In June 2006 This Abingdon Blog carried a piece about Prince Harry “…The launch of Google Trends, a new service which allows users to see which phrases are most frequently searched in which areas of Britain, reveals a nation determined to broaden its horizons.

In Abingdon, for example, the most popular search term is ‘pony clubs’. For that, you are thinking, they could have used the phone book. But the second most popular search term in Abingdon is ‘Prince Harry’. Clearly, this is about more than just hacking round the suburbs on a docile quadruped. It is the expression of vaulting social ambition.’

We now know that our vaulting social ambition has come to nothing, and Prince Harry is to marry a young lady from the United States instead of Abingdon. The wedding is to be at Windsor later this month. Let us console ourselves with what might have been.

Here is a short piece from the Illustrated London News reporting on yet another Royal Wedding at Windsor in 1863. Young Prince Edward (aged 23) was marrying Princess Alexandra (aged 18). Thank you to the British Newspaper Archive for this piece (All Rights Reserved) …
ABINGDON, The rejoicings here in honour of the auspicious event passed off admirably. The day’s proceedings commenced with procession of the Mayor and Corporation, accompanied by many other of the principal inhabitants, to the new recreation-ground, where they were met by the school children of the town, 1600 in number. They planted two oaks in commemoration of the day. The children then fell into the procession and returned to the market-place, where the labouring men of the town, 1200 in number, were regaled with an excellent dinner in a spacious marquee erected for the occasion. At three o’clock the bells rang, and the women were entertained with tea and cake, and at the same time the children had a similar spread in the extensive warehouse of Mr. Yeates, which he kindly lent for the occasion. An enormous bonfire was lit up, and the evening concluded with a brilliant display of fireworks.

A lot of preparation went into the Thames at War event, and quite some effort cancelling the event, including the Dunkirk flotilla. It would have been very good.

Instead, on Sunday, we did one of the Treasure Trails from the internet. We have already done Wallingford (sunny) and Headington (freezing cold). The Abingdon-on-Thames Treasure Trail (wet) route took us down familiar roads. In West St Helen Street where we live there were two clues. A rain-blurred letter meant we read Flood and Fire instead of Blood and Fire and we just could not find that clue.

We visited Abingdon Lock on Sunday 8th April to get three of the clues. There were a few people out walking.

I know one Abingdon person who joined the Oxfordshire Home Guard as a result of the Thames at War event, and put a lot of effort into getting kitted out properly. He will be hoping that it can be put on at another time. But the Oxfordshire Home Guard are likely to be at the Abingdon Air and Country Show on May 6th.

Singin’ in the Rain is appearing at the Amey Theatre in Abingdon from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 April 2018 thanks to Abingdon Operatic. There was not a lot of rain in Abingdon this morning but some of the cast were there, nevertheless, in Bury Street to perform some of the numbers.

To find out more and book a ticket visit http://www.abingdonoperatic.co.uk/