Star Tavern – excellent supper

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A Star for Epiphany
On 24th April 1847 the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette reported “The Mayor’s Court Leet Jury inspected the weights at the shops and warehouses of the various tradesmen in Abingdon, which, with a few exceptions, were found correct.

In the evening the jury and a party of friends partook of an excellent supper at Mr. Joseph Emmens’s, the Star Tavern. The health ot his worship, the Mayor was drank in a bumper.”

Mr Emmen managed the Star Tavern from some time before 1823 to some time after 1854, according to Kelly’s Directories in Abingdon Library. The Star Tavern also functioned as a tobacconist and hairdresser. (Picture is part of a 1857 Print by John S Austin – Oxford Architect – All Rights Reserved.)
A Star for Epiphany
If the Star Tavern was still standing today it would be in front of the DaleBoot UK sign and entrance, and would hide the view of the TSB.

According to Abingdon Borough records from 1888, trees were planted where the Star Tavern had stood. The Star, and the pub over the road, had been demolished to allow Stert Street to be widened into a main road.

* Epiphany is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on 6th January and remembers the arrival of the wise men, who followed the star to find Jesus. Why I did a blog post about a lost Abingdon star.
* Court Leet was a court for small offences. Such courts went on to check standards in sales of food and drink.

Thankyou to The british newspaper archive for the news story about the Star Tavern.

The Street with the most names in Abingdon

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Queen Street
Queen Street, in Abingdon, is pictured here from level 7 of the Charter Car Park.

Queen Street is a back lane providing the delivery entrances to shops on Bury Street and Stert Street. Hedges the Butcher is the only shop now to have a customer entrance down Queen Street. There used to also be a fitness studio. There are also some offices.
Queen Street
The thoroughfare got the name Queen Street in Victorian times – being the side entrance to the Queens Hotel. It ends in a medieval-looking passageway to the Market Place, where the Queens Hotel once stood.

According to John McGowan’s book ‘The Origins of the Street Names of Abingdon’  it is not really a street but a lane. He says ‘It is one of the ancient thoroughfares of Abingdon and has had more names than any other street in the town: Ottwelleslane… Bryanneslane… Schoelane… Crab Lane… Workhouse Lane… Otwell Lane… and Queen Street’

Turning Off the Christmas Lights

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Last of the Christmas Lights
Today town council staff were recycling Christmas Trees on Abingdon Market Place.
Last of the Christmas Lights
The large Market Place tree usually gets chopped up and recycled on this Saturday. But not this year. It still stands there before the County Hall.
Last of the Christmas Lights
The Christmas Lights are still on this evening in town. It could be their last night. Or that could be tomorrow.
Last of the Christmas Lights
The dripping lights along the High Street have been impressive this year.
Last of the Christmas Lights
There have also been lots of ice cream cone decorations about the town centre.
Last of the Christmas Lights
The Candles on the Market Place have been there for about fifteen years, and should get a longevity award.
Last of the Christmas Lights
Bury Street were the first to turn their lights on, and could be the last of the Christmas Lights to be turned off this year.

2020 New Year Honours

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Thankyou to Abingdon and Witney College for a Press Release.
2020 New Year Honours
Di Batchelor, Principal of Abingdon and Witney College, has been an awarded an MBE for Services to Further and Adult Education in the 2020 New Year Honours.

Di’s award recognises her highly principled and wholehearted commitment to providing education of the very highest quality to those that need it most. Her approach has enabled her to change the lives of tens of thousands of people throughout her career. Under her leadership, Abingdon & Witney College has delivered some of the highest achievement rates in England for 16 – 18 year olds, apprentices, and higher education students studying for degrees at the college.

Di’s appointment to the post of Principal followed a 36 year career in Further and Adult Education, starting in 1983 when she was a volunteer Youth Worker for Oxfordshire County Council (OCC). She started by designing flexible courses to engage those who were furthest from work, furthest from education, and furthest from contributing positively to society. Her inspirational work continues to this day.