It was good to see our friends from Sint Niklaas – the Boerke Naas – here in Abingdon for the election of the Mayor of Ock Street.
Lesley Argyle a former Mayor of Ock Street was also there for the day.
Todays candidates were Rob Beaver who has been dancing since age 8. His dad and brother dance alongside.
Also up for the election were Roger Cox who has been Mayor since 2007. His great uncle was Mayor in 1896. And on the ballet paper was Harry Knight who came very close last year to winning. He was lead dancer in the 1970s when the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers won the Europa Prize for Folk Art at the Albert Hall.
Here is Isabel demonstrating how to vote.
At 4 PM the papers were counted in the back room of the Brewery Tap. They let a few of us photographers in at the start but asked us to leave before it got really exciting.
Stuart Jackson was the returning officer this year, and he announced the results.
Congratulations to the Mayor of Ock Street.
It had been too windy for the Boerke Naas to do much flag throwing on the Market Place at lunch time but they got to do some as the Mayor was paraded up and down Ock Street. The nearest flag is, of course, Abingdon’s.
As to Rob Beaver, the disappointment may have been a little too much for him and it looks like he might be off to join the Boerke Naas. The beer is very good in Belgium.
The Mayor did not attend.
As usual, marvellous photographs. A great day was had by all.
I thought Abingdon Traditional the best of the Morris dancers (ofcourse including last year’s Mayor of Abingdon). Also enjoyed the flag waving and girls dancing over eggs from Boerke Naas.
I want your pictures to enlarge when I click on them.
A local historian told me that he thinks this is the first time since 1825 that the Mayor of Abingdon has not attended the Ock Street Mayor election.
Can you please stop making digs at the new council and accept defeat with some grace?
to be fair this is a private blog, not public property and Backsteeter can post as he pleases. We have the right not to visit the site if we object. I think most of us have found backstreeter to be fair and objective to a fault over the years.
Absolutely David, objective to a fault. Even at this distance, using a number of sources of information, the wind is blowing colder from Abingdon at the moment. It’s unsurprising then, that this is reflected in, as you rightly point out, a private blog.
Firstly, I’m not the same Rachel as per msg 4,
I agree with David and Old Ghost. Backstreeter is merely making an observation -if you want to read more into it that’s up to you. Backstreeter reports on what is going on in Abingdon, that’s all he’s done here.
I grew up in Abingdon but now live in Leicester (not half as nice) but I find that I often know more about events in town that my Dad who lives off the Radley Road!
Keep doing what you’re doing Backstreeter!
I hope to have some pictures of the new Mayor at Abingdon’s Got Talent this Saturday where he will be the judge. Sorry there have been none so far.
…for a moment, I thought that read, “…new Mayor at Abingdon’s got talent…” but then I realised that you meant the new mayor will be at Abingdon’s got talent…as opposed to the new mayor…has got talent. Although he might.
Is there a list of old Mayors of Ock Street. Lost contact with someone and her grandad was Mayor once. Her name is Cilla but I cannot recall her surname.