The Parish Council and Mr Ridley Brown – At the monthly meeting of this Council there were present:- Messrs F W Fox (chairman), J H Mills (vice-chairman), W W Gibbins and W Woodfield.

A bill of £2.17s.6d. was presented from Mr Walter Gibbins for providing three wrag stones at the Well-gate and for other work. It was reported that there was now a balance of 13s.10d. at the bank.

The Chairman was asked to have the Well Road closed down, and also to purchase a manifold letter book.

The following letter was read from the Clerk to the Farmborough District Council in reply to the Parish Council’s letter, asking that a drainage scheme should be put in hand in the parish at once:- “the Council decided that an early appointment should be arranged with Messrs Aplin, Hunt and Co, to meet at Radway for the purpose of discussing the taking steps to carry out some scheme for draining the end of the village near the pool.” Comment was made on the inconsistency of the parish’s representative on the Rural Council in formerly treating the Parish Council’s letter as “waste paper”, and now asking for a respectable scheme.

The next meeting was fixed for February 8^th.

Banbury Guardian January 1915

Hartshill Stones

The Farnborough Rural District Council are desirous of receiving Tenders for the supply of best hand-picked Harsthill Stones and Chippings, at Cropredy and Fenny Compton Wharves, and at Kineton and Banbury Railway Stations, to be delivered before the 1^st day of August next. The tenders are to include carriage and wharfage.

The stones to be delivered in such quantities and at such times as the Surveyor shall direct.

The Tenders to be sent to my Office, 20, Bridge Street, Banbury, not later than the 20^th day of February next, together with samples of the various materials to be supplied.

The District Council do not supply forms of tender, and do not pledge themselves to accept the lowest or any tender.

ARTHUR FAIRFAX, Clerk to the Council.

Banbury 20^th Janury 1915

Banbury Guardian January 1915

Wiliam Winthorpe Watts aged 23 enlists in the R.A.M.C. at Leamington on 23rd January 1915. He is the son of George Watts and a Postal Assistant.

January 23^rd 1915

Back in the trenches the Dublins have been shelled pretty heavy, there was a lot of sniping, very misty and the G’s succeeded in cutting some of our wire.

Diary of Private W Tapp, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, November 1914- January 1915

Imperial war Museum Archives

To Let: In the parish of Farnborough (possession at Lady Day next), HOUSE with good Garden and Orchard and fifteen acres of good Pasture Land, very suitable for Poultry and Small Dairy Farm, mile from Fenny Compton Station and village of Farnborough, on main road to Banbury and in the Warwick and Bicester Hunts. – For further particulars apply to H Strange, Banbury.

Banbury Guardian January 1915

January 22^nd 1915

I have got issued with a pair of boots at last, feel fit again now, a few bombs from an aeroplane drop on the village where we are billeting they tried to get the railway but missed.

Diary of Private W Tapp, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, November 1914- January 1915

Imperial war Museum Archives

January 12^th, at Fenny Compton, by the Rev. G. R Brown, Rector, TOM WHITE of Shotteswell to MARY ELIZABETH, daughter of the late THOMAS BLICK READING and of Mrs READING, Contone House, Fenny Compton.

Banbury Guardian January 1915

January 21^st 1915

Came down to La Criche for our rest about 8 miles, feet very bad boots full of grit and mud I have borrowed a pair of boots off the woman at the billet, I think she took pity on me.

Diary of Private W Tapp, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, November 1914- January 1915

Imperial war Museum Archives

Resulting from the recent Christmas pantomime, Mr H G Carey is able to send a cheque for £17.17s.9d. to the Prince of Wales’ Fund.

Banbury Guardian January 1915