A rare event took place today as Jackie Smith was granted the Freedom of the Town of Abingdon-on-Thames – the highest honour the Town Council can bestow. She was recognised as “a person of distinction who has rendered eminent service to the people of the town.” The Freedom badge was presented by the Mayor of Abingdon, Cllr Rawda Jehanli, at a ceremony today (27th September 2025) in the Roysse Room.

The Council voted unanimously to confer the honour. In his speech proposing the award, the Leader of the Town Council, Cllr Jim Halliday, praised Jackie for caring for the town archives “with professionalism, love and care.” Jackie said afterwards that she was “overcome with emotion” and had never imagined receiving such an honour.

Jackie has served as Honorary Archivist for Abingdon Town Council since 1993. For more than 30 years she has been there every week to answer questions from councillors, residents and researchers from beyond the town. She supports events such as the annual John Mason Charter Day and Heritage Open Day, undertakes specialist tasks including the Albert Park Conservation Area Appraisal, has written numerous articles for the Abingdon Herald, and prepares background briefs for councillors and local organisations. In 2008 Jackie also became archivist for Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon.
The last Freedom ceremony was held in 2019. In the photograph above, Jackie is pictured with the three women who became Honorary Freewomen in 2019: Marilyn Badcock, Julie Mayhew-Archer and Lesley Legge.
Jackie has also written books about Abingdon and is the archivist of the Abingdon Area Archaeology and History Society and is seen here with Roger Thomas and Elizabeth Drury, fellow historians from the society.

Since the honour was first conferred on John Morland in 1922, only 25 individuals and organisations have been granted the Honorary Freedom of Abingdon. (A full list is available on the Town Council’s website: abingdon.gov.uk/freedom-of-abingdon.)

Once upon a time … well, actually it was today, in the fair town of Abingdon, a bride was preparing for her special day. Her excitement turned to tears when her transport appeared. She didn’t know what to do with a pumpkin and pair of white mice.

Just then, her fairy godmother appeared, and waved her wand. The pumpkin turned into a glass carriage, and the mice became two white horses. The bride, overcome with joy, climbed into the carriage and was taken to St. Helen’s Church. She arrived late but her groom and guests waited patiently for her.

The sight of the grand carriage and the white horses drew the attention of everyone in the town, and many people took pictures.

They all lived happily ever after.

At St Helen’s Church this evening, the Town Crier invited members of the public to the annual mayor making ceremony.

Before the ceremony, Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers danced around the Mayor-elect Councillor Andy Foulsham.

One of Councillor Cheryl Briggs last duties, as mayor, was to present Mr Michael Matthews, Freeman of Abingdon and past Abingdon Mayor, with the honorary citizenship of Lucca, Italy – Abingdon’s twin town. This is for Mr Matthews’s work over the years in bringing together our communities.

Cheryl also presented the first annual Biodiversity Awards to various people, and the mayor’s awards for services to the community to Rita Atkinson MBE for work with the charity Abingdon Damascus and the Abingdon Carbon Cutters for their work over the years.

The new Mayor, Andy Foulsham, has lived in Abingdon for over twenty years and works for Oxford University as an IT manager. He is a governor at Woodeaton Manor School – a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school near Oxford. He has a particular interest in education and is passionate about ensuring that all children and young people have the best opportunities. His charities for the coming year are The Archway Foundation (connects people experiencing loneliness) and Yellow Submarine (autism and learning disability). He has also chosen a theme for the year ‘belonging’.

The new Deputy Mayor is Councillor Gabby Barody.

After the ceremony, members of the public could meet the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor and their partners.

There was a special presentation this afternoon at the Boundary House in Abingdon when the Town Crier called everybody together, and then the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Brian Buchan, read a full citation for both Rodney and Rosalie James. They were both recognised individually in the New Year Honours List of 2021.

Today was the day they were both presented with a M.B.E for fostering over 400 children and providing them with a stable home. The citation said ‘They treat every child as unique and they tailor parenting to meet individual needs.’

Not only have they fostered and helped the children in their care to achieve better outcomes educationally than is usual for foster children, they have also helped recruit and train more foster parents. Rod and Rosalie are now in their eighties and finished fostering before the award was made.

Rod is also well known for his long association with the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, who were there to dance for the MBEs.

The Oxford Mail had an article about them soon after the award was announced.