The Great Strike – First Two days in Abingdon

Abingdon was unusually quiet, with little traffic passing through the town. People employed in Oxford found there was no railway service, but were conveyed by motor bus instead.

The Mayor, Councillor J. D. Godfrey, called for the help of members of the council during the strike, and a joint food committee was set up for the Borough and District. Recruiting for Special Constables began at the Municipal Offices, where twenty-six names were handed in during the afternoon; the volunteers were sworn in the following day. The Mayor said that whatever people’s view on the strike, law and order must be maintained.

The gas works had a good stock of coal, and no men were on strike there, nor at the Electric Light Works. Bakers were being supplied with fuel by the local authority, and yeast had been obtained from London. Supplies at the coal merchants, however, were low, and households were limited to one cwt of coal per week.

Meanwhile, GWR men on strike at Didcot organised a cricket match, followed by a concert at the Red Triangle Club.

About forty men were laid off at the Concrete Brick and Tile Company in Abingdon because supplies of cement were unavailable. A restricted train service began between Abingdon and Radley.

Abingdon Bowling Club – Opening of New Pavilion
The Great Strike did not interfere with the opening of the new pavilion of the Abingdon Bowling Club, and there were a large number of members and others present when Mrs. A. E. Preston declared the building open.

In asking Mrs. Preston, the wife of their president, to open their new club room, Mr. C. Johnson said it had been their ambition for many years to possess a home like that one. He claimed it would be an ornament to Abingdon Park and would be no discredit to the Borough of Abingdon.

The pavilion, which has cost over £200, has been built by money raised through loans, free of interest, entirely from the members, and has been built by Messrs. Blake Bros. of Abingdon.

Congratulations to Lord Abingdon
A letter was sent by the Mayor and Corporation of Abingdon to the Lord High Steward of the Borough, the Earl of Abingdon. It read:

Dear Lord Abingdon –

The Corporation joins me in tendering the heartiest of greetings to you on attaining your ninetieth birthday.

We would couple with our congratulations the very sincere hope that a kindly Providence will continue to sustain you with health, happiness and peace, whereby you may be able to yet prolong your extended term of office as High Steward of the Borough.

Believe me, yours very truly,
JOHN DENNIS GODFREY
Mayor

Another Lodge Hill Accident
The accidents that occur at Lodge Hill, the dangerous S-bend on the main road between Oxford and Abingdon, are becoming increasingly notorious. On Wednesday, there was yet another mishap at this spot, though fortunately no one was seriously injured.

Mr James Jacques, of Bournemouth, was driving home from Northampton when a lady cyclist riding ahead of him suddenly swerved. To avoid striking her, Mr Jacques steered off the road, resulting in an accident.

Strangled by Shirt Collar
The District Coroner, Mr Normley Challenor, held an inquest at the Chinese Camp, RAF Depot, Milton, into the death of Percy Picton, an Air Ministry warden.

Mr Picton had been seen the previous evening in good spirits and was described by one witness as a happy-go-lucky man. As he passed, he waved his hand, and called, “Hullo, Tom.”

The following morning, Mr Picton failed to report for duty at 6 a.m. A colleague went to awaken him and, looking through the window of his cubicle, saw him lying on his bed. There was no sign that anyone else had been in the room. The cubicle was locked and was opened using a spare key.

The deceased was fully dressed in uniform, apart from his jacket. Dr Richard Rice was summoned but found that the man was already dead. The deceased’s collar was fastened with a stud, and when it was released an indentation was revealed around his neck.

Dr Rice expressed the opinion that death was caused by asphyxiation resulting from pressure exerted by the shirt collar. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.

Abingdon Man’s Death from Lockjaw
Walter William Stimpson, 26, of 7 St Helen’s Street, Abingdon, died in the Radcliffe Infirmary from tetanus after injuring a finger while engaged in pile-driving work at Iffley Lock.

An inquest heard that on May 10 he caught his hand between a pile and a “monkey”, the heavy weight used in pile-driving operations. After receiving treatment at the Radcliffe Infirmary and later attending Abingdon Cottage Hospital, his condition deteriorated. Dr Challenor ordered his removal to the Radcliffe Infirmary, where he died.

County Hall Repairs and Cemetery extension
At the Borough Council meeting on 28th May, a report was submitted that said repairs needed for the preservation of the County Hall estimated the cost as £2,000.

Consideration was also given to extending the cemetery. The council approved the acquisition of the necessary land and an application for a loan to cover the cost.

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the British Newspaper Archive for access to the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette. Additional thanks to the North Berks Herald microfilm in Abingdon Library for stories, and to the Oxford Journal in Oxford Library for the pictures. Also thankyou to the Borough Council Archives in the Library.

Greene King has sold the Old Speckled Hen brand to Damm UK, the British arm of Spanish brewer Estrella Damm. Brewing is expected to eventually move from Bury St Edmunds to Bedford as a result. It will also mean a change to the Greene King distribution centre in Abingdon where the lorries currently wear the Old Speckled Hen livery.

For the national press, this is a business story. For Abingdon, it is part of the afterlife of two of the town’s best-known names: Morland and MG.

Old Speckled Hen was first brewed in Abingdon in 1979 by Morland Brewery to celebrate 50 years of the MG factory being based in the town. The original logo had a chain connecting MG with the town crest. The Old Speckled Hen was not a bird but an “MG Featherlight Saloon” with cellulosed fabric stretched over a wooden frame, which became an MG factory runaround. Identified by its mottled appearance, it was pointed out in the Abingdon accent by the phrase, “There gus the owd speckl’d un”.

The beer created to commemorate MG’s presence in Abingdon became a multi-national success after the factory closed.

This timeline tells the story:

1979 — Old Speckled Hen first brewed in Abingdon by Morland
1980 — MG factory closes
1999/2000 — Greene King acquires Morland (their interest in Morland was driven in part by the success of Old Speckled Hen beer). Brewing leaves Abingdon for Bury St Edmunds
2026 — Greene King sells the brand to Damm, with brewing expected to move to Bedford

Greene King kept the MG octagon and Morland name on the beer.  Damm appears keen to market Old Speckled Hen as an “iconic British ale brand with a rich heritage”. The acquisition appears to cover the Old Speckled Hen family of beers and not the Morland brand, so I don’t know whether the Morland branding will continue on the beer.

Abingdon Bridge Closed

The two bridges at Abingdon over the River Thames have deteriorated to such an extent that the local authority has been compelled to close them to all traffic. The immediate cause of concern is the condition of the navigation arch, which has been reported to the county councils of Berkshire and Oxfordshire as unsafe for both heavy and light vehicles.

Initial consideration was given to carrying out temporary repairs to strengthen the navigation arch and allow traffic to resume. However, subsequent examination revealed that there was little likelihood of success, and the proposal was therefore abandoned.

In response to the closure, the County Authority has drawn up plans for a temporary one-way bridge. However, it is not expected that this will be brought into full use before the middle of June.

Meanwhile, the local Chamber of Commerce has been pressing for more immediate action, including the construction of a pontoon bridge to restore connectivity across the river. Local traders report significant hardship as a result of the bridge closures. To mitigate the impact, they have urged that toll gates at Sutton Courtenay and Clifton Hampden be made free, easing the burden on diverted traffic.

Complicating matters further is the unresolved question of responsibility for the maintenance and repair of Abingdon Bridge. This issue is currently the subject of legal proceedings. The action has been brought against the Master and Governors of Christ’s Hospital, Abingdon.

Eastertide in Abingdon – A Quiet Holiday

Good Friday brought unusually warm temperatures for the time of year, encouraging many to make the most of the fine weather. Appleton and Tubney Woods attracted parties of primrose gatherers, while others enjoyed their first outings on the river. The three-hour devotion at St Helen’s, conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. C. S. Fleet, was well attended. Free Church services were held at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, led by Mr C. J. Lipscombe (Baptist). The traditional eating of hot cross buns was widely observed, and many children enjoyed taking their tea outdoors.

Easter morning was cooler, with rain setting in from midday until nightfall, though all the churches held special services.

Easter Monday returned to warmer conditions. Many football enthusiasts travelled to Reading to see the home side play Bristol Rovers in a return match. The Abbey House grounds were opened to the public in the afternoon, where the Wimbledon Band of the Salvation Army gave a well-received performance. The Abingdon Bowling Club marked the start of its season with a match between Saturday and Thursday players. In the evening, a dance organised by the Men’s Constitutional Association was held at the Corn Exchange.

Girls’ Club Singing

A lecture on choral singing was given at the Roysse Room to the Girls’ Club by Miss Nettleship, who is well known in Women’s Institute and musical circles. She illustrated her talk with a selection of folk songs, and her enthusiasm was quickly taken up by the girls.

They sang heartily, in unison, such favourites as Annie Laurie, The Poacher, and Strawberry Fair, along with many others. Miss Nettleship also taught the group a couple of rounds and a sea shanty, adding variety and enjoyment to the session.

Congregational Church Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the Congregational Church was held in the schoolroom. The Sunday School secretary reported that there were 90 children on the books, with a regular attendance of around 75. There were ten teachers, though more were still needed.

The Ladies’ Working Group continued to meet weekly and was said to be carrying out useful and important work. The Girls’ Life Brigade had 12 members, while the Boys’ Life Brigade numbered 11.

Reports were also received from the choir and the piano sub-committee, which had been organising a monthly recital. Appreciation was expressed to the Rev. W. J. Chappell, who had just completed his first year at the church.

Overall, attendance was reported to have remained more or less steady.

St George’s Day Rally

The annual rally of Scouts in celebration of St George’s Day was held in the Abbey House grounds on Sunday by the Scouts, Rovers, and Wolf Cubs of the North Berks (Abingdon) Local Association. There are eight troops and eight packs in the association, and up to 30 September of last year the number of Scouts in the area was 239.

St George is the patron saint of the Baden-Powell Boy Scouts.

A large number of Girl Guides, Brownies, and Rangers were also present. The aim of the movement is, in a word, to develop character and to encourage happy, healthy, and useful citizens. Service is particularly the aim of the Rover and Ranger branches.

Application Under the New Marriage Law

At Banbury last Thursday, John Gerald Phillips, a minor residing at Adderbury, applied to the Oxfordshire justices for permission to marry Nelly Purbrick of Abingdon under the new marriage law, which allows the court to grant consent where it has been refused.

The application was opposed by his parents, Mr and Mrs Gerald Phillips of Frilford, who argued that the marriage would not bring their only son happiness, citing differences in social position. They said that the young woman had previously been in their service as a parlour maid.

Phillips told the bench that he was in love with the girl and honestly desired to marry her, and the application was granted by a majority.

A Fish Fracas in Ock Street

At the Borough Bench, before the Mayor, Mr J. D. Godfrey, Edward Lee was summoned for using bad language outside a fish shop in Ock Street.

Fishmonger Aubrey Belcher said Lee returned some fish around 10.20 p.m., complaining it was “badly crushed.” Although he was given his money back, he then began using “obscene language” and interfering with customers, in the hearing of “nine or ten men and women.”

A witness, John Joseph Gent, said he told Lee to “clear off before he got into trouble,” but was met with further abuse. He added that he took Lee by the arm and led him away, again telling him to “clear off.”

Lee, a labourer, admitted he “said a few words he ought not to,” but denied the extent of the language reported. He told the court he had challenged the shopkeeper, asking, “Why do you not serve lads the same as you serve grown-up people?” and, when threatened with the police, replied he “did not trouble if he got twenty policemen as long as I had my rights.” He also claimed the encounter ended amicably: “we shook hands… and I went home and never thought any more about it.”

The Bench disagreed, fining him 12s. 6d., including costs, remarking that bad language was “all too prevalent in Abingdon” and that men of his age should “set a better example.”

Abingdon Wesleyans’ Sale of Work

A successful sale of work in aid of church funds was held in the schoolroom of Trinity Wesleyan Church on Thursday afternoon. A wide variety of articles was displayed across a number of stalls, including those run by the Sewing Meeting, the china stall, a miscellaneous stall, an art stall, and a young people’s stall. Refreshments were also available.

The event was opened by the Mayor of Abingdon, Mr J. D. Godfrey, who remarked that the goods on sale represented many hours of careful labour, and expressed the hope that the proceeds would provide a fitting return for the church’s funds.

Pavlova Win Reading Cup

The final of the Reading Town Cup was played at the Abingdon Town Sports Club ground on Saturday afternoon between Caversham Rovers and Abingdon Pavlova.

After a closely contested match, Abingdon Pavlova secured a 2–1 victory, with goals from Winter and Woodley. This marks the third consecutive year that Pavlova have won the cup.

Darts and Shove-Halfpenny Matches

Twelve-a-side matches were held on Monday evening in the Assembly Room, Station Yard, between teams from the Railway Inn and the Air Balloon, Queen Street, Oxford.

Both the darts and shove-halfpenny contests resulted in comfortable victories for the Oxford side. Following the games, the evening concluded with an impromptu concert.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the North Berks Herald microfilm in Abingdon Library for stories, and to the Oxford Journal in Oxford Library for the pictures. Thanks are also due to the British Newspaper Archive for access to the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette.

The cross of St George has been flying above Abingdon County Hall Museum over the past two days, marking St George’s Day (23rd April) and its place in the civic year.

The flag itself, a simple red cross on a white background, carries centuries of tradition. The St George’s flag originated in the Middle Ages and became associated with Saint George, a soldier-saint venerated across Europe. English soldiers began using the red cross as a distinguishing emblem during the Crusades, and by the 13th century it had become a national symbol .

Abingdon has a practice of marking particular days by changing the flag on the Hall, and St George’s Day is one occasion when the St George flag is raised. It will probably appear again during the world cup which starts for England on June 17th when England play Croatia in Dallas.