Sir Basil Blackwell is back in The Plough

Sir Basil Blackwell is back in The Plough

The picture that had hung in The Plough for many years was lost in the change of tenancy.

I recently visited Toby Blackwell at Osse Field and photographed the painting of Sir Basil. Tucked in the corner of the painting is a cat – Tigger. The Blackwells’ are passionate about cats and despite the artist’s reluctance Tigger was included.

I have made an approximate replica of the original Plough image but included Tigger and labelled the mount.

The Blackwells bought Osse Field and built the present fine house in 1929. Basil Blackwell lived there for 55 years and was part of village life. He is often remembered for his singing of “there’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza” at the children’s Christmas party. Many village people got work at Blackwell’s.  

I had gone to see Toby about nominating the house for an Oxfordshire Blue Plaque in memory of his father; but a competing nomination for the Broad Street shop has also been made. Osse Field deserves a second Blue Plaque – but that’s another story.

The Blackwell’s passion for cats is celebrated in the Blackwell window in the Church. Here three cats play entwined in a bookcase - how many churches have three cats in their stained glass?

John Evans for AweHG