Welcome said the chap on the stilts.

Have a ballooon said the chap in Lansborough Estates

And here is to Christmas said Finishing Touch.

There was a parade and this familiar chap was at the back…

On the podium, after the parade, the Mayor, and the master of ceremonies, and Bill Rennells waited for a very important messenger…

A horse came with an important document all the way from Queen Mary herself…

It was the Charter of incorporation for Abingdon. The Mayor said “

Now we can have a Market! (cheers)

Now we can have a Fair! (louder cheers)

But the bad news said the Mayor. We will also have to have a Mayor and Town Council (not too many Boo’s)’

Then it was the turn of Bill Rennells to turn on the lights. “Come on everybody!” He called “… 10…9… Thats not very loud! I’ve heard much louder at Abingdon United Football Club…” And so he started the countdown again “10…9….” and this time everybody joined in.
The Abingdon Mace bearer then showed us something that could even outshine the Christmas Lights. The Greatest Mace for many a long mile…

As there was no official Best Themed shop competition this year, I took pictures of the three shops which had the best costumes. (Apologies to Bath Street which I never even got near should there have been something even better that way.)

It was a Tudor theme. My winner is …
The Nursery Shop in Stert Street

Other worthy entrants were Helen & Douglas House Charity Shop on High Street

and the Book Store in the Precinct.

This morning there was a service at St Helens Church to thank God for Abingdon, past and present.

After the service there was a lunch. There were some notable people present.

Here are the faces…
And here are the names:

Lesley Legge: Abingdon Town Councillor and Chair of Oxfordshire County Council
Tim Ahern: Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea
Peter Green: Mayor of Abingdon
Hugo Brunner: Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
The Earl of Abingdon
Col Bob Pearce: Station Commander of Dalton Barracks
Julie Mayhew Archer: Town Councillor and Chair of The Vale of the White Horse District Council
Nigel Warner: Abingdon Town Clerk.

Final Preparations for Abingdon’s Big Day on Friday. As in every other year, lights are draped around the trees in the market place…
Like every year there was somebody directing the proceedings and saying “A bit further that way.. no back a bit this way… no a bit that way…”
Like every year it ended with lights being put round the tree…

What will be different about turning on the lights this year is that Friday is the very day 450 years ago, 24th November 1556, when a Horseback rider, from London, presented the Charter to the town of Abingdon. This year that horseback ride is to be re-enacted: not all the way, of course, but at least the last fifty yards.

Winsmore Lane runs from Ock Street, and joins the end of St Edmunds Lane. You now have to go round the carpark on the way to St Helens Church. I remember reading somewhere that the route used to be more direct, going diagonally from Ock Street to St Helens Church.

Those buildings on the left will soon be gone. There was advertised a “single storey storage shed on a site of 0.021 hectares (0.052acres). Offers were sought on a conditional basis subject to planning.”

Price: £100,000

seems a good honest figure. Not the usual £99,995.