Monthly Archives: January 2018

Abingdon’s turbulent past

6 Replies

Abingdons turbulent past
When the curate at Trinity Church, heard that this week’s National Trust lecture was about John Creemer Clarke, he suggested that they move the lecture into the main church so that they could see the window dedicated to John Creemer Clarke by his children in 1906.

The National Trust lectures were at the Abbey Hall (the modern part of the Guildhall) before that building was closed for redevelopment and then moth-balled to save money.

This week’s lecture is ‘Violence and shenanigans: A look at Abingdon’s politics through the eyes of John Creemer Clarke’ and is on at Tuesday, 23 January 2018 – 2:30pm.’
Abingdons turbulent past
The What’s On section of the Abingdon Town Council web site says “an important benefactor of the Town, Creemer Clarke ran an important clothing business and helped found Trinity Church and the Cottage Hospital, and is represented on the mural in the Town.   He was involved in many aspects of Abingdon’s political life by becoming its MP at a time when elections seem to have been much more lively with a great deal of audience participation at local meetings. It was always a relief when there was no actual violence.

The speaker, Silvia Joinson, is “a retired history teacher and a witty presenter on Abingdon’s turbulent past.”

For anybody following this blog, the second meeting about the Guildhall, for those who could not squeeze into the first, was moved to the larger building of St Helen’s Church earlier this evening.

Snow was ‘cold but fun’. Rain was no fun at all.

1 Reply

Snow Rain and Wet Carpets
Snow and then rain fell on Abingdon this morning. The snow settled on car roofs but not on the pavements.
Snow Rain and Wet Carpets
Undeterred by the snow, Abingdon Rowing Club had a number of boats out on the river. About twenty minutes after taking this picture, I saw Adam – with the yellow top – at Trinity Church.
Snow Rain and Wet Carpets
Adam was on the sound desk , and I was on the projector. Nowadays, nost people sing the songs off the projector screen rather than from the hymn book. Adam said the rowing was ‘cold but fun.’ He is an ex boy scout / boy scout leader. It still took him some time to warm up his hands, as his seat and the carpet round about got more and more damp.
Snow Rain and Wet Carpets
After church the snow had turned to rain – which was no fun at all.

Advice… Don’t have your Roast confiscated at Abingdon Lock

6 Replies

Roast confiscated
Boats travelling along the River Thames in Abingdon normally have the necessities on board including a galley kitchen. Favorite meals for boaters include roast dinners, and bacon, eggs or sausage sandwiches.
Roast confiscated
However boaters going through Abingdon Lock are advised to lock up those enticing cooking smells.
Roast confiscated
A notice has been erected warning that such cooking is prohibited at the lock, and such items will need to be passed to the lockstaff for safe disposal.

International Police Association visit Abingdon

20 Replies

International Police Association
The Thames Valley branch of the International Police Association (IPA) were having a walk and meal together in Abingon-on-Thames today.International Police Association
“Servo per Amikeco” in Esperanto means “Serve through Friendship.”

The IPA is the biggest Police Association in the World with almost 420,000 members. The Thames Valley branch includes police officers (on active duty or retired) from the Thames Valley and the Metropolitan Police Service. The IPA was founded on 1st January 1950 because a police sergeant from Lincolnshire, England, Arthur Troop, wanted to create a channel for friendship and international co-operation amongst police officers, after the war.

One of the members was telling me he had recently visited police colleagues in Hungary, and will be going to Portugal later this year. They also have local social events. The chairman of the local association lives in Abingdon.