On St David’s Day, Paul Devine’s funeral service at the Salvation Army


It was St. David’s Day! The daffodils above are near the bowling club in Albert Park. The picture was taken during a hail shower.

These daffodils are on Nags Head Island. There was rain, and later some sunshine.

Today was the funeral service for Paul Devine, the husband of Alex. Together they led the Salvation Army in Abingdon. The service was streamed online because some people could not get there. People wore orange. The wreath was orange as Paul was from Dundee and was a Dundee United supporter.

Both the main hall and front hall were packed, and over 70 watched the streamed service.

Instead of flowers, donations were to ADAPT, a charity close to Paul’s heart. They help people rebuild their lives after addiction. You can learn more about ADAPT at: https://adaptoxford.org.uk/.

Alex said, during the service, that Paul searched in his life and only is his relationship with Jesus did he feel whole. Paul loved the scripture, ‘You are the light of the world, a town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither will people light a lamp and cover it. Instead they put it on a stand and it gives light.‘ Alex had received lots of messages about how Paul had helped people not just working at ADAPT but all different people. She mentioned how important it was people  supported Paul in his life, but what was important for Paul was that God got the glory for what he did through Paul’s life.’

The next speaker said at the committal, ‘Paul was not perfect. He was not a saint, but he was forgiven, and a child of God.’

Upcoming: NSPCC Market Stall, Poetry, Art, and Philosophy

Saturday, March 2nd:

The local NSPCC group will have their usual tombola, bric-a-brac, books, and plants for sale on the Market Place.

Thursday, March 14th:

An Evening with Poet Andrew Jamison (6:00 PM, Abingdon Library): Award-winning poet Andrew Jamison will be reading from his latest collection, Swans We Cannot See. Tickets are £2 (including a welcome drink) and can be purchased at the library counter, or by emailing abingdon.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk. Andrew also helped select the ten poems and wrote the forward for the book Ten Poems about Abingdon.

March 11th – 16th:

View a variety of artwork by local artists at The Abingdon Artists’ Spring Exhibition (St Helen’s Church).

Tuesday, March 5th
The February meeting of Agnostics Anonymous had around 60 attendees. The March meeting has the topic “Is there a God?”

Which pub in Abingdon has gravestones in its garden and why?


In the first edition of the Trinity Triangle magazine, in September 1982, I found the following:

ADULT PUZZLER
Which pub in Abingdon has gravestones in its garden and why?

ANSWER (October 1982)
Our oldest member at Trinity – Miss Evelyn Rant – answered the Adult Puzzler correctly. She said, ‘The White Horse at the corner of Spring Road was once a burial ground.’

I did visit the White Horse and got pictures of some of the stones in the rock garden, but I was not sure any were from gravestones.

The staff at the pub knew nothing about the graveyard. However, Jackie Smith, the town archivist, has access to a map that shows Ock Street with the Air Balloon pub, a yard, a building, and then a Quaker burial ground. That Quaker burial ground starts near Reeves fish and chip shop.

Arthur Preston’s book, St Nicholas Abingdon and other papers (p. 98), refers to ‘the dissenters’ graveyard at the west end of Ock Street – known as the Quakers’ burial ground.’

Good News for Caldecott: New Multi-Use Games Area & Community Newsletter


The new Multi-use games Area at Caldecott Recreation Ground (in South Abingdon) is nearly finished! The access mats and heavy machines have gone.

Most of the construction looks complete, including the base, tarmac, fences, and basketball nets. Line painting needs to be done.

This project by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council will be a great space for basketball, netball, football, skating, and probably much more

This follows the installation of outdoor gym equipment in July 2022, adding to the recreation ground’s amenities.

Things are looking up for Caldecott. Volunteers are delivering a 4 page newsletter full of activities for young people and families in the area. The newsletter and other projects are financed by Community First Oxfordshire which is looking to increase health and wellbeing in targeted areas in Oxfordshire. See https://www.communityfirstoxon.org/caldecott-community-grants-apply-now. The next newsletter will be out for Easter.