Mick Herron was at Abingdon Library for a question and answer session about: his books, the spin-off TV series, and writing generally. The event had a sell-out audience and could have been sold out three times. Mick says that he likes to do events in libraries. He used libraries and read a lot when he was young and wants to support libraries for future readers.
Armistice Day is remembered with a gathering of Royal British Legion, civic leaders and members of the public at the war memorial on the 11th of November at 11 am.
Remembrance Sunday involves a church service at St Helen’s, then a more extensive gathering of Royal British Legion, civic leaders, armed forces, uniformed groups, and members of the public at the war memorial on the 13th of November from 10:50. That is followed by a march to the County Hall to salute the Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames, Cllr Andy Foulsham, the Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire and the Commanding Officer of Dalton Barracks.
There is also a tree in the Abbey Meadows, planted by the Abingdon Peace Group, in memory of all victims of war. The Ukraine war has had many victims, some of whom have come to Abingdon. There are also people from Syria.
All of Abingdon Library has been closed since Thursday because of flooding from the flat roof after the heavy rains, but it will re-open on Wednesday, 9th November, at 9am.
There will be Rhyme Time at 9:30 and 11:00
Fans of the bestselling spy thriller Slough House series will meet the author Mick Herron on Thursday, 10th November.
I am not sure about going upstairs at the library yet. The upstairs (non-fiction) library has been closed for longer. That means Abingdon has had to survive on fiction and children’s books for over a fortnight. If we carry on much longer, I don’t know what will happen.
The annual Abingdon Traditional Craft Fair was held from Friday 4th, to Sunday, the 6th of November, in and around the Abbey Buildings.
The craft stalls were arranged in seven locations. The usual route involves entering through the Unicorn Theatre, where seats had been cleared.
There were craft stalls upstairs in The Checker.
The largest, most picturesque, space is the Long Gallery, upstairs.
Downstairs the route follows the lower gallery.
The outside ground at the front and the garden at the back had craft gazebos and a large marquee with refreshments.
Finally, there is the undercroft, where there was a potter, some spinners and a weaver, and craft stalls. The craft fair has been an Abingdon fixture in November since the 1970s. Any profits help the upkeep of the Abbey Buildings.