Of the village, by the village, for the village February/March 2018 108 FinstockServing Finstock, Fawler, Wilcote, News Mt.Skippett and Finstock Heath Right to Vote, Wallhanging, FoFS . 1 Constructing a Female, Cnty Cllr . 7 Village Events, . 2 School, National Theatre Live . 8 Village Hall . 3 Village Hall cont., Shop & PO . 9 Letters, Parish Council, . 4 Finstock Festival . 10 Sm Ads, Robert Courts, MP . 5 Viv Stonesfield Common walk . 11 Conservation, District Cllr . 6 Gardening . 12 igns of spring are beginning to fill our gardens with lovely little snowdrops. Robert talks about MILLENNIUM all the early flowering plants that brighten our gardens and bring food for WALLHANGING the bees on page 12. We have the latest reports from our MP, County At last the Millennium Wallhanging Sand District councillors, as well as our own Parish Council. There are interesting is back in its original home! Although articles from various sources that speak about the use of the Village Hall (now on the actual needlework is still in the pages 3 and 9), the final accounting of the Finstock Festival last year on page 10, Upper Room of the Parish Church, a another great walk from Viv on page 11, a plea for more users of our great amenity photograph, deftly contrived by Neil the village shop and PO on page 9 and the final placement of the Millennium Hanson, shows it in its original unified form. This photograph now hangs in Wallhanging in the hall on page 1. the Village Hall by the door into the large hall. We are most grateful to those who We begin this issue with a new series of articles celebrating the 100th originally supported Pamela McDowell anniversary of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which gave some (some of whom are unknown or women the right to vote. have died or left the village) and to the needlewomen who stitched the individual pieces. More recently, we THE RIGHT TO VOTE thank the group who have supported The Representation of the People Act 1918 enfranchised all men, as well as all our efforts to return the Wallhanging women over the age of 30, who met minimum property qualifications to be able to the hall and who have funded the to vote. Ten years later, the Conservative government passed the Representation photograph. of the People (Equal Franchise) Act giving the vote to all women over the age of 21 on equal terms with men. Historically, enfranchisement was linked to freeing slaves; being female without rights was a form of slavery tying women to first their fathers and then their husbands. The right to vote gave women value in the workplace and provided aspiration and freedom to explore other opportunities beside marriage and child- rearing. The right to vote meant that women were more than mothers, more than wives; they were individuals in their own right. The fight continues today for equal pay between the sexes as women continue to be paid less than men while performing the same or similar work, but we have made strides toward During these seventeen years visible further equality. changes have taken place in the village. To celebrate the 100th anniversary giving women the right to vote, the Finstock The Wallhanging remains, however, as News would welcome village women to write about their own experience in part a testimony to their faith in Finstock as thanks to their having the right to vote. My story begins the series on page 7 and a good place to live. Barbara Wells comments are on page 8. Friends of Finstock School (FoFS) Thank you to everyone who came along and supported us at the Christmas Fayre. We do this jointly with the Church every year, and this year was another lovely event, with festive food and gifts. Father Christmas found time to fit in a visit, and the elves were very busy making a fantastic grotto for him. Our thanks to everyone who worked so hard to help put on this event! Dawn Simpkins On behalf of FoFS 0 . VILLAGE EVENTS 0 . February North Leigh A Guide to the 10th Social dominoes History Society Wychwood Way - 12th – 16th Half term February 6th Crime and Punishment Revised Edition 16th Sex, Drink and Death in 17th in Victorian England. A talk by Dr New pocket sized ‘DL’ guide - easy Century - FLHS Simon Wenham. to carry on a walk now includes ten March 6th The History of Culham shorter circular walks. Available via March Laboratory. A talk by Dr Stephen Kirby. the Wychwood Project website www. From March 1st only Jane Austen Meeting at 7.30pm at Turner Hall, wychwoodproject.org or direct from £10 notes are accepted in payment Church Road, North Leigh OX29 6TX. the project office. All proceeds support 3rd Gameblast All welcome. the Wychwood Project work across 10th Dominoes knock-out Visitors £4, Members free. Further the area. 16th The Watlington Hoard FLHS details from Diana Power 882301 £3.50 plus postage and packing of £1.75. To order from the office please Ladies, give us New Year, New Term send your cheque for £5.25, together your support! with your name, and delivery address Give all your unwanted old bras a at Finstock Baby and to Wychwood Project, WODC Offices, new lease of life and help raise money Toddler Group! Elmfield, New Yatt Road, Witney, Oxon, for breast cancer research. Bring them We all enjoyed our festive break but OX28 1PB. to Joy Murphy at 63 High Street. Against were also glad to return to our friendly Breast Cancer will receive a donation group on January 10th! The little ones Homeseeker Plus based on the weight of bras we collect, all love the space in the hall to run Hundreds of people in West around and have fun with their friends, so every bra counts! Oxfordshire have been able to find especially during this cold season. The a new home thanks to an online adults too have been making the most allocation system. Homeseeker Plus Finstock Local of a chance to catch up over a hot drink has accommodated 402 applicants in History Society and cake. February 16th - Sex, Drink and During this term we will have all the suitable Housing Association properties. Death in the 17th Century, by Tim usual things on offer (toys, activities, Homeseeker Plus lists vacant houses Healey Exploring three aspects of snacks and hot drinks for the little across the District for rent online. seventeenth century-life in an exciting ones, cake and chat for the adults!) Prospective and existing tenants are and visual presentation. Tim is a Plus we will have some themed crafts banded according to their individual popular speaker at historical societies, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Mothering needs and can then ‘bid’ for properties U3A groups and other associations. Sunday and finish with Easter activities. suited to their circumstances. The All talks are accompanied by stunning Half term is quite early (February 12th – scheme replaced the Housing Waiting visual images 16th) when we will have a week off, and List. Properties are advertised weekly March 16th - The Watlington then we will be back for more fun. End and when the advertising period ends Hoard: King Alfred's coins and of term is the last week of March with the Council will offer each property to Viking treasures, by Dr John Naylor. an Easter Party! We love any excuse to the most appropriate bidder. WODC. The Watlington hoard was recently provide an even larger array of yummy acquired by the Ashmolean Museum goodies and maybe even an egg hunt. for £1.35M. This talk will explore Look out for further details on our the story of the hoard, the coins and Facebook page! You can keep up-to-date with what objects it contains and why it is such The Codfather Fish & Chip van an important find for understanding late we are doing on Facebook, or contact 9th-century Oxfordshire. John is the us on finstocktoddlergroup@gmail. is opposite Finstock Village Hall com. We look forward to seeing you Portable Antiquities Scheme National every Saturday from 4 to 8pm there. If you haven't tried us out yet, Finds Adviser for post-Roman coinage. come along for a free first session! Thank you for your All meetings at 8pm on Fridays Helen Fallows continued support unless otherwise stated, at Finstock Village Hall, OX7 3BU. Refreshments available from 7.35pm. Entry to single MARK BILLINGE The Codfather van is in Charlbury at Spendlove every Sunday 4 - 9pm talks £2.50. CHIMNEY SWEEP Follow us on Facebook The Codfather Shop in Witney’s at www.facebook.com/ For a clean and efficient service Thorney Leys provides gluten free FinstockLocalHistorySociety/ Tel.: 01367-243052 fish and chips every Thursday Email - finstocklocalhistorysociety@ gmail.com 2 VILLAGE HALL EVENTS Winter Welcome at the Hall An evening with Gordon Giltrap compare with history and charm? I single from the late 1970s, and Mrs and Nick Hooper would soon learn. Singer’s Waltz demonstrating the Saturday November 26th 2017 As I arrived, the honey-stoned hall delayed ‘echo’ effect of the Paul Brett Setting off for Finstock on a freezing beamed its welcome under a crisp, Viator guitar. Nick gave us visions of November night, I was grumpy. A drive star-sparkled, velvet sky. Inside, the Ireland through pieces such as Road to from Birmingham to fulfil a promise fresh high-ceilinged hall with peach- Sligo and the haunting Lament to Owen to eventually visit the new Finstock lit walls, felt like it was waiting for the Roe O’Neill. Gordon’s riposte included Village Hall did not appeal.