Abingdon Horticultural Society Spring Show

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Thanks to Ian for this report ….
Abingdon Horticultural Society Spring Show
Abingdon Horticultural Society held it’s  Spring Show on 2 April at the Northcourt centre.
Abingdon Horticultural Society Spring Show
The number of entries this year were very encouraging, bearing  in mind the strange growing season we have had so far. A warm, damp December and January produced breaking buds and flowers very early, then the cold, frosty and windy periods of February and March almost halted the growing of many plants. Then, suddenly, the few days of warmer temperatures tempted enough flowers to open and give us a nice selection for the show.  On the day lovely sunshine persuaded many visitors to enjoy tea and cake outside.
Abingdon Horticultural Society Spring Show
In addition to the excellent display of plants and flowers, there were numerous entries in the domestic skills categories. Numerous exhibits of lemon curd, marmalade, buns and cakes were admired by the many visitors. The childrens’ categories were impressive, including beautifully decorated eggs, cakes and flowers.

A ‘Spring Theme’ photographic competition, held for the first time this year, attracted several high quality prints to complement the pictures of the Spring gardens competition.   Sales of cheap plants, cake and honey proved hugely successful, attracting many enthusiastic buyers.
Abingdon Horticultural Society Spring Show
We hope the interest will be retained by our many visitors for the Autumn Show on 3rd September.

Oxford United Scarfs and EU Campaigners and Brecon to Breckon Cyclists

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Oxford United Scarfs
On a brilliantly sunny Saturday morning, Paolo from Brazil, wearing a Chile T shirt, kindly stood next to the Oxford United scarfs and memorabilia that are on sale in Abingdon. Oxford United Play Barnsley in the final of the Football League Trophy, at Wembley, tomorrow.
Oxford United Scarfs
Also in town this morning were campaigners wanting to leave the European Union. There is a referendum on 23 June 2016 when UK citizens will vote on the question ‘Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?’
Brecon to Breckon
Then in the afternoon, when the sun had gone in, there was a crowd waiting for cyclists who had cycled from the Brecon Beacons in Wales back to Abingdon, over 120 miles, including one on a Pashley bicycle.
Brecon to Breckon
The event was sponsored by Breckon and Breckon Estate Agents, and Outdoor Traders, to raise money for local charity Blue Skye Thinking.

Worn Slab

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The Beauty of Simplicity
The theme of the City Daily Photo this Month on 1st of April is the ‘beauty of simplicity’.

So here is a return to a topic I did before once: It is the worn stones under the County Hall in Abingdon. Many feet have worn down the layers from the stone slab to form these contours. These slabs have also been pulled up and put down again, recently, as part of the County Hall refurbishment.

For more beautiful simplicity, click here.

Bun Throwing in Abingdon and Cake Throwing Elsewhere

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Bun Throwing
There is an old Abingdon custom of throwing buns from the County Hall. Its origin is obscure, but it has been in its present form since the coronation of George III in 1761. The bun throwing is performed by the Mayor and town council who, in their robes of office, climb to the roof of the County Hall and throw buns to people assembled in the Market Place beneath. The buns are rather like hot cross buns where the cross is replaced by letters or numbers designating the cause for celebration. The example above shows PR for the visit of the Princess Royal in 2006.

Throwing small cakes for ceremonial reasons was not uncommon in late Medieval England. On a Tudor History web page, one entry says “On Palm Sunday the boys of Chippenham in Wiltshire, like those of other parishes, climbed onto the church roof to throw small cakes to the crowd below. In 1507, Palm Sunday fell on 28 March. At Chippenham Francis Gore and Nicholas Hulkebere were not among the boys sitting on the roof of the south aisle, but on the ground with those taking part in the church procession and scrambling to collect the cakes. Disastrously it was not only the cakes that came down from the roof. Two large stones fell on top of them and crushed them.”

A modern day DJ, Steve Aoki, has also made it part of his act to throw cakes at his audience as part of his show. He showers those below with ‘cake love’ as he calls it. The instream video shows a guy in a wheelchair catching some of the ‘cake love’ …

In June 2016 Abingdon will hold a ceremonial bun throwing to celebrate the 90th birthday of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Nearby Wantage will also hold a public cake throwing against two councillors who have been derelict in their duty. Wantage is the birthplace of King Alfred who, being preoccupied with the problems of running an ancient kingdom, accidentally let some cakes burn, and was scolded by a woman who had entrusted the task to him. Accordingly the Mayor and town councillors of the town of Wantage have an ancient tradition of throwing burnt cakes at any of their members who have failed to keep their eyes on the task in hand.