B’ist thee a-gwaen to Ab’ndon faar?

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Ab'ndon faar
Fifty years ago or less, the speech of an Ab’ndonian would hardly have been understood by a person from the northern counties. and his dialect would sound strange to his grandson of today. He called a stone a “stwun”, a mole a “wunt”, – Wantage means the place of wunts – a pig a “peg”, and a sheep a “ship”.

He lengthened out his a’s so that yard became “yaard” and way “waay”. For “I am not” he said “I beant”, for “will you” he said “Oo’lt”. He would say “mwoast” and “mwoare” and “whum” and “wi”.

He used strange words like “unked” and “lear” and athert” where we would say uncanny, hungry, and across. “I” was used for me and myself, “he” for him, and “his’n” and “shis’n” for his and hers.

“B’ist thee a-gwaen to Ab’ndon faar? If thee b’ist I’ll see ‘ee theaar.”

(a short extract from ‘The School History of Berkshire’ by E.A. Greening Lamborn published in 1908 and no longer on the school history curriculum)

Cluster of Recycling Businesses

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Cluster of Recycling Businesses
Three of the units in the Suffolk Way, just off the Drayton Road, have a common theme:
Cluster of Recycling Businesses

  • Kathryn Turner Trust recycle furniture and other charity donations
  • Oxford Wood Recycling
  • SafePC Computer recycling. 

Alongside all three is Loose Cannon Brewery – who produce award winning beers.
Cluster of Recycling Businesses
Oxford Wood Recycling were featured in the Abingdon Herald just before Christmas. They completed the move into larger premises here in Abingdon, and opened for business on 10th Jan 2015.

They are a Social Enterprise. Any profits are re-invested in the business – whose aims are recycling wood, and helping the long-term unemployed by offering work experience and volunteering opportunities.

Saturday Morning Snow in Abingdon

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It was cold last night and there was a frost at first light.
Saturday Morning Snow
At about 8:15 snow began to fall. Five minutes later, there was a lot of snow falling on Abingdon town centre – as seen here in front of St Nics Church and the Guildhall.
Saturday Morning Snow
There were big flakes falling on the Market Place in front of County Hall.
Saturday Morning Snow
There were not many takers for the outside seats an Java & Co – often used by early morning sports enthusiasts.
Saturday Morning Snow
There was not enough to build snowmen, but I did see some children playing snowballs, and spotted these synchronized tyre tracks outside Masons.
Saturday Morning Snow
The view looking back to town from Wilsham Road was very pretty.

Fire at District Council Offices

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About 9 months ago the Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC) moved a lot of their staff out of Abbey House in Abingdon to offices at Crowmarsh Gifford – home of South Oxfordshire District Council, as part of a closer collaboration between the councils to save money. The space they released at Abbey House was then used by Oxfordshire County Council.
Blaze in District Council Offices
It was a shock to see those joint offices in flames on 15th Jan 2015. Two other buildings were also set alight, and a local resident arrested for arson.

Nobody appears to have been hurt.
Blaze in District Council Offices
Meanwhile, there were many comings and goings at Abbey House in Abingdon. An early police presence made people speculate that it too might come under attack.

Core people were moved to ‘hot desks’ at Abbey House. And we were told:

  • Services such as recycling and leisure run by external contractors would carry on as usual
  • Council Tax payments could be paid as usual.
  • Emergency services such as people made homeless, or dangerous structures needing inspecting, could contact the council number – the Abbey House number.

Most council employees were asked to work from home until desks were available.

Residents who wanted to contact the council, with non urgent matters, were asked to delay for a  few days until people and systems are back in place.
Blaze in District Council Offices
The sale by VWHDC of Old Abbey House (next door) was delayed because of a community challenge a few months ago. The delay was to give time for bids for community use to come forward. The Vale’s empty properties, like this, may get used again, bringing more Council employees back to Abingdon for a while.