Abingdon was the manufacturing home of MG for many years, from the 1920s until 1980. Today, the Oxfordshire MG Owners Club and the MG Car Club Abingdon Works Centre worked together to host a celebration of the marque’s 100th anniversary. The event, which took place at Abingdon Vale Cricket Ground, attracted around 250 MG cars from all over the UK.

The event was initiated by local MG enthusiast Tony Cotter, who felt that many large MG100 events were taking place elsewhere but not in Abingdon, the spiritual home of MG. Tony and wife, Richard Martin and his wife Gill worked very hard with many others to make the event possible.

The event was a great success, with a wide variety of MG cars on display, from classic models to modern classics. Special plaques were on display on many.

There were also stalls selling MG merchandise, as well as some very well-known Abingdon traders, such as Busby Bees and Devine Times Photography.

The rain did come at around 1 pm, but this didn’t dampen the spirits of the enthusiasts who remained. The Mayor of Abingdon was on hand to talk to owners and present cups to the winners of various competitions, including the car that most other car owners would have liked to own. That turned out to be the MGA above.

Money raised through entrance fees for cars etc. went to two charities, the Abingdon Foodbank and the Thames Valley Air Ambulance. (To find about more about the Foodbank visit https://abingdon.foodbank.org.uk.)

The announcer at the end of the event said, “We’ll see you all again in another 100 years.”