Monthly Archives: June 2010

Armed Forces Flag

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Thankyou to David for these pictures.

National Armed Forces Day is on Saturday 26 June 2010, but a lot of towns, including Abingdon, chose today to raise the Armed Forces Flag on Monday 21st.
Mayor of Abingdon Presenting Medals
Before the Flag raising, the Mayor of Abingdon presented medals to soldiers recently returned from Afghanistan.
Mayor of Abingdon Presenting Medals
The armed forces flag was then raised above the roof of the county hall.
Presentation to Town and Vale
At a reception afterwards, the Royal Logistics Corps presented the Vale of White Horse, and Town of Abingdon with a framed set of pictures showing troops in action at the recent Freedom parade.

Museum Appeal

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The Friends of Abingdon Museum have Launched an appeal to raise funds towards the museum improvements.
Kay with fridge magnets
Kay has been designing I Love Abingdon, and various other badges and fridge magnets to sell.
Treasure Trail
The friends of the museum have designed a £1 Treasure Trail, and have an open gardens event in a couple of weeks time on July 10th. You buy a passport and it allows entry to six different gardens in Abingdon….
Treasure Trail
On Saturday the museum was open from top to bottom to help raise money, and a few days earlier the appeal was launched. That is Sir Hugo Brunner on the left who has been giving advise and useful contacts.
Treasure Trail
The chap on the left is one of the main fund raisers. Ruth Weinburg on the right is the expert on the pump in the museum basement. You may recognise the others.  If not they are Nigel Warner (Town Clerk),  Lesley Legge (Town Council leader), Duncan Brown (Mayor), and Julie Mayhew-Archer(wife of the co-author of the Vicar of Dibley).

Two 150th Anniversaries in Abingdon

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There were two 150th anniversary celebrations in Abingdon yesterday.

2010 is the 150th anniversary of the founding of Our Lady’s School, Abingdon, in 1860 by the Sisters of Mercy. Yesterday, many former pupils returned for a huge reunion. The senior school has only this year become Co-ed and the first boys are currently in year 7.  I did a blog on the Sisters back in 2006
Training aircraft on the ground
The second 150th Anniversary was the Air Cadets. People have not been flying that long admittedly, but cadets came into existence after the Crimian War 150 years ago. Army Cadets, Air Training Corps, Combined Cadet Force and Sea Cadet Corps all trace their origins to 150 years ago. The Cadet Forces were initially formed to help bolster the country’s defence numbers after the Crimean War. It gave early training to young people, some of whom would join the forces and be already well prepared.
View looking at Abingdon from the South
150 Cadets each had a twenty minute training flight, each in a powered gliders from Dalton Barracks to celebrate the anniversary. They started flying at dawn on the longest Saturday and finished at dusk. Thanks to them for these few pictures taken over Abingdon and coming to land at Dalton Barracks…
View over Abingdon from Plane window

View of Abingdon Town Centre

View of Abingdon Town Centre

Coming in to land at Dalton Barracks

Mayor of Ock Street 2010

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Voting
Today the people of Ock Street and the surrounding courts had their chance to elect the Mayor of Ock Street.
Lots of people taking pictures
Normally there are two or three people taking snaps but this year it was as if the Paparazzi had descended on Abingdon.
Man with black face from up north
And the men with the black faces from up north who have completely different traditions were there too – not Morris at all but they enjoyed a dance and a beer.
Feeding The Ox
He could be just having a laugh but you never know. It may be symbolic.
Roger Cox - reelected
Roger Cox was re-elected as the Mayor of Ock Street. Roger at aged 60 defeated Harry Knight aged 59 by just a handful of votes.
Roger carried round
Roger was carried round town as the victor for the forth year running.
Late dancing
The dancing started at about 9:30 AM. It returned finally at 8:30 PM for the last dance before going on to the Abbey Buildings for a meal and some entertainment. I believe they then sing folk songs and show off their other talents.
Sammi Kebab
Another great Abingdon tradition watches on from his Kebab van.