Red Weather Warning and storm damage

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Abingdon had a red weather warning area today. Strong winds meant that a number of businesses chose not to open today. (There was a limited Farmers Market . Styan’s veggies from Worcestershire struggled in as did the two local butchers, the Bath cheese man, the honey man and the trout farmer. However their stalls were reduced in size with no awnings.) There were not a lot of people about. during the peak winds during the morning and early afternoon. The skies kept changing from blue to cloudy. There was a little rain.

Down West St Helen’s Street at least two properties lost roof tiles onto the public pavement, and The Salvation Army chose to close their pavement. There were also a couple of garden walls fell down along St Helen’s Close.

A tree had come down onto the pathway through the Box Hill Woods.

The winds lessoned by late afternoon. Paths were strewn with twigs under trees and some larger branches had split from trunks. Examples here are across the River Thames from St Helen’s Church.

A large branch had fallen from the large tree in front of Cosener’s House and drifted down the River Thames. There were work people with chain saws chopping damaged trees in the Abbey Meadows.

A Yew was damaged in Albert Park.

Radley Lakes – February 2022

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There was a wind blowing round Radley Lakes this afternoon. The forecast is that it will get worse over night and tomorrow morning (Storm Eunice). There were lots of birds.

Here is a Coot

and a Cormorant.

There were a lot of snowdrops clustered by the shore at the start of the clockwise walk round Thrupp Lake.

The fir trees that used to stand behind the house Sandals have been cut down.

The restored ash pit, on the other side of the Sustrans Cycle path, is now a mixture of wood, and marshy areas and some water. The walk round was muddy a lot of the way.

This is just one of the remaining watery areas near the railway track. A large flock of birds came over and behind them were a couple of Kites. There was also a hawk, possibly a Kestrel, hanging in the sky and plummeting down, beyond the railway. Various trains went by: two GWR expresses, a goods train and two slower passenger trains.

Music and Carbon Cutting from Abingdon

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The Abingdon & District Musical Society have two concerts in the near future, both at the School of St Helen and St Katherine. The Spring Concert, on 19th March, includes:

  • Dvorak: “The Noon Witch”
  • Saint Saens: Cello Concerto (soloist Oliver Simpson, winner of Abingdon Concerto Competition, 2021)
  • Brahms: Symphony No. 2

The following concert is Bach’s St Matthew’s Passion, on 9th April

This evening the Abingdon Carbon Cutters had a talk by Neil Kitching via Zoom from Stirling. If you missed it then Neil’s blog can be seen http://www.carbonchoices.uk/index.php/blog. A recording of the talk should be soon available on the Carbon Cutters YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLCR7PvRniTiWKOhPPnO-xw

Abingdon 100 years ago – February 1922

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4th February
At the Borough Court on Tuesday, six lads, aged 16 – 19, were summoned for sliding in Bury Street on Jan 17th. They all pleaded guilty and were fined 2s each.

A very successful concert was given on Wednesday evening in last week at the Abingdon Corn Exchange in aid of St Dunstan’s Hostel for blind ex servicemen. The entertainment contained items from several London artistes, and raised £25 10s.

Over 400 employees, and friends, from the Pavlova Works were given a concert last week, by an excellent Pierrot troupe, in aid of the North Berks Athletic Association.

The Old Berks Hunt Ball held in the Abingdon Borough Buildings on Thursday night, last week, attracted a company of about 200. The scarlet coats of the Master and other members of the hunt blended with the gorgeous dresses of the ladies.

11th February
The rainfall in Abingdon for the month of January was registered as 2.36 in., and rain fell on 2 days.

The Labour Exchange return for last week shows that the unemployed numbered 84 men, 14 women, 5 boys and 3 girls. On short time there were 21 men and 118 women.

The Abingdon Chamber of Trade has now been formed and rules drawn up. The Mayor, Councillor C. Rippon, has been elected President, and a strong committee of Abingdon tradesmen formed.

At the County Court, four lads were summoned for throwing stones and damaging a notice board at Marcham. The damage was 30s and each lad was ordered to pay for the damage and a fine of £7 6d.

At this Borough Court on Tuesday all the licensee in the Borough were renewed with the exception of “The Nelson,” the Wheatsheaf,” and the “Black Swan” which were adjourned with the view of being referred to the County Compensation Committee. Mr Andrew Walsh appeared for the owners Messrs Morland and Co.

18th February
A Church Parade of the B Company of the Berks Detachment of 4th Battalion Royal Berks Regiment was held at Abingdon on Sunday last, when the Detachment attended St. Michael’s Church for the 11 o’clock service.

On Thursday evening in last week a meeting of the representatives of the various trade unions took place at the Bee Hive Inn, Stert Street, Mr W. Mott presiding, when it was decided to form the Abingdon and District Trades and Labour Council.

The death took place at Oxford Radcliffe Infirmary on Wednesday in last week of Alfred Harry Roberts, at the age of 44 years, who had been for 17 years Relieving Officer for the Abingdon Union (workhouse). He was taken ill last October and quite recently was moved to the Oxford Infirmary. The funeral took place at Abingdon on Saturday afternoon. The first portion of the Burial Service was said at St. Helen’s Church

The Abingdon Fire Brigade held their annual meeting last week. Chief Officer W. M. Coxeter presiding. The financial report was very satisfactory, and the general report stated that the Brigade had been called to 14 fires during the past year- three in the town and eleven in the district.

On Saturday local football included a match at Ardington for points in the League, between Ardington and Abingdon. Abingdon was playing four reserves, and after some good play on both sides, the visitors won by one goal to nil.
25th February

At the market on Monday there was a fair supply of fat stock, store stock being prohibited. Fat beasts made £43 10s and calves £8 7s 6d. Fat sheep made up to £5 19s. Porkers made up to £4 10s and fat hogs realised £10 2s 6d.

The Abingdon Women’s Conservative Association held an enjoyable social evening on Wednesday in last week in the Corn Exchange, when a large gathering attended. The hall was decorated with evergreens, plants, flags, etc. The proceedings opened with a meeting, when Miss Costello, from the Headquarters Association gave an address on “Communism or Individual Freedom.” and Mr A- T. Loyd, M.P. for the Abingdon, gave an address on “Economy and the Geddes’ Reports on Shipbuilding”. The Social portion of the programme followed, and included a short humorous play, musical items, refreshments, followed by a dance.

Thank you for the extracts to the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette on the British Newspaper Archive.

Adverts brought to you with help from the Nork Berks Herald.