Easter Activities

Good Friday (April 10, 1925), was observed quietly in Abingdon, with rain dampening outdoor activities. The traditional hot cross buns were enjoyed, though the street cry of ‘One a penny, two a penny’ was absent, indicating a decline in street vendors. A well-attended three-hour service was held at St. Helen’s Church, led by Rev. J. Mearing. The Free Churches held a united service at the Baptist Church, where Rev. W. J. Chappell, the new minister at the Congregational Church, delivered a sermon on ‘Jesus Christ crucified.’ In Drayton, the Wesleyan Chapel held an anniversary meeting, presided over by the Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor J. D. Godfrey.

Easter Sunday (April 12, 1925), was bright and fair. The Mayor’s official church parade, traditionally held at St. Helen’s Church, took place at Trinity Wesleyan Church. Rev. E. D. Green of Oxford conducted the service (Rev. N. E. Dando, the Mayor’s Chaplain, was absent due to a family bereavement.) The service included a sermon on the Resurrection. Some townspeople were disappointed by the change in venue.

All churches in Abingdon held special Easter services, with 875 communicants across the parish. St. Helen’s Church was decorated by a team of women, with special music, including an anthem performed by the organ and choir, and performances by soloists. The Vicar, The Revd C.S Fleet, preached at the morning service, and Rev. J. K. Sitwell preached at evensong.

On Easter Monday (April 13, 1925), the weather turned dull with rain until the afternoon. Abingdon Kinema’s Holiday Programme drew crowds, featuring The Gay Corinthian and footage of the Boat Race and Grand National. The Abingdon Bowling Club’s season-opening tournament was postponed due to unplayable greens. The usual holiday football matches were spoiled by the weather, but the evening was fine and was enjoyed by many who wished to take the air.

Other Activities
The Abingdon Branch of the Junior Imperial League celebrated its first anniversary with a concert and dance at the Corn Exchange. Major Ralph Glyn, M.P., emphasised the importance of local government and encouraged young members to pursue public service. Awards were given for election work, and the event featured music, dancing, and a humorous sketch.

The Abingdon Madrigal Society and Culham College Men’s Choir performed a sacred concert at the Corn Exchange, featuring Handel’s Messiah, which has not been performed locally for several years. The choruses were well-performed, and the soloists acquitted themselves admirably.

The Abingdon Chamber of Trade planned a window-dressing competition for May 1925, dividing tradesmen into three classes with prizes for the best displays. Additional contests included school essays, limericks, and snapshots of shop windows.

The induction of Rev. W. J. Chappell as pastor of the Congregational Church was a major town event, attended by the Mayor, Mayoress, and community leaders. Speeches emphasised the church’s role in addressing social ills and improving the town’s moral fabric.

The Northcourt Women’s Institute attended a regional meeting with 150 members from nearby villages, discussing agricultural education (bee-keeping, poultry, dairy, gardening). After tea, there were games and two competitions – both won by Northcourt.

The Abingdon platoon of the 4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, was selected for the Southern Command Miniature Rifle Shooting Competition. The honour is especially notable given that the platoon consists of young soldiers, many of whom have only a year’s service.

On Monday last, a horse and heavily-laden van was being driven from the Market Place towards Bridge Street when the reins broke, causing the horse to bolt. P.C. Leonard Gould, who was on duty in the Market Place, promptly rushed forward and seized the reins, and was carried twelve yards before bringing the animal to a standstill. His courage probably averted a serious accident and onlookers expressed admiration for his bravery.

The Abingdon Imperials defeated Stanford 4-1 in the 1925 final of the North Berks War Memorial Cup at Alfredian Park, Wantage. Despite difficult conditions, the Imperials controlled much of the play, with Salisbury opening the scoring and Smith adding a second. Stanford pulled one back with a corner from Wheeler, but the Imperials sealed their victory with two more goals.

Thanks to the North Berks Herald microfilm in the library and the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette, available through the British Newspaper Archive. The adverts are from the North Berks Herald and the Croydon Times.

John sent in this fascinating photo of the old bridge over the River Stert — a hidden route that links Clifton Drive to Boxhill Park through a gap in the hedge. He tells me he used the bridge many times but has no idea of its history. Perhaps someone reading this does?

One particularly curious detail: the large tree you can see in the picture isn’t just next to the bridge — it’s actually growing out of it. John describes it as quite extraordinary. And I agree.

There’s been some tree work nearby recently, with a number of trees felled along the riverbank, but the bridge itself appears neglected. John wonders why there’s no visible effort to preserve it. It’s not just a practical footpath, but a part of Abingdon’s history being slowly reclaimed by nature.

I know the Town Council manages Boxhill Wood, but I’m not sure who’s responsible for the bridge or this stretch of the Stert. If anyone has more information — perhaps about the bridge’s age, who maintains it, or what its original purpose might have been — John and I would love to hear from you.

Following a query about the history of Pulpit House and Old Mast House — now both up for sale — here is a summary based on information from a booklet called ‘Over 300 Years of Living History.’

In 1700, Abingdon’s Congregationalists built their first modest church near the Square. In 1862, the church was enlarged, incorporating 18 feet of the original 1700 building into the new construction. The church grounds were then enclosed by iron railings, as shown in the etching below.

By 1966, the Congregationalists joined with Trinity Church and vacated the old church.

The original church building in the Square faced planning delays — at that time, the A34 ran along High Street and Ock Street, making access and parking difficult. The building was used variously as an arts centre and even for skateboarding before its eventual sale in 1980.

It was later converted into offices for a marketing company, which received a design award from the Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC) in 1987. The company moved out some time before 2006. In 2008, Ask Restaurant moved in and continues to operate there today.

Notices:

Orders for “B” Company, Royal Berks Regiment (Territorials) for the that week included parades at 7:30 p.m. on Monday and Thursday, both in Dress Drill Order, under the command of Captain W. D. Gall.

The rainfall registered at the Park during the month of February totalled 3.33in., the rain falling on twenty-two days, the heaviest fall being .57 on the 25th.

Elections:

Nominations for the Berkshire County Council elections have been announced. For the Abingdon area, the following individuals have been nominated and all were unopposed:

Abingdon (Urban) East: Mr. W. Brewer, Hyde End Lodge, Shinfield.
Abingdon (Urban) West: Mr. W. M. Grundy, Headmaster of Abingdon School.
Abingdon (Rural): Mr. P. Aldwinckle, Shippon Manor, farmer.
Cumnor: Mr. A. P. Iliffe, Overdale, Foxcombe Hill.
Drayton: Mr. F. A. Smith, East Hendred, farmer.

Appointments and Memorials:

Miss Eleanor J. Broad, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. Broad of Abingdon, has been appointed matron of the London County Council Mental Hospital, Hanwell. Miss Broad trained at the Royal Berkshire Hospital and previously served as matron of the Oxford County Mental Hospital and assistant matron at Horton Mental Hospital. She holds certificates in midwifery and mental nursing.

A meeting was held to discuss erecting a memorial to the late Mr. F. K. Couldrey, who served as the organist of St. Helen’s Church for 60 years. A subscription list will be opened to fund a tablet, costing £40, to be placed near the organ.

Incidents and Accidents:

The Abingdon Volunteer Fire Brigade responded to a fire on Swinburne Road where a caravan and shed belonging to Mr. Jack Hudson were ablaze. While the fire was controlled, both the shed and caravan were completely destroyed. A pony stabled in the shed perished in the fire.

Thomas Stimpson (60) of Drayton was knocked down by a horse attached to a plough while working on his farm. He sustained a broken leg and is currently detained at the Radcliffe Infirmary.

Legal and Police Matters:

At the County Bench on Monday, a case was heard against William Brown of Steventon for driving without lights and being drunk while in charge of a motor vehicle. P.C. Wood reported observing Brown’s car without lights and found Brown staggering and slurring his words. Despite Brown’s insistence on his ability to drive, Inspector Gallop was called, and Brown was eventually persuaded to leave his vehicle. The defence argued Brown had been working as a driver and his hirer claimed he felt safe with his driving. The Bench dismissed the charge of drunkenness but fined Brown 10s. for driving without lights.

In a separate police case, John Harris, a labourer, was fined 10s for being drunk and disorderly in Ock Street after being involved in a disturbance and using offensive language. He pleaded guilty.

The case against Arthur Billingham of Oxford, who was summoned for causing an obstruction in Bury Street by leaving his car unattended, was adjourned for a week for his attendance.

Community Events and Social Gatherings:

The monthly meeting of the Northcourt Women’s Institute saw low attendance due to the prevalence of influenza. Mrs. Earle provided a demonstration on jumpers and blouses, and the meeting concluded with the singing of “Jerusalem.”

The Northcourt Social Club’s Clock-Guessing Competition saw many participants try to guess the exact moment the clock stopped (9:27). As no one guessed correctly, the three closest guesses (10:00) will have another chance after the clock is restarted.

The Abingdon Boy Scouts Association dance, held in the Council Chamber, successfully raised £18 1s. 6d.

The Trinity Wesley Guild hosted a “Ladies Evening” in the Wesleyan Schoolroom, featuring a ladies’ jazz band, songs, and amusing charades, followed by supper and games.

Members of the Oxford University Archaeological Society visited Abingdon and were shown local antiquities by Mr. Preston, who also lectured on the history of St Helen’s Church and the Fraternity of the Holy Cross and Christ’s Hospital.

The Congregational Sunday School held an entertainment evening in the Schoolroom, with the entire program performed by the scholars. Individual performances were given by Lily McIntyre, Gladys McIntyre, Nellie Thomas, Norah Adder, Ernest Parry, Kenneth Pimm, and Cyril Carter, reflecting great credit on their trainer, Mrs. Hammond.

The winner of the clock offered as the first prize in the Northcourt Institute Clock-Guessing Competition was announced as Mrs. F. Moore. The correct stopping time was 9 hours and 58 minutes.

Football and Darts

Long Wittenham beat the Abingdon Imperials after a keenly fought cup final game by 3-2 on the Abingdon Town Ground on Saturday. There was a large attendance, and the game was played at a rare pace. At half-time, Wittenham led by 2 goals to nil, but the Imperials played up well after the resumption and soon got level. However, just before the end, Wittenham scored the winning goal. This is creditable as this is the Imps first season.

After the game, Mr. E. A. Lessing, O.B.E., presented the cup to the winning team in the absence of the donor, Mr. E. A. Strauss. The teams were entertained to tea at the “Crown and Thistle,” and the medals were presented by Mr. Lessing. Among those present were the Mayor of Abingdon and Major Glyn, M.P.

An interesting darts match at The Old Balloon Inn saw the local champion, Mr. A. Staniland, defeated by Mr. H. Tripp in a closely contested five-game series (3-2).

Thanks to the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette from the British Newspaper Archive and to the North Berks Herald microfilm in the library. The adverts are from these newspapers. The football cartoon from the North Berks Herald. The picture of Hanwell Mental Hospital was uploaded by Aspro to Wikipedia.