The first meeting of Radley History Club was held on 14 May 1997. Before the main meeting on 8 May 2017, some 55 members and guests enjoyed a glass of bubbly and a piece of specially commissioned birthday cake to celebrate 20 years of Radley History Club. Chairman Richard Dudding called on Barbara Wootton, one of two of the founder members who is still a member today, to cut the cake which featured various aspects of Radley and Radley History Club. Barbara was assisted in this task by Rita Ford, who while not present at the first meeting, joined what was then a small group of enthusiasts in September 1997 and has been a stalwart of the Club ever since.
20th birthday cake enjoyed by members on 8 May 2017 Cake by Mandy Collingwood, Photo by Ian Collingwood
Barbara Wootton, on the left in the pink jumper, and Rita Ford cut the cake
There was also a display, put together by Rita and Brian Ford, about the Club’s founding and events over the years. Copies of the Club’s many publications were also on show for members to look at while they enjoyed their drink and piece of cake.
Display about the Club’s history at the celebrations
Carefully researched and recorded by various members of Radley History Club, the book tells us about the building itself, the church history which influenced it, and the people who were involved in it, right up to the present day.
Some 150 people visited the exhibition at Radley Parish Church over the two days/ The pews and chairs were cleared away to the sides of the church to create a welcoming space containing a series of displays based on various aspects of the Church and its history. Refreshments were kindly provided in the adjourning Church Room by Radley Women’s Institute.
‘Fascinating’, ‘excellent’, ‘informative’ and ‘very interesting’ are words that crop up time and time again in the comments in the visitors’ book at the exhibition. Wonderful exhibition – so much we didn’t know. Thank you History Club. What a fantastic display and I found out something I didn’t know about my grandfather.
Topics covered by displays included:
Parish boundary
Origins and buildings
Patrons of Radley Church
Inside the Church
Clergy who have served Radley Church
The churchyard and cemeteries
The life of the Church today
Radley’s bells
Radley Church Choir
A timeline from 600 to 2016, which compared events in Radley with linked events in the wider world, attracted particular interest.
The exhibition was opened on the Saturday morning by Revd Pam McKellen who was presented by Club chairman, Richard Dudding, with a copy of the book signed by all the authors. On both days Radley Church’s bell-ringing team rang a short peal before the exhibition opened.
Richard Dudding and Pam McKellan
Visitors study the display material
Floral arrangements around the Church illustrated key aspects of the life of a village church.
BaptismMarriageRembranceHarvestMemorial
Adding further colour were the Sunday School banner and banners dating back to the late 19th century belonging to the Mothers’ Union in Radley and the Girls’ Friendly Society.
Sunday SchoolMothers’ UnionGirls’ Friendly Society
On Monday 8th August 2016, around 50 members and guests enjoyed an evening tour of St James the Great, Radley, on a pleasant summer’s evening, followed by refreshments in the vicarage garden. The Church is probably the oldest building in the village and Radley Vicarage is possibly the oldest building in the country to have been in continuous use as the home of a church’s incumbent.
After a short introduction to the Church building by Club chairman, Richard Dudding, people split into two groups for separate tours of the churchyard with Rita and Brian Ford or the interior of the Church with Felicity Henderson and Revd Pam McKellen (vicar of the benefice of Radley, Sunningwell and Kennington). The groups swapped tours before everyone moved to the front garden of the vicarage to listen to a short introduction to the vicarage exterior by Richard Dudding. Cheese and wine or an elderflower cup in the back garden of the vicarage rounded off the evening.
All the tour leaders had contributed chapters to Radley History Club’s forthcoming book, The Story of a Village Church St James the Great, Radley. The visit acted as a ‘taster’ for the book, which will go on sale, price £12.00, at an exhibition in the Church on 1–2 October.
Start of the tour with the church and the vicarage in the background
Felicity Henderson talks about the interior of the Church
Brian and Rita Ford lead the tour of the churchyard, pausing by the Cavalier’s Tomb
Richard Dudding talks about the exterior of Radley Vicarage
Over 300 people visited the Club’s exhibition in Radley Village Hall on 2nd and 3rd November 2013 about the railway in Radley, its history, the people who used it and the people who worked on it. They were also able to enjoy refreshments provided by Radley WI and to buy a copy of the Club’s new book, Radley People & the Railway 1843-2013, written by Club chairman Christine Wootton with contributions from members and others.
The exhibition was opened by Richard Tolley, a former engine driver on the branch line from Radley to Abingdon (affectionately known as ‘The Bunk’) who blew his whistle and waved his green flag in the railway’s traditional signal. Richard is pictured alongside the ‘stationmaster’ for the day, Eric Blanks, and Club chairman, Christine Wootton.
The displays were put together by Club members, Rita and Brian Ford. The collection of railway memorabilia included the ‘Radley’ nameplate normally on show at the shop at Radley College.
Display of Radley railway memorabilia
‘Radley’ train nameplate
A highlight of the exhibition was the working model of the Abingdon Branch layout built and operated by members of Abingdon and District Model Railway Club. The model shows what Abingdon station looked like before it closed to passenger traffic in 1963 and before Waitrose arrived.
Abingdon branch layout by Abingdon and District Railway Club
The full layout of the Abingdon Branch line
The exhibition was based primarily on photographs and other material from the Club’s archives, Club members and local railway enthusiasts. One series of photographs showed the impressive array of buildings at Radley Station in 1957 – now all long since gone – and another the stages in the replacement of the bridge over the railway carrying the road to Lower Radley in November 1983.
Display of photographs of Radley Station in 1957
Display of photographs showing the replacement of the bridge to Lower Radley in November 1983
Visitors were greeted by a team of Club members dressed for the part. Left to right: Eric Blanks (stationmaster), Brian Ford (porter), Tony Rogerson (engine driver) and Denis Standen (Isambard Kingdom Brunel).
Oxford Mail article on the railways book – the book featured on the centre pages of the Oxford Mail of 11 August 2014 in a spread entitled ‘Trains, plain-clothes men and royal visitors’.
The exhibition in Radley Village Hall on 16-17 July 2011 told the story of Radley’s farms and families, past and present. Radley once had at least 17 farms, now it has just two – Peach Croft Farm and Lower Farm. The Club’s new book, Radley Farms and Families 1600-2011, charts the story of Radley’s farms and families over more than four centuries.
The displays featured material from the Club archives on various farms (Walsh’s, Minchin’s, Wick, Pumney, Neat Home, Peach Croft, Park End, Church, Sugworth, Gooseacre, Home, Thrupp), the Stonhouse family, Radley people, farmhouses in the village, farming methods through the ages and aerial photographs of Radley. Rita and Brian Ford brought along many items from their collection of agricultural implements and memorabilia.
Display board about Gooseacre Farm
Display board about Church Farm
Over 300 people visited the exhibition during the course of the two days. “A very interesting exhibition which has brought back some lovely memories” “Very professional – an excellent farming history”
