Returning to Abingdon after a couple of days away we were greeted by the bells of St Helen’s Church. Tuesday is the weekly practice for the Abingdon Bell Ringers.

St. Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine, is not only remembered as the name of the church, but also in the road names: East and West St Helen Street, and more recently St Helen’s Court.

The current ecclesiastical parish is called Abingdon-on-Thames, following the separation of the Parish of North Abingdon two or three years ago. In earlier times St Helen’s parish got divided into Abingdon Borough and St Helen without the borough. St Helen Without includes Dalton Barracks, Shippon and Dry Sandford.

Thank you to Steve for this (pictures from his postcards all rights reserved) …

I know of three cannons that were on display in Abingdon, all of which, I am told by long gone family members, were captured during the Crimean War. Two were taken away for scrap metal in the 2nd World War.

The first was on a plinth in front of the walk-way under the arch by St Nicolas church. (There is much loved tradition of holding your breath while going under the arch. Failing to do so turns you into one of the stone gargoyles above it.)

The second and much smaller was in the court yard of the Crown & Thistle and I vaguely remember this one.

The third and most impressive sat on a purpose made plinth in Albert park. I remember the now gone empty plinth and the inscription “Sevastopol” upon it.

Thinking of cannons brings this boulder to mind. It is in the Abbey gardens next to Trendell’s Folly. Look carefully and you can see cannon balls embedded in it. We were told they were from the civil war but i’m not so sure. The rock doesn’t resemble anything else in Abingdon which makes me wonder if Mr Trendell, rich as he was, had the boulder, complete with cannon balls, brought in to enhance his folly.

I lost count of the number of pen knife blades I broke trying to get one out!

There is a new exhibition at Abingdon County Hall Musuem, put together by the Abingdon Area Archaeological and Historical Society (AAAHS), who are fifty years old.

They began life as the Abingdon and District Archaeological Society. Volunteers back in 1968 could still take an important part in archaeological digs.

They found many important objects. Some help make up the museum’s collection.

Nowadays, developers are more likely to call in commercial archaeologists.

The society also has many members interested in exploring the history of Abingdon and so have added HISTORY to their name. You can find their growing collection of Abingdon people at https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/partners/history/people and Abingdon buildings at https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/partners/history/buildings.

Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette © Successor rightsholder unknown (Digitised by https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Saturday 06 July 1918

Mr J Chivers, draper High Street, Abingdon, has received official information that his eldest son, 2nd Lieut. H. Chivers, A,S.C., has been accidentally killed in France. He leaves a widow and two children.

Pte Frank Gilbert Tarry, East Yorks Regt., son of Mrs Tarry, East St Helen’s, Abingdon, is posted as missing.

Saturday 13 July 1918

Pte. Walter Green, 44, a driver in the A.S.C. Remount Depot at Bristol, of West St. Helen Street, Abingdon, was kicked by a horse on July 3rd, and died the following day in the Hospital. Deceased had only joined up about fortnight, and in the A.S.C. a little over a week. He leaves a widow and several young children, and had one son killed in a flying accident a short time ago.

Saturday 20 July 1918

Sec-Lieut. P. L. Howard, Royal Berks, son of Arthur Howard, chemist, Caldecott Road, is reported missing.

France’s National Day was celebrated in Abingdon on Friday last, when the town was gay with flags. In the evening there was demonstration in the Park, and a procession through the town. The proceedings terminated by the band playing the French National Anthem, and God Save King.

Saturday 27 July 1918

Pte. George Wiggins, Royal Berks, of Ock Street, who was reported missing on August 22nd 1917, is now officially assumed to have died on that date.

A shrine has been erected in the Vineyard, Abingdon, near the Malthouse, and was dedicated by the Vicar. The shrine is the gift of Lady Norman, of Stratton House, Abingdon, and is made from wood and metal from H.M.S Britannic.

Pte. Frederick Giddings, R,.E., Mayotts Road, Abingdon, formerly employed by Mr Stroads, painter and previously posted as missing has now been officially reported as having died in Germany. He leaves a widow and two children.

(The A.S.C (Army Service Corps) was the Logistics Regiment of their day. Two of the Abingdon army deaths were from the A.S.C. – both accidental.)