Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Village Shop Newsletter for March 2024

Friday, March 1st, 2024

February on the farm (2024)

Saturday, February 10th, 2024

Vincenzo Luigi Cugini at work on Syresham church roof in 1970. Photograph by Colin Wootton

Richard Fonge writes:

The countryside remains much the same as it has for last three months, with hedge trimming the only task being carried out. Whilst some is done by the farmer himself, most hedge trimming is done by a contractor. With some dispensation allowed in August to cut, the season extends from September to the end of February. A contractor therefore has six months to plan his work, and one man has been doing this for well over fifty years. Many of you may have recognised a small blue Leyland tractor at work in the parishes around here, cutting hedges in winter and mowing grass verges for the council in summer. This combination of senior citizen and tractor of sixties vintage still do a high class job, and have created quite a record for longevity.

Noel is a great character always happy to break off for a chat and recite a yarn or two, and this brings me to mention a past Sulgrave village character, known only to those of you who have lived in the village for a long time. In Manor Rd you may have noticed a cottage between Nutcracker and Hill Farm house that has a wide oak front door with raised and fielded panels and inscribed in the stonework above are the initials V.L.C. 1956. This was the home of Vincenzo Luigi Cugini, an Italian carpenter, joiner and cabinet maker who worked for the village builders, Wootton Brothers. He made the door in the company’s carpenters’ workshop between the telephone exchange and the present village shop to advertise his skills. Vince was conscripted into the Italian army, serving time in Abyssinia before surrendering along with many other Italians at the battle of El Alamein. He then came as a prisoner of war to the Sulgrave camp situated on the left up the Helmdon Rd (a stack of white silage bags mark the area today). This was in 1943 and the prisoners, all Italians, were sent to work on the local farms. Vincent like many of his compatriots stayed on after the war and was offered a job by Sid Wootton, father of Colin (who has been kind enough to supply this information) and he was to stay with the firm until his retirement. He was a master craftsman and I have witnessed some of his work in a friend’s house built in the late sixties. Married with a family before the war separated them, he was to marry a Sulgrave lady called Connie, who outlived him by some twenty years.

Sulgrave has a rich history and this true story needs to be remembered for posterity.

Richard Fonge

 

Sulgrave Village Shop Newsletter for February 2024

Wednesday, January 31st, 2024

January on the Farm (2024)

Thursday, January 18th, 2024

Snow Drifts at the Magpie – January 1963.          Photograph: Colin Wootton

Richard Fonge writes:

With the weather turning colder in the middle of the month, it is much more seasonal and healthier after the milder wet spell we have had. In 1962/63 I had to keep a diary before going to Agriculture college, and looking back we had hard frosts from Christmas to late February, with a deep snow that lasted most of that time. A winter not to be forgotten. Amazing to think but the villages were dug out by hand! Because of the continual frosts after the deep snow in early January, you could walk on top of the snow without sinking in. It was the bus route that was the main priority as few people had cars, so the bus was vital to get to Banbury for work and shopping. The Alcan works on the Southam Rd (now Amazon) was a large employer, as was The Spencer Corset Factory which was opposite where Morrisons now are. It wasn’t till hire purchase came in a couple of years later and a car could be bought on instalments that we saw more motorists. The Greatworth cricket team before 1963 went to away matches in Arthur Barrett’s bulk grain lorry. This meant the team stayed long after finish of play, as the older players liked to visit the pub and have a game of dominoes or crib.

Remembering those days with nostalgia, and good memories of when life was less complicated, but farm work was hugely physical and so very hard work. Most farms were mixed farms and much smaller in size, but with cows to milk, pigs, sheep, beef and some corn to grow, very demanding. It was from the early sixties with the advances in mechanisation, the use of hydraulic power and the coming of the herringbone parlour, where cows could be milked in batches of five or so that specialisation took place, also hastened by the coming of other industries coming to our towns, such as Bird’s or Maxwell House for example in Banbury.

This brought about a much more efficient farming industry, but by so doing with less employed on the farms, we lost many of the characters of our villages. A final note from that diary says that my Father and I went to Cheltenham on the 13th of March to see a horse called Baulking Green, owned by a distant relative, win the Foxhunters’ Chase for amateur riders and later that month Ayala won the Grand National just beating Carrickbeg ridden by the late Lord Oaksey.

Richard Fonge

Sulgrave Village Shop Newsletter for January 2024

Thursday, January 4th, 2024

Sulgrave Village Advent Calendar Windows 2023. No 24 on Sunday 24th December. The Village Bus Shelter.

Thursday, December 28th, 2023

Photograph by Graham Roberts

Kym writes: “Sulgrave advent window no 24, The bus shelter.(which is funny as we don’t have any buses apart from the school coaches) ! Anyway what an absolutely amazing turn out for our last window. I know all of you who came out seemed to love the idea. Little boy jumps out of bed to fly with his friend. I won’t give any more away for those who have not ventured out yet. It will be there for a few more days. The picture was from Jane from their last years window. Her very talented daughter painted it. Most of the windows will continue to be lit up for a few more days too. Thank you again to the shop for sponsoring the food and drink for that night. A big thank you to my team mate Jane and of course Lee and Tony for all their help. Not forgetting thank to Diane for the use of the Xmas tree and Danny and Ryan for the chimney. We have not had the time to do the final tot up but watch this space. Jane and I are going to have a rest now. Bye. Hope you are having a fab time.

Photographs by Graham Roberts.

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Sulgrave Village Advent Calendar Windows 2023. No 23 on Saturday 23rd December. Bentley’s Farm Bungalow, Helmdon Road.

Wednesday, December 27th, 2023

Photograph by Graham Roberts

Kym writes: “What an amazing turnout tonight. It was lovely to see so many of the village join us. Thank you so very much. As it was our window I don’t feel I can say much more. I have to thank my wonderful husband and lovely family for their help. Excitement builds for tomorrow’s final unveiling we hope to see lots of you At the Bus shelter. Thank you again.

Photographs by Jo Powell and Graham Roberts.

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Sulgrave Village Advent Celebrations 2023. Friday 22nd December. Carol Singing around the Village.

Saturday, December 23rd, 2023

Photograph by Graham Roberts

Kym writes: “Well what a great turnout. A wonderful following of the tractor and sleigh which I have to say looked fabulous. Thank you so much to Graham and of course Shelagh for all your hard work decorating it. Graham I was going to say you were a rubbish tractor driver, but that would obviously have been a really big lie !!! ( love you both) After the tour of the village we ended up at the village hall. When Danny and Ryan put on a wonderful spread ( now there’s a surprise ) Joking aside we thank you for putting in so much effort and counting this as your window. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you to all of you that came out on I must say a very mild evening. but it was worth it for Danny’s food. Tomorrow night is at 🤔oh it’s ours ! Bentley’s Farm Bungalow, Helmdon Road. Hope to see you all here. Goodnight until tomorrow.

Photographs by Jo Powell and Graham Roberts.

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Sulgrave Village Advent Calendar Windows 2023. No 21 on Thursday 21st December.

Friday, December 22nd, 2023

Photograph by Tony Keatley

Kym writes: “What a great gathering. Thank you. Beautiful window, every one was raving about the mulled wine (Watch out Steve )!! and nibbles –  lovely. Thank you so much Rosie, Jonny & Arlo. Hope you found your first window painless. Please come along and join us tomorrow night for carols round the village and food back at the village hall. The tractor/sleigh leaving the VH at about 6 and then returning for food between 7-9 or when the food has run out! Danny will be asking for a small donation in the pot I believe. So please remember to bring some good old fashioned cash. No shopping lists or trolling tokens ! It’s amazing what you get in the pot some nights – ha ha. See you soon.🤞”

Photographs by Tony Keatley and Jo Powell.

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Sulgrave Village Advent Calendar Windows 2023. No 20 on Wednesday 20th December. 12 Spinners Cottages, Magpie Road.

Thursday, December 21st, 2023

Photograph by Tony Keatley

Kym writes: “Very different and really lovely. Rachael had gone to a lot of trouble with her wonderful home make mincemeat brownie and choc rockie road cake, think I have that right. Sausage rolls & veggie too. Lovely mulled cider. To top it all we had a wonderful history lesson. Really lovely to talk to you and Erik, very interesting. Thank you both so much. Tomorrow night is at Kiln Cottage, bottom of Manor Rd. hope to see lots of you out – come on we only have 4 to go and then Jane and I can have a break. Thank you to all of you that have came out. Much appreciated. I feel bad when there are a few of you who are always putting into a good cause. Come on folks do what you can. We are nearly there. Plus it is a wonderful village tradition.

Photographs by Tony Keatley except where otherwise stated.

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