You are in [Places] [Froxfield] [Old Froxfield Exhibition, 1981]
In 1981 the village of Froxfield, under the leadership of Mrs. Moya Dixon, worked to assemble a large exhibition about the history of the village as a fund-raiser for the retiling of the church roof. A huge amount of material was assembled, and Moya wrote a paper listing the exhibits for posterity.
This paper includes so much material that when a copy came into the hands of the Virtual Museum (2025) it seemed important to create it into a full article, so that all the names were included in the searches.
ALL SAINTS FROXFIELD, CHURCH ROOF APPEAL
"Old Froxfield' Exhibition 1981
For some of the fund-raising projects the following facts of the Appeal were typed on the literature:
"All Saints is a medieval Church with a very simple Nave and chancel ground plan. The last attention to the main walls was an extension to the Chancel in the 13th century. It is built of flints and sarsen stone with a Cotswold tile roof.
The aim of the Appeal was to retile the roof in Cotswold tiles replacing those that were in poor condition. As Froxfield is a small village with only 220 adult residents, the Appeal for help was made as wide as possible. Grants amounting to £8,107 helped greatly towards the final total expended namely £9,821."
Many events have been organised over the past seven years including a craft exhibition; concerts; picture exhibitions and Christmas sales which culminated in a Thanksgiving Service to close the Appeal on the 11th September 1981 when the guest speaker was the Right Reverend John Neale, Bishop o¢ Ramsbury, who had helped tremendously in obtaining grants for the work.
After the service guests and regular subscribers to the Fund were invited to visit the Village Hall for refreshments and look at a photographic exhibition of 'Old Froxfield' which is now described.
Following a suggestion by a Committee member the idea was put in train in February 1981. Personal contact was made with many descendants of the older Froxfield families requesting photographs, historical articles, in fact, anything which would depict life in the village in the past. Devizes Museum was visited where some records were checked and others borrowed, and the County Archivist at Trowbridge produced extracts from the Ordnance Survey Map. Letters were also written to three local papers and a notice printed in the Parish Magazine all requesting the loan of articles.
At the end of six months some 200 exhibits, mainly photographs, had been received and the mammoth job of assembling began. For the annual painting exhibitions, the Vicar, Revd. Ernest Swinnerton, had made five large boards, 7' x 3½' on which to hang the exhibits. These were used and on one side articles were displayed attributed to a specific area of the village and on the reverse
other features of the exhibition.
It was obvious some weeks before the event that it would take longer than a day to assemble it in the Village Hall unless some of the planning of exhibits could be done beforehand. The solution seemed to be to indicate in pencil on ceiling paper cut to the size of each display board the suitable position of each article and on it to record its catalogue number.
As a centrepiece and focal point each board carried a copy of the Ordnance Survey map extract which had the appropriate area for that board coloured within a small circle and the board itself was also specifically labelled. When the choice of photographs etc. was finally made and recorded on the paper they were retained in separate covers.
The next lengthy process was to mount each exhibit (unless already framed). This was necessary to ensure that they were not pinned or defaced in any way when attached to the boards. Each one was measured and its shape cut out of stiff paper with sufficient space at the bottom to type the catalogue number and a caption describing the article, pointing out the interesting features of it and an acknowledgment to the lender.
The evening before the exhibition the boards were erected, the ceiling paper attached and in the time that was left some of the exhibits pinned in place. An early start was made next morning 11th September, the day of the exhibition, and the remaining exhibits assembled. The boards were set up in such a way that they could be inspected easily from both sides and still leave a middle aisle in the hall for the flow of visitors. Each board had attached to it a magnifying glass on a very long string for close scrutiny.
The areas of the village included in the exhibition consisted of Oakhill with Blue Lion; Manor Farm with the Green; The Church and School; Crosskeys Cottage with Bedwyn Hill and Bath Road. On the reverse of these were respectively a 'Who's who' (consisting of photographs of inhabitants and old charabanc trips); Littlecote Estate and its workers; the Rudge Cup; and a 'what's what’ (miscellaneous exhibits of a more personal nature). A separate trestle table held exhibits specifically for the College and those concerned with the Manor were displayed on its board and on the stage in front of it.
An added attraction to the whole event was the loan by Mr. Frank Skippence, former garage proprietor, of a cine film taken by Sir Edward Wills, elder son of the late Sir Ernest and Lady Wills of Littlecote House, mainly for the occasion of the opening of the hall in 1950, but also including views of the village and shots of the school with Mrs. Emery, the headmistress, and a few children in the playground; Mrs. Hannah Stroud and daughter Maggie outside 32 Bath Road; Mrs. George Pike who lived in the cottage next to the former garage; Mrs. George Wells outside of her house, Crosskeys Cottage, with Mrs. Dunn from the College; Mr. Harry Dixon and his daughter Win; Mr. Leslie Rosier, Church organist; Mrs. Harry Naish of 24 Froxfield; Mrs. Colebrook from The Harrow; Mrs. Barrett from the College and a few others coming out of Church; Vic Heaver; Frank Skippence; Reg Naish and Leslie Rosier at work at the garage with Major George Wills, younger son, of the Wills family, looking on. The final shot was of many, many people surging around the green to the hall for the opening. One face which was easily recognisable as it passed by the camera was that of Oliver Alexander, the thatcher, of Oakhill; the only glimpse of him in the entire exhibition. In the concluding moments of the film the camera focused on the yellow Rolls bringing to the hall Sir Ernest with Lady Wills who performed the opening ceremony to be met by Frank Skippence, the Chairman of the Village Hall Committee at that time. Since the exhibition Mr. Skippence has died but he will always be remembered by his Froxfield friends and for the contribution he made to this event.
After working the entire day in the village hall, all the boards were in place, labelled and the whole exhibition assembled. Someone remained in the hall to get the refreshments ready and it was during that time that the projector was set up.
After a short break for tea the Thanksgiving Service in Church took place. Mr. Rosier was organist, there was a small choir arranged by the College ladies; the lesson was beautifully read by Mrs. June Holledge of The Manor and the guest speaker was the Bishop of Ramsbury. His address to quite a large congregation was very inspiring, and he likened the efforts of All Saints' project to a church built by its people many centuries ago, the ruins of which he saw when visiting the Holy Land in 1980 with his nephew. He also referred to a photograph he had been given earlier of All Saints, by Revd. Swinnerton, which he would always treasure, in appreciation of his help in obtaining grants from various ecclesiastical sources for the Roof Appeal.
Everyone then proceeded to the hall. Having given the guests long enough to chat, inspect the exhibition and eat, the film was shown. It was very well received - so much so that an encore was called for! Even the newcomers to the village who were present waited for the repeat performance and remarked afterwards that although they knew no one on the film, watching the reactions of the older viewers as they recognised one another was worth waiting for.
An extremely good amateur photographer from Aldbourne who is a mathematics teacher at a Swindon school was invited and anyone wishing to have copies taken from the prints left details of the catalogue number with their name.
It was a very special and most enjoyable evening and the next day, when the exhibition was opened to the general public, approximately 100 visitors passed through the doors, including also many who enjoyed the evening before.
This appears to be the time to try to describe accurately what each board displayed in the Old Froxfield Exhibition.
FOREBRIDGE/OAKHILL/BLUE LION:
OAKHILL:
No exhibits for FOREBRIDGE were forthcoming but for OAKHILL the late Jim Harrison's widow (now re-married) sent some interesting photographs of Jim, the keeper; in the rearing field in about 1927 boiling eggs in a very large copper for the pheasant helped by Mr. Charlie Rosier, 'a Mr. T. Chandler' a keeper and Mrs. Butcher, the policeman's wife; another with his gun-dog in Trinkledown Woods and a third standing at the backdoor of his cottage next to Oliver Alexander's.
Mrs. Rogers (the former Mrs. Jim Harrison) also sent a photograph of her family sitting outside the lock-house on the canal tow-path when her father, Mr. Hunt, was keeper in about 1921.
Another subscriber to the exhibition was a Mrs. Reece of Cirencester, a niece of the late Mr. Charlie Naish, the village baker, and her contribution for OAKHILL was a photograph of the canal and railway bridges, the latter of which possessed a plaque by the Great Western Railway concerning its ownership and maintenance.
Dr. J.F. Knight, father of Miss Marjorie Knight, was a very keen photographer and nine of his photographs were loaned by Miss Knight, a 'Friends of All Saints' committee member, all of which were most interesting. They were panoramic views on prints of about 12" x 4", This was an ambitious type of photography for the early 1900's. Nowadays it is used in cine film but in those days it appeared in 'stills' and apparently the lens moved through an angle of 180° whilst the photographer held the camera still.
His three views of OAKHILL were taken, one on the bridges looking towards King's Farm (and the steam of a train bound for Paddington could be seen in the background); another on the canal tow-path on the southern side looking towards Blue Lion and the third taken from the Berkshire side of the Bath Road (A.4) facing OAKHILL and Trinkledown.
BLUE LION:
Mrs. Doris Pike (nee Wells) who now lives at Andover but formerly of Crosskeys Cottage, was very willing to loan postcards _ for the exhibition and the: one she sent for this section was excellent. It was extremely clear and was taken in front of all the BLUE LION cottages, that is, the first two, or perhaps, three, where Mr.& Mrs. Charlie Mildenhall lived, then another cottage between the first group and Mr.& Mrs. Sid Beard's property. This was a surprise as no one seemed to remember the cottage in between so presumably it was demolished after about 1915 which was the date of the postcard. As well as these cottages it also showed the remaining ones up to and including Mr.& Mrs. Kingston's almost on the county boundary. There were also a few trade advertisements outside Mrs. Beard's property where apparently she sold teas.
Mrs. Reece also sent a BLUE LION photograph taken just inside the boundary looking west. In the doorway of the first cottage on the right was a little lady who it was thought was a Mrs. Stagg. On the boundary itself was a tall, metal, clearly defined, signpost and coming out of the Little Bedwyn road opposite was a horse and cart travelling towards the village.
Dr. Knight's contribution was another panoramic view of all the cottages and it was interesting to see the very poor road surface of the A4 in those days.
Revd. Swinnerton was loaned some old sale particulars dated 1937 in respect of real property in the estate of Howard Beard deceased former licensee of The Pelican. It was interesting to learn that he was indeed a 'man of property’, as the sale included The Pelican Inn; seven cottages at the BLUE LION; Crosskeys Cottage; 34 Bath Road (now the Post Office and stores); the old school, Bedwyn Hill; 38 and 39 Brewhouse Hill (where Mrs. Ethel Raizey and Mr. Alfred Mildenhall lived) and Bob Lye's lock-up shop. These sale particulars were found underneath the floorboards of a public house in Middlesex some years ago during renovations. The Licensee there thought perhaps the Landlord of the Pelican would like to retain them and so they came into the possession of Mr.& Mrs. Burchell the licensees who have now retired from The Pelican.
MANOR FARM/THE GREEN:
MANOR FARM:
Mrs. Ellen Gallagher who now resides in the College and is Froxfield's oldest inhabitant, loaned two photographs for this section, one was taken from the meadow behind and looking down on the farm in 1944/45, showing all the thatched buildings and the garage in the background. The other one showed the lorries, jeeps and ambulances of the 101st Airborne Division of the American Army. Photographs were in short supply for the farm and neither the Landowner, Mr. Seton Wills of Littlecote House or Mr. Dudley James, the farmer, had any. However, Mr. Wills loaned a sale catalogue of the farm and The Manor, when the estate was purchased in about 1930.
Miss Clodagh O'Grady of Ramsbury is also a granddaughter of Mr. Tom Redman and Miss Marjorie Knight's cousin. She loaned a postcard of the farm and its area, taken from the College Wall, looking west. It showed the route of the Bath Road proceeding behind the blacksmith's shop, which was long since been demolished, and the old garage opposite,
Dr. Knight took a panoramic view of the farm looking towards the Manor House and it covered a remarkable area which extended from the School in the west to the College in the east.
In Mrs. Reece's postcard, photographed from the hill behind the farm, the Lodge at the College was only just visible. It was taken at the far end of the yard and looked down on the College and Mr. Hatter, the porter's house, opposite. It also included the old barn at the end of the College which was burnt down.
THE GREEN:
Two contributions by Mrs. Ellen Dixon of Ramsbury were a postcard of Ivy Cottage and mention was made of the fact that the property was once owned by Mr. Harry Dixon, her father-in-law; Littlecote Estate and then an antique dealer. The gentleman propped up by the gate was Mr. Edgar Dixon, the owner's elder son, now of Longhope, Gloucester. The second photograph was of the same venue in 1928 but this time the gateway was occupied by Mrs. Dixon when she was Miss Ellen Hicks.
Mrs. Reece loaned three postcards for this area. A very old one of THE GREEN looking east. It was believed to be at the turn of this century and showed a schoolchildren's group sitting on the grass. The boys wore black caps and gaiters and the girls’ long skirts and mob-caps. One lad had strayed and was sitting on top of the village pump}! Wonder what the occasion was? Another postcard, this time before 1909, showed a view across THE GREEN locking west taken just outside the old blacksmith's shop and in the foreground it was believed to be Mr. Charlie Naish walking home along the path, at the top of THE GREEN, possibly after delivering bread as he had large baskets on either arm.
The third photograph in this sequence showed Rudge Road viewed from THE GREEN and taken from opposite Mr. Savage's grocer's shop. Again, it was believed to be around 1909 as there were two thatched cottages on the plot next to the shop once occupied by Mrs. Mildenhall and Mrs. Waldron. In the extreme left of the picture could be seen some scaffolding in the direction of the school and presumably it was that which was being built. Inevitably this exhibition showed up the poverty of the era. The properties looked run-down and the inhabitants poorly clad. At this time housework was indeed a chore. Seeing the two cottages in the last picture reminded older viewers of the hardships in general and Mrs. Mildenhall in particular. Apparently she not only worked at the Vicarage for Revd. Gulliford but did their washing and, like so many at that time,
was forced to use a copper outside, in all sorts of weather. How good that those conditions no longer exist.
Mrs. Doris Pike loaned an excellent photograph of the old blacksmith's shop and cottage before 1914 with 4 gentlemen standing outside - 2 in their blacksmith's clothes including the leather apron, they were her father, Mr. George Wells and his partner, Mr. Jasper Pike and their companions were Mr. George Hatter and Mr. Charlie or Sidney Pike.
Dr. Knight's panoramic view of THE GREEN looked east and was large enough to include Mr. Savage's shop on the left, right round to the Arch (small bridge) over the brook, and Mr. Naish's bakery on the right. There was a noticeable gap on the landscape in the picture where Sunnydene, the home of Mr.& Mrs. Leslie Rosier, is now situate. There were two or three gentlemen with their backs to the camera looking over the Arch and one, wearing a straw hat, was recognised as Mr. Naish. Wonder what the topic of conversation was?
One of the other two photographs loaned by Miss Knight was Similar to that submitted by Mrs. Reece and probably taken on the same day. It was the schoolchildren grouped at the corner of THE GREEN by Mr. Savage's shop. Possibly it was a May Day celebration although no pole was in sight. The other exhibit was a unique sepia finished photograph of Mr. Wise outside his saddler's shop on the edge of THE GREEN, holding a horse collar. A miniature china shire horse and brasses were displayed in his window.
Mrs. Ivy Dixon, a daughter of Mr.& Mrs. Charlie Naish, loaned three exhibits of THE GREEN. The first was taken looking west showing the cottages to the east of Ivy Cottage and the new school which had been completed by this time. Near the signpost on THE GREEN was a horse and waggon, which looked like a coal delivery. The second postcard was looking across THE GREEN towards Crosskeys Cottage taken either from a wall or on higher ground somewhere in Mr. Savage's farmyard. There was access from the Bath Road by the Arch (which has now been blocked up) to Mr. Savage's shop and the wall continued from the Arch to Mrs. Harry Naish's gate at Number 24, with only an entrance into the
plot where the village hall now stands, probably for grazing purposes. The last of Ivy's group of three was quite a large photograph of the blacksmith's shop showing all the trade advertisements which were made of tin and nailed to the walls.
Outside stood Mr. George Wells and Mr. Jasper Chapman with a small lad possibly one of Mr. Wells' boys. The ivy covered cottage next door with iron railings and gate was very clear. Mrs. Mary Pike, Mr. Naish's youngest daughter, loaned Many exhibits and one was a framed photograph of The Buildings, four terraced houses on the north of THE GREEN. It showed Mrs. Fred Pike and little son, Reg, standing on the doorstep of the cottage, subsequently occupied by Mr. Albert Gooper and family.
Apart from one small one, Mr. Skippence contributed the only photographs in the entire exhibition of the garage and cars. They totalled in all 22 and were arranged in an album. A very good miscellaneous collection of postcards in sequence beginning with a very old brown sketched postcard of the earlier garage; a few photographs of the later property with Mr. Skippence working on a small racing car of the ‘20's with Major George Wills looking on; the same car again this time outside Littlecote House; and a more up-to-date photograph of the garage with Mr. Skippence and Vic Heaver. There was also a hand written postcard from Mrs. Olive Knight, daughter of Mr. Tom Redman, to Mr. Skippence on the occasion of the garage fire in about 1929, a photograph of the firemen on the roof with smoke billowing out was printed on the postcard. She wished him luck with his new garage and remarked that the new car behaved better than the 'trojan that had been cremated' - so presumably her old car was in the garage when the fire broke out! The small photograph of the garage mentioned earlier was loaned by Mrs. Irene Nicholas, daughter of Mrs. Norris of Blue Lion. It showed a Mr. Bill Ponsford, painter from Littlecote Estate, painting the garage and Mrs. Nicholas’ grandfather, Mr. George Pike passing by.
Devizes Museum produced a postcard of THE GREEN donated to them by Miss O'Grady and it was similar to another in the exhibition inasmuch as Mr. Naish was returning home with empty bread baskets but this time there was a water barrel on a waggon by THE GREEN. One puzzle was a tall tree which looked like a fir growing at the front and western end of Ivy Cottage. In later photographs it was missing.
Miss O'Grady also loaned a painting of THE GREEN. It was a water colour painted by Miss Bleeck of The Rectory, daughter of Revd.W. Bleeck. The pump was in the foreground, and The Limes, then one house instead of three, which was adjacent to the garage and the blacksmith's shop was on the other side. The colours were very delicate and had not faded at all.
The only close-up of The Limes was a wonderful photograph taken in 1902 when the property was one dwelling and Miss O'Grady's birthplace. Her uncle, Dr. Knight, was the photographer and Boots the chemist enlarged an ordinary small sized print into a huge photograph measuring about 25" x 18". It was framed and so clear that it was possible to see the veins in the leaves on the trees.
THE CHURCH/THE SCHOOL:
THE CHURCH:
One of two of the oldest views of THE CHURCH was a drawing by John Buckler in 1800. He was commissioned by Sir Richard Colt Hoare of Stourhead to complete pictures of historic Wiltshire buildings mostly churches. The original picture is in the library of the Wiltshire Archaelogical Society at Devizes and Miss O'Grady obtained a photograph of this especially for the exhibition. The other one was loaned by Devizes Museum. It was dated 1874, taken by a Newbury photographer and only about 5" x 2" in size. The bell turret was different and the old grave by THE CHURCH door railed off against body snatchers was shown.
Mrs.Reece loaned two views of THE CHURCH. One showed the gate and path to the door with a large noticeboard to the left of the gate but no Memorial Stone. Again the railed grave was also there. The other postcard was a lovely view of THE CHURCH from the lower western corner of the churchyard looking across to the door. There was a huge tree by the old western boundary, which is no longer there, as the churchyard now extends beyond this point. However the lovely sycamore, which is still there, was in the picture.
Mr. Peter Chapman, formerly of Bedwyn Hill, but who now lives in Marlborough, loaned many photographs and one was of the Memorial Cross decked with a garland of flowers - possibly the unveiling ceremony after the 1914-18 War.
The most beautiful exhibit, and the one the local paper photographer chose to print when reporting on the exhibition, was a coloured front page of a 1962 Marlborough Times. It was loaned by Mr. Mark Wickham, formerly of The Old Rectory, but no mention was made of the event which prompted such a lovely portrait. Mr. Wickham was another exhibitor who was very interested in the project and he also loaned two other photographs, one showed him at the wheel of a small car towing a farm waggon out of the meadow below the churchyard. He stated that the waggon was bought for £5 from a farmer named Mr. Holland of Hopgrass Farm, Hungerford, Berks. The long avenue of trees on the Bath Road were very prominent in the picture and also Mr.& Mrs. Henry Savage's house. The second photograph was probably taken the same day but viewed from the opposite way. it too showed Mr. Wickham with the car and waggon but also rubble on the corner site where Mrs. Corley's cottage was burnt down during the occupation of Mr.& Mrs. Sid Butler. Mr. Wickham made reference to the holm oak tree which used to be in the corner of the Vicarage garden until it was felled by the then Incumbent, Revd. Monk - a great pity he thought. Although this photograph was simian to the other, it was included because there were four inhabitants looking over the wall, by THE CHURCH gate which gave it extra appeal. They were Mrs. Peggy Wickham, Mr. Wickham's mother; Mrs. Ellen Gallagher's husband, Mr. Joe Gallagher; Mrs. Hilda Naish and Mrs. Margaret Norris both of Blue Lion.
Other exhibits were of the Old Rectory in the great freeze-up of 1963 and, in a later one, Mr. Wickham made the observation that the two elm trees situate at the west of the property were felled in 1965. Mr. Lesley Naish, the baker's son and Mrs. Wickham's gardener, was also in the photograph seen brushing up leaves in front of the house. A more recent photograph loaned by Mr. Wickham of the Old Rectory was taken about 1979/80 when the property was advertised for sale. It was a view of the house from the scaffolding, on the back of THE CHURCH, while the retiling of the roof was taking place.
Mrs. Hilda Naish entered an enlarged extract of a very old photograph of the village taken from Bedwyn Hill. This section was of THE CHURCH - the School - the Old Rectory and The Vicarage. It showed the Old Rectory, probably at the turn of this century, covered in Virginia creeper. Another feature was the thatched wall extending along the northern boundary of Mrs. Wickham's paddock.
Mr. Robert Copp of Ramsbury, son of a former keeper of Littlecote Estate, exhibited four photographs for this area. His grandmother, Mrs. Corley, was standing at the door of the cottage, on the corner opposite THE CHURCH in the first one and in the year 1930. Another was of him and his sister, Kath, now Mrs. Fidler of Ramsbury, at the cottage door; a third was of the Rectory with Mr. Corley standing at the corner of The Rectory in about 1930. Then Mr. Corley featured in a fourth photograph with Miss Bleeck's pony and trap and a couple of ladies sitting therein.
There was a panoramic view from Dr. Knight's collection taken from Rudge Road; it spanned the meadows behind the Vicarage; the Old Rectory; THE CHURCH and finally showed the lovely elm trees gracing the Bath Road.
A church choir photograph loaned by Mr. Edgar Dixon was the only one of its kind and caused a lot of interest. So much so, Revd. Swinnerton had a copy prepared and sent out to the relatives of a Mr. Fred Hobbs in Australia, after they had enquired in the Parish, for anyone who knew Mr. Hobbs. The Vicar also had 4 other photographs copied - 2 of The Green looking west and east; the old Blue Lion cottages with Bedwyn Hill and they are hanging on the south wall of THE CHURCH in one frame.
Four paintings of THE CHURCH were exhibited, the first loaned by Mrs. Violet Owen of Ramsbury. It was a beautiful watercolour painted by Mr. C. Low of Hungerford in 1894. Apparently, Mr. Low was a very talented artist and his paintings were hung 'in line' in the Tate Gallery, a position only afford to exhibitors of repute. Two more paintings were borrowed from Mr. Ted Dixon of Bedwyn Hill and Mr. Savage and looked very old but there was no indication of their age or who the artists were. The fourth painting was in oils, and the artist was a great uncle of Miss O'Grady, Captain Arthur Brookes. He completed the work in about 1900 and it was a view of THE CHURCH from Rudge Road with the gate and Church path as the focal point. The sunset behind THE CHURCH was remarkably captured in the background, while the foreground remained in
dark contrast.
Devizes Museum loaned a CHURCH AND SCHOOL photograph taken from Bedwyn Hill. Unfortunately, it was not dated but it must have been quite old as it showed part of a thatched wall behind the Manor. When this was pointed out to Mrs.Holledge, who owns The Manor, she said the remains of the foundations of a wall were found when a hedge, dividing their driveway in Littlecote Road from the adjoining field, was dug out. She believes the old wall continued westwards to form part of the boundary wall behind the Old Rectory garden, and possibly at one time the whole village was walled in.
THE SCHOOL:
School group photographs were very popular and there were 5 altogether. The oldest, or so it seemed, came from the Choules family who lived at Oakhill. Mrs. Mary Choules who subsequently lived at Wokingham died recently aged 88 years and this photograph was loaned by her daughter, Maisie; Mrs. Nell Johnson of Bath Road Cottages loaned one of the 1920's; Mr. Leslie Huntley formerly of Blue Lion but now of Ramsbury, one of 1925; Mrs. Mary Pike one of 1930 and Mrs. Vera Heath of Bath Road Cottages, one of 1953, Coronation Year, and believed to be taken about the time when THE SCHOOL closed.
CROSSKEYS COTTAGE/BEDWYN HILL/BATH ROAD:
CROSSKEYS COTTAGE:
Miss O'Grady and Mrs. Barbara Povey of Bath Road Cottages, loaned two similar photographs of CROSSKBYS COTTAGE. The caption reminded viewers that the property was reputed to be the half-way inn for weary travellers in the coaching days and another feature was the creeper or ivy-covered facade. This was a surprise to most people but it helped to give an indication of the period.
Mrs. Povey's postcard was exceptionally clear. It was a wonderful rural scene taken from the far side of the Bath Road. CROSSKEYS COTTAGE was in the middle background and in the foreground, horses were being led back to the farm from Marlborough Road; outside the shop at the far end of Mr. Charlie Naish's property was a man on horse back and, because the rider wore a black bowler, the assumption was that it was Mr. Naish! The old Police Station was on the left of the picture with a notice board displayed on its wall. The Constable at that time was probably Mr. Read. Two ladies stood outside the cottage in long black dresses with white aprons and Mrs. Gallagher remarked that when she stayed with her grandmother, while on holiday from Inkpen School, she visited the two ladies to buy home-made sweets and broken biscuits for one penny!
Mrs. Mary Pike's framed photograph of her old home, the bakery, was very good. On the front garden wall sat a little lad who apparently was her brother, Leslie Naish, aged about 5 years.
Another of Dr. Knight's panoramic views was taken outside CROSSKEYS COTTAGE and as well as including the bakery, Post Office and CROSSKEYS COTTAGE it showed an adjacent cottage where Mrs. Tucker (nee Florence Gilbey) lived and it was the only photograph in the exhibition which included it.
BEDWYN HILL (otherwise known as Brewhouse Hill)
Three photographs loaned by Miss Choules for this section were unique. Two were of the foundation-stone laying and Dedication Ceremonies of the little Methodist Chapel. Many people were standing in the hill on both occasions and apparently the Chapel was. built by Mr. Charlie Holmes of Hill House in 1909. The third photograph must have had some sort of flood lighting because, although rather pale and small in size, it was easily recognised as the inside of the Chapel decorated for a Harvest Festival Service. Jars of flowers stood on the windowsills and vegetables and fruit were displayed very tastefully. It must have been a tremendous photographic feat in those days.
The old school was another interesting feature in BEDWYN HILL. The three in the exhibition were loaned by Mrs. Doris Pike; Mrs. Reece and Mr. Samual Savage. Mrs. Pike's postcard showed a little boy standing outside the door of the school and also Mr.& Mrs. Dobson and Mr. George Burton's cottages, one of which was subsequently burnt down by German prisoners who occupied it, possibly in 1947 as the weather was so severe the fire hoses froze to the road from the bottom of the hill to the cottage.
Mrs. Reece's postcard of this area also showed the school with children standing outside. It also included the cottages on the right hand side where Mrs. Jasper Chapman and Mrs. Alfred Mildenhall lived and the vacant land below Mr. Burton's cottage on the left. However now a bungalow has been erected on that plot.
The third photograph loaned by Mr. Savage was an old one. It seemed to have been taken from high ground opposite the school that allowed a view of the Church over the roof on which a school bell could be seen. Another interesting item was the Vicarage site. The dwelling shown there was unlike the present construction and leads one to consider if an earlier messuage once stood there.
Another postcard from Mrs. Doris Pike was a view taken from the bottom of the hill and included not only the two cottages where the Mildenhalls and Raizeys lived but the only photograph submitted of Mr. Bob Lye's shop, the village shoe repairer. In the cellar under the shop Mrs. June Jordan, who owns this and other adjoining property, found a very large and heavy, wooden horse collar block. Other finds were some spurs, harness and a trade advertisement for tobacco. It was a large sign made of tin and it had a black cat painted on a yellow background.
Mrs. Jordan also found a truncheon purported to belong to a gamekeeper and a mortar shell case from the 1939 - 1945 War that was extracted from the back of the Methodist Chapel after it had closed for services and was then used by Mr. Ted Dixon, the adjoining occupier.
Seven more postcards in this section were views of the village from BEDWYN HILL. Mrs. Reece again loaned two; one was taken about 1923 in the garden of Hill House on the west side of the property, presumably next to the chalk pit, if it was there at that time. Now, of course, two bungalows have been built on the site of the old pit, Again it showed a thatched wall near the Manor which appeared to run west towards the centre of the village. The other postcard, again round about 1923, was taken from the meadow on top of the hill towards Manor Farm and it showed a new school and Memorial Cross in the churchyard.
Again Mrs. Ellen Dixon contributed to this section with a postcard about 1930 of the Green from BEDWYN HILL and it showed a barn on staddle-stones situate where the village hall now stands.
Mr. John Lane of Leatherhead, grandson of Mr. Harry Dixon of Ivy Cottage found a photograph taken by the Wiltshire Newspapers Ltd. from almost the same spot round about 1953 and this was placed beside the last one described to show the changes - village hall took the place of the barn; 'Sunnydene' now fills the gap and a different garage has appeared at the end of The Green.
A panoramic view by Dr. Knight was photographed from the top of the gardens behind the Bath Road Cottages. It spanned an area from the side of the last cottage and the beginning of the elm trees (along the roadside), right round to Mr. Naish's bakery.
Mr. Leonard Cooper, son of Mr. Albert Cooper of The Buildings, who lives at Great Bedwyn found a very old photograph reputed to be about 100 years. Again, there was no school; the barn was on the village hall plot and there was an abundance of thatched wall, again at the Manor; along Rudge Road from the corner of Mr. Harry Alexander's cottage garden at Number 22 to the Churchyard gate and again just past the Rectory and around the corner at the top.
Mrs. Ivy Dixon also loaned a postcard for BEDWYN HILL showing workmen carting chalk from the pit and tipping it on to the meadow opposite.
BATH ROAD:
Mrs. Reece had a postcard of the row of cottages along BATH ROAD which also showed Mr. Naish's bakery, the old Police Station and part of the yard at Manor Farm. It was pointed out at the exhibition that these cottages were thought to be
the stables for the horses in the coaching days when passengers put up at Crosskeys Inn.
The late Mrs. Morley's daughter, Mrs. Brenda Farr of Ramsbury, found three photographs of her old home, 34 Bath Road. Two were close-up shots. of the front and back of the thatched cottage before it became the village Post Office, possibly during the Noon family's occupation, and after the closure of Mr. Naish's establishment. The later snap was of the cottage when a new shop front had been erected and her parents had the shop and Post Office there. These three pictures presented a very good ‘before and after' selection.
LITTLECOTE:
As there was such a strong connection between Froxfield and LITTLECOTE as a good deal of the workforce lived in the village, it seemed natural to include a display board about the estate in the exhibition.
Mrs. Porter, the former Head Mistress of Chilton Foliat Church of England School, was most helpful, concerning the material and layout of the exhibition. She had completed an elaborate historical one on Chilton Foliat some time ago, when the school children, accompanied by a teacher, visited the elderly inhabitants in the village to collect information on its life and work, during the century.
She too used information about LITTLECOTE as Chilton, like Froxfield, was strongly linked with the estate, and for this section loaned three exhibits. The first was an interesting article from the Newbury Chronicle of 1911 on an exciting cricket match held at LITTLECOTE between the 'marrieds' and the 'singles'! The second was a script prepared by the pupils of Chilton School for their own exhibition hinting at a 'lost village of LITTLECOTE' many, many years ago and the third was an article from a newspaper about the time of the late Sir Ernest Wills' death in 1958 speculating on the future of the house and estate and suggesting that if it proved too costly to run, perhaps it could be let! Possibly it was at this time that the idea of opening the house to the public was contemplated.
Mrs. Gallagher produced a photograph of Sir Ernest Wills with river keepers on the Meggarnie Estate in Scotland apparently it was very rare that he was photographed and on this occasion he and his associates were just leaving on a salmon fishing trip.
Froxfield WI were featured in another photograph from Mrs. Gallagher. It was a gala event for Womens’ Institutes and all the ladies were standing outside the main door of Littlecote House and some, including Mrs. Gallagher were in fancy dress. She was attired in a long white dress, with picture hat and parasol - very elegant. Other Froxfield ladies recognised were Mrs. Hannah Stroud and her daughter Maggie and Mrs. Harry Alexander, Mrs. Gallagher's mother.
Apparently, another event which provided a topic of conversation for a long time afterwards was the wedding at LITTLECOTE before the First World War of the daughter of the Hirsch family, who occupied the house at that time. Mrs. Gallagher had nine photographs consisting of the orangery at LITTLECOTE decorated for the occasion; The Chapel where, apparently, the ceremony took place; the cake; the wedding breakfast; the wedding gifts; the bride and groom; a wedding group; guests outside Littlecote House and heather being handed out on the lawns to the estate workers one of whom was Mr. Harry Alexander. Mr. Seton Wills was surprised to see this collection and said that he still maintained contact with the Hirsch family through a Major Hirsch whom it is believed is a very elderly gentleman and he would tell him about these photographs.
Mr. Arthur Copp, one of the keepers on the Littlecote Estate in the thirties, whose mother-in-law was Mrs. Corley as mentioned earlier, appears in a photograph again loaned by Mrs. Rogers (formerly Mrs. Harrison), of keepers and beaters gathered at LITTLECOTE for a pheasant shoot. Along with him was Mr. Charlie Rosier, father of Mr. Leslie Rosier of Sunnydene; Mr. Jim Harrison and Mr.Reg Coldridge, the son of another keeper, Mr. Walter Coldridge who lived in one of the Bath Road cottages.
Another of Mr. Copp's photographs needed the aid of the magnifying glass to identify a herd of about 40 deer walking almost single-file across Littlecote Park in about 1937. He also found another photograph of a group of people at a clay-pigeon shoot at LITTLECOTE in the 30's and in the centre of the picture, with guns pointing towards the heavens, was Mr. Charlie Rosier and head keeper, Mr. MacLee. The winter weather of 1940 proved to be a never-to-be-forgotten freeze-up and Mr. Copp photographed Littlecote Park from two angles when the thaw was in full swing and flood water flowed through the park in a torrent.
Two other photographs from Mr. Copp were of his old home when his father was a keeper and their cottage was near the estate yard. One shot showed father drawing water from the well. Just before the American Servicemen left for home after the last War a Memorial Service was held outside in Littlecote Park in August 1944 and Mr. Copp loaned the Order of Service Sheet used that day.
Mrs. Mary Pike loaned a photograph of a Littlecote Football team which was very good as no doubt their achievements were, considering that they were sitting behind three trophies and boasted such names as George Rolfe of Chilton Foliat; Jack Rawlings and George Wells of Froxfield; Mr. Fey (senior) and Mr. Ernie Fey (Junior) of Chilton Foliat; Major Wills (Captain) and the like!
Mr. Ron Scott, the late Mr.& Mrs. Scott's son, who lived in a cottage at Oakhill, had a magnificent collection of 12 photographs all of the LITTLECOTE shire horses. From some of the background scenery they could have been photographed at Manor Farm, Froxfield as in one print part of a building ‘looked like the corner of The College (Somerset Hospital) at the west end. The photographs were such a unique set that they were given their own mount and all 12 displayed together.
Mrs. Kath Fidler loaned a small booklet called 'The Littlecote Story’ about its famous ghost!
THE MANOR:
Exhibits for THE MANOR came mainly from the Redman family, that is Miss Marjorie Knight and Miss Clodagh O'Grady. However there were three from Mr.& Mrs. Reg Holledge - a coloured photograph of a beautiful portrait of Mr. John Redman for whom THE MANOR was built in about 1849; a large framed photograph of the golden wedding celebrations of Mr.& Mrs. John Redman and a book written by Miss O'Grady on the history of the Redman family.
Miss Knight's collection for this section of the exhibition consisted of a clapper-board in very stout wood which belonged to her grandfather, Tom Redman, (and had his initials engraved on it); the family Bible; a very worn-out hand-written grocery book of Mrs. Tom Redman showing the prices of her purchases including postage stamps for a penny-ha'penny; and a newspaper cutting of Mr. Tom Redman's funeral in great detail.
Miss O'Grady allowed a photographic copy to be taken of two subscription lists showing a most interesting collection of parishioners names, one when her grandmother, Mrs. Tom Redman, retired from the post as organist, and choirmistress, after 16 years, and the other when Miss O'Grady's mother, Dorothy Redman, married. She also had a photograph of the Manor House looking north west across the paddock from the Littlecote Road.
To complete the Manor section Mrs. Mary Pike also had a photograph of the Manor House this time taken from the bottom of the driveway which used to proceed from the road through a white five-bar gate to the house. This entrance has been walled in for many years and the bus-stop shelter now stands in the recess where the gate used to be.
Quite an old drawing of a layout of pigsties for the Redmans was found in the strongroom of Messrs. Phelps & Lawrence, solicitors of Ramsbury. It must have been for erection at the farm not the Manor House!
THE COLLEGE:
This section's display was enough to fill a trestle table about 10' x 2½', and 10 picture postcards were received, & of which were photographed inside the quadrangle from various angles and were provided by Mr.& Mrs. Savage; Mrs. Mary Pike; Mr. Leslie Huntley; Mrs. Reece; Mrs. June Holledge and Devizes Museum. One was a view of the front when there was creeper on the facade and canopy blinds were over the windows. The Bath Road looked very uneven so that the photograph was most probably quite old. The pump was much in evidence in most of the prints (it is still there today but has a rosebush decorating it), in one view a lady is standing at a door dressed in a long skirt and a very ancient mode of bicycle stands under the archway at the entrance. Perhaps this gives a clue as to the age of the photograph. Croquet seems to have been played at one time on the lawns as a series of iron hoops are shown in another photograph.
Two framed coloured prints were loaned by Miss Imbert-Terry who lives in THE COLLEGE, and Mrs. Eliot-Cohen, a Trustee of THE COLLEGE, whose husband farms at Ramsbury. Miss Terry's print was a sketch of THE COLLEGE looking west and it showed Froxfield Church on very high ground in the background. It had a very different shape, but it may not have been an accurate drawing. Mrs. Eliot-Cohen's hand coloured print was sketched immediately in front of the entrance and the roof of the Chapel could be seen over the houses but at the western end of the quadrangle not where it is today. Mrs. Eliot-Cohen also loaned a book entitled Antiquarian Horology and in it appeared an article about the clock at THE COLLEGE.
Mrs. Porter also loaned a hand-written script of the inheritance of Sarah, Duchess of Somerset, prepared by the pupils at the time of their own exhibition at Chilton Foliat.
Old journals of the payments made to the residents and plans of the Chapel and houses were also found in Phelps & Lawrence's strongroom. The plans of the Chapel were beautifully drawn to scale and showed, in minute detail, the windows; ceiling; altar; the position of the pews inside and the pinnacles of the Chapel outside were also accurately defined.
There was also a plan of the original lay-out of the alms-houses and nearly every property had a surname written against it. There was even a small plan devoted to the design of the 'privies'! It is believed that all the Chapel plans were prepared when it was rebuilt and resited in 1813 (according to Revd. Barley's book on Old Froxfield).
One of the residents of THE COLLEGE, Miss Phyllis West, received a visit one day from a couple who claimed that their mother, now elderly, was evacuated to someone living in that particular house and they asked permission to look around. Afterwards the College lady received a letter from the mother giving a graphic description of the dwelling as she remembered it and the lack of services as we now know them. This made a very interesting exhibit.
The last mysterious article for THE COLLEGE was a very old Lease of woods at Froxfield for a term of 14 years at a rental of 26 per annum. It was dated 10th October 1811 and made between the Trustees of Somerset Hospital of the one part and William Merewether of the other part. No one seems to know who the parties were.
All these exhibits, together with very large framed engravings of the Duchess of Somerset and her husband Lord John Seymour borrowed from THE COLLEGE boardroom, and a book on the life of the Duchess, filled the display table very well and gave it pride of place in the village hail.
‘WHO'S WHO':
Trying to recognise faces and places proved to be a most enjoyable exercise at the exhibition!
Mrs. Choules; Mrs. Rogers and Mr. Peter Chapman provided between them the four postcards of charabanc outings. If not all the passengers or their destinations were known, in nearly every case the driver was recognised as either Mr. Frank Skippence of Froxfield Garage; his brother Mr. Arthur Skippence or Mr. Vic Heaver. Mr. Chapman could give most of the passengers' names in his postcard and they included those of Mr.& Mrs. Tom Alder; Mr.& Mrs. Jim Harrison; Mr.& Mrs. Arthur Copp and their children Robert and Kath; Mr.& Mrs. Charlie Rosier with Leslie and Enid; Mr.& Mrs. Joe Raizey with Jack and Peter; and Fred, Tom and Jack Alder.
Photographs of members of the older Froxfield families were also popular and these were supplied by the late Mr.& Mrs. Morley's youngest daughter, Mrs. Rita Brown; Miss O'Grady; Mrs. Gallagher; Miss Knight; Mr. Chapman; Mrs. Irene Nicholas; Mr. Michael Kington formerly of Blue Lion Cottages; Mrs. Violet Povey of The Limes; Mrs. June Jordan and Mr. Christopher Norris of 24 Froxfield, the late Jim Holmes’ son and Mr. John Lane. These included -
Little Rita Morley at about 8 years old standing: with Mr.Charlie Naish's daughter, Nan, in the Post Office garden amongst the flowers.
A splendid photograph of Mr. Jim Hedges, Mr. Tom Redman's keeper in typical keeper's dress of the early 1900's complete with cap, white beard, gaiters, gun. under the arm and two lovely labrador dogs sitting at his heels.
Mrs. Gallagher in fancy dress for a parade held on the Vicarage lawn in about 1930. It was enlarged into a print about 2' x 1'.
Mr.& Mrs. Harry Alexander standing in the garden of their cottage at No.22 Froxfield.
A mysterious photograph of a lady and boy entitled ‘Elizabeth Holmes and boy' and the location was believed to be at Oakhill although the exact position of the cottage could not be defined. She wore a long black dress with white apron and cap and the boy was dressed in dark jacket and trousers and cap all of which seemed to indicate the age of the picture.
Mrs. Ethel Raizey with her son Jack as a baby featured in another exhibit standing outside the cottage in Bedwyn Hill.
Another old photograph was Mrs. George Pike, Bill Pike's mother, taken in a long Victorian dress apparently before she was married and the photographer on this occasion was a Mr. Parry of Bridge Street, Hungerford. She appeared in another snap looking very much older, possibly in her eighties, standing outside her cottage door near the garage.
Found in Crosskeys Cottage was a group photograph of possibly all the Wells family, three could have been Reg, Arthur and Bob from the similarity in the features.
Two more were mounted together and entitled "The Likely Lads". One portrayed three boys, Mr. John Savage, Mr. Eric King standing beside a motorcycle on which sat the rider, Mr. Frank Farr who lived at Thistleland.
The other photograph was of Mr. Charlie Hunter who lived in the cottage once occupied by Mr. Bill Holmes now of Great Bedwyn.
The employees of Mr. Dudley James, who farmed Manor Farm, were easily recognised in two photographs as Mr. Leonard Stroud of Bath Road cottages; Mr. Tom Luker who lived at The Buildings; and Mr. Tom Hunter Charlie's father, of Bedwyn Hill.
Mr. John Lane's contribution for this section was a photograph of a Jersey cow flanked on either side by himself and a German prisoner of War. His second photograph was of Grandfather, Harry Dixon, standing outside Ivy Cottage behind a table laden with trophies won for athletics.
A group of males in another exhibit was a bit of a mystery because the date and venue were not known. The gentlemen consisted of Mr. Jock MacLintock of The Buildings; Mr. Leslie Naish; Mr. Jim Holmes; Mr. Leslie Rosier; Mr. George Wells and a little girl of about 5 years old. It looked like the Vicarage lawn so it may have been either during or after a village fete.
The next was a seaside outing with a difference. There was no charabanc but perhaps it was taken by a seaside photographer. It showed Mrs. Coldridge of Bath Road cottages with Mrs. Annie Holmes of Bedwyn Hill and her grandson, Christopher, Jim's son.
Last but by no means least for the individual section were two photographs of Mrs. Hannan Stroud. In one her companion was her daughter, Maggie and in the other Mrs. Ellen Dixon and her daughter, Moya, accompanied her and Maggie outside the cottage along Bath Road.
This was a treasured exhibit as mention was made in the caption that Mrs. Stroud was, in the ‘50's Froxfield's oldest inhabitant who lived to be almost 103 years, and her daughter, seen in the picture, is still alive today aged 96 years!
The only portrait exhibited was by Mrs. Peggy Wickham of Mr. Leslie Naish. This was perfect in every detail including his working cap. Some years ago it was exhibited in a Marlborough Artists' exhibition.
Froxfield weddings also featured in the exhibition and the three photographs submitted were provided by Mrs. Rita Brown; her sister Mrs. Brenda Farr and Mrs. Sylvia Webb, daughter of Mr. Tom Luker. The first wedding was, of Mr. Leonard Stroud's youngest daughter Iris when her bridesmaids were her sister, Nell; Dorothy Naish, Mr. Charlie Naish's daughter (now Mrs. Richardson) and Mrs. Rita Brown who was a very little girl.
The second wedding was of Miss Sylvia Norris (Mrs. Margaret Norris' daughter) who lived in the Council Houses opposite The Pelican. The bridesmaids were Mrs. Mary Pike; the brides nieces, Mrs. Susan Hedges (sister Irene's daughter) and Angela, (sister Win's daughter).
The third wedding was of Mrs. Sylvia Webb and it was a very pretty picture of father and daughter stepping through the archway at the gate looking towards the Church.
The final section of this 'Who's Who' board were all rural scenes. They really were beautiful. Mr. Mark Wickham, about 5 years old, was seen in one feeding geese in the paddock adjoining the Old Rectory about 1941. Mr. Charlie Mildenhall's son, Henry, who lived at Blue Lion cottages featured in another with Mr. Harry Alexander. They were in the field at the rear of the Council Houses and Henry was seated on a very old Ferguson tractor presumably owned by Mr. Savage. It was such a good likeness of Mr. Alexander.
Tree felling in Savernake Forest was the subject of another and showed Mr. Stan Holmes of Bedwyn Hill with Mr. Charlie May who, apparently, was killed in an accident by a falling tree despite brave attempts to rescue him.
The next one was entitled 'Lunch-break'. It was taken by a Newbury newspaper photographer who may have been passing at the time so it was extremely clear and almost three dimensional. The time of year was late autumn as there were very few leaves on the trees or any thickness to hedges and Littlecote Road seemed to be the venue. On the high grass verge beside the road-sat five men; Stan Holmes; Tom Alder, Jackie May; Charlie Mildenhall and Bill Holmes all eating their dinner from haversacks. Behind then were their horses either with ploughs or harrows and each had a nose-bag on. It was a most unusual scene in itself let alone providing yet another aspect of village life for the exhibition.
The second rural scene was called ‘Harvest Home’, A beautiful scene for the golden part of the year showing a lad who was Mr. Alec Cooper of Hungerford, Mr. Albert Cooper's son, with Mr. Charlie Mildenhall on a cart behind a patient horse laden with sheaves being loaded by Mr. Bill Holmes.
Again this appeared to be a professional photograph and was very clear and it was obviously a perfect summer day.
The last contribution, again by a newspaper photographer, was of rick-making. This time the obedient horse with his cart full of sheaves stood beside the rick while Mr. Jim Holmes fed the elevator. Again it looked such a hot sunny day by the sharp dark shadows that were cast.
‘WHAT'S WHAT!;
This small section catered for unusual miscellaneous articles owned by Froxfield inhabitants past and present and was quite unique.
Mr. Robert Copp found a food card of the 1914 War for butter and margarine which his mother had.
Miss O'Grady loaned a book called ‘Wiltshire Tithe Apportionments' including a page for Froxfield.
Mrs. Mary Pike had a framed illuminated address which had been presented to her father, Mr. Charlie Naish, on the occasion of his fiftieth year as Parish Clerk, presented by the Vicar for the time being and two Churchwardens, Relying on memory believe it to have been the 1950's.
She also had a very interesting article which was published in the Wiltshire Gazette & Herald weekend paper, a Swindon edition, entitled ‘Village Survival' when Froxfield was analysed in general and Mr. Naish in particular as he was then the oldest resident. In passing, it made reference to his delight at hearing the huntsman's horn and possibly this indicated that he rode with the hounds!
Mrs. June Holledge loaned a copy of an extract of Andrews and Dury's Map of Wiltshire of 1773 (Part 12) of Froxfield showing such areas as The Pelican House; Alms House; Oakell Mill and Oakell Down presumably the original spelling of what is known today as OAKHILL.
Mrs. Gallagher had kept her copies of old accounts of the village hall showing fund raising events and donations which all contributed to the purchase of the site, building of the hall and the running costs. In the early years subscriptions were collected by a member of the Village Hall committee. She also found a Mother's Union member's card dated April 1958 when Mrs. Charlie Rosier was President; and also six certificates awarded to her for various handicraft exhibits entered in county shows organised by the Wiltshire Federation of Womens’ Institutes in 1931, 1934, 1935 and 1938.
Mr. Chapman produced a unique framed certificate dated 1868 awarded to Mr. Thomas Holmes in recognition of his craft as a rickmaker, and it had a beautiful rural scene with ricks and farmland sketched on it. Apparently, Mr. Thomas Holmes was the father of Mr. Bill Holmes.
Likewise, Mr. Chris Holmes, great grandson of Mr. Thomas Holmes loaned an Agricultural Certificate dated 1912, this time presented to his grandfather Mr. Bill Holmes. Again it was very decorative. He also found a very old and ornate certificate of membership into the Ancient Order of Foresters (Crowood Court) of 1904 of Mr. Joseph Holmes, an ancestor. It was in colour and mounted on cardboard measuring about 3' x 2'. A very decorative exhibit. As well as two old exhibits he contributed two very unusual ones, an illustrated address presented to his father, Jim Holmes, from Froxfield's ‘Welcome Home' Committee at the end of the War, and it was Signed by their Chairman, Frank Skippence, and the other was a 'Liberation of Norway' citation which had belonged to Jim Holmes. One of the visitors to the exhibition did not know until that day that the Norwegians recognised the occasion in this way, so presumably the exhibition was educational as well as entertaining.
Mrs. Porter's contribution for this section was a pupil's hand-written script about a character callad Roger Fisher who lived in Froxfield in 1755. The story describes the terrible consequences which followed when he was found guilty of stealing a faggot of wood:
Mrs. Ellen Dixon unearthed a very frail wall calendar for 1916 issued by Mr. Savage to advertise his emporium. It had very colourful cameos of the heads of state of each of our allies in the First World War.
Revd. Swinnertom loaned a copy of the Marlborough Times' Report on the re-opening ceremony following the restoration of the Church in 1892. It. even printed the entire sermon of the Bishop of Salisbury who rededicated the Church.
RUDGE:
A small corner of one of the boards was devoted to this area for four exhibits submitted.
Revd.Swinnerton had a very good photograph of Ven Der Gocht's engraving of The Froxfield Mosaic and Rudge Cup. The mosaic is thought to represent CADMUS striking the serpent. The pavement and cup were discovered at Rudge in 1725.
Miss O'Grady wanted so much to obtain a replica of the Rudge Cup for the exhibition and wrote to the Northumberland Estates who manage the affairs of Alnwick Castle the seat of the Duke of Northumberland into whose family the cup passed in 1750. She was unlucky but a coloured photograph and articles were sent instead to Miss O'Grady which gave a good idea of its design and history.
Mr. Copp, who once lived at Scrope Farm, had a photograph probably a rare one, of Rudge Manor which was owned by the Wills Family but demolished many years. ago. The picture was rather old but the property looked quite picturesque with lattice windows.
The widow of Mr. Tom Gore who farmed Knighton Farm still lives in Ramsbury and is in her late 80's. She very kindly loaned a watercolour painted of Rudge Manor Farmhouse where she lived as a child with her parents Mr.& Mrs. Richens. It was very well done and she and her sister were sitting on a beautiful lawn in quaint old “fashioned dressed. The painting is thought to be 86 years old.
Another most interesting feature of the exhibition came from the Wiltshire Library & Museum Service at County Hall, Trowbridge. Besides extracts from the Ordnance Survey Maps the Archivist copied and were used on the boards he supplied photographic copies of Kelly's Trade directories. These were invaluable and gave very exact information about the village and its inhabitants that would have been almost impossible to trace anywhere else. There were four issued for the years 1867; 1895; 1915 and 1935.
The old records read:
"Froxfield is a straggling parish in the Southern division of the county; hundred of Kinwarstone; Hungerford union and county court district; diocese of Salisbury; archdeaconry of Wilts and rural deanery of Marlborough. 2¾ miles west-by-south from Hungerford; 64 from London and 7 east from Marlborough and situate on the Bath Road. On an eminence, west of the village, is the Parish Church of All Saints, a brick building, with low tile roof, and wooden belfry and two bells. ‘The register dates from 1519. The living is a vicarage; yearly value £120; in the gift of the Dean and Canons of Windsor and held by the Revd. T.G.P.Atwood of Pembroke College, Oxford who is also the officiating minister at the Hospital.
Froxfield is most notable for the Alsmhouses, or Somerset Hospital, founded in 1686 by Sarah, Duchess Dowager of Somerset, who bequeathed landed and other property for its erection, and for the maintenance of 30 widows; 20 apartments were added to the building in 1773, and the revenues having since increased enabled the trustees to afford asylum, with an allowance of 236 p.a. to 50 widows; the building is an oblong quadrangle, with a small chapel within it, erected by Thomas, the late Earl of Aylesbury, the minister of which has an annual stipend of £60; 30 widows of laymen, and 20 widows of clergymen from different parts of England, within 150 miles of London, are eligible to this munificent charity; the trustees, 12 in number, chosen from the nobility of gentry of the country, nominate the steward, chaplain, etc. of the establishment. The Marquis of Aylesbury is lord of the manor. The principal land owners are the Marquis of Aylesbury and Francis Leyborne Popham, Esq. The soil is gravel; subsoil flinty. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. ‘The area is 2,214 acres and the population in 1861 was 590. Hughditch, Oakhill and Rudge were tithings of Froxfield.
The Parish Clerk, Aaron Brown. The carrier between Hungerford and Marlborough passes through daily. Post Office; Samuel Savage, receiver. Letters arrived by ‘foot post' from Hungerford at 7.20 a.m. and dispatched at 6.30 p.m.
The nearest money order office is at Hungerford.
Somerset Hospital:
Steward: Thomas B. Merriman Esq., Marlborough
Chaplain: Revd. William Bleeck, Huish
Officiating Minister: Revd. Thomas G.P. Atwood, Froxfield
Surgeon: Richard Hemsted Barker, Hungerford
List of professional and commercial residents:
Revd. Thomas G.P. Atwood (Vicar)
Revd. Thomas Phelps M.A. (Curate)
John Redman, Esq.
Miss Thomas
Misses Todd
Frederick Baverstock, farmer, Rudge
Edward Howard Beard, Pelican
William Canning, farmer, Oakhill
Richard Coombes, saddler & harness maker
Joseph Drury, farmer
John Francis, carpenter
William Clark Godding, builder
John Humphries, blacksmith
William Lewis, farmer, Rudge
William Nash, bricklayer/shopkeeper
Elisha Oliver, carrier
John Piggott, farmer, Harrow Farm
John Redman, farmer
Samuel Savage, grocer/draper/postmaster
Isaac Shier, farmer, Rudge
Mark Whale, farmer, Rudge
Charles Withers, shoemaker
Henry Withers, shoe maker. ”
The second directory extract for the year 1895, 28 years on, altered slightly. The goegraphical location now mentioned that the Kennet & Avon Canal passed through; it added the fact that the Church seated 150, and the gross yearly value of the living had increased from £120 to £246, net figure, £230, with the 51 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Dean and Canons of Windsor, was held since 1880 by the Revd. Robert Canning Stiles, M.A. of Brasenose College, Oxford who incidentally was the great-uncle of Mr. Stiles of hisbury who is one of the members of Friends of All Saints present committee. The population count taken in 1891 was down by 200 to 390 in 20 years. The Parish Clerk was now Mr. John Humphries whereas in the last directory a man of the same name was then a blacksmith.
Somerset Hospital:
The Chaplain is now Revd. R.C. Stiles
Officiating Minister, Revd. H.F. Grove M.A.,
Medical officer took the place of surgeon and was J.B. Maurice, M.D., Marlborough
Steward: E.B. rather than ?.B. Merriman, Marlborough
William Naish was now sub-postmaster and postal orders could now be issued by him but not paid. Somerset Hospital boasted a wall letter-box which was cleared twice a day weekdays and once on Sundays.
A Parochial School (mixed) is mentioned as being rebuilt in 1885 for 60 children; average attendance 45; and the schoolmaster was Mr. George Capener. The carrier between Hungerford and Marlborough visited twice a week and Mr. Holmes a carrier to Hungerford did so four times a week. As far as the residents were concerned the list varied as follows:
Mrs. William Bleeck now lived in the Rectory House; a Mr Henry Chaplin at Rudge and Revd. Robert Canning Stiles was now the Vicar.
The commercial residents list showed that Mrs. Elizabeth Beard was at the Pelican Public House; Matthew Brooks farmed at Oakhill; William Chamberlaida and George Cox farmed at Rudge; Charles Holmes was the carrier while Edward Holmes was a bricklayer.
It was also confirmed that John Humphries was the Parish Clerk as well as a blacksmith. There was also an Alfred Piggot who farmed at Rudge whereas the last directory stated that a 'John Piggott' farmed Harrow Farm. This time too Edmund Wise appeared as saddler and harness maker.
The third Kelly's directory was issued in 1915 and the variations in the opening description appear to be that the seating in Church has now been reduced to 130 from50 (perhaps due to its restoration plans); the value of the living was now only £238 and had been held since 1909 by Revd. Willie Gulliford B.A. of London and Durham Universities. The population count in 1911 had fallen by 102 to 288 from 380 in 20 years and for the first time a sexton seems to have been appointed namely Charles Naish.
Somerset Hospital details remain very similar except that Revd. Gulliford is also chaplain as well as Vicar of the Parish; the Medical officer was now W.T. instead of J.B. Maurice; steward was Llewellyn Gwillim of Marlborough and the porter was Charles George Hatter. Froxfield Post Office was now run by Mrs. William Naish and progress had been made in the delivery of letters which now arrived by cycle twice a day and was collected in the same way twice daily in the week with one delivery and one collection on Sundays. As well as postal arrangements for the village and the College wall letter-box Harrow Farm now had a delivery and collection per day.
The village school had evidently moved from Bedwyn Hill to its new building in Rudge Road with Miss Catherine Holmes mistress for 74 children.
The Carrier's cart still operated but now under the auspices of Mr. Harry Naish. For the first time the village policeman was named and he was P.C. Charles Hicks.
The list of residents now revealed that only the Misses Bleeck resided at The Rectory; a Miss Frogley appeared at Rudge Manor House; Sidney Frederick Beard now seems to be the cartage contractor; Abel William Goddard now farms Manor Farm instead of Thomas Redman and Walter Lawrence had arrived at Rudge. The entry against Charles Naish describes him as sexton, bricklayer and baker and Harry Naish is a carpenter; Harry New became the farmer at Oakhill and Oakes Bros. had moved in as blacksmiths.
The last directory entries were dated 1935. The introduction followed the same pattern as before with the exception that the value of the’ living had now increased from £238 to £350 and had been held since 1931 by the Revd. Alfred George Barley.
Mention is now made of the Methodist Chapel erected in 1909. The population recorded in 1931 was by now 307 an increase of 19 since the last count. 20 years previous. The Chaplain of Somerset Hospital was Revd. Barley and its steward was now Mr. F.K.R. Long of Marlborough instead of Mr. Gwillin.
The residents list had a few Changes with, of course, Revd. Barley at the Vicarage; Michael Whally Wickham at the Old Rectory and Mrs.de Winton Wills at The Manor. Messrs. McLaren Roberts & Goddard motor engineers occupied the Golden Arrow Garage; Edward King was now the farmer at Oakhill; George Edward Lye was saddler; Sidney Beard was at the Pelican Inn; E.A. Skippence & Sons had moved into the garage and George Wilson farmed Rudge Manor and Scrope Farms.
Since the 'Old Froxfield' exhibition Miss M.Bird, the sister of the late Revd. Percy Bird, Vicar of Froxfield and Rector of Chilton Foliat prior to Revd. Swinnerton, found in the loft of the bungalow she occupies in Ramsbury papers thought to have belonged to Revd. Alfred Barley. Possibly each Incumbent had these papers passed on to him for safe custody. They have been given to Devizes Museum and consist of old handwritten manuscript articles, references, letters to Libraries, prints, newspaper cuttings etc. mostly connected with the 'Old Froxfield' publication in 1935.
See also:
- Moya Dixon's Photo Gallery - 220 early photos of Hungerford and Froxfield.
The Canal Wharf, 2011