There were two 150th anniversary celebrations in Abingdon yesterday.

2010 is the 150th anniversary of the founding of Our Lady’s School, Abingdon, in 1860 by the Sisters of Mercy. Yesterday, many former pupils returned for a huge reunion. The senior school has only this year become Co-ed and the first boys are currently in year 7.  I did a blog on the Sisters back in 2006

The second 150th Anniversary was the Air Cadets. People have not been flying that long admittedly, but cadets came into existence after the Crimian War 150 years ago. Army Cadets, Air Training Corps, Combined Cadet Force and Sea Cadet Corps all trace their origins to 150 years ago. The Cadet Forces were initially formed to help bolster the country’s defence numbers after the Crimean War. It gave early training to young people, some of whom would join the forces and be already well prepared.

150 Cadets each had a twenty minute training flight, each in a powered gliders from Dalton Barracks to celebrate the anniversary. They started flying at dawn on the longest Saturday and finished at dusk. Thanks to them for these few pictures taken over Abingdon and coming to land at Dalton Barracks…