Author Archives: Backstreeter

Announcing The Election of the Mayor of Ock Street

The election of the Mayor of Ock Street will take place on Saturday 18th June 2022. Following recent tradition, there is a lego display in the curved corner window of Fatface. The new 2022 model shows the Abbey Archway, St Nicolas Church, and The Guildhall, with a water fountain.

The Abingdon Traditional Morris dancers will process into town at around 11:15 to dance outside the Black Swan, Station Yard, Abbey Gateway and the Market Place before lunch.

Afternoon dance locations include Long Alley Almshouses, Coopers Lane, and Brewery Tap. At around 16:15, the election of the Mayor of Ock Street will be announced, followed by the chairing and dancing.

This is the first election in three years. The candidates will be the current Mayor of Ock Street, Harry Knight, and the contender, Richard Grimsdale-Yates. The contest will be officiated by the Mayor of Abingdon (left above), and the new President of Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, Stuart Jackson (centre above).

I am sorry to say I have a family wedding so will miss this all-important event. Hopefully, somebody will let me use their pictures. I have written a poem for the occasion.

Morris Dancing

Thought it was a Moorish dance brought back from the crusades?
Thought it was like the Basque dances of Luzaide?
Thought it was like the Romanian Călușari dance?
Thought it was Terry Pratchett’s made-up dance?
Think again!

This is England,
Good old England.
This is Oxfordshire.
Good old Abingdon.
This is Mayor’s Day.
This is Abingdon Traditional Morris
Dancing the Princess Royale.

Old mother Harvey
Old George Hunt
Went to Nuneham in a Punt
Lost the pole and away they wunt
and they never got to Nuneham.

Lifting arms together
line dancing
cross dancing
cross ribboned
Abingdon crested
white trousered
white shirted
fabulous flowers
in their hats.

Lifting legs together
ring-a-ling a-ling
lifting arms together
hankies flowing
throwing grain together
making the harvest grow
higher and higher
pure nature
loving dance.

Central Abingdon Regeneration Framework (CARF) – June Consultation Event

Ten Poems about Abingdon – officially released

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Life-time readers of the Abingdon Blog may remember how I started collecting poems about Abingdon. There was also a request through the Abingdon Herald in January 2022 for poems.

The resulting book is now available in The Bookstore, Mostly Books, Abingdon Museum, and from TAB (The Abingdon Bridge). The Bookstore is giving all proceeds to charity but to help that can only take cash. For anybody who cannot get to any of these shops, email or drop a note to my truenym’s email (see the picture above).

The book is dedicated to Pauline Sykes, who has been running the Abingdon Share-a-poem for a long time. The group meets monthly to share poems, some self-written and others by established authors. Previous books from the group include Wellspring Words in 2007 and WAR and PEACE in 2003.

Andrew Jamison helped with selecting ten from over forty poems submitted to me. Andrew also wrote the foreword. Andrew is a teacher at Abingdon School. His poetry has been published widely in UK and Irish literary journals, and anthologies. His books of poetry include: ‘Stay’ and ‘Happy Hour’ published by The Gallery Press.

Money will go to The Abingdon Bridge, a well-being charity that supports young people aged 13-25. This does suggest the idea for a follow-up book, ‘Ten poems about young Abingdon’.

Lucca – Abingdon’s Twin Town

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We planned a holiday in Tuscany in the spring of 2020. Covid closed down North Italy before anywhere in Europe. So this was a postponed trip.

Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca. His house forms part of the Lucca tourist trail.

I filmed this man, who could play the cello and sing, singing “Nessun Dorma”, an aria from Puccini’s opera Turandot.

It was a lively place with a hubbub outside our window on the Via Roma until midnight.

On Sunday morning, along with many local people, we walked around the ramparts of the old Roman town of Lucca. Some walked, some jogged, others cycled, some singly, a lot on hired four-person pedaloes. There were some great views.

But then, at one point, about 150 Vespa-style motorcycles came by, led by Vespa Club Lucca. They were joined by Vespas from other towns, with a lot of waving and beeping of horns.

We also visited Lucca Cathedral, where some famous artworks can be viewed. There were also visitors on bikes.

There are a lot of churches in Lucca. Abingdon used to have a lot of pubs. Lucca still has a lot of church buildings. This one, near the Catherdral, had an exhibition with trees and roots turned into art.

There is an oval-shaped area based on a Roman Amphitheatre in Lucca. People were eating and drinking all the way around. Lucca does seem to be a fascinating historical and cultural place. We only had a day and a half in Lucca. In hindsight, more time in Lucca and less in Florence.