brother and I lived at home too, until being called up for service in the army and me to the RAF.
In 1944 my brother was killed in Belgium and he is remembered on the plaque in the church.
I returned after service and later married at Dry Sandford Church and we lived in the army huts at East Copse where our first daughter was born and later moved to Botley when houses came available.
My Mother, Alice Farmer (nee Henley), was born at Fyfield Wick in 1898 and often told us they had to walk to School and Church which was a very long way, no other means of transport was available to them.
There were three boys and three girls in the family at Fyfield Wick. The nearest School and Church was Kingston and in those days the School was near the Church at the rear of a house now called the Old School House on Abingdon Road.
Some time later when some of the family had left for work elsewhere, my Grandparents Walter and Sarah HENLEY moved to Southmoor cottage, diagonally opposite to Palmers Garage (Latton Close was not there then ), where Walter died.He was buried at Longworth Church, and some years later Sarah moved to Standlake. After some years Sarah died and she was buried at Kingston Church, just a few yards from her son Private A.E, Henley. Sarah does not have a Tombstone.
Walter and Sarah had a large family. The eldest son was named after his father Walter Henley.
When Walter married he moved away to Clifton Hampden. I beleive my Father and Mother lived there for a while when they married for a short period, waiting for a house in School Lane.
When my Father and Mother died they were buried at Kingston Church next to Sarah and they do have a Tombstone.
My Uncle Arthur was the second son of Walter and Sarah Henley who lived at Netherton (Fyfield), and then moved to Fyfield Wick with the family. He was in the Royal Berkshire Regiment but was killed in the 1st WW; in 1915 aged 20 years and lies in Kingston Churchyard in a Commonwealth War Grave as Private Henley.
My Mother and a retired builder living in the parish looked after the stone etc., of Private Henley and the retired man kept care of the other two War Graves Commission stones at Kingston church so since Mother died, I have taken care of my Uncle's grave.
John Farmer of Botley, Oxford