In the 1800s, when the Michaelmas Fair was a hiring and fun fair, the Runaway Fair at Abingdon followed one week after and allowed farm and domestic servants to seek new employment when they were not satisfied with their first employment. The Runaway Fair still follows one week after and is a much smaller fair with children’s rides on the Market Place.

The rides on the Market Place were in position from this Sunday morning.

In previous years the High Street would be closed through Sunday and Monday, but this year there was no closure. Everything was on the Market Place.

Regarding the Michaelmas Fair, the excellent report from the Oxford Journal in 1805 reported over 10,000 people attended …

Abingdon Fair on Monday last was more numerously attended than for several years past. It is supposed that upwards of 10,000 persons were present. – There was a great show of dairy maids, who were hired at very low wages, owing to the late reduced price of cheese. The taskers went off briskly, and at high prices, the Farmers being in a hurry to get their corn thrashed out for market. The numerous gang of pickpockets who attended began to exercise their dexterity very early in the day; and (while the attention of the populace was excited by the beauty of the Grand Turk’s Palace, the wonderful feats of The Little Strong Woman, and the harmony of the Pentonville Organ) contrived to empty the pockets of a poor woman of about forty shillings, a countryman of about £3. and a farmer of his pocket-book, containing notes to a considerable amount. Among the various entertainments was a menagerie of wild beasts, which attracted a great number of people, and among the rest a young farmer and his ‘enamorata’, the latter of whom having offered a nut to a monkey, the ungrateful animal bit her fingers severely; this so enraged her lover that he immediately seized poor pug by the tail, and would have dashed his brains out, but the nimble African sprung at him, and with his paws lacerated his face in a dreadful manner. Adams’s Royal troop of Equestrians and Germans Musicians had also a number of visitors, from whom they reaped a bountiful harvest: a very ludicrous scene took place here, for The Little Learned Horse – being directed to find out that lady who had committed in a matrimonial state what she ought not to have done, in his search accidentally took hold of a lady’s bonnet and pulled it off, bringing with it her cap and false hair, and exposing her bald-pate, to the great amusement of the company. In the evening a number of fine young men were enlisted by the recruiting parties for his Majesty’s service.

Thank you for the extract from Oxford Journal – Saturday 12 October 1805 to the British Newspaper Archive.

The second day of the fair was sunny, and here are pictures of a few of the rides. This is Formula 1, at the junction of Stratton Way. Policemen directing traffic was once an ordinary sight and is remembered on this ride.

The vendor of balloons was outside The Grapes and is not a ride unless you are a very small person and get carried away.

This is Extreme Power outside the Fire Station, and it swings high from side to side and has light effects.

Extreme was nearby. It goes round, at a slight angle, while the seats twirl.

Super Trooper was outside Pizza Hut and it goes up and down and round.

A view of a helter-skelter and Storm near Reeves Fish and Chips. Storm is like a huge propellor with people in baskets at each tip.

Body Count by St Nicolas Church goes around and tilts from horizontal to vertical.

They were all here today and will be gone by the early hours of tomorrow.

The Abingdon Michaelmas Fair opened this Monday with blue skies. Back in Victorian times, and before, this would have also been a hiring fair where farm workers could have found employment for the next year but these days it is a fun fair

with rides from the Market Place

through the Square

to the end of Ock Street

with burger and sweet seller stalls

with restaurants offering street food

and amusements throughout the day

and into the night.

Abingdon Michaelmas Fair is the longest street fair in the UK and takes place on High Street and Ock Street, Market Place and part of Stratton Way.

When I woke, I saw a trailer with a children’s Ferris wheel.

The top of West St Helen Street was closed to traffic.

Setting up the fair happens between 8 am and 2 pm. The run-in takes longer, and some vehicles and caravans arrive a few days before.

The rides are put into position and assembled. On the Market Place, The Victorian-style Galloping Horses take longer to put together than most of the more modern rides.

After all the poles and supports have been positioned and fixed, the horses await their turn in safety socks.

Horses are used for carrying people but must first be carried into position by people.

Later, at 7 pm, the Golden Galloping Horses provided the stage for the Fair Service, where people thanked God and the people who helped make the fair possible, including Mr and Mrs Wilson, Hebborns, fair workers and the town council. There were prayers for a peaceful and fun-filled fun fair. Hymns were sung, and there was a free ride.