Ceremonial handover of the Mostly Books Keys

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Mostly Books Keys
Mostly Books has already changed over to the new owner Sarah Dennis, and today there was a day of celebration in the shop with cake and champagne. At 1pm speeches were made by Mark Thornton, The Mayor of Abingdon, Jan Morter, and Sarah.
Mostly Books Keys
There followed a ceremony where a large key was passed from Mark and Nikki to Sarah via The Mayor, which contained some hilarity. Sarah has been in and around the shop for quite some time learning the art of running a book shop from Mark and Nikki.
Mostly Books Keys
I also bought a marvelous book and was served by Imogen, and discovered that she is a finalist in the wicked young writers awards, and has her short story in the book of the finalists. So took a picture of that too.

The ‘Oxfordshire Book Crawl’ is happening over the next week, involving independent bookshops in Oxfordshire, to mark Independent Bookshop Week – you can find out more here: https://www.oxbookcrawl.co.uk/

A Bibliography of Abingdon

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Bibliography of Abingdon
Michael Harrison has a Bibliography of Abingdon on the internet. It lists a huge number of books and articles about Abingdon. The list can be found at www.stertstream.net/bib2.htm. It contains the standard works on Abingdon that you might find in the local studies section at Abingon Library. It also contains many wonderful pieces you would be very lucky to find anywhere, such as ‘The claret ran out’ and ‘Dogs stolen. Stolen out of a yard belonging to Mr. Benjamin Tomkins, in the Ock-Street, in Abingdon Berks, on Friday night the 15th of this instant, two large pointing dogs, … Topper: … and … Pompey. Tomkins, B. (1768).’
Bibliography of Abingdon
Michael also wrote a booklet to be found in the library that tells the history of his own house right back to the time of Abingdon Abbey. It is one of the oldest houses in Abingdon, and only just survived demolition on a couple of occasions. You can also read about the ups an downs of the house at www.stertstream.net/hist.htm

Sandles – occupied and unoccupied

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Sandals
For many years Sandles was a private house, and Thrupp Lake formed part of the grounds – used for recreation and water sports.
Sandals
The lake and house were brought by nPower who applied for permission to fill Thrupp Lake with fly ash from Didcot Power Station. Locals then started up the Save Radley Lakes campaign.

In January 2007 Sandles was occupied by about 15 protesters, who stayed for about a month before being evicted, and then Sandles became a barracks for security men who patrolled the lake. A lot of trees were cut down at that time, preparing the lake for infilling.
Sandals
In December 2008, when this picture was taken, an agreement was reached between nPower and the Save Radley Lakes campaign that the Northmoor Trust would look after the lake as a nature reserve. Initial ideas were to improve access and viewing areas and possibly turn Sandles into an educational resource with outdoor learning space.
Sandals
9 years have passed during which better access has been provided, and viewing places. The Northmoor Trust has become the Earth Trust; Save Radley Lakes has become the Friends of Radley Lakes. Meanwhile Sandles has been been left bricked up, and visited by every graffiti artist in the area, until now…
Sandals
A week ago demolition began, and Sandles is now a pile of rubble.

Psycho Swan attacking ducks and geese

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A psycho swan has been seen bullying other birds and killing goslings on the Thames at Abingdon. On Sunday morning I was shown evidence from a phone video of the swan holding goslings under the water, and scaring off the older geese who came near to try to help.
Psycho Swan attacking ducks and geese
Then today I saw a swan, presumably the same one, attach some birds. The pictures show the chase,
Psycho Swan attacking ducks and geese
and then the swan having pushed one of the other birds under the water. It reappeared somewhere else.

The swan did not appear to have young nearby.