Part II
Activities 1992 - 1997
Within a few months of its formation the Society was instrumental in helping to raise money to restore the Hampden memorials (right) in Great Hampden church, which were in danger of coming away from the wall.
On 24th June 1993 the Society held its first public event; a Commemorative Ceremony in Thame to mark the 350th anniversary of John Hampden’s death.
Two horsemen (top left) re-enacted the arrival of the wounded Hampden and his companion Arthur Goodwin from the Battle of Chalgrove Field; a short service (top right) was held by Bishop Richard Watson, President of Thame Historical Society; and the Earl of Buckinghamshire (a descendant of Hampden) laid a specially made wreath of dried flowers (above) at the memorial on the former Greyhound Inn, where his ancestor died.
The Society’s greatest triumph to date came in 1994, when it campaigned vigorously against the decision by English Heritage not to include Chalgrove Field (right) on the proposed Battlefields Register (left).
[Campaigning at Chalgrove by members of the English Civil War Society (left), and County Councillor David Turner and Lord Buckinghamshire (right), with members of Col. John Hampden’s Regiment]
As a result of lobbying by the Society and its supporters (some from as far away as New Zealand), backed up by considerable research by members of the Chalgrove Battle Group, English Heritage agreed to include Chalgrove on the Register.
Members have been recruited from the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe, where there are communities named in honour of John Hampden.
In August1994, eight members of the John Hampden Society were the guests of Hampden (Maine) Bicentennial Committee at the celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary (above) of the re-naming of the American town in honour of the Patriot.
Three members marched through the town in the uniform of Col. John Hampden’s Regiment (above left) as part of the annual Children’s Day parade, and the party were entertained at a civic reception (above right) by the Town Manager and the Mayor of Hampden.
Closer to home, the Society co-operated with the Chiltern Brewery of Terrick, near Aylesbury, to produce John Hampden’s Ale (left), a premium bottled pale ale.
The first brew was mashed in September 1995 by Lord Buckinghamshire (right), who also launched the ale a few weeks later (below), pronouncing it, ‘the finest ale since 1642!’
John Hampden's Ale has since become part of the national portfolio of a major supermarket chain, and has won a number of awards.
In June 1997 the Society co-operated with the local primary school in Thame and Col. John Hampden’s Regiment to organise John Hampden Week. This was a celebration of Hampden’s life, with a Living History display (left), lectures, exhibitions, and a mock battle. The high spot was the march through the streets of Thame by Hampden’s Greencoats (below), with drums beating and colours flying. This event was repeated in 2000.
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The Inauguration |
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