Public Tulip Viewing at Withington House
A public invitation by Mr. H. G. Longford, of Withington House, Bath-street to see nearly a million tulips has been accepted with alacrity. On Monday afternoon, some fifty availed themselves of the opportunity; this number being increased to over five hundred on Tuesday, and over a thousand on Wednesday, whilst on Thursday, the police had to be called in to control the constant stream of visitors. People should remember that to-morrow is the last opportunity to visit the blooms and is open until 7 pm.

Postman’s Thefts
George Laurence Smith, of Park Road, Abingdon, a postman, was charged with stealing £2 10s. in currency notes on April 24th, and a currency note for 10s. on April 25th, the property of His Majesty’s Postmaster General. The defendant was sentenced to three months’ hard labour on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently.

Charles Franklin’s Church Model
Mr. Charles Franklin, an old Abingdonian now residing in the Long Alley Almshouses, Abingdon,  built an exact model of the early Norman Church of St. Nicolas, which faces the Market-place in Abingdon. Mr Franklin, who is now over seventy years of age, was a bricklayer by trade, and built the model by hand between the years 1885-87. Mr. Franklin has had tempting offers of purchase from London architects and an American architect, but Mr. Franklin intends that it shall become the property of his native town after his death.

Skiff Regatta to continue
The Mayor of Abingdon (Councillor Godfrey) called a public meeting in the Roysse Room on Monday evening to decide whether there was sufficient interest to justify the continuance of the Abingdon Skiff Regatta . The balance sheet showed a balance in hand of £3 7s. 9d. and a loss on last year’s regatta of £8 6s. 6d. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to hold the regatta this year, and that a society be formed to be called the Abingdon Skiff Regatta Association, the members to pay an annual subscription of 1s.

Band Sunday Church Parade
The Town Band held a church parade on Sunday, marching from the band room to the War Memorial, where they played the hymn The Supreme Sacrifice. They then proceeded to St. Helen’s Church, where they played a voluntary before the service, and also accompanied the hymns. The Vicar said the instruments sound all the sweeter through being used in God’s name.

Window-Dressing Competition

The town has been vigorously canvassed and practically every tradesman has entered the forthcoming window-dressing competition. The windows will be judged by two gentlemen from the magazine ‘Display’, a magazine devoted entirely to window dressing. The window-dressing will be divided into three classes: Food, clothing and general utilities. Each has first and second place. Voting papers will be issued to the public, and handsome prizes will be given to those who pick the winners in the same order as the judges.

Excursions to Wembley & Portsmouth
The Great Western Railway Company announced attractive cheap trips from Abingdon and district for the Whitsun holidays. On Monday there will be a day trip to Portsmouth and Southsea, leaving Abingdon at 6.15 a.m., whilst there will be cheap bookings to the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley.

Lost Library Book Appeal

We are asked by the Borough Librarian to appeal to anyone who happens to have a volume called ‘The Wonderful Weald,’ which belongs to the Free Library, to return it immediately.

Girl Guides Empire Day Sermon
The Abingdon Girl Guides attended the morning service at St. Helen’s Church on Sunday, the preacher being the Vicar (Rev. C. S. Fleet), who took as his text St. Matthew, xxiv, 42. In the course of his sermon the Vicar said: Each year strikes me as more extraordinary than we do not make more of the observance of Empire Day. There is something essentially ‘great’ in the thought of Empire Day — and we in England need something great to lift us out of the rut we get into, possibly, due to our living on an island. The Lord Chancellor, speaking at the St. George’s Day dinner, said: ‘I thank God every day that I was born an Englishman,’ but to-day our thoughts go further afield, and those of us who have British blood singing through our veins can think of our brothers and sisters throughout the world and thank God we are members of the great British Empire. It was easy enough during the war years to be loyal and patriotic, but never was there greater need for loyalty, for there are forces at work against the British constitution and against the Christian religion, which can only be counteracted by loyalty to God and the King. We are all very glad to see so strong a contingent of Girl Guides here to-day, and I congratulate those in command. Girl Guides and all kindred organisations represent the true spirit of loyalty, which shows itself not in force of arms, but in service for others, and I would like to remind you girls of those things that really matter — righteousness and loyalty — for in those two words are summed up all you owe to God and to the Empire.

Thanks to the North Berks Herald microfilm in the library and the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette from the British Newspaper Archive. The adverts are also from those newspapers. The missing library book was from Ebay and the Abingdon Free Library stamp was made up.