Nov 6th – just outside Abingdon

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November 6th
At Dalton Barracks airfield this evening there was a funfair and bonfire.
November 6th
The warmth from the fire did help keep people from getting too cold in the wait for the fireworks.
November 6th
We remembered again in 2016 Guy Fawkes’ failed gunpowder plot against James I in 1605. In celebration of his survival, James ordered that we should have a great bonfire on the night of November 5th.
November 6th
Thank you to the army for providing this evening’s entertainment with the funfair, blazing bonfire and fabulous fireworks.

November 5th in Abingdon

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November 5th
The Abingdon Army Cadets have been in the town centre selling poppies again today. Remembrance Sunday is the 13th November.
November 5th
There was a first frost on Thursday. Leaves have been falling steadily.
November 5th
It is November the 5th and there is a chance to take part in a Firewalk at the Nags Head. Money raised goes to Blue Skye Thinking.
November 5th
Also on tonight is the scouts’ fireworks, and tomorrow is Dalton Barracks fireworks and funfair. They normally also have a big bonfire.

I was reading in the library this morning Ron Chung’s recollections of life in Abingdon (a photocopied pamphlet in the local studies section called ‘Where are they now – The Slums and Courts of Abingdon’). He remembers “November 5th we wanted a ‘Bonfire’ so I asked the farmer to dump all the collected rubbish from the shops to be dumped in the ‘Reck’ for this which he carried out provided we kept it tidy and a great fire we had. (Remember all this was collected by horse and cart).”

NO LORRIES

Oxfam in Abingdon

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Thanks to Jo for this …
Oxfam
Oxfam will be celebrating their 30th (Pearl!) Anniversary at the current premises in Stert Street later this month. Looking back at the history of Oxfam’s ‘Odyssey’ in Abingdon (there have been 3 bases in the past 47 years).

1969 – High Street – an old branch of Boots the Chemist
1971 – 19 Stert Street – previously a butcher
1986 – 30-32 Stert Street. Beforehand it had been The Extraordinary trading Company, and originally Langford’s Coal and Corn Merchants (as the great signage above the shop façade shows).

They would like memories either of Oxfam in Abingdon or their premises. Pictured is Roger Baker who has been with the shop since 1969, and 2 other ‘Pearl’ volunteers who have been with the shop for 30 years.

Captain Kaos investigates dredging

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Thanks to Captain K for this report …
dredging
This week on behalf of the Environment Agency, an independent company has been dredging the river just up from the swimming pool and being a boater I couldn’t resist the opportunity to ask about the operation.

“Are you going to remove the huge tree and silt near the entrance to the lock”

“No, we’ve only been tasked to dredge this bit!

“But this stretch doesn’t need dredging?”

“We know that, what’s more yesterday we had to pull a boat off that ran aground in the middle of the river at the stretch by the lock you refer too!”

“Clearly then you’re dredging the wrong part?”

dredging
“Quite possibly! but this is where the E.A want us to dredge, not up there!”

“So where are you taking the spoils? I see you taking it by barge downstream.”

“We’re dumping back in the river just past Culham Cut !”

“But that will silt up the weir and new Culham Hydro Project?”

“Quite possibly.”