Ten Days to Go: The Mayor of Ock Street Election

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With just ten days to go until the Mayor of Ock Street election on Saturday 20 June, a display in the window of FatFace profiles the two candidates.

They are the same two candidates who contested last year’s election, but their roles have been reversed. Last year’s Mayor is now the challenger, while last year’s challenger is the incumbent.

The big question is whether they will swap positions once again when the votes are counted. Pictured is Rob, the outgoing Mayor, congratulating Harry, the incoming Mayor, in 2025.

Rob Charlton
Aged 52, Rob is a lecturer at Abingdon and Witney College and was elected Mayor of Ock Street in 2024. He moved to Abingdon on his boat because he needed somewhere to moor, and more than 20 years later, he is still here! Uniquely, he has been lead dancer for both Abingdon Traditional Morris sides and would like both sides to continue because Abingdon loves a good rivalry. Rob created the last original dance in the Abingdon repertoire for the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, first performed at the Abingdon bun throwing in 2012. He can also be heard playing fiddle, mandolin, and other instruments during processions and music sessions.

Harry Knight
Aged 76 (last week), Harry is an Abingdonian by adoption and was first elected Mayor of Ock Street in 2014 – a position he has held several times since. He moved to Abingdon 52 years ago and joined the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers in 1976. For many years, he lived and worked on Ock Street as a funeral director. He is one of the side’s melodeon players and has held the office of Bagman for some time. He was Lead Dancer the last time the Morris performed at the Royal Albert Hall and still enjoys “Constant Billy,” the most energetic Abingdon dance. His son, Daniel, has also danced with the side.

Residents of Ock Street (and its side streets), along with members of the Morris sides, are eligible to vote. But anybody can watch.

The day will also include dancing throughout the day by The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers and two guest teams:  Oxford City and University, and Summertown. The election result will be declared soon after 4 pm at the Brewery Tap.

St Helen’s Wharf closure and Lane Rental Charges

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Work started this morning (9 June) beside St Helen’s Church. As a result, there was no through traffic along St Helen’s Wharf, and manned traffic lights were operating at the Iron Bridge to allow residents access in and out of the area.

The work was being carried out on behalf of Openreach and is likely to have been connected with improvements to the broadband network.

Residents living nearby, who experienced disruption from the gas mains works earlier this year, questioned why the two projects could not have been coordinated. However, the work was completed more quickly than expected. By this evening, the channel linking two BT access covers had been tarmacked over and the road had reopened. Road signs had warned of a 5 day closure and it appears to have been 1 day.
Oxfordshire County Council has introduced a Lane Rental Scheme to help reduce disruption from roadworks. More details can be found at: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/business/licences-and-permits/lane-rental-scheme.

Under the scheme, charges of up to £2,500 per day can be applied for works on designated Lane Rental Streets during traffic-sensitive periods. From the published map, St Helen’s Wharf is covered by the scheme, giving contractors a financial incentive to complete the work as quickly as possible.

The scheme was not in operation during the much longer gas mains project. Had it been, Oxfordshire County Council might have collected a decent amount in lane rental charges.

Acacia – cheers to 25 years

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Acacia, the charity shop in Bath Street, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and banners marking the occasion are displayed in the window.

In 2017, donations left overnight outside the shop were set alight, causing extensive damage. After a rebuild, the shop was ready to reopen in 2020 when the Covid pandemic caused further delays. Acacia at 8-10 Bath Street, was incorporated on 18 February 1997. So it is older than those 25 years but has been effectively open for 25 years .

The shop offers a wide range of items, starting with greeting cards priced at 25p.

There is a basket of miniature china jugs and vases, once-popular souvenir collectables. The Horsham jug, with its decorative lattice neck, looks worth more than the ones for Bishop Auckland, Crowborough, Dorking and Durham.

Near the window in the vintage section is a copy of The Victor Book for Boys – 1967. In it the aristocratic footballer called ‘Gorgeous Gus’, arrives pitch-side in a Rolls to find his team, with ten men, are 1-0 down. The butler tells him that his help is needed, and so he gets out and helps win the game using intelligence – not dashing about.

Gus might have appreciated another book on sale at Acacia, In Praise of Slowness. I wonder what it would have to say about charity shops. Perhaps: ‘Those who take their time find unexpected treasures.’

Tulip Tree

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The tulip tree, just to the left of the main entrance to Albert Park in Abingdon, is currently in flower. It can be identified by its four-lobed leaves and greenish-yellow flowers, marked with orange at the base.

The flowers are not immediately obvious high among the branches, I found one on the ground. Close up, I could see the tulip-shaped petals and long stamens at the centre.

Native to eastern North America, the Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) flowers for a few weeks each year in late spring. Last year I visited Albert Park every month to record how the park changed through the seasons, but missed the tree in bloom. Looking at the number of fallen petals beneath it, it has been flowering for some time already, but more blooms are still appearing.