News

William Jones, Charlbury Quaker

Hannah Jones will talk on William Jones, Charlbury Quaker, to Oxfordshire Family History Society at 8pm at Exeter Hall, Oxford Road, Kidlington, OX5 1AB, on Monday, 28 January. Entrance is free to non-members, who are very welcome. We open at 7:15pm - there are books for sale, advice on family history, and free tea/coffee.

She first came across a partial transcript of the journals of William Jones whilst cataloguing the records of the Witney Monthly (Quaker) Meeting at Oxfordshire History Centre. It quickly became apparent to Hannah that the journals were a valuable, yet virtually unknown, resource for local and non-conformist history. She believed that they deserved to be made available to a far wider audience.

William Jones, the subject of the talk, was born into a family of Quaker weavers in Charlbury in 1761 and remained in the locality until his death in October 1838. In 1784, he began to keep a journal, a habit he kept up until a few days before he died. His journals comprise ten volumes of varying length and contain a startling variety of historical information - from details of his own life and work in Charlbury, to events of national significance.

These journals not only provide fascinating local information such as details of the weather, prices at market, and the quality of the harvest, but are also a valuable source of historical information on the Society of Friends (Quakers). Mr Jones was a committed Quaker who was involved in Meetings at local, regional and national level. He also journeyed to the Yearly Meeting - the annual, national administrative Meeting of the Society of Friends - in London on several occasions. His journal entries regarding the Yearly Meeting even record the route that he took, and the Friends that he lodged with along the way. The journals also provide some fascinating snapshots of how events of national significance, such as public reaction to the Napoleonic war, and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1834, were perceived in a small community in rural Oxfordshire.

Our speaker has now transcribed in full the first three journals of William Jones, which cover the period 1784-1818. These will be published by the Oxfordshire Record Society www.oxfordshire-record-society.org.uk/ in early 2013. Her talk will discuss some of the details of the journals, and their use as a source for family, local and non-conformist history. The wider traditions of Quaker 'journaling' and of the transatlantic Quaker community will also be examined in what is likely to be a fascinating presentation.

Wendy Archer · Sat 26 Jan 2013, 10:14 · Link

Snow update - Wednesday

C1 suspended again. S3 only going via the main roads. X9 also only going via the main roads: unable to serve Ramsden Village, Finstock and Chadlington.

Christine Battersby · Wed 23 Jan 2013, 09:07 · Link

Snow update - Tuesday

C1 railbus now running normally. X9 & S3 as on Monday.

Christine Battersby · Tue 22 Jan 2013, 10:55 · Link

Snow update - Monday

X9 bus (Stagecoach) is now running down to The Bell, but is still avoiding Ramsden and Finstock. S3 (Stagecoach) is running as normal, except through Combe and along Cornish Rd in Chipping Norton. The C1 railbus is suspended: see www.goridebus.co.uk for updates to C1.

Christine Battersby · Mon 21 Jan 2013, 09:44 · Link

Snow update - Saturday

S3 bus now running to Charlbury, according to the Stagecoach website, but avoiding Combe. X9 running along the Slade, but not going down to The Bell -- also not going through Finstock or Ramsden.

Trains running as usual.

Woodstock and Witney roads reported passable - see forum for more.

Christine Battersby · Sat 19 Jan 2013, 09:42 · Link

Snow update - Friday

Trains are running largely to time (see top right of the front page for times).

All buses (S3, X9, C1) are cancelled. Further updates will be posted on the Stagecoach website: click through to Snow Forecast.

Roads out of the town are not easily passable. Charlbury Primary School is closed and so is the library. Snow is forecast to continue over the weekend, but lighter.

Services update from West Oxfordshire District Council.

Fri 18 Jan 2013, 11:59 · Link

Owners of former Co-op apply to make it a house

The owners of the former Co-op store on Sheep Street have applied to West Oxfordshire District Council for "change of use" planning permission, from retail to residential.

The store is owned by the occupants of the adjacent house, Hone House, who bought the building after the Co-op relocated, and extended their residence into the rear and upper floors. For a while, the shop was occupied by Millie Benjamin Bridal Wear, but this ceased several years ago. The owners' agents, Tayler & Fletcher of Chipping Norton, say that they have made "genuine and sustained attempts" to relet the premises but that any offers fell through. The owners, they say, have therefore "reluctantly concluded that the only realistic option is to seek permission for change of use".

According to the planning application:

• "It is locally well recognised that Charlbury has ceased to be a centre of Retail and Commercial activity in recent years"
• "Charlbury is not a town, merely a 'Service Centre'"

However, the application does note that the other vacant commercial property being advertised in central Charlbury, the Old Bank House opposite the Corner House, is "under offer after renovation".

The application can be viewed online at the WODC website. Relevant documents include the application letter, the site plan and the supporting explanation.

Comments are invited to be sent to Dawn Brodie at WODC, dawn.brodie@westoxon.gov.uk . Charlbury Town Council will also be asked as a matter of course to comment on the application and anyone commenting may want to cc: their comments to clerk@charlburytowncouncil.co.uk .

Richard Fairhurst · Fri 11 Jan 2013, 00:21 · Link

Artist chance to display your work at the Charlbury Dentist

We are currently preparing the new display of local artist work for the Charlbury Dentist waiting room if you have some work you would like to have considered for the upcoming display please either forward photos of the work to tim@cotswoldframes.co.uk or for further details pop in to Cotswold Frames and have a chat to Tim.

Tim Widdows · Tue 8 Jan 2013, 15:56 · Link

Burns Night three-course supper and entertainment: tickets now on sale

Tickets for the Burns Night Supper (Friday 25 January) have just gone on sale at Evenlode Books and Cotswold Frames. Memorial Hall hosts an evening of traditional and not-so-traditional Scottish food (with vegetarian option), music, drink and entertainment - phone Tony or Jessie on 01608 810473 for more information. All in aid of the Charlbury Community Centre Appeal.

Edward Fenton · Mon 7 Jan 2013, 22:12 · Link

Lost cat - Pooles Lane

Frank Sullivan writes: "We have lost our 2 year old cat that goes by the name Rosie, in the Pooles Lane/Sandford Rise area. She is Siamese-looking and microchipped; she has been missing for a week. Please phone 01608 810835 or 07999 713500; we will offer a reward for her return."

(Cat now found!)

Wed 2 Jan 2013, 20:58 · Link