On Saturday 22nd June, three candidates are standing for the post of Mayor of Ock Street (or Mock Mayor of Abingdon and Squire of The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers) …
Roger Cox has done an excellent job as Mayor since being first elected in 2007. But he has strong competition in 2013 …
Harry Knight would make a fine Mayor. But I fear the Morris Dancers would miss his accordion playing.
Duncan Brown would make a fine Mayor. He was the youngest ever Mayor of Abingdon and has acted as a fine fool for the Morris Dancers since taking on that role last year. But I fear they would miss his fooling.
There are no manifestos in this election. Election day is a day of dancing and drinking.
First dance is outside the Black Swan at 10am. The result is declared soon after 4pm at the Brewery Tap. Dancing continues until 8 or 9pm. Last dance is on the Market Place.
Vote Roger Cox for mayor!
What a great way to elect a Mayor, Day of dancing and drinking. Everyones happy then 😉
Shouldn’t it be a dance-off?
What are these men being punished for?
They are simply not doing this of their own free will.
Here is the schedule for the day:
Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers
Election of the Mayor of Ock Street
Mayor’s Day 22 June 2013
Dancing Programme
10.00 Polling Station at Brewery Tap opens
10.00 Procession into town behind Horns
10.15 Black Swan
10.50 Bury Street Precinct
11.20 Station Yard / Harp / Station House
12.00-1.00 Market Place
2.30 Procession down East St Helen Street
2.40 St Helen’s Wharf
2.55 Dance at Long Alley Almshouses
3.20 Procession to Ock Street
3.30 Brewery Tap
4.00 Close of Polling Station at Brewery Tap
4.15 Election of Mayor of Ock Street, followed by chairing and dancing (Brewery Tap)
5.00 Procession up Ock Street
5.20 White Horse
6.00 Fire Station / Cross Keys
6.30 Brewery Tap
7.00-7.30 Market Place
who gets to vote?
Eligible voters are:
Anyone who lives or works on Ock Street (including side streets/courts/mews such as Coopers Lane, The Brewery, Winslow Lane, Meadowside, Printers Court, Crown Mews, etc), as well as members of Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers.
1400 Ballot papers are being hand delivered today. Businesses should get theirs during the day and residents this evening.
Will there be an option to vote for the abolition of public morris dancing and replace it with community service?
lol. each to their own though.
whenever I see morris dancers there seems to be a lone young kid dragged along to take part with everyone else looking 50 plus – that’s who I feel sorry for.
the girl in the middle off the morris dancers is me lynn andrew i was so happy as my grand father was jonny grimsdale thank you for doing that for me xx
“lol. each to their own though.
whenever I see morris dancers there seems to be a lone young kid dragged along to take part with everyone else looking 50 plus – that’s who I feel sorry for.”
Rudi: My son is the kid you mention. He really loves Morris Dancing, and spends most weekends happily dancing. he is the only morris dancer in the family, so nobody drags him along. In fact, I am the one who is normally dragged out as taxi driver and walking autobank.
But thanks, Rudi, for giving him his new nickname in the family. We now call him “the lone young kid”.