Royal Visit to Radley College
Motoring from Didcot via Abingdon, the Prince of Wales visited Radley College yesterday to open a new library. During his visit, he inspected the College Officers’ Training Corps, played squash, and had tea with the prefects before returning to London.

Clerk Resignation
Mr. C. A. Pryce, Clerk to the Borough Magistrates, has announced his resignation from office, effective at the end of the year.

Christmas Window Contest
The Abingdon Chamber of Commerce has arranged a Christmas window contest, offering £3 10s in prizes. Voting cards will be issued, and judging will take place from December 15th to the 20th. The competition is limited to one window per shop, with participation extended to all surrounding villages.

Rev. Wilfred H. Bourne to Preach
The Rev. Wilfred H. Bourne, formerly the general secretary of the local branch of the Y.M.C.A., will preach at the Congregational Church on Sunday. Since leaving Abingdon two years ago, he has entered the United Methodist ministry and now serves the East Dereham Circuit in Norfolk.

Railway Tragedy
Henry James Goff, a Great Western Railway guard from Abingdon, tragically lost his life at Radley Station when struck by an express train. Mr. Goff had been in the service of G.W.R. for many years, rising from a lad porter at Abingdon to become a guard. A prominent churchman, he was a sidesman and server at St. Michael’s. He leaves behind a widow and four children. The inquest revealed that strong winds may have contributed to the accident, and a verdict of accidental death was returned.

Abingdon Union Workhouse Dispute
George Holt, John Bevan, Alfred Cooper, John Smith, and Walter Lewis were brought before a special sitting of the Borough Bench on a charge of refusing to work while inmates of the Abingdon Workhouse. Richard Denver Bushell, Master of the Workhouse, stated that the prisoners entered the workhouse on casual papers. That morning at 8:15, the witness went to the casual ward to ask them to do their task, but they replied they would not work until they had breakfast.

The Masters said they had already been given the prescribed breakfast, but the prisoners refused to eat it. Upon cross-examination, the prisoners complained about the gruel.

Sydney Lloyd, tramp-major at the workhouse, testified that the bread, margarine, and gruel met the requirements under regulations. He said there was nothing wrong with the gruel, which was made of pure Scotch oatmeal and prepared in his room the previous evening. He also said that some inmates of the ward ate it.

P.C. Shuff said he visited the workhouse that morning and heard complaints that the gruel was sour. He tasted it and, although he could not confirm it was sour, he believed it was salty. He said that if he had consumed more than a couple of spoonfuls, he would have been sick.

The chairman decided to discharge the prisoners.

Berks and Wilts Toy Guild
At a committee meeting in Hungerford, the Berks and Wilts Toy Guild reported a record collection of 1,202 toys, which were distributed to Poor Law institutions, hospitals, and homes across the counties.

Sports
Abingdon Town had no match on Saturday, so the players took the opportunity of going to Reading to witness the Reading vs. Darlington cup tie.

Abingdon Pavlova defeated Wantage Town 3–1 in the Reading and District League.

Abingdon Junior Imperials drew with Radley in the North Berks Cup competition.

Abingdon Pavlova triumphed over Tilehurst 2–1 in a replayed Reading Cup tie.

Accident on Oxford Road
A collision occurred near Bagley Wood due to dense fog. George Dilmott of Reading skidded while trying to avoid Edward A. Wall’s motor car, resulting in significant damage to both vehicles.

Memorial Service
A memorial service for the late Mr. H. J. Goff was held at St. Nicholas Church on Sunday afternoon, officiated by the Vicar, Rev. C. E. Fleet. A large congregation attended.

Foreign Missions Meeting
The annual missionary meeting took place in the Roysse Room, with the Vicar, Rev. C. E. Fleet, presiding. Revs. F. O. P. C. Clarke and C. Penn shared their experiences in India and Burma.

Boxing Night Entertainment
The Two Joys, vaudeville entertainers, performed at the Corn Exchange on Boxing Night in aid of the Church Hall. Their show included songs, dances, and mysteries, such as the “Selvit Cabinet Mystery” and the “Flying Lady.”

Funeral of Dorothy Harris
The funeral of seven-year-old Dorothy Harris, who succumbed to diphtheria at Abingdon Hospital, was held at Englefield Churchyard. A procession of schoolchildren, led by their teachers, followed the choir and mourners to the grave.

Culham Road Potholes
The Borough Council has raised concerns about the dangerous state of the Culham Road which is honeycombed with potholes. Despite notifying Oxfordshire County Council, no action has been taken. A letter will now be sent to the Ministry of Transport.

Excursions by G.W.R.
The Great Western Railway is offering excursions to Reading on Boxing Day for the Reading v. Swindon Town football match. Additional trains will run to Newbury Racecourse for steeplechases on December 30th and 31st.

Abingdon Flying Club Show
The Abingdon Flying Club will hold its first pigeon racing show on Boxing Day in the Assembly Rooms, featuring 15 classes. The BBC has advised listeners with aerials near pigeon lofts to make them visible to avoid harming the birds.

Free Church Council Service
A united service, organized by the Free Church Council, was held on Christmas morning at Trinity Wesleyan Church. Rev. N. E. Dando officiated.

Pavlova New Year’s Eve Dance
The Pavlova Athletic Club has arranged a whist drive and dance for New Year’s Eve, starting at 8 p.m. A prize will be awarded for the best fancy dress, and the Pavlova Band will provide music. Refreshments will be available at a moderate price.

Thanks to the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette on the British Newspaper Archive and to the North Berks Herald microfilm in the library.  The picture of the Prince of Wales, The Easthampstead Union (another Workhouse in Berkshire like Abingdon’s), and the Cowley Poor Law Hospital are from the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette; the XMAS and Two Jays advert is from the North Berks Herald;

A team of archaeologists from Thames Valley Archaeological Services have dug six trenches and uncovered Medieval and Roman artifacts, including pottery, human remains, and a wall linked to a bell tower from the former Abbey, during improvement works at Abingdon’s Cattle Market car park.

These walls and the cemetery site will be preserved and have led to a small delay. The archaeological ditches have been covered over and part of the car park has re-opened in the run up to Christmas. The project will now be completed in March 2025.

The car park project, funded by Thames Water, aims to enhance usability and sustainability through resurfacing, improved lighting, and a rain garden.

Councillor Mark Coleman, Vale of White Horse District Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Waste, said: ‘It’s exciting to discover more about the fascinating history of Abingdon and the Abbey.’

Thanks to the Thames Valley Archaeological Services for the first picture.

The town clerk was granted an increase in salary of £100 per annum.

It was resolved that the government should be informed that it was the opinion of Abingdon Town Council that the practice of pillion riding on motorcycles should be made illegal.

Arrangements were made for a Remembrance Day service at the war memorial. These included a suggestion that shopkeepers be asked to close their shops from 10 a.m. until noon on that day.

At the Kinema in Stert Street, Snowy Baker, the Australian middleweight champion, joined a group of friends on a kangaroo hunt. These animals gave the hunters a lively chase for many a mile before they were rewarded with the capture of a specimen of this rare marsupial. The noted boxer had a lively bout with the adversary before managing to place the blow that brought it down for the count. This unusual and thrilling boxing-match and hunt will be shown at the Abingdon Kinema next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in an Australian picture play entitled ‘The Fighting Breed’.

The Abingdon Fire Brigade received a test call to Drayton on Wednesday evening. The bells were rung at 6:25 p.m., and the brigade left the station at 6:29, getting to work on Drayton Road within nine minutes of receiving the call. Subsequently, they tested the supplies at Ock Bridge, Conduit Road, and the Square, arriving home at 8:20 p.m. after a very useful drill. Alderman Cottrell and Councillor Simpson witnessed the turnout, and the officers of the brigade present were Chief Officer J. Gibbens, Chief Engineer Humfrey, and Firemen Ballard, Chivers, Andrew, Ackling, Gent, Langford, and Hooke.

The monthly meeting of Northcourt Women’s Institute was held in the hut on Wednesday last week, when Mrs. Morris one of the members gave an interesting demonstration of rug making. After tea and the usual business, there was an amusing photograph guessing competition.

The matron of the Cottage Hospital acknowledges with thanks the gifts from the Harvest Festivals at Culham, Milton, Marcham, Drayton, Radley, Appleford, Shippon, Dry Sandford, and Tubney, which included fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, flour, bread, and flowers.

The local matches on Saturday included an Amateur Cup tie on the Abingdon ground between Abingdon and Headington. The result was: Abingdon 2, Headington 1.

The Michaelmas Fair was held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, attracting many people despite the very bad weather. The fair, which occupied the same area as last year (Market Place, High Street, and Ock Street), featured the usual amusements, including roundabouts, switchbacks, shooting galleries, coconut shies, and more. The fair is usually held for only two days, but it was extended to Wednesday due to the weather, which made trade very slow on Monday and Tuesday.
Polling Day for the General Election has been fixed for Wednesday, October 29th. There is every prospect that the fight in the Abingdon Division will be a strenuous one, in view of the fact that the Liberal Party won the seat at the last election by 254 votes.

A sale of work was held in the Corn Exchange in aid of the home and foreign missions, and proved a great success.

At the County Police Court on Monday, Charles Haultin, of Pond Farm, Appleton, was summoned by Mrs. Fanny Eynstone, of Appleton, for stealing a quantity of apples from an orchard. The defendant did not appear, and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

At the Borough Police Court on Tuesday—before the Mayor (Mr. C. Rippon) and Messrs. J. Ricketts and A. W. Morland — Harry King, of 45 Alexander Road, Oxford, was summoned for riding a motor-cycle without a light and for failing to produce his license. P.C. Brooker stated he saw the defendant riding a motor-cycle without a light on High Street on the evening of October 10th. Upon being stopped, the defendant stated he didn’t know the light was out and couldn’t produce his license. The defendant did not appear in court but wrote a letter admitting guilt, and the magistrates fined him 5s. for each offense.

The Abingdon Bowling Club held a whist drive on Thursday in the Roysse Room. The Mayor and Mayoress were present. The prizes, given by the Committee, were awarded as follows:
Ladies: 1st, Mrs. Alston; 2nd, Mrs. V. Ashby; 3rd, Mrs. Thomas.
Gentlemen: 1st, Mrs. G. Blay (playing as a gentleman); 2nd, Mr. A. Manoury; 3rd, Mr. H. W. Trotman.

In common with many other constituencies throughout the country, the electors of North Berks have returned a Conservative to represent them in the House of Commons. After a splendid fight, Major R. G. C. Glyn (Conservative) defeated Mr. E. A. Lessing, O.B.E. (Liberal), and Mr. D. S. Brundrit (Labour).

On Wednesday (Polling Day), the Conservative and Liberal parties were extremely active, with the former being better served in terms of motor vehicles. All three candidates visited the polling stations throughout the day. The weather was very unfavourable, with heavy rain falling after tea and continuing until the close of the poll at 9 p.m.

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Thursday, Major Glyn’s supporters gathered in large numbers in the Market Place to hear the results. The figures were announced at about three o’clock by Major F. R. Hedges, amidst a tremendous round of applause, as follows:

Glyn (Conservative): 13,117
Lessing (Liberal): 8,815
Brundrit (Labour): 1,315
Conservative Majority: 4,312

It will therefore be seen that Major Glyn was elected by an overwhelming majority this time.

The fight was a clean one. In every constituency, one must contend with overly zealous supporters who, in their enthusiasm, may overstep the mark. This inevitably results in a “budget” of stories cropping up, most often without foundation. Both Major Glyn and Mr. Lessing are honourable men, and they fought with integrity. We say this without fear of contradiction, and the same can be said of Mr. Brundrit who lost his deposit.

ABINGDON

Thou gentle town, so quiet, serene,
Girdled around with living green,
O happy they who oft have seen
Thy courts, fair Abingdon.

Well writ thy name upon the scroll
Of famous towns, and still thy soul
Live on, and ages yet will roll
O’er thee, famed Abingdon.

‘Tis true thy glorious days are past
When thy great Abbey, sacred, vast,
Stood there as if it would, outlast
All else, save Abingdon.

But that proud edifice and great
Bowed to the dust, and shared the fate
Of other things rich and ornate
Within old Abingdon.

Thanks be to God, not all is gone
Of fashioned wood and chiselled stone;
Much still remains for thee alone,
Time honoured Abingdon.

Two noble churches still are thine,
Each witness to the fire divine
That in thee flamed, and still benign
Doth light on Abingdon.

And many houses old and quaint
Plead for the artist’s brush to paint
Their graceful outlines, strong or faint.
To honour Abingdon.

For thou hast mellowed with the years
That come and go, spite of our tears,
But in thy streets there seem no fears
To vex, loved Abingdon,

O, town upon a riverside
Where meadows meet and waters glide
Heav’n be thy help and God thy guide
For ever, Abingdon.

by Albert E-Smith, Highgate, London

Thanks to the Abingdon Town (Borough) Council Minutes, Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette, North Wilts Herald, Berks and Oxon Advertiser on the British Newspaper Archive and to the North Berks Herald microfilm in the library.  The adverts come from theses publications. The poem ABINGDON appeared in the North Berks Herald as did the cartoon on football.

The Market Cross that once stood in Abingdon’s marketplace was erected in the 1440s by the Fraternity of the Holy Cross. The cross was destroyed by Parliamentarian forces in 1644 for whom it would have been an afront. From 1640, there were acts of parliament  and a parliamentary Committee for the Demolition of Monuments of Superstition and Idolatry which included stain glass windows and Market Crosses.

The original appearance can be guessed from studying the Coventry cross (above), built between 1541 and 1545. The Coventry cross was modelled on its Abingdon counterpart.

The painting, located on the south end of Long Alley Almshouses, is a rough plaster artwork and, according to Agnes Baker, depicts the cross in its altered state, having undergone significant restoration in 1605. Perhaps some of the more risky statues were removed.

The details of the sculptures on the cross are sketchy.  It is believed it featured figures of kings and saints, together with shields, and vanes representing prominent citizens who contributed towards the cross. Behind the cross are Long Alley Almshouses, St Helens Church, a bridge, and other buildings, all of which were constructed with the help of the Guild of the Holy Cross.

Information from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry_Cross
Agnes Baker (1963) Fifty-Three Articles (Chapter on Francis Little)
Julie Spraggon (2000) – Puritan Iconoclasm in England 1640-1660

Image of Coventry Cross from The Mirror (1824)