The Annual General Meeting of the Society took place on the 22 March, with a short business session reviewing the past year and electing the Committee. We have had a busy year, as we mounted the exhibition in the Manor, of memorabilia of past pageants and eight Society Meetings. Our project for the coming year is to compile an Oral History of the village and we hope to record on tape, for future generations, the memories of people born in the village.

Arnold Lamb brought along the map marking the whereabouts of the trades carried on in the village around 1865, showing that the Sibfords were self-sufficient for their basic needs. A quarter of the houses in the Sibfords carried on some sort of trade, which was very necessary, as the trip into Banbury on the carriers cart took three hours each way, along the Shipston to Banbury turnpike road. Arnold also played a tape his grandfather made with Leslie Baily for the BBC Scrapbook, remembering life in the second half of the 1800’s, mentioning that when the reaping machines came in, corncrake and quail disappeared from the fields. The first modern form of transport, a motorbike, came into the village in 1900. Our thanks to Arnold for a fascinating evening, which highlighted the amazing changes that have taken place over the last 150 years.

We have a full programme for the coming year, with interesting speakers, so do come along and join us on the third Thursdays in the month at 7.30 pm 1n the Village Hall.

The next meeting is on Thursday, 19 April at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall, when Christine Bloxham will speak on the Traditions and Legends of Wychwood Forest. Those of you who heard her speak on Christmas customs will know you are in for a lively and informative talk.