Monthly Archives: May 2013

Children’s History of Abingdon

Sixty stories about Abingdon
At Mostly Books this evening Brother Cedric from Abingdon Abbey was there to launch his new book: Sixty spooky, strange and suprising stories about Abingdon.

Cedric has illustrated Abbey manuscripts in times gone by, but this is his first book. Cedric was drowned in 1327 trying to escape from rioting Abingdon townspeople since when he has had a lonely existence. He says in the chapter on Ghastly, Ghostly and Ghoulish Tales, that “One does not bump into other ghosts at all. It seem every spirit is on a different wavelength

It has taken ghost writer, Judy Stubley, pictured above, to get him finally published by writing it all down.
Sixty stories about Abingdon
At Mostly Books for £6.99.

Mayor’s first engagement

Mayor's first engagement
One of the new Mayor’s charities is the “Abingdon Community Hospital League of Friends”. She will also be supporting the Scouts, and fund raising for the South Abingdon Skate Park. Her first engagement on Saturday was to visit the Hospital League of Friends who had a Coffee morning at St Nicolas Church. Funds raised go to buy equipment for the hospital.

We did get a letter from the town council saying there will be road closures, and No Parking down East St Helen Street on Friday 24th May as there will be a Homecoming Parade, and medal presentation (around 9:30am). That will probably be about the biggest event in the mayoral year – the Princess Royal will be presenting the medals.

Open Day at The Dojo

Open Day at The Dojo
In my line of work there is a computer language called Dojo. So it was interesting yesterday to go to the open day at The Dojo on Audlett Drive in Abingdon.
Open Day at The Dojo
It was a chance to watch demonstrations of martial arts,
Open Day at The Dojo
and have a go at them, and other forms of exercise.

When I was there they were doing JKD, the ever evolving form of marshall art popularised by Bruce Lee. I even got to learn some moves.

(I was probably twice the age of most of the adults there with about half the co-ordination. But they said everybody can learn what works for them.)

The Dojo also has a coffee serving / observing area upstairs.

Mr Hemmings Day of Dance – 2013

Mr Hemmings Day of Dance - 2013
Along Ock Street, and in the town centre, there was dancing by Mr Hemmings’ Traditional Abingdon Morris Dancers and visiting sides.
Mr Hemmings Day of Dance - 2013
Mr Hemmings Day of Dance is a celebration of the birthday of Tom Hemmings who rejuvenated Abingdon Morris in the early 20th century.
Mr Hemmings Day of Dance - 2013
Morris Dancing no longer seems such a quaint old custom.
Mr Hemmings Day of Dance - 2013
There are probably more morris dancers now as there have ever been. By today’s evidence many were young, and many female.
Mr Hemmings Day of Dance - 2013
The Summertown Morris from Oxford only started up a couple of years ago and have an excellent group.
Mr Hemmings Day of Dance - 2013
After all the teams had done a turn or two on the Market Place …
Mr Hemmings Day of Dance - 2013
all the groups came to together and did a mass dance. Then they went back to dance at pubs along Ock Street.

I’ve uploaded the mass dance to … youtube.