There was a good turn out on Saturday morning with adults, children, and dogs joining together for a litter pick in the sunshine organised by the AbiBinit! Litter Picking Initiative.
Colin Galloway has been keeping Abingdon litter-free longer than most and got a Mayor’s award in 2014. He is onto his third trolley which helps carry heavier litter back to the collection point.
However back at Reynold’s Way where there was a litter pick last month, the litter is building again against the wall of the Reynolds Supermarket.
There is an exhibition at Nicolas Church, in Abingdon, called Peace and War. On one side there are pictures done by school children in Abingdon, and nearby villages, on the theme of Peace.
Trinity Learning asked schools and school children to make pictures, what peace means to them? Peace
People sitting quietly
Everything is awesome!
Appreciating my favourite book
Crossed legged on the carpet
everyone getting along well.
(by Oliver aged 6)
On the other side are pictures from children in Dafur, in a refugee camp. They were given pencils and paper and asked to draw their hopes and fears.
A lot of the pictures show the conflict they had known.
The 37th Abingdon Marathon started at 9 am on Sunday October 20th 2019. The day was fresh and dry.
Among the 1150+ entries there was one well known Abingdon runner going for a Santa marathon running record, and another runner going for the pyjamas marathon record.
The race started and finished at the Tilsley Park Athletics Track and followed much the same course as previous years, starting along Dunmore Road, going via Radley Lakes then through Abingdon Market Place.
There were lots of people cheering the runners along the route. East St Helen Street did Abingdon proud.
Some runners came from Abingdon. Others came from further afield.
There were about twenty from Egdon Heath Harriers in Dorset.
Abingdon, and the River Thames, provide an interesting backdrop for the race. One of the new sponsors this year is Abingdon’s latest hotel, The Garden Hilton – they offered a 10% discount on their best rate for runners, family and friends
After Abingdon town centre the route went out on a two lap route passing through the villages of Drayton, Milton, and Sutton Courtenay before returning back.
Time passes and we return to Tilsley Park …
The winner was Jonathon Pool from the Serpentine Club in London.
The second place runner was Sean Edwards of the Lytchett Manor Striders, in Dorset.
Santa Claus, of Abingdon Athletics Club, finished in 2 hours 49. I have googled and the fastest Santa Claus marathon was 2 hr 54 min. We will have to wait and see but that could be a new world record.
There was a great welcome back to the Tilsley Park stadium for the runners, particularly when they had family and friends.
The first lady home was Emma Navesey, of Hayward Heath Harriers, in 2 hours 57. Hayward Heath is in Sussex.
Every year Sussex Sports Photography take pictures round the course of all the runners. Last year they published over 31,000 photographs of the event.
Richard Baskerville finished in 2 hours 57 and may have broken the pyjama marathon record. He was running to raise money for the mental health charity Jonathon’s Voice.
Marshalls did a fantastic job both directing and cheering people on.
Lots of Abingdon Groups and individuals were helping as marshalls including the Lions (featured yesterday). The underpass is the steepest incline, and the marshall at the top was playing maracas to encourage people up.
The original Abingdon Marathon is painted on the wall of the underpass. Every year the runners pass their forebears. Sophie, number 910, finished in 3 hours 34.
There were 788 finishers and the last one clocked in at 5 hours 22. An amazing effort to all involved!
An automated external defibrillator (AED) has been installed at the Royal British Legion club in Spring Lane, Abingdon. It is the latest to be funded and provided by the Abingdon Lions Club.
Members of the Lions and the Royal British Legion were there for the official handover. Mr Stuart Jackson, of the legion, gave a short speech of thanks.
A member of the Lions then gave a demonstration of how to routinely check the device.
The AED can give an electric shock when somebody’s heart has stopped after a cardiac arrest. In case of emergency members of the public should dial 999 or 122 and get the code to access the AED. The AED will give further spoken and visual instructions.
The St John’s Ambulance have the youtube video above in case you ever need to use an AED.
4th October 1919
The Abingdon railway men came out on strike on Saturday, and no trains were run until Tuesday at 1 O’clock, when one was run to London, stopping at all stations.
A white leghorn pullet belonging to an Abingdonian laid an egg last week weighing 4 1/2 oz, and measured in circumference 8 3/4 inches.
At a meeting of the Abingdon Town Council last week it was decided to obtain a field of about 40 acres, on the Marcham Road, at £4 per acre, to be let out in allotments. The Finance Committee’s recommendations as to the wages of the Corporation employees were as follows: Skilled men, 55s; semi-skilled, 50s; unskilled, 45s. Hours per week, 47. All workmen after twelve months’ service to be given a week’s holiday in the year, in addition to Bank Holidays. Employees to be allowed full wages in sickness for six weeks. 11th October 1919
The Abingdon Michaelmas Fair was revived after the War on Monday and Tuesday this week, and the usual weekly cattle market was held this year on Monday. The fair paraphernalia occupied the Market Place and High Street, and there was a large crowd of visitors from the neighbouring villages.
Harvest Festival.— St. Helen’s Church was nicely decorated Sunday last, and there were large congregations, especially at Evensong, when the anthem was “Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem,” the solo being ably rendered by Mr Lewington. The Rev. H. T. Maitland was unable to preach as announced, being prevented by the railway strike.
A Town Council bye-election caused by the death of Councillor W. F. Matthews, was held Thursday last week, the candidates being W. Bernthall, organising secretary and for several years Liberal agent for the North Berks Division, and Mr J. T. Tate, of the firm of the Pavlova Leather Factory, the largest Abingdon ratepayers. Although the burgess roll had nearly 2,790 electors, only 1,336 recorded their votes. Five polling stations had been made in consequence of the increase of the voters through the addition of women voters, but the voting was slow. The Mayor declared the result as follows Tate, 906; Bernthall, 437; majority, 479.
The tenders for provisions at the Abingdon Workhouse for the ensuing three months, were accepted as follows: — Bread, 8 1/2d. per 4-lb loaf; flour, £2 6s. 6d. per sack; beef. 1s 3d. per lb.; beef suet. 1s per lb; mutton. 1s 3 1/2 d per lb; and milk, 3s. per gallon during October, 3s. 4d. during November, and 3s. 8d. during December.
The St. Michael’s Church congregation held their National Festival social gathering on Wednesday in the Roysse Room Borough Buildings, when about 150 were present. Music, games, refreshments, etc., made a pleasant evening’s entertainment.
The Abingdon Pig Club has been re-started, and at a recent meeting the balance sheet was produced showing that the expenses for the existing last year had been £4 6s 9d., whilst the bank balance on August 11th this year was £62 16s 1d. The chairman stated that there had been a loss on the feeding stuffs, which as artificial feeding stuffs would not keep very long and had to be sold at a loss.
25th October 1919
The graded supplies at Abingdon Cattle Market on Monday last, included 26 beasts and 79 sheep, 76 of which came from the Witney Market.
The death is announced at Liverpool last Thursday, of Dr. Samuel Wilson MacLellan, a promising Liverpool physician, who took his M.B. degree in 1906. Death was caused through deceased fracturing his finger when gathering blackberries whilst on his honey moon. He was married at the end of last August at St. Helen’s Church, Abingdon, to Miss Nora Cullen, second daughter of Mr Edwin Cullen, of Stert Street, who was during the war doing prominent service at the Front in France as a V.A.D. hospital nurse. Deceased was also on active service in France as Captain in the R.A.M.C., and won the M.C. for bravery in the front line in France.
Mrs Leach, an aged widow, of Radley Road, Abingdon, was last week taken to the Union Infirmary with a throat cut wound,self-inflicted with a razor. It appears that she had been afflicted with acute sciatica and attempted suicide.
At the Pavlova Leather Works a weekly social evening is being arranged for the employees during the coming winter months. The first of these series took place last week when the employees were well represented, and it was thoroughly enjoyed.
Sir Henry William Bliss KCIE died at his residence, The Abbey, Abingdon, aged 80. He was a British civil servant of the Indian civil service who served as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council of India from 1890 to 1892 and the Madras Legislative Council from 1893 to 1898.
Thankyou for the extracts to the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette. The picture of the station is from an Ebay Postcard about 1915. The fair programme was from a Buckingham newspaper.
