Colin Shirley Letters.htm

p1) We were very pleased to get your interesting letter with your good wishes for the new year, we send our best wishes to you and your family.

I hope you are having better weather than we are, it seems to be nothing but rain, but it is not cold. We had about 3” of snow a fortnight before Christmas but it only lasted two days. We often see snow on the tops of the hills. We are in a valley. “The Great Glen” with hills on each side. The Caledonian Canal runs through the village, a lot of fishing boats go through and in the summer a lot of yachts. It is very busy here in the summer but quiet in the winter.

p2) cI have a leaflet of the Coronation Fete of June 27 1902. I will enclose it in case you are interested. When I first remember a Mr Griffin lived in the house on the corner opposite the Chapel. I think he might be the one whose name is on the leaflet, but I don’t know which the field was.

p4) We are always interested to hear news of Cropredy. We hear from Mrs Storrie (1.Wedgewood) occasionally and Mrs Underdown (2. Mrs Underdown Snr. at Woodview in 1979. Mr & Mrs L. Underdown at Creampot Cottage). We were sorry to hear about Mrs Bartlett (3. Ashlawn) and hope she is getting on alright now. We hope your back will improve too. Helen had a fall at the end of September. We had been to a friends to tea and coming out of the door she tripped and fell down two steps. She broke a bone in her right wrist and cracked a bone in her left leg, she was in bed for five or six weeks, but is well now though her wrist is still weak. The ulcer on her leg is almost healed. Now I will stop. I hope you can read my writing. I shall be pleased if you can tell me anything about my ancestors especially if it is anything to their credit. Yours truly

[Subjects covered] Grandparents. Wilscote School. Father and John Shirley. Bullets from Cropredy Battle. 1902 coronation fete. Brands and Bortons in Monkeytree House. Stone stile and owls. Encroachments on verges.

p1) Thank you very much for your two letters and all the enclosed records. It was very good of you to go to all the trouble of copying them out. They are very interesting. I had heard some of the field names before but a lot of them are quite new to me.

p4) Now I will stop. I hope this will be of interest to you. We will be pleased to hear from you and I will be pleased to tell you anything else you would like to know if I can. Thanking you again for the trouble you have taken. With our best regards.

[Subjects covered] Wm Shirley, shoemaker. Stephen Shirley, Plumbs and Dews. Gardners: Plumbers. Old yard. Oxhay and Bourton Allotments. Elkington Old Yard.

p1) We were pleased to get your letter, thank you for your good wishes. We hope you will all have a happy and healthy New Year too. We are interested to hear that you are still delving into Cropredy’s past. It almost makes me wish I was back to hear more of it. I wish now that I had asked more questions when I was young (although I was always told I was always asking questions), but when you are young you are not so interested in the past as you are when you get older. At least I was not.

Tell Luke that we are right in the middle of Prince Charlie country here. There is a Benedictine Monastery here on the site of the old fort that was captured by the Highlanders during the 45 rebellion, parts of the fort are built into the monastery. A few miles from here, up Glen Moriston, there is a cairn at the roadside to commemorate a man McKenzie who was killed there after Colloden when they were searching for the Prince. He resembled Prince Charlie and was captured there, and led them to believe he was the Prince and was killed there. Now I had better get back to Cropredy. I have often wondered how Creampot Lane got its name; it sounds as though it was anything but a Creampot at one time.

p3) We don’t get Carol singers round here, there was a midnight service on Christmas eve, the church was full. The Church of Scotland is only 50 yds from our house. There is only one bell. They have chimes at the Roman Catholic Abbey, but we seldom hear them here except when the wind is right.

We had a letter from Mrs Storrie this week but we never hear from Jennie although we saw plenty of her when we were there. If you have occasion to write again we would be interested to hear if there is anyone in the houses that were built in Whitaker’s orchard (4. Then part of Poplar Farm, now built on). My niece who lives near Carlisle was on holiday with friends at Farthinghoe last summer, she was in Cropredy one day and Mr Coles let her see the changes he had made in our old home.

p4) Cropredy is getting up to date with road signs. We get the Banbury Guardian from a friend, in the one we got today we saw the report of an accident to someone whose address was 16 Claydon Lane, Cropredy, also a burglary at Blackwood, Cropredy. I can guess where Claydon Lane is, but wonder where Blackwood is [Near the school]. I didn’t hear from Mr Plumb. I will stop now and fill your gravestone forms. We are always pleased to get your very interesting letters. My writing doesn’t improve either.

P.S. I have just got out an old family Bible that has some of the particulars you wanted in it. Written on the fly leaf is “Ann Golby/ Cropredy” and “John Golby died April 10 1861” they may have been my uncles grandparents.

Thank you for your letter and your fresh information. You are going to a lot of trouble over my ancestors.

I think I have answered all your queries that I can so I will stop. My wife sends her regards. We hope you are all well, there is a lot of flu here but we have all escaped so far. Yours truly

[Subjects] Shirleys. Godsons. Gardners and Jenning.s Gardner’s field, stable, wall and hedge round Chapel Green. Townsends. John Smith and P.O. P.O next to Monkeytree, pigsties, well, garage, fence and Green’s pigs. Mr Stevens. Hawkes , Plumbs and Shirley.

p1) We were pleased to get your interesting letter and to get the news about Cropredy. We hope you are all keeping well, as we are. We have had a cold spell the last week or so, one or two very sharp frosts and a covering of snow has gone now except on the hilltops. We had a lovely summer but no shortage of water. Our water comes from a loch up in the hills, Loch Tarf. Tarf is the Gaelic for Bull, according to legend most of the lochs contained water bulls or water horses in the past. The canal here is closed at present for repairs. I suppose the canal at Cropredy is open again. I never saw it empty except for repairs. Clattercote Pool was almost empty once in the 1940’s.

It must have been very interesting for you indexing the stones in the churchyard. I always think what a shame it is when these old things are done away with, but some people want everything modern and have no time for anything old.

What a comparison between the old churches and buildings and the modern concrete monstrosities. Mentioning tombstones. We went to see my sister in October. She p2) lives at Gt. Salkeld about 16 miles from Carlisle, I saw an unusual tombstone in the churchyard there, it was just like a big table in stone, it stood about 2’6” to 3’ high on 4 turned stone legs, I had never seen one like it before. It is all red sandstone near there. There are also some standing stones near there called “Long Meg and her daughters.”

I know the Gertrude Pettifer you met, she is a Mrs Mold. A sister of hers was Mr Sam Hollis’ mother (5. For Pettifer family see Book 3 The Pettifers of Creampot Lane).

The John Allitt you mention was a butcher. I heard my father say he worked for him as a boy. I think his shop was in the buildings between Mr Rolph’s and Mr Clifford Lambert’s yard doors. I have heard it said that he had the church rooms built and given to the village.

When I first remember Daniel Wells, the hurdle maker, he lived in the nearer of the two [tide] cottages at the bottom of Creampot lane, and my uncle John Shirley lived in the other one. I don’t remember anyone called Gilbert in Cropredy [basket maker on the Green]. I have heard my father and uncle talk of Major Slack but I am not sure where he lived [Andrew’s Farm House, then on the Green].

p3) We had a letter from Mrs Townsend (6. Mrs Townsend of 15 Red Lion Street) about a week ago. We hear that Mr & Mrs Albert Bradley (7. Wharf House by the Oxford canal) are leaving Cropredy, also Mr Turnock.(8.The Turnocks kept the grocer’s shop on the south side of the Green). Has Mr Bartlett sold his house yet? (9. Bartlett’s of Ashlawn, sold to Cullimore’s from Oathill Farm. Mrs Cullimore sold to Tapleys). There seems to be a lot of changes going on. We never hear from Jenny. I expect she is busy with her riding school. We hear occasionally from Mrs Underdown, Mrs Storrie and Mrs Godson (10. Mrs Godson lived in The Bungalow, Plantation Road).

It is very quiet here in the winter but very busy in the summer, full of visitors of all nationalitees and dozens of yachts and launches going through the canal. Now I had better stop and go to post. Wishing you all a Very Happy Christmas and New Year from us both.

p1) We were very pleased to get your letter and to hear news of Cropredy. We are always interested in news of the village. We hear occasionally from Mrs Underdown senr , so she gives us some. Mr & Mrs Underdown junr called on us in the summer. They were on a camping holiday in Scotland so they told us a lot of the village news, of course after they were gone we kept thinking of more things we wanted to ask.

You will miss Mr & Mrs Storrie. My sister called and saw them in the summer, they were thinking of moving then, but I don’t think anything was settled then. Now I will answer your questions:

p4) When you are young you are not interested in these sort of things and when you get older and are, there is no-one to ask that knows. I wish there was a group like you have started when we were there.

Jenny seems to have forgotten us though we were quite useful to her when we were at Cropredy, we have heard from her once since we came here, she promised then to send us a snap of the girls, but they will have altered since she promised it. I don’t surpose we will ever get it. We were pleased to hear your family are getting on so well. Luke would be excited finding the axe head, perhaps it was a relic of the battle.

p5) We are having quite mild weather just now. We had a lot of rain in the autumn and two or three light falls of snow in November, we can still see snow on the hills in the distance.

We are both keeping very well and getting about. I still do some jobs, some friends have moved into a house close to and I have been down there several days putting in cupboards etc. Then in Sept some more friends moved from here to Inverness, they were in a hurry to get their house in Inverness ready (2 nights) as he was going abroad o work so I was down there helping them getting home here at 1.30 in the morning. Now I had better stop. Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a good New Year.

[Subjects] Exservice Mens’ Hall. Library and lectures. Village Club. Old Yard. Brass bell.

p1) We were very pleased to get your interesting letter at Christmas. I am sorry I have been so long in answering it. You seem to have had snow at Christmas, but we didn’t. We had 2” to 3” in November but it was all gone in two or three days. We didn’t have any more until New Years Day and we haven’t been without it since, with hard frosts. Twice we had about 9”. It thaws a bit and then comes more. I hope we will soon finish with it.

We were sorry to hear about Jenny, we had heard they had parted. What was the matter with her leg? We always liked Jenny she came along to us a lot. We heard from her once after we left Cropredy but that was all.

We were glad to hear you are keeping better. We had a rather disturbed year last year. I went into hospital in Inverness late in March for a hernia operation, expecting to be 10 days, instead I was in 26. The wound was a bit inflamed and they wouldn’t let me out. I felt as well as anything and was up and about all the time. It was really quite interesting in there. Then in June Helen tripped and fell in the house and broke her leg above the knee, she was in hospital about six weeks. She was just beginning to get about fairly well when she had lumbago and when that got a bit better she had her foot bad, it still is, so she is still using the walking aid. One of the days she was in hospital I was waiting in Inverness for the bus up to the hospital when another man came to wait for the bus. I thought he was a man who used to live at Gt. Bourton, but thought it can’t be. However I spoke to him and it was. He and his wife were on holiday in Elgen and she had a stroke and was in the same hospital as Helen, but another ward. She wasn’t too bad and was able to travel back to Banbury where they live now.

p2) I never heard of Raven’s well or Ramsbaulk (11. Ramsbaulk an old furlong just east of Cropredy Lawn Farm). I wish there had been a History Group when we were at Cropredy, but there didn’t seem to be anyone interested in anything like that. I have always been told that I am always asking questions but I wish now that I had asked more while there were people who could answer them. When you are young these things don’t interest you the same as they do when you are older and then there is no one to tell you.

The Mr Laver you mentioned who died suddenly was that the one who married Mr Cole’s sister?(12. Mr F.C.M.Laver, Church Lane (north side). He married Mr Bernard Cole’s sister). I knew him and his brother. They used to live at Williamscote House when Gen. Courage lived there. We hear from Mrs Storrie occasionally. Now I had better stop. Hoping you all keep well throughout 1979.

p1) Thank you very much for sending me the account of the History Group meeting (13. Thomas Bradley and S.Roland Cherry talk 15 Jany 1980). We were both very interested in reading it, in fact I have read it three or four times. What a job you must have had copying it out. I am always interested to hear anything of old times in Cropredy.

p3) I remember the manoeuvres that were mentioned that was in 1912 or1913, they were all round the district. I think that King George 5^th reviewed some of the troops at Eydon. I remember too seeing an airship going over at that time. It was a brown one. I think it was called the Delta, but I never remember ever hearing of any German Zeppelins being seen in the area. I think it was at night they came over, we used to see searchlights somewhere the other side of Banbury.

We have had a very good winter, three lots of snow, the most only an inch, very little rain and some lovely sunny days, the last two or three days have been rather dull and colder.

Remember me to Eric Prescott if you see him he often used to come to the workshop p4) when I was working. They used to come to Scotland on camping holidays. I remember him telling me they had been camping at Invergarry, that’s only seven miles from here. Do you ever hear anything of Bishop Loveday’s nephew? The Mr Loveday that was at Williamscote House for a time before it was sold. We had a postcard from him from north of the Arctic Circle since we came here, it was forwarded from Cropredy, but we have heard nothing from him since. Do you see or hear anything of Jenny now? You say your writing is not copper plate, what about mine. I wish it was better, and I have no excuse of arthritis either. Now I had better stop. Hoping you are all keeping well, we are both well.

[Subjects] Apprenticeship and conditions. Bathurst Charity. Mr Bradley. Mr Lambert’s wages and wagons. Arnold’s book. Wagon hovel.

p1) We were very pleased to get your letter and card, and to get some Cropredy news. I would like a copy of Roland’s Memoirs, if you will let me know how much the paper back is I will send it. Did you know his younger brother who lived in Banbury died early in November? I used to hear from him regularly. I shall miss his letters very much.

p6) You mention the Navigation Inn in your letter I had never heard of it before. Where was it? (14. The coal wharf on the north side of the Williamscote Road). I am afraid I can’t tell you anything about the Church gates. They were the same all the time I remember. I have often wondered what the two arched recesses were for in the inside of the wall of the south aisle. We used to sit by them and I often wondered why they were there. There was also a narrow arched opening built up in the wall above the back of the pulpit. I wondered if that was to get to the Rood loft when there was one there. [Yes]. Now I am asking you questions.

There seems to have been a lot of illness and mishaps in Cropredy. I am glad to say p7) we are both keeping very well. We heard of Mr Cole’s death (15. In 1979 Mr & Mrs A.Bernard & Gladys Cole sold the Old Yard (they had renamed The Hollies) and built a bungalow, Eastways Drive, at the west end of the garden. Mr Cole died 1980). He didn’t enjoy the bungalow very long. Is the bungalow at the top of the garden? [Yes] and is our old home still a guest House? [No]. Do you ever hear anything of Jennie now? We had a white Christmas but only enough snow to cover the ground and it has gone now. We have had a lot of rain this winter. Now I will stop. Hoping you are all well and Wishing you a Good New Year. We are always pleased to hear from you.

[Subjects] Woodyard, Sumner and Neal and staff. Sawpit tale and Claydon road tree (see also L.13) Blacksmiths and George King and teeth.

p1) Thank you very much for your interesting letter and transcript. We were both very interested in reading them. Incidentally we never heard from the Storries this Christmas, that is the first time we haven’t heard since we left Cropredy.

I can’t just remember what the corner opposite Annismore gate was like before it was altered. I think it was only made less sharp (16. Going north up Claydon Rd Annismore gate is on the right past the drive to Lambert’s Barn. Start of old road to Boddington).

p3) I can hardly think that the recesses in the south wall of the church were windows, if so the ground inside and out must have been much lower at one time, though I have noticed that the churchyard of a few churches round the district seem to be higher than the ground round them.

We were sorry to hear of Jennie’s troubles, but we weren’t surprised. We were very fond of Jenny. Susie was often along with us she was a nice little thing. Remember us to Jenny when you see her.

p4) I can remember the election posters Roland spoke of, there was one on the wall of the house Bob Jones lives in,(17. 4 Copes Cottages, Station Road) the remains of it was there for years. There was a loaf of bread on a shelf and a hand reaching out to take it. Free Trade or Protection was the issue at that election. That was the Conservative committee rooms then.

p5) I think the Scottish student that was at Prescote in Mr Bradley’s time was named Robinson. (18.Prescote Manor took farming students).

Now I had better stop before I think of any more tales. Thank you for the stamps but you should not have sent them.

[Subjects] Blacksmiths at Monkeytree and orchard hedge. Miss West and army hay. Louis Lambert’s tale. Pinniger’s Sunday joint.

p1) Thank you very much for sending me the book. I was very pleased to get it and very interested reading it. I would like to keep it. I will enclose P.O’s (19. An Oxfordshire Gentleman by Roland Cherry (out of print). A copy was deposited in Oxford Reference Library, Local History Floor).

p3) I wish there was a group like you have now when we were in Cropredy, there was nothing like that then. We were sorry to hear about Mrs Adkins we hope she will go on alright (20. 3 Chapel Row). Are the Quants still next to the Chapel?(21. The Homestead, 1 Chapel Row. Mr & Mrs H.B.Quant there until early 1983?). I don’t think I told you that Sue and Rob Cherry called to see us last summer. We were pleased to see them and get the Cropredy news. Do you ever hear anything of Jenny now? Is Mrs Godson still in Cropredy?(22. Yes Marie Godson nee Askew (1892-1988). We usually heard from her at Christmas but we didn’t hear last year. We were pleased today we had a little rain. We have had it very dry for weeks and weeks the heaviest rain has only been very light showers, the ground is very dry, when you had had the heavy snow last month we had none at all, we had very little snow all winter.

We had some excitement here last Wednesday the school p4) is just over the fence at the back of our houses and there is a big playing field. There was a naval helicopter landing commandos, they were sliding down from it down a cable. There are quite a few visitors about already and a lot of cabin cruisers and yachts going through. I see you can hire a boat now on Loch Ness, fitted with all the latest sonar and underwater television equipment to look for the monster, its only £400 for a week. I don’t think I’ll hire it.

[Subjects] Roland’s book. Furniture and London. Wine cellar tale. Bier’s wheels.

p1) I am sorry to have been so long in answering your card at Christmas. We have had a very busy time. My wife has been laid up with phlebitis she is still not clear of it, but it is improving, so I am busy with housework and cooking etc. On top of that we had the extreme weather. We did not have much snow here but extreme frosts. We had three bursts in the bathroom, one we could see and mended and then another two in a pipe behind the bath, so that meant having the bath out and taking the bath panel and a cupboard out to get at it. Fortunately a friend who was a plumber lives next door but one and he repaired it for us, he did well, he is 85. I have been waiting for it to dry p2) out before I put the panel etc back. I hope to start on it next week.

I am afraid I can’t help you with the man in Australia. I seem to remember the name George Golby but I don’t know who he was (23. George Golby). When I first remember there was a widow Mrs French (I seem to remember hearing her spoken of as Mrs Sam French) living in the row of cottages by the Plantations. p3) There was also another Mrs Fench a widow living in Chapel Row in the cottage Mr Handley made into a Garage [No.6]

p4) There was a Will (wagoner) French lived in one of the row where Miss Leman lives, (24. Miss Dorothy Leman, 3 Station Cottages). I don’t think he was married. I never heard of him having any relations.

How is Miss Leman? I called to see her before we left but couldn’t make her hear. Do you hear anything of Jenny? Remember us to her if you see her. We were very sorry to hear about Mrs Adkins. Now I will stop I am sorry I can’t help you more. Hoping you are all well

A Christmas card arrived in 1982 signed only by C.Shirley It had been too difficult to ask Mr Shirley how his wife had died. Their nephew John Taylor wrote in May 2002 that Helen passed away on the 17^th of June 1982. From her death certificate the causes of death were – “Coronary thrombosis, arterio sclerosis and congestive cardiac failure.” Colin and Helen have a Grave stone in the new Cemetery at Fort Augustus. They attended the Church of Scotland in Fort Augustus.

p1) I was very pleased to get your letter and sketch of my old home [Fig 1, page 3]. I see the pear tree is still there. I wonder if the holly bush is still opposite the door, it always had a lot of blossom but never any berries. The big tree up the garden used to be full of berries and looked lovely.

p4) I would like to read Mrs Basset’s and Mrs Mold’s talks (25. Mrs Eddie Bassett nee Tasker and Mrs Gertrude Mold nee Pettifer’s talk 20^th April 1983). I saw in the Banbury Guardian that they had been giving talks. I get the Guardian every week there are often houses for sale in Cropredy, some I recognise and some I can’t place at all. p5) There was one in the Guardian I thought looked like the one next to you where the Bartletts lived (9. Bartlett’s of Ashlawn, sold to Cullimore’s from Oathill Farm. Mrs Cullimore sold to Tapleys). It is a job to tell when it just shows the house and no surroundings.

We had a very dry summer, but not hot all the time, we had very cool winds at times, October was very wet but it has been quite good since, quite mild at times. There was snow on the tops of the hills yesterday but it has gone today. I am glad to say I am keeping very well. I do every thing myself. I still do some woodwork. I have made a copy of a sixteenth century joint stool for a friend for Christmas. I was at my sisters near Carlisle in June, my nephew suggested going to Cropredy for the day but I thought it too far for one day 260 miles each way. You will be sorry to hear my sister lost her husband quite suddenly last January, he had suffered with his heart for some p6) years. Do you hear anything of Jenny Whittaker? Remember me to her if you do, I often think of her. Now I will stop. Hoping you are all well and that you can read my poor writing.

[Subjects] Old Yard Holly trees. Straightening Claydon road. Hovels in Prescote. Acacia tree.

p1) Thank you very much for the copy of Mrs Bassett’s talk, but when I said I would like it I didn’t realise you would have to write it all out by hand. I must apologise for giving you so much trouble. It was very interesting. [Bk 1] Edie [Tasker] was often up at our house when my Mother was alive. She was quite a character. One thing she didn’t tell was the time she and her sister Nellie took Mr Bott’s father up Williamscote road in an invalid chair. I don’t know what was wrong with him but he used to be taken about in a chair. They let the chair run away with him, I don’t know if he was tipped out or not but he had a bad turn that night. I can remember Edie telling Mother and I about it and saying p2) “Our Nellie says You know if he dies we shall be murderers.” He didn’t die, at least not then. I remember how amused we were (26. Book 1 Mrs Bassett nee Tasker).

I don’t think the kitchen at Beech House was in the main part of the house. I think it was in that part that joins the main house at the back. I will try and draw a plan of where I think it was [In rear extension]. I remember being sent there to fetch a tea urn for the Peace Celebrations in 1919. p3) It was a copper urn and I still remember the shock I got when I went to pick it up. I could hardly lift it, it was so heavy, then someone took the top off and took a long round iron weight out of a tube in the centre of the urn, that made it lighter. I have often wondered since what it was for. I found out quite recently. It was in one of Arthur Negus’s programmes on Antiques, it seems they heated the weight in the fire and then put it in the tube in the urn to keep the contents hot. An early form of storage heater. Who lives in that house now? Edwards went away didn’t he? (27. 1978 Sold to Mr & Mrs Pearce-Burton Jnr).

I was glad to hear of Jenny, we always liked Jenny. I had a letter from Mrs Bradley that used to be at the Wharf at Christmas and she said that Major Donner had died.(28. Bourton House). I was sorry to hear that. I always thought what a nice man he was. I never saw it in the Guardian.

p4) We had a terrible stormy night here last Monday night the wind was terrible and a little snow, there was more snow last night, the ground is just covered. We are lucky here it is very bad in some places. The power was off from 3 o’clock Tuesday morning till 5 o’clock at night, from the news to night it is still off in 17,00 homes. I managed alright I had the fire and an oil stove and my sister in law next door has gas. I started this last night. I will try and finish it tonight. The snow has gone now. We can still see it on the tops of the hills. The news tonight said some parts are still without electricity. We are lucky here.

It is funny the new Vicar comes from where your cousins live [Nr Liverpool]. I wonder who will buy the Vicarage.(29. Vicarage site for 1st and 3rd Vicarages. 4th Vicarage built on site of Cedar Bungalow in High St.). I could never understand them building a place p5) like that by the old stone church, it seemed to make a farce of planning regulations. There seems to be houses for sale quite often in Cropredy according to the Guardian, and what a price too. I hope you will like the shortbread. I hope it will travel alright. I felt I must send you something for all your trouble writing all that out. I will stop now. Wishing you all a very Good New Year.

p1) Thank you for sending me Mrs Mold’s talk [Book 3]. It was very interesting. A few of the things she mentioned were before I could remember. She must be about 10 years older than I am. I don’t remember anything about the Chapel Band for one thing.

I don’t remember ever hearing of Jimmy or Hannah Pargeter. I remember two sisters Emily and Betsy Pargeter who lived in Creampot Lane. At that time there was just the two stone cottages half way down the Lane and towards the bottom four more. I think Mrs Medcalf sen. lived in what used to be the third and fourth when we left Cropredy. The two sisters Pargeter lived in the third one down. I can just remember hearing of a brother dying, but I think he was away somewhere. Betsy was a little bit simple I hope you won’t be shocked at the next bit, but it is history. At that time of course they were all outside toilets, pits, not buckets. When the pit needed emptying they used to dig a big hole in the garden and empty it into the hole. Once when that was being done Betsy fell into the hole. I remember the talk about it at the time and them saying Betsy was crying “I fell in Job, I fell in Job.” That is enough of that isn’t it?

p4) The Mr Bott that was in the wheelchair that ran away was Mr Frank Bott’s father, Tony’s grandfather. Tony was driving Smith & Webbers lorry when we left. Frank Bott himself had a bad accident down Williamscote road one time. The lorry hit a tree.

I expect you heard of all the snow in Scotland. We didn’t really hurt here, we had nearly a foot but it has gone now. The only inconvenience we had was one very p5) rough night before the snow, the power was off from 3 in the morning till 5 the next evening and one night from 9 till 11. There was no electric blanket that night, and two days we didn’t get the Daily Express. Our edition is printed in Manchester. We really had nothing to grumble about compared with some people.

I think the airship that Arthur Pettifer and Roland Cave saw was the R100. I remember we were playing cricket at Claydon one Saturday and we could see this airship to the north of Claydon. We could still see it when we got back to Cropredy. There were the two airships at that time the R100 and the R101. It was the R101 that crashed in France on its way to India. That would be in the early 1930’s I think. I know it was the Harvest Festival at Cropredy Church and Canon Jones from Banbury was taking the service and he told us about the crash. That was the first we heard of it.

I am glad you liked the shortbread. I hope it didn’t get broken in the post. Thank you for sending me the copies of the talks.

p7) I had better stop. I wish I was a better writer, but I don’t expect I will improve now. I am always pleased to hear from you.

[Subjects] Pargete’s. Prizes at school.l Ash tree and Hovel in Creampot Lane. Monkeytree House for sale.

.p4) Is Mrs Durrant Mabel or Gladys Cooknell? (30. Mrs Mabel Durrant nee Cooknell: Book 2 Cooknell’s of Cropredy Green). There was an older sister a Mrs Hickman.

Now I will stop. I must apologise again for the poor writing. I hope you can read it. I am always pleased to hear from you.

Subjects] Old Yard toilets. Monkeytree. Library. Knife cleaning. An event. Mother and Father shop in Banbury. Mr Cave’s army medical. No wages over Christmas. Who had staff. Tale of mule. Mrs Bradley’s lodger.

p1) I think it is time I answered your letter. I am sorry I have been so long. I was very pleased to get it. The 1935 film you mentioned with the photo of the lorry with Herbert Hawkins on it. A Leonard Hawkins had the wharf, where Albert Bradley was, for a time. He had a coal and Builders Merchants business there. I think it was really a branch of his brother Herbert’s in Oxford really. I don’t think it was very successful. I think the Dunn milk float would be Mrs Roland Cherry’s brothers. He had part of what is Whitaker’s farm for a time. Mentioning that farm I saw Mrs Griffins death in last weeks Guardian. They had that farm before Whitaker’s. They were very nice people. They lived in the house opposite the Chapel. Dr. Bartlett lived in the farmhouse. The Mr Phillips came from Bloxham and was a blacksmith who worked for Mr Sumner (31. Mr Wm Griffin lived at Lyndhurst. His wife died in 1909 and he died aged 91 on the 23 June 1921. Wm Griffin Jnr’s eldest son Jarvis came to farm and also lived at Lyndhurst, bringing with him Mr & Mrs Walter Underdown in 1937. The Griffins moved away. Mrs Jarvis Griffin died in 1984).

p2) I don’t remember ever hearing of a library at the Church Rooms. I can remember Mabel Cooknell’s grandmother. They lived near where the telephone exchange is now. A Mrs Savory was living there when we left. She lived with Mrs Tom Bradley and her father (Mrs Bradley’s father) (32. Mrs Emily Bradley nee Cooknell. Cleveland Cottage, Chapel Green). They later moved up into the house in the corner of the Woodyard. Remember me to Miss Leman (33. Miss Leman, 3 Station Cottages) when you see her. Tell her I called to see her before we left Cropredy but I couldn’t make her hear when I rapped the door.

p3) I saw in the Guardian recently a planning application for a porch and inside alterations to our old home.

I had my sister and nephew for Easter and I am going to them for a week on the 26^th. My nephew will fetch me. We have had it very dry here for some time. We want rain badly. We have had quite a lot of sun but cool winds if you get out of the sun.

How is Mrs Hollis? Which of the uncles is it that is living with them. When Sam and his father lived down the Lane they had Sam’s uncle living with them. He was a semi -invalid, he used to walk with a stick. He was Harry. I thought he died years ago.(34. Uncle visiting, not living in Cropredy).

p4) I am enclosing a cutting out of the newspaper. I thought you might be interested after our recent letters. “An antique upper class loo with three side-by-side seats is being saved for the nation at a cost of £14,000.” I will stop now. I wish I was a better writer. I hope you are able to read it. I am looking forward to your next letter. Do you hear anything of Jenny now?

p1) I was pleased to get your letter, it was waiting for me when I got back from my sisters. The week soon went. The weather was rather dull. We went round the Lake District one day. We didn’t have any rain until the Friday night before I came home. It has been dull and quite cold here this last week, a little sun now and again, but very little rain. The gardens are like dust.

When you see Miss Leman again tell her Mr Gillies is still alive, he retired about four or five years ago and now lives in Inverness. He was minister here over forty years and was very popular. When he retired he was presented with a valuable gold watch and a cheque for nearly £2,000. Mr Gillies was in the village here just over a week ago at the funeral of a neighbour of ours. The funeral was at the Abbey. p2) My sister in law saw him but couldn’t get to speak to him. I didn’t even see him there was such a lot there. I wonder if Miss Leman remembers a row of houses facing the Manse it is in one of them that I live.

p3) I think from your letter that Mrs Mold (Gertie Pettifer) must be living in Cropredy now. Where does she live? (35. Vicarage Flats). I was sorry to hear about Mrs Hollis. Mrs Hollis was born while I was working for her father (36. Mrs Constance Hollis nee Sumner. Book 5 The Wheelwright’s Apprentice A & L.Pettifer). I saw Mrs Cyril Lambert’s death in the Guardian the other week (37. Mrs Cyril Lambert had lived at Brasenose Manor Farm, then Leustona in High St. Mr Cyril Lambert died 3/04/1976).

p4) Now I will stop. I hope you can read my writing. I try to slow down a bit, I think it improves a bit then I get back to the old way and it is as bad as ever. I hope you are all keeping well. I am glad to say I am. I do my own housework, cooking, washing, ironing etc. I still do a bit of woodwork.

[Subjects] Water for washing Chapel Green Houses. Hedge and wall. Brimstone and treacle Prescote’s raised walk and bridge.

Letter 19 8 Lovat Terrace,

Fort Augustus.

9 / 8 / 84.

Dear Mrs Keegan.

p1) I was pleased to get your long letter. I have had visits from friends from Cropredy and Banbury the last two weeks. A fortnight last Monday Mrs Malcolm Smith (38. Mrs Elsie Smith 6 Cup & Saucer) and her brother called to see me, they were on a bus tour and were based at Fort William, 34 miles from here, they had a free day and came to see me. I was pleased to see them and to hear about Cropredy. Unfortunately they weren’t here very long, they got here about 12.30 and had to leave at 4. Then last week on Wednesday I had Mr & Mrs Fraser from Banbury. Margaret (Mrs Fraser) used to live at the other end house when she was a child and was a great favourite of ours. Her father [Mr Dunn] lives at Gt. Bourton, he is Mrs Roland Cherry’s brother. They were on the same tour as Mrs Smith but a week later. Margaret told me of Connie Hollis’s death. I was very sorry to hear it, also of Mr Bradleys (39. Mr Tom Bradley, Cleveland Cottage, Chapel Green).

p2) Writing about the old home it came to me that I don’t know where my grandparents lived. Where my father’s home was before he married. I must ask my sister if she knows. When you are young those things don’t interest you but when you get older and would like to know there is no one to ask (40. In 1871 the Shirley’s were at 5 Chapel Row (only not called that then). In 1881 they had moved to part of Allitt’s Home Farm? Were they working there? In 1891 they are at 1 or 2 Chapel Row).

p4) We have had some rain the last week or two but not much. I heard today the next village from here, Invergarry, was getting short of water. We are alright at present, we are on a different supply. The gardens look quite well considering the dry weather.

Regards

C. Shirley.

[Subjects] Old Yard: Larder and downstairs. Creampot Crescent houses Prescote drive gate. Plan of Old Yard

Letter 20 8 Lovat Terrace,

Fort Augustus.

13 / 9 / 84.

Dear Mrs Keegan.

p1) Thank you for your letter and all the trouble you went to finding out where my father’s home had been. I had no idea where it was. I had my sister for a week at the end of August she was very interested in your letter. She had no idea where my father’s home had been either.

p2) Since we came here our nurse’s husband ran over a pine martin with his car. The police sergeant’s wife had it stuffed and I made a case for it. They are like a weasel but very much bigger. I think they are getting more common than they were.

Fort Augustus is at the south end of Loch Ness. Loch Ness is about 24 miles long, 1 ½ miles wide at the widest part and supposed to be 800 or 900 feet deep. I expect you have heard of the Loch Ness Monster. Some people, I think the leader comes from

p3) somewhere in Lancashire, have been building a big fibre glass trap, 80 ft long, to try and catch it. They are sponsored by a Vodka company. It was built only 2 or 3 hundred yards from us. It was taken and lowered into the loch by helicopter we saw it going over. The idea was to sink it 30 ft down and leave it for a fortnight and then bait it with live salmon. If the monster goes in it, it will be sprung and lifted to the surface and photographed and then released. It said in the paper yesterday that it (the trap) had come to the surface a cable had been cut 80ft down. Whether they think the monster bit it in two or not. I wonder if there is a monster, there has been talk of one for hundreds of years right back to St. Columbus’s time. My brother-in-law was fishing Loch Ness all his life and he never said he saw it, though I don’t think he would have told any one if he did.

I saw a photo of a house for sale in Cropredy in the Guardian, I am wondering if it is Mr Adkins’ in Chapel Row. If it is there appears to have been a doorway made onto the street from the house next door p4) where Mr & Mrs Quant lived when we left (41. In 1984 Mr & Mrs Roger & Jean Horn at Homestead).

Now I will stop. Thanking you again for all the trouble you went. I always look forward to your letters. I hope you can understand my plan.

Colin Shirley.

[Subjects] Golbys. Plan of gardens for Old Yard. Hounds and Fox Gooseberry bush.

Letter 21 8 Lovat Terrace,

Fort Augustus,

18 / 2 / 85.

Dear Mrs Keegan.

p1) Thank you very much for sending me John Bonham’s talk (42. John Bonham’s talk 15/01/1985. His field was in the south part of Coxes Butts on the Claydon Rd), but you need not have sent a stamp. It was very interesting but he left a bit out. After his father finished with Slat Mill he had that little field on the right just past the watering down Claydon road.

p4) We had a replica of Sir Francis Drakes ship the “Goldern Hinde” go through the canal here recently. It was originally built for a film. It is supposed to be the only gallon in the world. It was a lovely sight, painted black and picked out in red and yellow.

We really haven’t hurt so far this winter. We had 4” or 5” of snow about a month ago and some hard frosts, if we don’t get any worse we can’t grumble. We heard on the T.V. and Radio that Banbury was cut off.

I was sorry to hear of Mrs Bradley’s death. I think the Mrs Tapley you mentioned must have come to Cropredy after we left. Where did she live? (43. Mrs Emily Bradley of Chapel Green. Mrs Gloria Tapley of Ashlawn next to Monkeytree House).

I hope your knee is better by now. I had three weeks in hospital in Inverness at the end of October. Prostate trouble, but I am glad to say I am very well now.

p5) I do everything for myself. Cooking, washing, ironing etc. I still do some woodwork. I made a corner chair for a friend at Christmas. I was 79 last Friday. There was an Indian doctor in the hospital, I was talking to him one day and happened to say I used to live near Banbury. As soon as I said Banbury he said “The Horton.” I think he applied for a post there at some time.

Do you ever hear anything of Jenny now? If you do, remember me to her. We always liked Jenny. Now I will stop. Hoping you are all well. My writing doesn’t improve I hope you can read it.

Kind Regards

Colin Shirley.

[Subjects] John Bonham’s talk Chocolate machine. Trains, Mr Miller and porters. Frogs. Man who missed the train. Cricket.

Letter 22 8 Lovat Terrace

Fort Augustus.

23 / 3 / 85.

Dear Mrs Keegan.

p1) Thank you for your letter.

p4) I hear from Mrs Storrie each Christmas. I saw Mrs Harrison’s sister’s death in the Guardian. Is her brother Mr Allitt still alive?(44. ? Margaret Kezia Allitt born 1915). Do you watch the Terry Wogan show on the T.V? Did you see it is produced by Francis Whitaker?(45. Francis A.Whitaker daughter of Mr & Mrs John H.Whitaker of Poplar Farm.(now called Eagles).

Have you had any more snow? We can’t really grumble about the winter. We had 4 or 5 inches of snow some weeks ago and just enough to cover the ground last weekend, we have had p5) some sharp frosts, but we have had some lovely sunny days too.

Thank you for my birthday wishes. So you are an Aquarian too. A great friend in Inverness is too. I always read my horoscope in the newspaper but a few minutes after I have forgotten what it was so you can tell I haven’t much faith in it.

There are quite a lot of Catholics in this village. There is an Abbey here, St Benedicts, it is on the site of the old fort. Parts of the fort are incorporated in it. That is why the village is called Fort Augustus after the Duke of Cumberland. The old Gaelic name is Kilchuimen. The Cill of St Cummin. There used to be a lot of priests and lay brothers at the Abbey but there are not many now. They had quite a big boarding school but we hear it is likely to close in July. p6) Church going seems to be on the decline. I go to the Church of Scotland but most of the congregation are pensioners, not many young folk. I hope you can read my writing. I never was a good writer and I certainly don’t improve. I am always pleased to hear from you.

Yours sincerely

Colin Shirley.

[Subjects] Zambuk and remedies. Dr. Bartlett. School and plan.

Letter 23 8 Lovat Terrace,

Fort Augustus.

19 / 6 / 85.

Dear Mrs Keegan.

p1) I am very sorry I have been so long in answering your letter. I was at my sisters at Great Salkeld for a week at the end of May. Great Salkeld is about 4 miles from Penrith. There is a prehistoric stone cirle at Salkeld called “ Long Meg and her daughters.” It is quite close to the Lake District. We were round the Lakes, Windermere, Ullswater and Thirlmere and over Kirkstone Pass. It is lovely country, not quite as wild as parts of Scotland. I am sorry I have no old photographs of Cropredy.

pp2 & 3) Speaking of finds I had an interesting find in my garden recently, perhaps you know there was a fort here in the 17^th & 18^th centuries, parts of it are still to be seen incorporated in St Benedicts Abbey. I was told our gardens were part of the fort grounds. I was in the garden one day and noticed something flat partly over a root of potatoes that was just coming through. I thought it was a stone but as soon as I picked it up I could tell it was too heavy for a stone, it was a piece of lead 2. 5/8” long and 1 ¼” wide with raised letters and figures and letters on it. When I cleaned it there were two rows of raised figures and letters, they are backwards so it must have been a stamp of some kind. It is 6^th A.C.C.

7871473

p4) The letters and figures are about ½” high and very raised. I think it was a stamp for marking military equipment. Sometime when I am in Inverness I will take it to the museum and see if they can tell me what it is.

June hasn’t been a very good month so far, we haven’t had much rain and not much sun either, it has been cloudy and quite cold. I had a good week when I was on holiday apart from the Saturday I went, my nephew fetched me, it wasn’t so bad from here till we got through Glencoe, from then till we got near Carlisle it was ever so thick and black.

I don’t know what happened to the Banbury Guardian I usually get it on Saturday but last week I didn’t get it till Thursday and I haven’t got it this week yet.

p5) Mrs Elsie Smith (38. Mrs Elsie Smith 6 Cup & Saucer) called to see me while I was away at my sisters. I was sorry I missed her. She was on a bus tour. They weren’t supposed to stop at Fort Augustus but she persuaded the driver to stop for twenty minutes. My sister in law next door saw her. I was very sorry I had missed her but there would not have been time to get much Cropredy news anyway. Now I had better stop. I hope you are all keeping well. I am glad to say I am very well.

Kind Regards

Colin Shirley.

[Subjects] Zambuk recipe. Prayer Book at Red Lion.

Letter 24 8 Lovat Terrace,

Fort Augustus.

23 / 7 / 85.

Dear Mrs Keegan.

p1) Thank you for your letter which I received yesterday. Although I saw the Cropredy news in the Guardian, which I get on Saturdays, I must admit I was disappointed to hear that you are leaving Cropredy. I feel I shall be loosing a link with Cropredy. I don’t get any news except what I see in the Guardian. I hope you will all get on well and be very happy in Wales. A friend lent me a book a year or two ago it was written by a man who bought a farm in Wales. From your description of your place I should think it was a very similar place. He described the house and buildings and the alterations he did to it. It was very interesting, but I have forgotten p2) the title of the book and the authors name. I wonder if Welsh is difficult to learn.

We went to Aberyswyth on a trip once and were struck how the people in the street were speaking Welsh, even asking for things in the shops in Welsh. My Mother was a Gaelic speaker. I have heard her say she was in her teens before she could speak English. My aunt, her sister, lived in Bloxham and when she used to come to us Mother and her spoke Gaelic. My sister and I used to be annoyed because we didn’t know what they were saying. I expect that was why they were speaking in Gaelic so that we wouldn’t. I started to learn it 3 or 4 winters but when the nights got light again I was out side and by the time the dark nights came round again I had forgotten much of it. p3) I know quite a few words and simple phases but that is all. I should have started much younger.

When are you moving? Moving is a bit of an upheaval. I know what it was like when we moved. I hope you will let me have your new address, I would not like to loose contact with you. Although we didn’t have a lot of contact in Cropredy we have had a lot of contact through letters. I learned a lot about Cropredy from you that I didn’t know before. I wish there was a Historical Society while we were there.

We are having a very poor summer here, not a lot of heavy rain, but a lot of drizzle and wind, not much sun. Now I will stop. With every best wish for the future. I hope I will hear from you sometime.

Colin Shirley.

26 / 8 / 85 3 Long Croft,

Great Salkeld.

Dear Mrs Keegan.

I have just heard from my brother Colin, he sent on the ‘snap’ which we think very good, thank you. I’m sorry to hear of your non sale. So much of this sort of thing goes on now a days. We hope it won’t be long till you get another offer.

Now Colin says you would like to know names of some of the people on the school photo. I’ve named as many as I can remember. I recognise the faces but can’t put a name to them. Some children came from Great Bourton others from Williamscote etc. I see Bill Harris is on it also his brother Basil. Maybe Bill could put a name to those I’ve forgotten. John has printed them out for me with appropriate numbers. I hope you can make it out [Photo 10].

It was very nice to meet you. Colin was interested in any news I could give him when we saw him the next week.

John hasn’t finished the spool on his camera but I’ll send on your ‘snap’ when he does. Meanwhile we hope all goes well and you get your ‘sale’ settled satisfactorily.

Kind Regards

Yrs Christina Taylor.

Letter 25 8 Lovat Terrace,

Fort Augustus.

20 / 10 / 85.

Dear Mrs Keegan.

p1) I am sorry I have been so long in replying to your letter but I wasn’t sure whether you were still in Cropredy or not. When I got the last Guardian and I saw the bit about the Historical Society I thought you must be still there. I hope you will get things settled satisfactorily and that you didn’t loose your place in Wales.

I have found out the title of the book I mentioned, it was “I Bought a Mountain” but I don’t know the authors name.

I was pleased my sister and nephew called to see you in the summer. They were with me for a few days at the beginning of August and I had my niece and her husband last p2) week end.

We have had a very poor summer here the gardens were a failure. The only things that did well were the late potatoes and broad beans. We didn’t have such a lot of rain but it was dull and drizzley and cold. It has been dry for the last three weeks, some nice days and some dull and misty. We had some rain today.

Thank you for the snap you took of my sister and John. I am enclosing the one they took of you. I thought you would like it. I would like to have kept it myself.