PETTY SESSIONS.

CHADLINGTON DIVISION.- Chipping-Norton, Oct. 31.

Before Lord Churchill, and the Revds, Thomas Harris and J.H. Worsley.

John Pratley, of Ascott, was charged with having on the 11th of October, at Ascott, stolen a quantity of apples, the property of Mr. John Venvill, his master; Pratley, who pleaded guilty was committed to gaol for six weeks' hard labour.

ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD.

A Mysterious Case of Drowning.- An inquest was held at Ascott-under-Wychwood, on Saturday last, before F. Westell, Esq., coroner, on the body of John Pratley, son of John Pratley, of Chilson, labourer, aged 12 years. It appeared that deceased was in the employ of Mr. Lardner, of Ascott, a farmer, and that he and a man named Francis Longshaw were at dung cart together on the day preceding the inquest. Deceased's business was to mind and drive the horses while Longshaw emptied the carts. About 1.30 o'clock p.m. on the same day deceased and Longshaw started out of the home yard together with a load of dung, when Longshaw was called back to secure the thatch of the ricks, which were being blown about by the gale. He went back and stayed about 10 minutes, and then followed deceased, who had gone on with the cart. He found the horses and cart standing still on the other side of a bridge spanning the river Evenlode, but he could not see deceased. He took the cart back and enquired after deceased, but could hear nothing of him, and he then told Mr. Lardner and the boy's father. The father searched the river and found deceased there quite dead, about 18 yards from the bridge where the cart was standing. The jury returned a verdict of "Found Drowned."

THE LATE GALE.

boy drowned at ascott-under-wychwood.

On Saturday last an inquest was held at the Churchill Arms, Ascott, on the body of a lad named John Pratley, aged 12, son of John Pratley, labourer. Mr. Robert Hambridge was chosen foreman of the jury. The evidence of Francis Longshaw went to prove that on Friday last, the 14th inst., he was engaged with deceased in carting manure from Mr. William Lardner's homestead into one of the fields on the farm, and in doing so had to cross the river Evenlode by a wooden bridge. Between one and two o'clock in the afternoon, just as witness and deceased were leaving the farm-yard, with a load of manure, witness was called back to the rick-yard by a lad named White, to assist him in putting something on to one of the ricks, as the wind was blowing off the thatch; in the meantime the deceased appears to have gone on with the team and load of manure. After a short time Longshaw followed, and found the team had passed the field in which the manure should have been placed, the horses with the cart being found standing in a field beyond, but the boy was not to be found. It then occurred to witness, seeing that the lad could not be found, that he might have been blown into the water, and the father was consequently communicated with, and search made.

John Pratley, father of the deceased, stated that in consequence of being told by the lad White that his bow was missing, he made a search for him in the river, and about two hours after the occurrence, found the body in the water, about 18 yards from the bridge where deceased would have to go over.

Mr. Blyth, assistant to Mr. F.P. Morisey, Surgeon, Charlbury, stated that he examined the body, but found nothing remarkable about it; death was undoubtedly caused by drowning.

A verdict of "Found drowned" was recorded.

There appears no doubt that the deceased, when he reached the bridge before alluded to, in opening the gate to pass over, the wind (which was blowing with great violence at the time) took the gate with such force as to overpower him, and he was thrown into the river.

Much damage was occasioned to the stacks in the neighbourhood, and a number of trees were blown down, and others greatly damaged.

CHADLINGTON DIVISION PETTY SESSIONS.- July 31.

A Squabble at Ascot-under-Wychwood.- James Faulkner, labourer, of Ascot-under-Wychwood, was charged with assaulting John Pratley, at Ascot, on July 26th.- Defendant pleaded not guilty.- John Pratley stated: On the day in question I was going up to the allotments about 6.30, defendant being about thirty yards away from me. He called me and asked what I had been saying about his brother and himself. I replied nothing but what true, when defendant struck me a blow which knocked me down. As soon as I got up he knocked me down again. He knocked me down three times, and Annie Edginton came between us or he would have knocked me down a fourth time.- Corroborative evidence was given by Annie Edginton and Ellen Pratley.- Defendant was then charged with assaulting Charles Pratley at the same time and place.- Complainant stated that he tried to stoop defendant from striking his father, when defendant struck him a blow in the mouth.- Annie Edginton corroborated.- The Bench considered both cases proved, and fined defendant 14s. 6d. in the first case, and 5s. 6d. in the second.

"My Personal Memories" by Doris Warner

Music and dance

I used to hear such tales from Old Age Pensioners too of the old days, especially from one old man, Jacky Pratley, a retired shepherd well over eighty. He could remember when the Forest was cut down when it grew nearly to the Charlbury Road and the tramps and wanderers had to work in the village saw pits belonging to the Charlbury Estate before they could spend a night in the workhouse, which used to be in the houses between the Church and the Green. If you told him the date and time of the changes of the moon, he would give you a weather forecast more accurate than any BBC. He would say, 'Ah my wench, I be the King of Ascott, and Her up at the Top thinks as hers the Queen' - 'Her' being Mrs. Chaundy of Yew Tree Farm who was on most committees etc.