Whether they were a committed royalist or just enjoyed a good party, everyone in Hornton pulled together to make it a most enjoyable Jubilee weekend and for once the weather was kind to us.

More Pictures

Best Dressed House

Some people in the surrounding villages were heard complaining that there was a shortage of flags and bunting on sale in Banbury. We all know why - the people of Hornton had bought it all to decorate their houses. What a show, from the tasteful to completely OTT and, after word got around, we became a tourist attraction.

Steve, our local postman, had agreed to judge the best dressed house competition and gave us an assurance he could not be bribed or corrupted. In any case his wife came with him to keep him out of the Dun Cow before the judging was complete.

Congratulations to Ronnie and Phillip whose house came first, with Eileen Lewis and Paul & Jean Burden tying for second place.

Fun Run

The celebrations kicked off on Saturday with the Golden Mile fun run, a contradiction of words when you look the pained expressions on the faces of the runners in the pictures. Peter Whitehead clocked the fastest time for Hornton; shame he was one second slower than a “Horleyite”.

Boogie Nights

A short rest and then those up for it boogied the night away to 50,s and 60,s music played by the Challengers in the Sports Pavilion.

Sports Day

Sunday brought the Hornton Jubilee Sports day. The old favourites were there, sack race, three legged race, and obstacle course. The children had a great time, but our memory is getting so poor we cannot remember who won what, not that it mattered anyway.

Hornton Golden Jubilee mugs were presented to all children 16 years and over. Any parent who was not able to collect their mugs on sports day can pick them up from Audrey Turner telephone 670304.

Nostalgia Exhibition

As sports day ran its course, the Golden Jubilee memorabilia exhibition opened in the Church room, this included a showing of original film footage from the coronation. The atmosphere of 1953 was recreated, when most of the village packed into the church room to watch one of the only three television sets in the village to see the ceremony. I believe Ian had as many problems getting the video to work as Roland Miles did trying to get a signal on the 1953 television set.

Street Party

The Sunday evening blue skies gave way to a murky Monday morning. Hornton’s well oiled machine swung into action. Tables and chairs converged on the village green, the road was diverted, tables were allocated and then the rain began to fall. As if by magic as 12 O’clock approached the rain ceased and the skies brightened. People began to appear with decorations for their tables. Hornton’s street Party was on.

The Silver Jubilee street party was legendary, but this was easily surpassed. Instead of tea and cakes, four and five course meals arrived on the tables, champagne corks popped and wine flowed like water. The tables were set with linen tablecloths and adorned with candelabra. Hornton’s royal family were present even accompanied by the palace corgis. To cap it all the “allsorts” entertained us with sketches based on the Commonwealth of Nations, finishing off with Britannia singing I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts to the tune of rule Britannia accompanied by Mike Webber and his boys.

Beacon

Those villagers with the bulldog spirit finally made their way up to the allotments to ignite the jubilee beacon and to light up the sky with fireworks as a spectacular finale to a simply wonderful weekend.

Thanks

A special thank you to everyone who helped make our Golden Jubilee weekend so good. To name just a few (please forgive us any omissions):

Steve Woodcock who was always there when there was work to be done.

Eileen Lewis, what would a Hornton event do without a raffle and a good cup of tea?.

Ian Harris for soldiering on when not feeling at his best.

Glen Walther and the Burden family who carried on despite the sad loss of their Mother.

Roger and Lynne Corke for technical support, bunting supplies and doing the little things that made the weekend tick along smoothly.

Glynis Griffis who had the unenviable job of sorting out the tables for the street party.

David and Anne Jarret for their help on sports day.

David Miles for setting up the memorabilia exhibition.

The “Allsorts” for being the “Allsorts”.

The Parish Council and C.D.C. for funding the Jubilee mugs and contributing towards the cost of various events.

The Hornton fairies that clear up the mess after every ones gone home.

Thanks to Bill and Liz Jeffs for submitting this review.