The Abingdon Blog

A Cup of Tea

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:32:00 +0000

You have visitors staying with you from abroad.

Where do you take them for a quintessentially English experience?

From Monday it is going to get easier, as Rosie's Tea Room are opening in West St Helen Street, where Frugal Food used to be.

But even though Rosie's are not open yet, there is still no better way to start the day off, particularly when it is Saint George's Day, than with a cup of tea.

Main Street Singers in Abingdon

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:23:00 +0000

The Main Street Singers, who come from near San Francisco in California, were here in Abingdon performing at St Helens Church. They are on a tour of Ireland and the UK.

On this concert tour, they have not only been singing - their real passion, but they have also been able to visit the spectacular Irish countryside, and see some important places in historical Britain. They were in Bath last night, visited Stone Henge this morning and performed in England's Oldest Town, Abingdon, this evening. In London they have a couple of days break before their final performance.

Then comes the return flight to the USA - volcano ash permitting.

That volcano did scupper one Abingdon event I hoped to cover. The Abingdon Herald was also going to send a photographer...

Visitors from Hiroshima were to bring seeds from the peace tree - which unexpectedly bloomed after the A - or was it H - bomb destroyed everything within a few miles.

Because of the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano ash those seeds will now need to be posted.

Free Parking After 4.00 PM

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 23:49:00 +0000

Its says in small print that parking is free after 4.00 PM. That is the good news.

Fees before 4.00 PM have gone up.

Chapel Windows at Abingdon School

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 23:40:00 +0000

This is Nicholas Mynheer, the artist who created the Trinity Window behind the alter at Abingdon School Chapel.

He was there at the school to talk about his art, to describe how the Trinity Window was created, and to tell people about his new project at the school.

In his art, Nicholas reduces each image to its bare essentials. The arms of Jesus on the cross are formed using the window tracery. Jesus only needs one eye to look out from the cross. Each image has the simplicity and directness of an icon.

For each window, Nicholas does initial sketches and then produces a full size painting. Glass technicians then get involved. Each colour is fused into the pane with a separate firing.

Nicholas is currently working on a new set of windows for the chapel. The school website has more on the Chapel Window Project and will have more as the project progresses.

Abingdon Spring Head 2010

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:16:00 +0000

Anyone near the river from 9 until 5 could not have helped noticing a lot of activity. It was the big day in the Abingdon rowing calendar: the Spring Head of the River - a popular 2000m time trial to start off the rowing season.

All classes and styles of rowers came down the course...

the young

and the not so young.

Having finished the course there was not much time to catch their breath, as the stewards kept urging competitors to keep the river free by continuing up to Abingdon Bridge. Visit the Abingdon Rowing Club pages to find out more.

Opened Last Week

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:50:00 +0000

Fine Guitars opened last Saturday in Stert Street, Abingdon.

I was sad to read in the Herald recently that Baby Johns`s Guitar shop in Didcot had to close a few months back after the owner had a motorcycle accident. Our son got his first guitar at Baby John's. The next one came from modern music. This area has always been well catered for when it comes to guitar shops.

So it is good to see Fine Guitars with their large range of guitars and accessories.

It is where Sandman was a few weeks ago. This has been a quick change over.

Memorial Service for Audrey

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:57:00 +0000

Six months ago, on a cold October morning, Councillor Audrey Tamplin was out on the Market Place manning a stall for the Citizens Advice Bureau - a cause close to her heart.

Audrey's memorial service was held yesterday. Gathered together at St Helens Church to celebrate her life were: family, a civic party, and friends - lots of them.

Audrey became a Town Councillor in the 1990s. She had her finger on the pulse of what was happening in Abingdon and was described by a friend and fellow councillor, Jeanette Halliday, as a true champion for the town. Audrey was one of those who pushed the hospital bed from the Market Place to Abingdon Community Hospital in the campaign to stop the proposed closure of the hospital. The campaign was successful, but she continued to be concerned for the hospital's future.

She was Mayor in 2002 / 2003, and after an attempted retirement to the Lake District, she returned to Abingdon and was re-elected as a local councillor again in 2007 and continued to work for the community until only a couple of weeks before her sudden passing.

Anything Goes

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:38:00 +0000

While in Argentan, Abingdon's twin town in Normandy, our hosts Pierre and Ionie praised productions by the Abingdon Operatic Society they had seen during visits to Abingdon.

'Anything Goes' is on at the Amey Theatre until Saturday. I don't know the songs yet, but then I didn't know many of the songs from Oklahoma before seeing their production of that musical last year. I just hope this will be as good.

Goodbye Old Gaol Pool

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:10:00 +0000

Through the rubble, as the Old Gaol out-buildings are demolished, I can just about make out a sign...

It says "POOL DEPTH HERE 2.0 m. "

That must be the deep end...

I still find it difficult to work out the geography of this swimming pool from outside, but must have swam many thousands of lengths inside its walls.

To the left is the balcony where there was a bar and people could relax with a drink and look down, at odd moments, at the pool below. In the late evening music played and it was like syncopated swimming.

Further along to the left, next to the KOMATSU, is a balcony from where I watched down as our two children flapped as they tried to swim their first widths near the shallow end ...

Those days are just a memory and the building will soon be gone.

Missing!!!!

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:37:00 +0000

I met a tearful lady, and her young daughter, posting fliers in West St Helen Street...

"Please help. The kitten pictured above has been missing since Tues 23rd March from East St Helen's area. She is easily spooked and has been missing before and was not far away.... I am worried that the recent night road works have frightened her.

Please call or text on 07871 923696... Thank you so so much in advance.'

Last Weekend

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:44:00 +0000

Just beginning to piece together what happened last weekend while I was away. Kaz sent me pictures of What's Up Folk on the Market Place.

They are a folk group from John Mason School who entertained people in the Market Place on Saturday.

Kay, from Ashnah Belly Dancers, said it was a wonderful day and they had performed at the same event - but unfortunately no pictures of them yet. What I do have is a flier she sent me a couple of weeks back for 'A Night of World Music and Dance' at the Amey Theatre, Abingdon School on 24th April.

International Friendship

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:24:00 +0000

Argentan in Normandy has been a twin town to Abingdon since 1956 and is therefore Abingdon's longest lasting twin. It is the most easily reached of the twin towns -just a Brittany Ferry ride from Portsmouth to Caen and then a 30-40 minute car drive away.

The first weekend after Easter is known as Quasimodo Sunday, the weekend when Argentan has its 'Quasimodo' agricultural fair. Here the Mayor of Argentan (centre) can be seen next to the Mayor of Rotenburg (another twin town), about to cut the tape. With EU funding, a mock German street had been re-created in one hall of the fair, and market stalls brought over, so this year it was very much a Franco German event.

The fair includes a large funfair, an exhibition of commercial stalls, displays of agricultural equipment and cars, and best of breed competitions for cows and horses.

Here two shire horses strut their stuff.

You can see from this stall in the Fair that we Brits easily make up the most visitors to this area of Normandy.

Already this year from Abingdon as part of twinning: cyclists have gone across, a rugby team, 46 MG club members, some members of the Church in Abingdon, John Mason School, and next month a combined choir of the Church in Abingdon is visiting. So at the grass-roots relations are thriving, but at the civic level the Mayors of Argentan and Rotenburg have remained unchanged for several years and have built a relationship and this joint fair may well be the result. Such things don't happen easily.

quick look at the Craft Fair then off

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:52:00 +0000

We popped into the Craft Fair at lunchtime to have a quick look round since it was our only chance.

There were some nice things and this lady kindly posed for me with her flower pictures.

Then I popped in at Local Roots to buy some Abingdon Chutney as a gift for the host family we will be staying with in our twin town Argentan. Then we were off...

Back on Monday or Tuesday when the Quasimodo Fair is over.

Marcham Road Progress

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:08:00 +0000

It is almost three months since I last visited the changes happening on the Marcham Road.

With all that upheaval going on, as the corner is cut at this junction, it is good to see that they have not needed to move the litter bin.

The new police cells have been given a white roof which fits well with the prize winning architecture . But those windows look a bit too large for police cells.

Tea Room Opening Soon

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:56:00 +0000

A new view onto the Old Gaol has opened up as demolition work continues.

A new business, Rosie's Tea Room, is opening soon and has been getting a coat of paint.

Another new business, the new Guitar shop on Stert Street, will also be opening on Saturday.

There was also a poster advertising 'MPs Business Question Time!'

I have not seen yet any details of such an event for the general public.

Next Weekend

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:17:00 +0000

Next weekend there will be a lot going on in and around town...

There is Freewheeling on Sunday.

There is the very well advertised Craft Festival from 8-11 April.

Heather Brown, the Abingdon Partnership officer, has co-ordinated this with Free Family Fun and Music on the Market Place on Saturday, so that people, on leaving the Craft Fair, will be attracted to venture from the Old Abbey Buildings through the Abbey Gateway into town.

Saturday is also one of my favorite events - Clubs and Societies Day in the Guildhall, where local clubs and societies show case what they do. It only happens every two years.

(Unfortunately I have to away and will miss all this so will be glad of pictures to backstreet60@gmail.com )

yellows, blues, reds, and greens

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:24:00 +0000

Over the last three days I was in the Lake District (and the blog was done remotely) and so I may well have missed some important events back home. All I can tell is that this daffodil patch on the other side of the River Thames has moved on, and is now in full bloom...

and these tulips in the Abbey Gardens are fully out. We will be seeing a lot more of these colours in the days ahead. (For anyone not from the UK, they are the colours of the four political parties likely to contest the upcoming election in this area. )

Where will the Bus Shelter Go?

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 23:30:00 +0000

The front of the HSBC bank, on the High Street in Abingdon, has been pressure cleaned so it would be a shame to hide it behind the new bus shelter.

The windows of Bucknell and Ballard have been hidden behind a bus shelter for many years and it would be a shame if their fine windows were again obscured.

The new bus stop sign can just be seen in front of the Halifax next door. There will be just one bus shelter soon, but where will it go?

Happy Easter

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 08:29:00 +0000

This Easter Egg display, in the window of Patisserie Pascal, was done by Fabulous Flowers.

Last in The Series

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 19:09:00 +0000

John has sent the 'Last in The Series'

Here Canon Barton is outside St Michael's church blessing the new Paschal Candle. (Here he points to the Omega in saying "Christ the Alpha and Omega..")

The Revd. Richard Bittlestone is also here as the Trinity Church candle is also blessed and dedicated for the year ahead. The procession proceeds into the dark church lit only by candles and the Easter Vigil service was begun as Richard sang the ancient "Exultet" which rejoices in the resurrection.

St Nics at St Mics

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:31:00 +0000

It is end of term and there now follow two weeks of holiday for school children in Abingdon.

St Nicolas School were there in numbers at St Michael's Church for an end of term Easter service. The donkey was a part of the Easter Story they heard about.

(Thanks again to John - St Michael's Special Correspondent)

Sadly Missed

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 23:36:00 +0000

From the Town Council website...

'Councillor Audrey Tamplin, former Mayor of Abingdon, died on Tuesday 30 March 2010 after a short illness. Councillor Patricia Hobby, Mayor of Abingdon said “we are shocked by this unexpected loss and our thoughts are with her husband John and the family. Audrey will be sadly missed by all who knew her.."

... the town flag, as is customary, is being flown at half-mast'

Flotsam and jetsam

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:38:00 +0000

Apparently "There's a simple mnemonic that helps distinguish flotsam from jetsam.

Flotsam (or floatsome) are those items which are floating as a consequence of the action of the sea.

Jetsam are those which have been jettisoned by a ship's crew (although that may float too of course)."

(First picture downstream from Abingdon Lock. Second picture the weir pools. The level of the River Thames has been quite high of recent days.)

Festival within a Festival

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 23:53:00 +0000

The Brewery Tap had a Music Festival and a Beer Festival at the same time. It was part of the Abingdon 2010 Arts Festival.

Taking part were the SWINGTIME Big Band - conducted by George Haslam.

The trumpet player in the back row also doubled as the singer.

Palm Sunday 2010

backstreet60@gmail.com (Backstreeter) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:32:00 +0000

Thanks to John for pictures of Palm Sunday at St Michael's. It is traditional to parade on Palm Sunday. At Trinity, nearby, we were not so daring, and the children and some adults paraded round inside the church while a hymn was sung, but St Michael's Church paraded from the Albert Park back to their church building.

The colour used throughout Lent is purple, and during the week before Easter the crucifix is covered at some churches.