Thankyou to Malcolm for this aerial picture which expands the maps I showed a couple of days ago – on Abbey Close. The top wing of the de Havilland Dragon Rapide from which the picture was taken can just be seen in the right hand corner.

The railway station can be seen bottom right, the rolling stock are flat bed trucks which were used to transport MG cars.

The pens of the cattle market can be seen in the area above that, together with St Nicolas Church hall.

Bob Frampton is planning a new local history book and would like to get stories from people who worked at, or knew about, the Morland’s Brewery. His details are on the poster above which he has also put round town.

Bill Mellor, the head brewer, gave us a very interesting talk about the operation of the brewery a couple of years ago – on Heritage Open Day. The only pictures I ever took were from outside the brewery, so I have attached both.

I remember the smell like soggy cornflakes on the days Morland brewed. Somebody has shared an interesting picture, inside the brewery, on the Spotted Abingdon and Surrounding Area Facebook page a day or so ago. In the comments somebody said it smelt like heated Weetabix and another person Ovaltine.

Thanks to the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette for the following news from Abingdon 100 years ago in January 1919. ( © Successor rightsholder unknown. All Rights Reserved.)

4th January 2019

The death occurred at Stert Street, Abingdon, on the 21st December, of Alfred Chalker, a well known and respected local preacher of the Abingdon Wesleyan Circuit, age 77 years.

A Memorial Fund is to be inaugurated at Roysse School, Abingdon, to commemorate those former scholars of the School who have laid down their lives during the war. It is suggested to place a memorial tablet in the School Chapel, and to form a Scholarship Fund to enable boys on leaving the School to continue their studies at the University or other institution.

11th January

Two captured German guns are to be exhibited in the Abingdon Market Place on Monday next.

A Victory Peal was rung on St. Helen’s Church bells last week, consisting of 5,075 changes of Grandsire Caters, in three and a half hours.

A New Year’s Entertainment to the inmates of the Abingdon Union, to which subscribers and friends were invited, took place on Wednesday evening in last week, when gifts were distributed.

The funeral of Pte. Joseph Green, Royal Berks Regt., of Radley Road, Abingdon, who died from pneumonia at Bridbrook Hospital, Warwick, took place in Abingdon Cemetery, and was attended by several soldiers and Boy Scouts. The coffin was covered with the Union Jacks, and there were many beautiful floral tributes. He joined up when he was 16, and had been in France two years, being wounded about nine months ago, when he was sent to the Abingdon Red Cross Hospital. Previous to joining up he was clerk to the Master of the Abingdon Union (Workhouse).

18th January

The River Thames has overflowed its banks at Abingdon, and many acres of meadow land in the vicinity are flooded.

The recent Victory Dance held at Abingdon Corn Exchange in aid of the Local Red Cross Hospital realised £14 10s 6d.

At the Borough Court on Tuesday there were 15 cases for riding bicycles without lights, in Abingdon, between January 1st and 5th, the defendants being chiefly Abingdonians. Four of the defendants were fined 5s each and the remainder 4s each.

A very successful exhibition of rabbits, and poultry was held in the Abingdon Corn Exchange on Thursday evening in last week, when the total of exhibits were nearly 700. The show was arranged by local fanciers and breeders, co-opted with the Self-coloured Rabbit Club.

25th January

A dance was held in the Guildhall, Abingdon, on Wednesday evening in last week, in aid of the Comforts Fund for the Abingdon Sanatorium, when there were over 100 present.

lt is proposed by the Show Committee of the North Berks Agricultural Society to recommend at the Annual meeting next month, the holding of the Societys’ show at Abingdon this year.

The Military Cross for distinguished services during operations in Salonica, has been awarded to Temp. Capt, H. A. Donkin, 7th Batt. Royal Berks Regiment, and son of Mr H Donkin, of Spring Road, Abingdon.

Thanks to the British Newspaper Archive

This quiz is about old style stone milestones to be found at the side of the road. They are not the milestones in project management.

All the milestones have a distance to Abingdon, and a distance to another place. So where would you find them?

A. Isley 9, Abingdon 2

B.  London LVIII, Abingdon II

C. Oxford 3, Abingdon 3

D. Oxford 1, Abingdon 5

I am no expert and have not attempted to date them. A website called A Short History of Waymarks does help. There is also a Milestone Society, founded in 2001, for milestone enthusiasts. Members’ interests also include tollhouses, turnpike history and canal milestones.