Author Archives: Backstreeter

Old Football Teams in Abingdon

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As a local historian, Elizabeth sometimes gets given pictures that are not easy to identify. So she wanted to find out if anybody recognises any of the teams and players. Press the small image to see a bigger image All we know so far is that the pictures are by Warland Andrew, The Royal Studio, Abingdon.
football teams
This team are pictured outside the Pavlova Leather Company Limited
football teams 
This team have the same kit with a skull and cross bones as a badge.
football teams 
Nothing much to identify this team.
football teams 
The church in the background is St Helen’s. One player has a badge with DFC.

Path reveals a solitary killer

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Path reveals a solitary killer
Running alongside Ock Street, the River Ock has two branches.
Path reveals a solitary killer
Between them lies a favorite walk of locals. It runs from St Helen’s Court in the town centre to Drayton Road.
Path reveals a solitary killer
The path is out of site of the houses because of the cover of trees. There are crack willows beside the water, and Abingdon Green Gym have planted new trees in an area between the main path and a smaller path following the upper river.
Path reveals a solitary killer
It is a place of natural beauty where wildlife can be seen. On Sunday we saw by chance a heron in action. Normally we just see herons standing waiting in the water, but this one was going for the kill.
Path reveals a solitary killer
It caught what I fear was a water vole. An expert might know better.
Path reveals a solitary killer
The heron then fought and dunked its victim repeatedly in the water. I hope it was a rat, but I fear it was a water vole.

Also one of the tallest street fairs

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Also one of the highest
Tuesday was the second evening of the fair.
Also one of the highest
There was not quite the crush of some years, but still a lot of people about. The mild rain-free evenings help to bring in the crowds.
Also one of the highest
Rides like Booster (pictured), and the high swings at the end of Ock Street, meant this was not only the longest street fair,
Also one of the highest
but also one of the tallest. Air traffic control could well have been notified.
Also one of the highest
I did not notice any trouble, apart from the occasional person being sick after have been spun about too fast.

Fairground music is still reverberating from the centre of town to the outer limits. Within an hour or so all will become quiet, and by the time people set off for work tomorrow morning there will be no sign that the fair was ever there.

The Longest Street Fair in Europe

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The Longest Street Fair in Europe
The annual Michaelmas Fair is Abingdon’s oldest tradition, and best attended event.
The Longest Street Fair in Europe
A number of local restaurants set up camp on their doorsteps to take full advantage, including Dorindo’s Mexican Restaurant.
The Longest Street Fair in Europe
There were no gaps between the stalls and rides along the full length of the fair, which stretches  from the Market Place to the double mini roundabout off Drayton Road – more than half a mile.
The Longest Street Fair in Europe
The Town Council website says ‘It is the longest street fair in Europe.’