What was the New Cemetery, and still is on direction signs, has been renamed to Spring Gardens Cemetery.
As far as I know The Spring Gardens Cemetery has the first official sign to say ABINGDON – ON – THAMES.
Peter sent me a picture a few days back of “a fallen tree in the public park in Lambrick Way. Incidently the sky over the Marina was thick with swifts. They must have got a free trip up here on the strong winds. Also the Thames path is flooded at the little bridge over the mill stream near the lock.”
Spike sent me a picture at water level of the high water on the River Thames – from his canoe.
I also got a message that the Fair had made a bit of a mess trying to leave the land by the River Ock. It looks like the Circus did not even try to compound the problem, and have bypassed Abingdon.
Water levels are now going down. Winds have dropped. We just need some warm weather in order to reinforce the government message that we are in a drought.
The Abingdon Air and Country show went ahead today at Dalton Barracks. The ground was good despite all the recent rain.
Visibilty was also good.
There had been some noisy jets flying over Abingdon yesterday creating an atmosphere – reminding people the show was on.
Lots of stalls as usual, including Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council letting people know how much will be going on during the Jubilee weekend which is now only weeks away. Here are Pat and Alice – two hard working councillors.
There were also lots of classic cars.
Congratulations to Neil Porter, and other organisers, for this huge event in the Abingdon Calendar.
As Steve commented on yesterday’s post “On May the 6th, or the nearest Saturday, The Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris Dancers dance along Ock Street to celebrate Tom Hemmings Birthday.” Les Badcock, the brother of the current Mayor of Abingdon, and the bagman of the Mr Hemming’s troop, is seen in the first picture.
Tom Hemmings was important in restoring the tradition of Morris Dancing in Abingdon in the early 20th century as was Cecil Sharp and Mary Neal at a more national level.
Today was the nearest Saturday to Tom Hemmings’ birthday, and there were six dance troops in town.
They collected at the White Horse Pub for their first set of dances, and having danced at a number of different pubs during the morning arrived at the Market Place (or Market Square as some call it) at 2pm.
One lady did ask me whether it was Abingdon’s May Day celebration. But Abingdon Dancers tend to go to Oxford for what is a very big event on May 1st. This year they got soaked for the honour.
At least we had some sunshine in Abingdon.
These are the Oxford City Morris Dancers paying a return visit from the city to one of the surrounding Market Towns. One came incognito. Goes by the name of Stan I believe.
Next big Morris event in Abingdon is the election of the Mayor of Ock Street on June 16th. The election of the next Mayor of Abingdon is this Wednesday 9th May.