Monthly Archives: June 2011

Abingdon – The Birthplace of Cable TV

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Many thanks to Martin at The Strowger Appreciation Site for letting me share a couple of his pictures.
Mastervision
What first drew me to his website was Mastervision. It was an early experiment in cable television, that was tried and failed in Abingdon. This was in the early 1970s, many years before Comtel dug up all our pavements.

There was a tall receiver by the Mill Stream and “ over 7 miles of cable, distributing 8 channels of television and radio, to 1300 homes in Abingdon.”  The target to become profitable had been more like 4000.
Mastervision
The Office of Mastervision was next to The Black Swan in Bath Street. This picture was taken after the demolition of the heart of Abingdon and before Woolworths was built. More of that at Martin’s page about 1960s Destruction of Abingdon.
Mastervision
The main selling point of Mastervision was the clear TV picture in a time of fuzziness, and no need for television aerials. Martin has a much much fuller explanation at Mastervision Cable TV.

I suspect most people on the Internet will know that the digital switchover is to happen in this area during September. Before then you will be sent an information booklet. But if you are 75 or over, or living in a care home, you can get FREE installation and retuning. Visit helpscheme.co.uk.

What is Abingdon known for…

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Friends of Abingdon AGM
After the AGM of the Friends of Abingdon, at the Old Abbey Buildings, there followed a talk on “What makes a great place to live work and play.”
Friends of Abingdon AGM
The ‘Friends of Abingdon’ Civic Society has done great work in the past protecting important historical buildings and has created monuments to Abingdon’s Heritage. The guest speaker was asking them as a civic society to look to the future. They had the town’s interest at heart and a role to play in determining the town’s future.Friends of Abingdon AGM
She asked people to think creatively, outside the box. What is Abingdon known for? Hay-on-Wye, for example is famous for book shops and a book festival.

What would you like Abingdon to be known for? .

Should it perhaps be the town known for it’s distinctive and confident independent shops, or perhaps the town known for making windmills, or …?

She also said we should not be thinking about and competing with near towns like Didcot and Witney but looking to compete and find examples of things that work much further afield. One example suggested was from our twin towns.

TAB – A long term investment

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This evening was the AGM (Annual General Meeting) of The Abingdon Bridge, or TAB, and I was suprised how many people were there.
The Abingdon Bridge
TAB currently work from the building on the right, in front of the Old Gaol – alongside Abingdon Bridge proper. The Abingdon Bridge charity was set up in 1993 to help young people from 13-25 who need support to turn their lives around.
The Abingdon Bridge
As part of the Old Gaol redevelopment TAB will be moving up Bridge Street to the Old Police Station some time next year. The hard decision will be how to reconfigure the old police cells so it works for TAB without loosing too much of the original building.

At the AGM, workers and volunteers talked about their work with great enthusiasm because they see it is a chance to change lives for the better.  Last year they helped 180 clients in 2400 person sessions, and saw over 1100 young people in workshops in schools for  drug / alcohol awareness etc. .

At the AGM, individual donors and donor organisations were there to support TAB because they see it as an important investment in the future of Abingdon. Both Children in Need and Red Nose Day have invested in projects at TAB. More donors are always needed to keep them going in the long term. For example, a project to help find young people housing is coming to the end of its funding from the Sobell Foundation.

Rainy Day Sunday

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Rainy Day
Good weather for ducks …
Rainy Day
A new outdoor pool sign was put up this morning by Scorpion Signs.
Rainy Day
Quite a few people could be seen under the decking on the Salter Steamer from Oxford as it arrived at Nags Head Island.
Rainy Day
The congregation at Trinity was swelled by about 30 extra people from a temporary caravan site on the cricket ground – part of a Christian caravan fellowship.