A single bell tolled every few seconds across Abingdon Market Place today from St Nicolas Church. The church was full, and the churchwarden found extra chairs from somewhere.

There seem to have been a lot of funerals recently. Yesterday was a day of two funerals.

In the morning, Trinity Church held the funeral of John, one of our congregation. He was a steward who was always wanting to help and described as ‘a lovely man’.

Later in the day, Christ Church held the funeral of former Mayor and former Chair of the Vale of White Horse District Council, Councillor Margaret Crick. Alongside her family and friends were the Mayor, the town mace, and many current and former councillors who had served with her over the years. One told me how important she was during Covid in her role as Chair of the Vale, when she had a direct line to the minister.

There were also two funerals at All Saints Church just over a week ago, both for members of their congregation. Both were well attended. One was for Michael who had been a church minister in Africa and who finally settled in Abingdon to be near family. The other was for Derek, the former Chief Executive of UKAEA. His grandson said, “The world would be a much better place if everyone were more like Grandpa,” and someone else said, “Curiosity was his superpower.” People filled the church, church hall, balcony and foyer for Derek’s funeral.

Abingdon is small enough to have many overlapping circles of people. Someone you recognise from one part of the town turns up at the funeral of someone you never realised they knew. It is interesting to discover the connections between these seemingly distinct people.

The thanksgiving service at St Nicolas today was for Evelyn, a member of Abingdon Artists. Some of her paintings were displayed at the front. She was one of the familiar faces who often helped at events at St Nicolas. You may have known her too, even if you don’t know the name.

The town flag is flying at half-mast above the County Hall following the death of former Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Margaret Crick, who passed away on Friday, 10th July 2026. Her health had not been good recently, but her passing was a shock to her council colleagues and friends.

Margaret was first elected to Abingdon Town Council in 2007, representing Caldecott Ward. She later represented Dunmore Ward, serving as a Town Councillor and also as a District Councillor. She was Mayor of Abingdon in 2018–19 before going on to become Chair of the Vale of White Horse District Council, a position she held for four consecutive years from 2019 to 2023.

Before entering local government, Margaret was a teacher, working both in England and in the Bahamas. Young people were always important to Margaret, and during her year as Mayor her chosen charities were Abingdon Carousel and Be Free Young Carers.

Margaret was a hard-working and dedicated councillor who gave a great deal of time to serving Abingdon. Much of what she did was away from the headlines, quietly supporting residents, community groups, and local causes. She brought the calm authority and organisation of a teacher to council meetings, while also being known for her warmth, humour, and willingness to ask thoughtful questions.

Away from public life, Margaret was a keen gardener, a member of Abingdon Horticultural Society, and a talented craftswoman. Behind the scenes she donated handmade jewellery to help raise money for community events.

Margaret leaves two sons, David and Michael, who served as Mayor’s escorts during her year as Mayor.

Family, friends and former colleagues gathered at the Crown and Thistle to celebrate the life of Tom Duffy, known to many as Pat.

To residents of Abingdon town centre, Tom was a familiar and friendly presence — one of the well-known trio of Abingdon Town Council parking wardens, alongside Malcolm and Les. He took on the role after retirement, during a time when the wardens were well-liked by the community. They didn’t just issue tickets — they listened to residents’ concerns and passed them on to the Town Council, often acting as a bridge between local people and local government.

The trio were always ready to lend a hand beyond their official duties, stewarding the Michaelmas Fair and helping at other town events throughout the year.

Music played an important part in Tom’s life. He was often seen at Music at the Unicorn, and in an earlier photo — bearded — he looked every bit the Irish folk singer. People began calling him ‘Paddy,’ which soon became ‘Pat,’ the name that stuck.

Tom had requested a simple cremation. Jim Halliday, leader of the Town Council, described him as a no-fuss, down-to-earth person. But his family decided on this celebration at the Crown and Thistle, and the function room was packed. His friend and former colleague Malcolm remembered him as ‘a lovely chap,’ while his former boss Steve Rich called him ‘a thoroughly nice man.’

Tom will be fondly remembered by many in the town. His wife said she felt lucky to have met her soul mate so early in life — though no time could ever be long enough.

Red’s presence could not be ignored — his deep, bellowing voice, unfiltered and booming across the streets; his warm greetings to complete strangers; his tattooed face and hair dyed red.

Pirate or Red, he lived a life half on water, half on land. His narrowboat was camouflaged with a tarpaulin, flying a pirate flag on the Thames.

A familiar figure on the benches of Abbey Gardens, he shared long hours with friends. He was hired as security at a supermarket during the fair — a presence both trusted and intimidating. I heard he was a keen gardener, proud of his small patch of green. A man who knew suffering yet still helped others. On his Facebook page, he shared a quote: “The depth of your spiritual awakening is very much connected to the amount of darkness and pain you’ve gone through in your life …”

For the last decade and a half, he had been an Abingdon fixture since buying a narrowboat and moving here to start a new life. Somebody once did a video documentary of his previous life on YouTube but I don’t think its there any more. There was kindness and chaos — many saw a friendly soul, some found him threatening. In recent months, people wondered where he had gone. There were rumours about his health.

In the last few days, those rumours turned to news of his death, confirmed by an article in the Oxford Mail.

Those who knew him will remember him in their own way — but no one will forget him.

P.S. I must have a picture of him somewhere but used this one of red tulips in the Abbey Gardens where he often sat.