Royal British Legion, Deddington Branch

The Branch was formed in 1925 and offers club facilities for members and guests at their clubhouse on the High Street. Membership is open to all over the age of 18 years, whether previously or currently serving in the armed forces or not. Annual subscription is £16.00 (£12.00 for senior citizens) for club and branch combined.

 Standard Bearer

Mr D.A. Keats 

Historical Note: The British Legion only became The Royal British Legion on 10 September 1971 upon granting of the Royal Charter.

Those who served

The names of those Deddington men and women who have died for their country in both World Wars and later conflicts, and who are remembered on our War Memorial and elsewhere, can be found on this website via the link  History/A Parish at war . In the same section are the names of those who served in the armed forces, The Homeguard, Royal Observer Corps,The Women's Land Army and Timber Corps and the Emergency Services.

The branch shares the registered charity status of the national Royal British Legion whose number is 219279.

Past Branch Presidents 

Captain Lavender ? - 1955

Lt Col A.D. Taylor DSO MC. 1955 - 1985. Lived in North Aston.

Mr Walter Hirons 1985 - 1990 Deceased.
Mr Arthur Lewis 1990 - 1999. He was a Sergeant in the Ox & Bucks in WW2.

Mr John Spencer 1999 - 2001.

Mr Norman West 2001 - 2008. He was also branch treasurer for 40 years.

Major David G Hood MC 2008 - current.

History of the RBL branch and club building

Between 1820 and 1895 the building was an axle-tree factory belonging to the local firm of Mason & Hard. It subsequently passed into the hands of a William Cox of South Newington (Mechanician). In 1920 the newly established trustees of "The Red Triangle Club" and "The Deddington Institute" raised funds by means of a public collection and purchased the property described as  '... recently converted from a workshop belonging to Mason & Hard ...' for the sum of £350 '... under the provisions of The Friendly Societies Act of 1896' to be their club premises.

The trustees were:

On 12 February 1925, at a General Meeting of The Deddington Institute and Red Triangle Clubs, it was resolved that their Trustees should hand over the Club premises to the then newly formed Deddington Branch of the British Legion who "... shall henceforth stand possessed of the said heraditaments and premises upon trust to permit the same to be used and appropriated for the purposes of the said Deddington Branch of the British Legion subject to such regulations, byelaws and rules as may from time to time be made by the Committee of Management of the said Branch."

It was also stated in the trust deed that "... the trustees shall in the event of the said Deddington Branch of the British Legion ceasing to exist hold the said heraditaments and premises in trust for the Parish Council of Deddington aforesaid for and on behalf of the inhabitants of the Parish of Deddington aforesaid."

The present Trustees of the building are: