There are lots of interesting images of Abingdon that appear on ebay, some of them asking quite a high price.

How much would you be willing to pay for the following cards currently on ebay?

Abingdon Snow Scene April 26 1908. River & Church

Abingdon. Carswell Council School, Bostock Road

Abingdon – the market square

The asking prices are £17.50 (with free postage) for the first one, £8.00 (and free postage) for the second, and £3 (with £1 postage) for the third.

The Action For Children In Conflict charity shop in Bath Street had a box of old postcards for sale at £1 each, and removed them for valuation. None of them were of Abingdon but to the right person could fetch far more.

Thanks to Captain Chaos for the first picture …

A most excellent entertainment consisting of music and readings and drama was given in St Michael’s church this evening – 28th January.

The Reverend Paul Smith began by playing the part of Reverend Nathaniel Dodson, who caused St Michael’s Church to be built 150 years ago.

The entertainment was arranged by Hilary Clare and Glynne Butt (seen here on Pianoforte accompanying Peter Willis, a well known vocalist).

The church was crowded by a highly respectable audience.

The entertainment included a new selection of songs from the comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan called The Mikado. The song ‘Three Little Maids’ was loudly and rapturously applauded.

The evening ended with a rousing rendition of Rule Britannia.

Buns were thrown into the audience as we remembered Queen Victoria’s Diamond jubilee.

In the short space of an evening we relived Victoria’s reign, and its impact on Abingdon life.

It was part of the celebration of St Michael’s 150th anniversary – and was most ably executed.

Thanks to Captain Chaos for this look back at the Hygienic laundry. The Hygienic Laundry (Abingdon) was set up in 1932 and closed in 1976.

This photograph shows the staff at the laundry circa 1945. I think the room is the one on the corner of Wilsham Road and Caldecott Road. The lady second from left, second row from front is my late Auntie Win. During the war another Auntie, Gladys (who also worked there), recalls how they would launder the bloodied sheets and uniforms from a near-by American Military hospital (possibly Cowley). In Win’s loft, I found a large wooden trunk that was used to carry their laundry, it was stamped U.S Army and had the names of a number of G.I.’s pinned to the side.

Gladys also recalls how during the war the staff would take it in turn to “Fire Watch” which basically meant two girls would spend the night sleeping on the office floor of the Laundry just in case anything happened to the building. She spoke of the night she was on watch and Abingdon was the target of enemy bombers. Search lights were blazing and the anti-aircraft guns firing. Shippon Church took a hit as did Evelyn road.