The Christmas lights were turned on by Nicola Blackwood MP, seen here being driven down Stert Street in an old MG – following the Abingdon Sea Cadets (separate pictures of them in a day or two with a separate story).

The theme of the evening was Kings and Queens.  Abingdon’s 2nd newest shop, Utopia, looked the part.

Mark from Mostly Books was King of Books, a couple of doors up.

The town crier was out and about letting everybody know what was happening. Here he is at Skinny Hippo.

There were lots of entertainers this year.

Clubs and societies were also taking part. There was even a chance to take penalties behind Poundland.

In St Nic’s Church there were displays from different community groups connected with the Church in Abingdon.

A great charity fund raiser from the Co-op is seen here giving out Fairtrade chocolate at the Fairtrade stall. Next to him is Mike Moon, who helped Paul Townsend at the Chamber of Commerce organise a lot of this extravaganza evening.

It ended with awards for best costumes, best shop front, and best of about 100 entries for Find the Fairy, and then fireworks. Huge crowds were in town.

P.S

Father Christmas was also there and will soon be visiting most areas in Abingdon, thanks to the Abingdon Lions.

There was a road closure from 10-12 today to allow an MG car to be lifted through the window into the Sessions Hall of the County Hall museum.

A platform lift was to be used and did a trial run first. In the foreground are the town clerk and the chair of the museum management committee.

At first the MG – minus wheels and engine – was lifted, using a crane, onto the platform lift.

Here are a few of the museum staff, the town clerk, and project manager having their photo taken at about that time.

But it was not all to be straight forward. The platform lift, with MG on board, stopped a little way short of the window and would not go up any further.

Plan B then came into operation, or at least I assume it was plan B – it may have been completely improvised…

With the help of the crane to take some of the weight of the MG car, the platform lift got up the last couple of feet.

Very carefully, with a couple of centimeters to spare,  the MG was then guided through the window. The lunchtime crowd clapped and cheered, and the man on the lift gave a bow.

Somebody near me said “That was Pure Abingdon!”

At St Helen’s Church yesterday morning there was a Festive Coffee morning with stalls selling crafts, cakes, and books, as well as place for people to sit for a cup of tea or coffee, a mince pie, and a chat.

In the centre aisle hand bell ringers were playing.

Upstairs in the Bell Tower, Whites of Appleton, the bell hanging firm, were fitting out the bell ringers’ room with new chests for storage and seating.

For this alteration notices have been displayed outside the church for some weeks – saying an application for a faculty from the diocese had been requested. That is church-speak for planning permission.

The great bells were silent – Whites of Appleton installed them about five years ago and they look and – when played – sound splendid.

And right above all that the view from the top of the bell tower shows the new development at the Old Gaol.

… and the County Hall with scaffolding removed and with flag flying. One wonders what will be the big change in five years time.

Last time I visited Abingdon Library I picked up a book of poems called Winter of the World and then got 4 more books on the same theme – mostly about WWI. The self service receipt had a curiously symmetrical number for the return date, and 2 days ago I got a reminder by email. So I will remember 11/11/11 as will a lot of other people for a more significant reason… hostilities formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

There was a two minutes silence in the library, and many other work places.

From those books the one I would most recommend is “Behind the Lines – revealing and uncensored letters from our war-torn world” by Andrew Carroll. It is back there now.

There was also a 2 minutes silence at the war memorial. Most of the people were standing on the Bath Street pavement so are not in this shot.