After a lapse of several years the friendly societies of Abingdon are reviving what was formerly a ‘Hospital Sunday.’ The event will consist of a parade of members of the friendly societies in procession through the principal streets of the town accompanied by several bands and with collectors in aid of the local hospitals.

Eupho’s Amateur Band Notes say: The Abingdon Town Band have been fairly quiet of late, but are now preparing for a concert in the Corn Exchange on Saturday, October 11th, when the result of the prize draw will be announced. Mr. Bert Turner, the well-known Oxford comedian has been engaged, also Mr. Hugh Owen, the Welsh baritone. Other artistes are Mrs. I. Balmforth, con-tralto, and Mr. R. Daniels, the Abingdon flautist. From reports received the tickets for the prize draw are selling well, and further prizes have been received, making thirty-one with a promise of more.  The money will go to provide uniforms for the band.

The Abingdon Town Band will be in attendance at the Hospital Sunday Parade at Abingdon on Sunday. Didcot, Northbourne, Steventon, and Abingdon S.A. bands are also attending. The last-named band seems to be falling to pieces lately, I am sorry to say. Rehearsals, when held, are poorly attended, and no new music has been played for a long time. 

The first fixture of the Abingdon Town Club for this season is with Reading Workmen’s Institute, at Abingdon, on Saturday next, September 13th.

Mr W Flay, a late member of the Abingdon Bowling Club, of which he was hon. treasurer since its formation, has been presented with a handsome gold-mounted silk umbrella, suitably engraved, from members of the club in recognition of his long service.

Borough Police Court:
Private Abel Neathway, R.O.A.C. Camp, Didcot, was fined 5s. for riding a bicycle without a light in Bridge Street, Abingdon, on August 24th.

John R. Stevens, boatbuilder, The Bridge, Abingdon, was summoned by the Thames Conservancy for letting for hire three pleasure boats without registration plates. The defendant pleaded guilty and was fined 15s., including costs, on the first charge, with the other two charges being withdrawn.

George Belcher, of Elm Cottage, Botley, Oxford, was summoned by an Abingdon woman for maintenance of her child, whom she alleged he was the father. The Bench made an order for payment of 10s. per week, and costs amounting to £1 8s 6d.

Those who have not succumbed to the ‘bobbing’ or ‘shingling’ fashions (all the rage in 1924) will welcome the invention of the ‘M’ hairpin, which is now obtainable from Abingdon hairdressers. Among its advantages are its lightness and that it will not fall out and that it keeps the hair tidier than other pins.

The Abingdon Lawn Tennis Club played their last match of the season against the United Banks (Oxford) when owing to the bad state of the weather the game had to be played on hard courts. Abingdon won by six to three.

In connection with Dr. Barnardo’s Homes, a garden party was held in St. Helen’s Mill garden, by invitation of Mrs. Dawson-Clark. About thirty-five young helpers and adults were present. During the afternoon, games were played, and tea was provided. A meeting was also held, when the amounts collected during the year were read out, the total being £8 3s. 4d., of which Miss Mary Gardner had collected 18s. 2d., which entitles her to a medal.

An accident occurred at Lodge Hill on Tuesday afternoon, when a lorry was proceeding towards Oxford, followed by a motorcar, behind which was a motorcyclist with a sidecar passenger. The car drew out to pass the lorry, followed by the motorcyclist. The sidecar wheel, however, became caught in the back of the motorcar, and the machine was dragged along, eventually jamming against another vehicle coming from Oxford in the opposite direction. The motorbike and sidecar were badly smashed, but fortunately, no one was injured.

Those who remember the Rev. George Whelpton, M.A., who was the local Wesleyan Minister from 1906 to 1909 and again from 1912 to 1915, will be pleased to hear that he will occupy the pulpit at Trinity Wesleyan Church on Sunday week, on the occasion of the Wesley Guild Festival and Circuit Rally. While he was here, Mr. Whelpton was very popular and highly respected by all denominations.

Much regret is felt that owing to the difficulty of finding a house the Rev. A. E. Richmond, who was to have commenced his ministry at the Abingdon Congregational Church next month, has had to abandon the idea of coming to Abingdon.

At the Baptist church it was decided to form a local branch of the Workers Educational Association. It will endeavour to provide learning for working men and women.

The harvest festival in the Primitive Methodist Church was held in Sunday and Monday. The congregation were large at both the morning and evening services, and the sermons helpful and inspiring. After the Monday meeting a sale of produce took place and realised a good total.

At Monday’s meeting of the Abingdon Rural Council, a question in relation to the roadmen was raised. Apparently, in the past, these men had been allowed to leave their work on the roads for a day’s harvesting, if wanted. The surveyor informed them that in the future they must obtain his permission before leaving their work, as he quite reasonably contended that if he is to be held responsible for the condition of the roads, he must have full control over his staff and know where they are at work. In view of the large number of local unemployed, it is difficult to understand why those in more or less permanent work should be called upon at all for harvesting.

Abingdon lost to the R.A.O.C Didcot on Saturday by three goals to two, a result which was a surprise after their victory against the Reading British Workmen’s Institute team the previous week.

GWR have arranged special cheap day fairs to Newbury Races on September 26 and 27, and also for Birmingham Onion Fair on Saturday next.

Oxford and Abingdon markets were reopened this week after having been closed for several weeks due to outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the district.

The Kinema:
Pola Negri, acclaimed by many as the most fascinating actress of our times with her ability to express emotion in gestures and expressions. Her power has never been better shown than in ‘Mad Love’, the story of a notorious woman who has attracted the love of two cousins. This special attraction will be showed from Monday to Wednesday evening.

Thanks to the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette on the British Newspaper Archive and to the North Berks Herald microfilm in the library.  The adverts come from the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette. The Bobbed or Shingled advert is from the Daily Mirror (Sept 1st 1924). The clip of Pola Negri is from YouTube where you can watch the Movie Mad Love as it appeared in The Kinema in Stert Street. The picture of Rev. George Whelpton is from A History of Trinity (Wesleyan) Methodist Church Abingdon by D.B.Tranter.

There were MGs on the Market Place from 10 am until 2 pm on the Sunday of Heritage Weekend.

A couple of non MG cars were also granted access onto the Market Place. One was this 1925 Lancia, made in Italy and after spending much of its working life in Australia now drives the roads around Abingdon. I saw it speeding off to Culham as I returned from the Culham ticket Office.

It was open for visitors all weekend. There were about 150 visitors on Saturday and about the same number on Sunday.

It was exciting to go through to the other side of the ticket office and see customers through the hatch, and then get a souvenir ticket stamped. There were also lots of souvenirs. One of the people running the operation has a collection of 400 GWR jigsaws. The jigsaws depicted travel locations and encouraged people to take the train.

Later in the day, Andrew, who has done a lot of the organising of Heritage Open Weekend, drew the winning entry for the Family Treasure Hunt. There were 30 correct entries out of about 60.

The winner will receive a Deluxe Brio Railway Set. Andrew asked Ravensburger whether he could borrow a Brio railway for the weekend and they donated one, and so that became the prize.

A highlight of every Heritage Weekend is East St Helen Street. Once again it had been transformed into a living museum. Windows throughout the street had displays offering glimpses into the street’s past.

Some displays showed parades that have marched down the street over the years, while others depicted the street’s earlier days as a bustling hub of activity. East St Helen Street was home to malthouses, riverside trading businesses, and lively pubs. Before 1977 it had two way traffic. And before 1900 it had no automobiles.

People demonstrated Iron Age crafts in the grounds of the Abbey Buildings. A Blacksmith used bellows to heat the coals in which a sickle was stuck to make it red hot so that he could bang it into shape.

A lady had produced dyes by grinding rocks gathered near the coast, which she then used to paint shields for warriors.

There were also various armed iron age warriors and a Roman soldier, iron age food, iron age games and more.

Another highlight was the exhibition in the Roysse Room. It was only just lunchtime when I went in and they had already welcomed over 300 visitors.

Dawn talking Newspapers had a demo of a recording. They are usually based at the Health and Well Being Centre. They connect people who have visual impairments with the local news by recording and distributing it on flash drives. (Heritage theme 2024: Routes-Networks-Connections).

The exhibition comprised large old maps which people always enjoy and old photos of roads in Abingdon and how they have changed; a history of footpaths; some waterways; and some aeroplane pictures from RAF Abingdon.  The bomb like object is a fuel tank which an aircraft dropped. After WWII there were lots of these ‘Drop Tanks’ in the fields around Abingdon.

Outside the weather was bright and sunny. Artists were drawing and painting around the town and by the river for a quick impromptu exhibition in St Nicolas Church.

There was a exhibition about waterways in the Long Alley Almshouses hall, and a chance to admire the touched-up windows.

The Abingdon Branch Railway model was popular, and lots of MG Cars could be seen in the siding.

Inside the MG Car Club there was an exhibition of MG and MGCC memorabilia.

This is a limited edition brick (No 244 of 500) from the MG Car Plant building in Abingdon-on-Thames.

These pictures make up just a small sample of what was an excellent Heritage Saturday. Well done to all the organisers and volunteers. The Heritage weekend continues on Sunday, when there will be, among other things, MG Cars on the Market Place from 10 am to 2 pm.

Marion Evans, the Residents’ Governor, invites you to view the newly restored stained glass window in the Hall on Saturday 14th September during Abingdon’s Heritage Weekend.

Long Alley almshouses date from the 15th century and are Grade 1 listed. They form part of the beautiful churchyard group around St Helen’s Church.

The window dates back to 1605, though the glass is more recent. The shields depicted are from historic benefactors to the charity. The first window is for King Edward VI who founded & incorporated the Hospital of Christ in Abingdon 1553. The second window is for Sir John Mason, the first Master, appointed in 1553 – a liberal patron of the Hospital.

A hospital was a place of hospitality, not just for treating illness, but covered almshouses and hostels.

According to the article Medieval Hospitals by Margaret Markham, St. Helen’s Hospital (Long Alley Almshouses) was founded in association with the Guild of the Holy Cross in 1442 for the support of 7 poor men and 6 women. The Guild and its hospital was dissolved in 1548, but re-founded as Christ’s Hospital 5 years later.