The village has an active Historical Society which usually meets every two months on the second Tuesday in the Red Room of the Red Lion at 7.30pm. It regularly has an attendance of some 10 to 12 members who meet to discuss projects and to plan interesting activities. Some of these meetings are replaced with tours and events. Annual membership is £5 and the current Chairman is Jeff Wakefield who can be contacted by email on jeffaud21@btinternet.com . New members are always welcome.
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STRATTON AUDLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY LATEST NEWS
Sept 12th – General meeting in the Red Lion.
Nov 14th – General meeting in the Red Lion and planning for the event on Nov 18th
Nov 18th – “Stratton Voices and Stratton through the ages” a presentation of village voices and an overall history of Stratton.
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HISTORY FESTIVAL
Those of you who managed to get to the History Festival will know that it was a hugely enjoyable event with lots of interesting things to see and do. The Historical Society was mainly concerned with the “Villages” tent where each village’s display was quite unique with lots of different approaches to the idea of presenting their own history. I’m sure we all enjoyed seeing the stories of the other villages. Many thanks to all those who were able to help with manning our area during the 3-days and particularly to Geoff Howson who allowed his “wooden castle” to be displayed. It was one of the highlights of our section (See photos in news section)
The display will be set up on the table at the back of Church for the next few weeks with several old photographs which we hope people will be able to identify.
We are in the early stages of planning a presentation of Stratton Audley Voices for November. We will show a DVD of the history of the village created about 10-years ago along with a brand new film to accompany interviews from around 40-years ago. We will be able to enjoy the memories of several people who described their lives in the village at that time; Molly Stockley with her life as a ladies’ maid at the Hall, Harry Rothery and his work with horses, whilst Eric Goss with Robin Davies describe their work on Elm Farm. We would once again be grateful for any photographs which would support their words.
Future meetings of the society are :-
Tues, Sept 12th – Meeting in the Red Lion, 7.30pm, new members welcome
Tues, Nov 7th – Meeting in the Red Lion, 7.30pm to discuss future activities and to plan for Saturday’s event, new members welcome
Sat, Nov 11th – Stratton Audley Voices at 7.30pm in the Church.
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PREVIOUS NEWS
The Society will be visiting Stowe House/School on 25th July @ 6.30pm. There will be a guided tour costing £9.50 per person, with refreshments available at £4.50. Anyone wishing to join the tour should advise Dorothy (01869 277694) before 16th July. The group will meet at 6pm outside the Red Lion and travel onward by car.
We are in the early stages of planning a presentation of Stratton Audley Voices for November. We will show a DVD of the history of the village created about 10-years ago along with a brand new film to accompany interviews from around 40-years ago. We will be able to enjoy the memories of several people who described their lives in the village at that time; Molly Stockley with her life as a ladies’ maid at the Hall, Harry Rothery and his work with horses, whilst Eric Goss with Robin Davies describe their work on Elm Farm. We would once again be grateful for any photographs which would support their words.
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As far as the Open Gardens weekend is concerned we hope to have copies of “The History of Stratton Audley in 10 Objects” booklet available for sale during the weekend.
The next item on our agenda is the Shelswell History Festival on 7th-9th July (further details earlier in this magazine). Stratton Audley will be presenting a display of historical information, back to Saxon times, mainly through the “Lords of the Manor”. A number of these have been notable – and indeed infamous – characters. Several of the artifacts included in the “10 Objects” booklet will be on display, together with many historical plans and photographs.. If anyone has old photographs which would enhance our display we would be grateful to hear from them and will pay any copying costs.
The Society is proposing to visit Stowe House/School on 25th July @ 6.30pm. There will be a guided tour costing £9.50 per person, with refreshments available at £4.50. Anyone wishing to join the tour should advise Dorothy (01869 277694) before 16th July. The group will meet at 6pm outside the Red Lion and travel onward by car.
We are in the early stages of planning an Autumn Presentation of Stratton Audley Voices and DVD History. Further information next month.
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The society’s programme of events for 2017 will include –
WINSTON CHURCHILL’S TOYSHOP
Tuesday, March 7th at 7.30pm
GORDON ROGERS, a well-known enthusiastic amateur astronomer who lives in Long Crendon, will be delighting us with the story of how Winston Churchill created a department when he was Prime Minister which developed over 50 weapons for sabotaging German efforts behind the lines in occupied Europe and for more general purposes.
There will be a charge of £5 per person, to include a glass of wine or soft drink.
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April 4th 7.30pm “The Water Gypsy” a talk by Julie Ann Godson about how a Thames fisher girl became a countess.
Four weeks later there will be another talk which looks as though it will be very illuminating about a different period of history. It concerns the two contrasting worlds of the 18th-century river community and the aristocracy. At a time when social boundaries were rigid. one humble family deployed their talents and good looks and took control of an Anglo-Irish estate of breathtaking proportions and triumphed in the most unexpected way.
There will be a charge of £5 per person, to include a glass of wine or soft drink.
Potential visits to Stowe School, Bletchley Park and Witney Blanket Hall.
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Recent Past Talks
High Turn out for WIRELESS WAR SECRETS OF POUNDON & GODINGTON
November 12th at 7.30pm
John Beaumont’s talk about the listening and transmitting stations at Poundon and Godington, which were operative during the war, was extremely interesting and enlightening.
The SOE was the secret organization set up by Churchill at the start of the war to send agents into occupied Europe to sabotage and aid the local resistance movements. All the SOE national communication points were in this general area but the local populace knew nothing about them or about the contacts they had with agents in occupied countries which were directed from these locations. Further research into what happened at Poundon House and at the Government wireless station at Poundon during the “cold war” is being undertaken.
John is preparing a pamphlet on the special connection of the SOE with Poundon and Godington which will be available from the Historical Society when it has been printed. He has also left a collection of books about the SOE with the Historical Society and anyone is welcome to borrow one. At the moment they are being held by Dorothy Howarth (on 01869 277694) but we hope to have a more accessible site available in the near future.
Meanwhile thank you John for opening our eyes to these amazing “stories”.
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The Society has produced a booklet entitled Stratton Audley in Ten Objects which costs just £3 and can be purchased direct from the Society and from the bar in the Red Lion.
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STRATTON AUDLEY POP UP CARDS
We will once again be selling the cards in aid of Church funds, together with some brand new designs which will be suitable for Christmas and birthdays. These will be available at Gill and Sue Harper’s wonderful sale of gifts and interior design items at Hillview Farm in Poundon on the weekend of November 4th and 5th.
Times of opening are 10am-4pm and 6-9pm on the Friday and 10am-4pm on the Saturday. The entrance monies will be shared between the Church and Dementia Oxfordshire
