Category Archives: heritage

Abingdon at 11 am on Armistice Day

When I searched Ebay for Abingdon I found mostly postcards for sale – including three featuring the war memorial in days gone by.
War Memorial
At 11 O’clock this morning about 40 people stood in silence round the war memorial to mark Armistice Day. The town crier rang his bell to announce the two minute silence.
War Memorial
The town clerk, Mayor and Chair of the Vale were there, behind them were town councillors.
War Memorial
There were also two young ladies selling poppies, where the green shop front once was. Near them were some veterans with medals. And round about were people – some who had deliberately come and others who had paused in passing as a mark of respect.

Sporadic traffic continued to flow as the people stood in silence until the town crier rang his bell again. Somebody then broke the silence to complain that it was a total disgrace that the traffic had shown no respect.

Decanting a Museum

Museum soon to close
As you can see, in the Sessions Hall, some cases have already been emptied.
Museum soon to close
Most of Abingdon’s collection is already deposited away in the museum store at Standlake, but there are some items stored away at the top of the stairs, on the top floor of the County Hall… an old gramophone, the bones of an Ichthyosaur, drawers for holding a printer’s typeset…
Museum soon to close
Everything is carefully photographed and labelled, then wrapped for safe transit.
Museum soon to close
Chris Gale is in charge of decanting the museum and is packing it all away into boxes.

Halfway up the museum stairs

Musuem soon to close
At the end of the month the County Hall museum will close for redevelopment. The staircase is not going to be altered, although in the early days the idea to sink a lift up the central shaft was suggested.
Musuem soon to close
The staircase has been used in recent years to display a brief history of Abingdon.
Musuem soon to close
One display says ‘Entrusted to mother earth’ and tells of the collapse of Roman rule and the coming of the Saxons.
Musuem soon to close
Then about half way up the stairs one reaches the Sessions hall where the main exhibition, reception desk, shop and coffee shop are currently to be found …

Mieneke Cox Tribute Event

Mieneke Cox Tribute Seminar
A line-up of nine local historians led a tribute event to the historian who inspired a generation… Mieneke Cox.
Mieneke Cox Tribute Seminar
It was a sell out event and took place in the west wing of St Helen’s Church.
Mieneke Cox Tribute Seminar
Pictured above are  Dick Barnes,  Jackie Smith,  Manfred Brod, Michael St John Parker, Sarah Wearne, and Janey Cumber.

The program involved
1. Roger Thomas – Tribute to Mieneke Cox
2. Jackie Smith – Christ’s Hospital
3. Dick Barnes – St Helen v St Nics
(Lunch)
4. Michael St John Parker and Sarah Wearne – Abingdon Grammar School
5.  Janey Cumber – Did the people of Abingdon miss the Abbey?
6.  Manfred Brod – The first Earl of Abingdon
(Break)
Allen Doig – Restoration of the painted ceiling in the Lady Chapel at St Helen’s
Peter Gale – History of the Town Museum
Ian Miles – Abingdon Pageants. He asked when are we next going to have a pageant involving the community or is the tradition to die?