Great Coxwell memories

Great excitement today as I found and read a copy of the neighbourhood plan for above. I recently visited Great coxwell with my son and grandson when we dropped said grandson in Oxford to study and couldn’t resist bringing them to see where I lived for a few years and attended the village school during the 2nd world war. Myself and my brother and sister went to live with my aunt and uncle who lived in the house (I believe now divided into 3) i.e. I believe from the map Jenners and Pear Tree Farm and I believe properties on either side are listed, attached to what was then the public house called “The Royal Oak“. My mother had died (we lived in Cheshire I believe,) at the age of 32, and I was aged 4 and young as I was I have many memories of my time there I think that the pub was open only occasionally and I think my uncle ran it when open as he also work at Watchfield (I think an army base) as well. My uncle and aunt were named Harold and Doris Hunter. I remember the school and how we wrote on slates and sand trays also there was only one teacher for the whole school. Our milk was delivered in churns in a pony and cart that we labelled Cox's cavalry as it was Mr Cox who drove it he lived in the village and I believe sold black market cigarettes from his back door. I well remember the church and actually my grandfather Captain Clark who fought in the Boer War, also was in India where his daughter was born i.e. Doris Hunter, is buried in the village churchyard I also remember the Americans who sometimes came to the pub bringing chocolate and gum and silk stockings to us!! We had the VE party on our lawn and the whole of the occupants of Great Coxwell came to tea and I still have the China that was used. Post office was run by a Mrs Swindles who had a daughter called Phyllis, and coincidentally I saw in the neighbourhood plan a desire for a village shop. Well in my day there was one, and the elderly lady who ran it dressed in a long dress and bonnet, there was very little stock in the shop and she kept the money in an OXO tin. We also had a boy billeted with us from the east end of London called Alfie who much to my aunt's delight became as a son to her. We also had a prisoner of war came every day to help in the garden, a very large garden complete with a stream. Pigs and goats as there were no other houses behind ours and as you can imagine it was a large garden. He too became as one of the family and painted many lovely oil paintings in our stables and back at his presumably close by POW camp. I have many more memories, in fact more than I have of my recent past also a few photos if you are interested. My name is Mrs Kay Creed nee Clark (address withheld - Editor). I am in my 80s but think my memory is not too bad. I also remember the pump! Since writing this I have amazed myself as to how much more as a small child I can remember  I must say having seen your wonderful Reading Room teas I am tempted to "come to tea" one day. I will continue to try and remember more of Great Coxwell in the war and perhaps write my musings down. It is obviously a much larger place now than it was at the beginning of the war but I do remember it being a very friendly caring village with many celebrations, parties and fancy dress events. Of course nearly all knew what the others did!

Kindest regards to Great Coxwell and all its inhabitants you live in a very beautiful village.
Kay Creed