Abingdon in the 1920s – Paddy challenges New Street

The Abingdon I Remember in 1920
This picture was taken looking up New Street towards the Vineyard.
The Abingdon I Remember in 1920
I was looking at the Abingdon Area Archaeological and Historical Society website yesterday, reading the transcript of a document called The ABINGDON I REMEMBER which describes Abingdon on an almost house by house basis around about 1920 and will be very interesting to lots of Abingdonians. It speaks of a short street on the left of the Vineyard called New Street, “locally known as ‘Little Hell’. This is owing to the belligerent character of the inhabitants of the 15 or so cottages which are, incredibly, packed into this tiny street.”

At the junction of The Vineyard and New Street I read of a local character called ‘Paddy’ who was “in the habit, when he had the wherewithal, of taking too much ale and roaring challenges in the direction of New Street, opposite.  The challenge was rarely refused, and some lively Saturday nights were a feature of local life.

Can anybody put a name to the author of this description of 1920’s Abingdon?

5 thoughts on “Abingdon in the 1920s – Paddy challenges New Street

  1. Don Watts

    I found this, if it helps: My father (97 and still going strong) told me that New Street was a slum area, and there were fights virtually every evening!

    Transcribed from copy held by Judy White, with added sub-headings and minor changes to punctuation.
    Date and author unknown. Describes Abingdon c.1920, but probably written c.1960

    Reply
  2. hester

    At the end of New Street on the right, surrounded by new-builds is a terrace of 3 little cottages – not sure if they go back as far as the 1920s but I bet they’ve seen some interesting times.

    Reply

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