Monthly Archives: June 2022

Town Council – 29th June 2022

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The Town Council meeting was held in the old magistrate’s court and began with a minutes’ silence in memory of Brian Tonkin – Town Clerk from 1985 to 2000. The town flag was flying at half-mast for him. The silence was also for Johannah Aynsley, Guildhall Manager, from 2012 to 2016. The Town Council have a tribute to Brian Tonkin. The Oxford Mail have a tribute to Johannah Aynsley.

The council meeting was hybrid. Most councillors attended in person, but a few joined using Microsoft Teams. Virtual councillors don’t have quite the same privileges as physical councillors.


The meeting began with a presentation by Sustrans and Oxfordshire County Council on early design work to improve cycle and pedestrian links at the junction of East St Helen Street, Bridge Street, and Stert Street. People may remember there used to be a triangular island at the bottom of Stratton Way to provide three-way pedestrian access. A similar triangular island is proposed with three zebra crossings at this junction. Reducing the flowerbed by the County Hall would help make room for the island and give pavement access. There is no funding yet to do a detailed plan or undertake the work.

Only two committee papers were considered at the meeting, those of the finance and the community committees. The last Town Council meeting was a special meeting to consider the Jubilee celebrations. At that meeting, it was decided to make evening concerts free, using money from reserves to cover the extra cost.

A report from the County Council had the latest timing for the Lodge Hill Junction. Planning permission will hopefully be submitted in September 2022.


Town Councillor Jim Halliday has been made an Alderman by VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council). This honour is similar to being made a Freeman by the Town Council and allows him to attend all ceremonial events. Dr Jim Halliday (in the dark suit) was a VWHDC councillor from 1995 to 2015, representing three wards during his time. He began as a councillor for the Abingdon Ock ward and went on to represent Abingdon Northcourt in 2003. From 2007, Jim was a councillor for the Abingdon Fitzharris ward. He also served as Chair and Vice-Chair on the Scrutiny Committee and the Abingdon and North East Area Committee. (Jerry Patterson and Reg Waite were also made Aldermen.)

This year is a time for staff changes at the Town Council. Steve Rich recently retired as outdoor and facilities manager, and now the financial officer Susan Whipp has decided to move on.

There was a discussion of standards in public life. A national report from 2019 has led to changes. Central government wanted changes decided at a local level. Oxfordshire’s new standards set out how Abingdon councillors are expected to behave.

International Friendship – Bergen

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In 1961, the International Union of Local Authorities proposed a link between Abingdon and Bergen-op-Zoom in Holland. Exchanges of school children and young people took place.

In 1970, when the International Friendship estate in South Abingdon was built, one road was called Bergen Avenue. Bergen was an associate town, rather than a twin town, in the towns listed by the Abingdon (Town Friendship) Society in the 1970 Abingdon Directory. In the 1980 directory, Bergen was no longer listed among the associate towns for The Abingdon & District International Friendship Society.

A sign on the International Friendship estate in South Abingdon lists twin towns(T) and associate towns(A).

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP
The roads on this estate
are named after towns
in partnership with
Abingdon
ARGENTAN CLOSE(T). BERGEN AVENUE(A)
COROMANDEL(A). LUCCA DRIVE(T)
SCHONGAU CLOSE(T)
ST NIKLAAS CLOSE(T). VIRGINIA WAY(A)
MAY 1970

For more information about Town Twinning visit Abingdon and District Twin Towns Society. Information about the Bergen association is from the book To the Seventies – Two decades of achievement in Abingdon and District. That book also says that Abingdon became friendly with St Niklaas thanks to Mr Peter Marsh, Headmaster of St Nicolas School. St Niklaas already had links with Colmar, Lucca, and Shongau, and welcomed Abingdon into that European Community.

Cricket Friendship

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Ian met this fine Dutch chap at the cricket in Amsterdam when Nederlands played England earlier this month.

Ian was amazed to see Abingdon on his shirt!

His team, The Ajax Sportsman Combinatie, usually known as ASC, is a Dutch football and cricket club, … Ajax was established on 1st June 1892, and played its first match in 1895.

They have apparently been playing friendlies against Abingdon for sixty-three years.

If anybody knows more, then please comment. Ian thinks SC Ajax will be playing Abingdon at the end of July.

If anybody asks, ‘Wat is cricket?’, here is a video to explain …

Abingdon 100 years ago – June 1922

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3rd June 1922

Last week, the local Saturday Cricket included an exciting and close match between Trinity College Triflers, Oxford, and Abingdon Town. Abingdon made 181, of which score Bradfield made 71 and Reade 66, and the College made 180, the last bat of the College team being bowled by the last ball of the match.

At the Abingdon Cattle Market on Monday, there was a short supply of beef, but there were 75 calves, the price for fat calves reaching £9 12s 6d. Fat lambs, of which a good number was penned, realised up to 12s, and sheep £6 10s. There was an adequate supply of fat and store pigs, and recent prices were maintained.

During the severe thunderstorm at Abingdon on Thursday last week, it was found that at Messrs Drew’s Saw Mills, the electric light switch plate had been fused, and the screw which fastened the plate to the switch was melted.

An interesting presentation took place at the Abingdon Police Station last week when Supt. W. Foster of Abingdon presented an easy chair and smoking requisites to two retiring members of the Force, viz. Inspector F. Webb of Wallingford and P.C. Goodman, the latter is retiring through ill health.

The Abingdon Town Council has reduced the general district rate by 8d in the £, viz., from 8s 6d to 7s 10d. The previous year the rate was reduced 6d in the £.

The Abingdon Pavlova Football Club were entertained at an excellent dinner by the Pavlova firm to mark the close of the most successful season. Mr Edgington, the indefatigable secretary, was presented with a clock, as a mark of esteem for his services to the club.

10th June 1922

The annual report of the Abingdon Free Library Committee has been issued for the first time since the war, and states that several improvements in the provision of literature and facilities to the public have been made. The lending portion of the library has had a significant addition in the number of ticket holders.

Whitsuntide was observed in the Abingdon Churches by early celebrations of the Holy Communion and festal services. The edifices, especially the altars, were appropriately adorned with vases of flowers. etc. The parochial clergy conducted the services.

The Guardians and the Mayor received a delegation of the Abingdon unemployed last week. Work has been found for a few and there are prospects of more relief work being organised almost immediately. The Labour Exchange returns last week were 169 men registered unemployed and 60 on short time. Only three women reported being unemployed, but 120 were on short time.

The newly formed Abingdon Lawn Tennis Club met Wantage on Thursday last week when the visitors won by 113 games to 63.

The Girls Club May Fair held at Abingdon, on the grounds of Alderman J. T. Morland, resulted in £72 being taken for admission, and the sale articles, etc.

The Freedom of the Borough of Abingdon was conferred on Thursday evening last week in the Council Chamber on Alderman John Thornhill Morland, J P., the oldest member of the Town Council of Abingdon, in recognition of prominent civic work in the Borough. The ceremony was performed by the Mayor of Abingdon (Councillor C. Rippon), and there was a large gathering, both civic and lay people desirous of associating themselves with the historic event. Amongst those present was the Earl of Abingdon (who proposed the toast of the health of Alderman Morland). The bells of St. Nioolas Church were rung on the occasion.

17th June 1922

At Tuesday’s Borough Police Court, the magistrates were Messr J. G. T. West, and J. Ricketts. The only business was an application for an extended license for the “Nags Head” Inn, The Bridge, on the occasion of the Fire Brigade demonstration.

In the recent Trinity College of Music examination, held at Oxford, John D. Godfrey, son of Councillor Godfrey and a pupil of Dr Dodds of Oxford, passed in organ playing.

The preacher at the weekly united Free Church service last week, held at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, was the Rev. Evan Newell of Longworth.

The annual meeting of the Abingdon Hospital Aid Scheme organisation was held on Thursday evening last week in the Roysse Boom, Abingdon. Mr C, C. Johnson presiding. In the twelve months the scheme had been in operation in the town the amount collected was £1,020. The Rev. G. B.Cronshaw, the Radcliffe Infirmary Treasurer, gave an interesting address on what the Infirmary had been able to achieve through the help given by the scheme.

The Abingdon Provident Society’s 78th annual meeting was held in the Roysse Room, Abingdon, on Wednesday evening last, Mr J. B. Wake presiding. In his annual report, the secretary (Mr G. Staniland) stated that the sick pay for the past year was £90 less than the contributions. The receipts from all sources, including dividends on war loans, consols, etc., realised over £563. Only one death had been lodged during the year. The total membership was nearly 350, and invested funds amounted to over £9,090. The quinquennial valuation for distribution of the surplus was now being obtained.

The Abingdon Baptist Sunday School Anniversary was held last Sunday, and the services were well attended. The special preacher on the occasion was Lieut-CoL J. Walkey, O.B.E., M.C.

24th June 1922

By the kindness of the Mayoress of Abingdon (Mrs Rippon) over 60 mothers belonging to the Babies’ Welfare League were entertained to tea on Thursday in last week at ” Springfields,” Abingdon. The mothers brought their babies and young children and a pleasant time was spent.

A very successful fete was held on Thursday afternoon in last week in the grounds of Stratton House, Abingdon, the residence of Lady Norman, in aid of the building fund of the new Church Hall completion. There were numerous attractions, competitions, concerts, etc., the success of the undertaking being financial help to the fund of over £l00. The Mayoress of Abingdon opened the fete, which ceremony the Vicar presided.

At St Helen’s Church, Abingdon, on Thursday afternoon in last week, the marriage of Mr William Jamas Prior, son of and Mrs J. E, Prior, of Harwell, and Miss Elsie Theodora Hooke, third daughter of Mr and Mrs W. H. Hooke, Park Crescent and Market Place, Abingdon, took place. The Vicar officiated, and the service was choral. The honeymoon is being spent at Shanklin, Isle of Wight.

Mark Lambourne, retired farmer of Cumnor, was summoned by the R.S.P.C.A for cruelty to a dog by shooting at it on May 27th. It appears that the dog belonging to Percy James Frewin, of Cumnor, was continually at the defendant’s house and broke through the window one night. On the Saturday, after sending it away several times, he shot at it. The owner of the dog said it was injured by the shots. Defendant had complained to him about the dog being on his premises and had threatened to shoot it. The Bench dismissed the case.

Thank you for the extracts to the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette on the British Newspaper Archive.

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