Category Archives: mg

Boxing Day MGs Fill Abingdon Market Place

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There was a good turnout for the annual Boxing Day MG car get-together in Abingdon Market Place. At one point 53 cars were counted, with several others having already arrived and departed earlier in the morning.

The temperature hovered around 4°C, but unlike Christmas Eve there was no windchill, and the sun made an appearance. Although the official start time was 9:30 am, cars began arriving earlier, and by mid-morning the Market Place was almost full, with latecomers being carefully squeezed into spaces.

Among the late arrivals was Bridget the Midget. In 2008–09 she became the first MG to circumnavigate the globe in a single run, and has since taken part in many other long-distance adventures.

The Boxing Day meet was once an opportunity for a shared drive, but has become more of a social gathering, with drivers and onlookers chatting throughout the morning.

Getting a cup of coffee was no problem, with the cafés around the Market Place doing a good trade.
There was also fundraising for Abingdon Foodbank, who had been invited along.

Eventually the cars departed one by one, and by 12:30pm most had left. This particular MG had come over from Pangbourne.

The Market Place was once a carpark, but nowadays only MGs are allowed on the Market Place by prior arrangement. The organisers of this event are the Abingdon Works Centre of the MG Car Club.

Boxing Day MG Social Meeting on Abingdon Market Place

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The Market Place began filling up with MGs from around 10 and  Richard and Gill Martin were there as always with their MGB. The day was mild and mostly dry. Costa and Starbucks were open serving coffee.

The newest MG was a MG Cyberster, an all-electric, two-seater sports car, with styling influenced by cars such as the MGB with futuristic elements such as the scissor doors. It has been launched on the hundredth anniversary of the MG Marque. MG’s parent company is currently SAIC Motor (Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation).

Ian Wright helped to ensure all the cars could were positioned so that anybody who needed to leave could leave without too much trouble.

At the point I counted there were 41 cars on the Market Place but others came and went during the morning. The total could have been nearer 50.

This owner has a MG T.

Behind Ian and his dog MG is Bridget the Midget, one of the MG Midgets.

He said there was a lovely turnout with lots of variety.

MG 100 – Evolution of an Icon: A Report

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The Abingdon County Hall Museum is hosting an exhibition titled “MG 100 – Evolution of an Icon,” commemorating the 100th anniversary of the MG brand. This exhibition takes visitors through MG’s history, highlighting the iconic models, record-breaking achievements, and influential figures who shaped the brand.

The exhibition begins in the sessions hall as a series of information boards, each board exploring one aspect of MG’s story. The exhibition continues upstairs in the attic area. You can learn about:

  • MG Early Days: Morris Motors and MG. MG Finds Identity. Rise of the MG Midget.
  • Lord Nuffield: The visionary owner and Managing Director of Morris Motors who played a pivotal role in MG’s development.
  • Cecil Kimber: The Managing Director who is credited with shaping MG’s unique identity.
  • MG Car Club: John Thornley founded the MG Car Club in 1930, fostering a passionate community of enthusiasts.
  • The War Years: The repurposing of the factory for wartime production of tanks.


The exhibition highlights MG’s post-war achievements with sections on:

  • The MGA: An export success, particularly popular in the USA.
  • Syd Enever: MG’s chief engineer, who played a key role in the MGA and MGB.
  • The MGB: Another iconic model that achieved great export success, especially in the American market.
  • The New Midget: A successful smaller sports car featuring a smaller engine.
  • EX Numbers: A section dedicated to ‘EX’ numbered prototypes and parts, not all of which reached production, showcasing MG’s spirit of innovation.
  • MG’s racing heritage: Racing drivers, George Eyston and Goldie Gardner
  • The End of MG Abingdon: The decision by BL to prioritize a Triumph model over the MGB, and other factors that led to closure of MG production in Abingdon.
  • MG After Abingdon: The brand’s continuation with production shifting to other locations including China.


Beyond the information boards, the exhibition offers :

  • Films: A film featuring Sterling Moss and an MG record-breaking car, and a documentary showing the process of lifting the last MGB into the museum.
  • Vehicles on Display: A showcase of MG car models in a display case allows visitors to see dozens of models together.
  • Additional Exhibits: The exhibition features various artifacts including a section of the assembly track, and design drawings by Peter Neal. He is now the club archivist who collaborated with the museum staff in making the exhibition.

For more details about the exhibition, visit the Abingdon Museum website: https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/event/exhibition-mg-100-evolution-of-an-icon. Admission FREE.

The museum is financed and overseen by Abingdon Town Council.

MGs back on Abingdon Market Place for Boxing Day Tradition

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There was a good turnout for the traditional Boxing Day gathering of MGs on Abingdon Market Place this morning.

Richard and Gill Martin were there to help organise the gathering on behalf of the Abingdon Works Centre MG Car club.

It was a chance to polish the MG and give it a runout, on what was a dry day,

and meet up socially with other club members for coffee from the various cafes that were open, and exchange MG news.

Those who arrived early could also get the best bargains at the fashion chain Fat Face, whose Boxing Day sale opened at 9 am.  Fat Face have news too. They were taken over by Next in October 2023.