Many thanks to Martin at The Strowger Appreciation Site for letting me share a couple of his pictures.
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.
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.
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.
love the old abingdon photos – it all looks so empty….
Wow – what a trip down memory lane with those old photos!
Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.
If Dr. Beeching had not had his way with the branch line to Kennington, Waitrose would have had to be somewhere else ! Ah – the unique smell of Steam-oil mixed with brewing Hops.
Thank you so much for the link to the ‘destruction of Abingdon’. I’ve never seen those pictures before – a fantastic view of old Abingdon and what in their innocence the town thought would be improvements.
Wow, thanks for this! It’s all on the periphery of my childhood memories… I can remember the Corn Exchange but only ghosts of the rest of it. Biggest childhood memory is the seemingly labrinthyne Larners toyshop, all squeaky floorboards and promise. The emptiness strikes me too, sleepy old country town, where did you go?
‘– a fantastic view of old Abingdon and what in their innocence the town thought would be improvements.’
Well, Jan, I wouldn’t be too confident that the town is any less innocent nowadays.
“… the clear TV picture in a time of fuzziness”
Wasn’t the whole World a bit fuzzy in the ’60s ?
Perhaps Mastervision was not so much of an improvement as it brought the cardboard B&W sets into prominence (A for Andromeda, Dr Who, Blake’s 7 etc.) A bit of fuzziness left a bit to a Teenager’s imagination with Pan’s People, too.
Happy days !
Is there any chance of getting more old Abingdon photos? I have a few books and things, but these pictures were really impressive. Does anyone know of an archive anywhere where we could download and upload pictures?
The AAAHS website and the heritage Pictures site – links to both of these are above on the right – both have lots. I am not sure about uploading or downloading. Then there are the Francis Frith photos at http://www.francisfrith.com/abingdon/photos/21/ but that is a commercial operation.
The local history section in the Library has a dozen or more ring-binders of old photos – and information on how to get copies of them.
I am sure others will add more suggestions.