(Pictures of boats on the Thames in Abingdon taken last Sunday)
As far as I can gather 2012 is the first time that Abingdon has officially been called Abingdon-on-Thames.
Looking through Around Abingdon – Archive Photographs compiled by Nigel Hammond, I do see that shops and businesses did use Abingdon-on-Thames extensively on adverts in the early 1900s. There are also some road signs with the words Borough of Abingdon-on-Thames – but I cannot find evidence it was ever the official name before now.
Looking through Abingdon directories in the library from 1860 through to 1973 I just see the words ‘The Borough of Abingdon ‘ above the Borough Arms.
Does anybody know better?
The MG Car Co. said all along that they were in Abingdon-on-Thames, so that’s good enough for me!!! Who am I to argue with Cecil Kimber?
Now that we have the name correct once again, perhaps we can expect to see AOT start taking more control of its own destiny!!
As far as I remember I was born in ‘Abingdon on Thames’ and we were a Borough town, and in the early 70’s people were quite proud of the fact. We were the ex-county town, far nicer than Reading (not difficult admittedly) steeped in history, on the banks of a beatiful river. It wasn’t until the plastic 80’s that that seemed to count for nowt.
So, yes, it would be great if people took a sense of pride in the heritage of the town and control of it’s destiny.
This is a great blog – over the past week we’ve been treated to animal lurrrve, pot-holing in the main drag and a reminder of how beatiful Abingdon is – you can’t beat that!
Abingdon on Thames for me – it simply sounds nicer – posher even. now if we could only get rid of all the council tenants 🙂
So pleased to see that other people remember Abingdon being called on-Thames. It was certainly often heard in my childhood – early 50s – but it might very well have been unofficial – by analogy with Henley.
The other “river terminology” battle of my youth was Boulters Lock – people refused to admit that it was in Maidenhead –
I can’t be having with these new-fangled names. I vote we go back to the traditional name:
Abbandune
I was born in the town in 1966 which was then called Abingdon on Thames because the letters we recieved then had it written on it.
My Auntie who live on Bridge St always referred to it as Abingdon on Thames. I’m with one of the other posters on this blog, I reckon we should start a campaign to get some of the brown historic town signs put up on the A34. If only people put a bit more effort into being positive about the town, we could all really make a difference……starting by spending some money in the town
Hear hear Nick. I am really pleased that I moved here and am an enthusiastic supporter of both theTown Centre shops and of the events which take place in the town .
Instead of moaning about the shortcomings, people should try harder to put things right.
I am certainiy now putting my address as ‘Abingdon-on-Thames’.
I thought we started off as “Seveksham” until some johnny-come-lately nuns/monks from Boars Hill grafted the name of their settlement (the hill of Ebbe) onto our town.
Good for you Cassandra. People around here have got too used to moaning about what isnt being done right in their eyes. Its almost a reflex action for the majority of people. Enjoy what we have got or move on I say.