Author Archives: Backstreeter

Bombing of Hiroshima

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bombing of Hiroshima
The bombing of Hiroshima on August, 6, 1945 was followed by the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9 1945.

At the Abingdon war memorial on August 6th 2016, members of the Abingdon Peace Group were joined in a vigil on Saturday by someone who grew up in Hiroshima.

Katsuaki Inoue is a research scientist living in Abingdon with his wife and young son. When he heard that there was a vigil to mark the 71st anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima he rushed down to the war memorial to join in.

Katsuaki said, “My father was living in Hiroshima in 1945, but was fortunately in a village a few miles away on August 6th when the bomb was dropped. I am so touched that people in Abingdon still remember what happened. Thank you!”

Donald Trump visits Abingdon

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Thanks to Sven for this …
Donald Trump visits Abingdon
The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon hosted a Donald Trump presidential campaign event.

Mr Trump was reported by the Herald Courier as saying that “Coal mining jobs have been taken away and we need to bring them back.”

Three Stone Landmarks

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Under the archway connecting Stert Street and the Market Place is a mural painted by Margaret Jones, the same artist who painted, and repainted, the mural in the Stratton Way underpass. It shows three stone landmarks from Abingdon, and was commissioned by the Friends of Abingdon on the wall of John Menzies shop in 1991.
Three Stone Standards
The Queen Victoria statue was given to the town by E.J Trendell, and was to be seen on the Market Place for about 60 years, and has been in the Abbey Grounds for the next 70 years.

There is Abingdon’s “Right, Goodly Crosse of Stone” built in 1441, and demolished by parliamentary soldiers during the English Civil War in 1644.
Three Stone Standards
There is also an Obelisk Lamp Standard (1834-1887) that was part of the first gas street lighting system in Abingdon. I believe this one was to be seen alongside the River Thames near Abingdon Bridge.

Football for All

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Football for All
In the Community Freespace (opposite Samuels) there was a football display. Oxford City FC were letting people know they give opportunities for people of all ages and abilities who want to play football. For example the Oxford City casuals are a member of the Berks Bucks and Oxfordshire inclusive (BOBi) league that allows disability teams to play each other.

There was a sunny day in town. I noticed a number of rainbow flags in shop windows. The Abingdon rainbow movement has taken off while we were away.