Anniversary of the Death of John Hampden

At 10.30 on Tuesday morning, members of the John Hampden Society placed a glorious green and yellow wreath at the plaque in Thame High Street.

June 24^th was the 382nd anniversary of the death of John Hampden in Thame. This year there was a special card from the “Friends of John Hampden” in the USA.

He succumbed to fever (presumably sepsis) after receiving a shoulder would at the Battle of Chalgrove. John Hampden was a local landowner who went to school in Thame. His name became associated with the principle of “no taxation without representation” due to his principled stand against the King’s attempts to impose taxes without the consent of Parliament. He had a fine reputation for hard work, wisdom and integrity as an MP. He later became Colonel of the Greencoats Regiment in the Parliamentary Army. His death was mourned by both sides in the Civil War. He was an icon for the American Founding Fathers, the Chartists and the Women’s Tax Resistance League.
Dr Beth Rogers, Chair of the John Hampden Society read out “The Ballad of John Hampden”, a narrative poem by Bruce Alexander, the author of “Thame in Time”, and a member of the Society.

The wreath organised by Maurice Kirtland, Thame resident and member of JHS, the colourful display was arranged by Bizzie Lizzie’s florist.