St Helens Church, the Old Anchor Inn,and the Almshouses are reflected here in the River Thames at Abingdon.

The Abingdon forum has had a short discussion thread about whether our town should use the name ‘Abingdon-On-Thames’.

The longer name is and can be used. Wikipedia begins the town’s entry: “Abingdon (traditionally known as Abingdon-on-Thames)…” And The Abingdon-on-Thames Chamber of Commerce sees promotional value in ‘On-Thames’ .

I stick to ‘Abingdon’ because its shorter.

Jimmy James of the Abingdon Market Traders appeared on BBC South Today in a feature about Oxfordshire Markets. Trade is down generally because of competition from large ‘under one roof’ superstores. Younger people don’t use markets so much as their seniors.

Cargo has a Closing Down Sale. Notices say ‘Only this Store is closing’

Despite the ‘Sale Continues’ notice, Stead & Simpson has stayed closed. .

“Its gotta get bad before it gets good” was on the soundtrack of Skins tonight.

‘Ock Street Remembered – An Abingdon Community’ – the book of the Ock Street exhibition is out now, and available from both book shops in Abingdon. Elizabeth Drury is co-editor of the book which can now be seen displayed in the window of the Book Store.

At the back of the book are pictures of the Ock Street businesses that have given their support. Inside there are many pictures including the street floods in 2007, 1947, 1903 and 1894.

People are coming from far and wide to see the exhibition and find out about their ancestors. This will be a good souvenir for them, and for the rest of us.

This picture shows St Michaels in the foreground, and the Trinity spire in the background.

It has been a special weekend at Trinity. Since September the church has been without a minister. But it looks as if they have made contact.

Over this weekend, the church’s top choice from a list of applicants was invited to meet people, meet other ministers of the Church in Abingdon, and then preach with a view to becoming the minister.

The title of the sermon was ‘Space – the final frontier.’

After the service the people of the church met, and decided if this was the right person for the job. When a new pope is chosen: black smoke means a split decision, and white smokes means a successor has been chosen.

(I’m not sure if Trinity follow the same convention but its likely they do.)