Thames View Industrial Park

Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris Invite Whitethorn Morris to Their Day of Dance

Market Place 1890
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I remember this well - a glorious early Summer's day and lovely spots to play music, dance and drink beer with Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris.

We started - I think - at a pub called "The Ox" and progressed through the day with dance spots in the Market Square and The Almshouses. Beer and a picnic surrounded by musical and dancing friends made this a lovely outing. I was there as the bandleader for Whitethorn Morris playing a 48 button Hohner piano accordian. The lovely women of Whitethorn Morris wore their well known kit of scarlet and blue dresses, blue mob caps and shiny black clogs.

This view marks one spot where we danced - the only difference being EXACTLY one hundred years! Who knows - maybe in the year 2090 someone may recall our happy dancing in Abingdon in 1990?

Cheers Steanes Langfords Simons And More

My mother's ancestors all seemed to live in Abingdon and the surrounding villages of Launton, Kiddlington, Bicester, Charlbury etc. and I am collecting photographic records of these families and their activities for a family tree.  Photos are a good way of recording events.  There are many text genealogical websites, but few, if any where one can get photos of one's ancestors activities.  Where people can give and recieve photos for research.  Villages I've visted when in England seemed to have changed little over time.

LLwer And Upper Culham Farm

When I was 18, I lived with my relatives on the outskirts oif Reading. I was offered a job working as a builders labourer. The year was 1963 and I was given a lift most days to work, which was at Upper and Lower Culham Farm. The man ( Mr Berens ) we were working for was apparently a millionaire, and I believe that were true! I worked every day of the week, and on Friday my wage packet had 14 crispy, consecutive numbered pound notes in it ! We built pig styes and a corn drier at one farm. I used to fly from one farm to the other at top speed on a little grey tractor! I loved it. We worked on the owners big house and when I worked on the roof I was amazed at the graffiti carved into the chalk blocks, people's names that had worked there before I did; I think the dates and names were... Read more

High Street c1955
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When my family moved to Sutton Courtenay in the 1960s this was the only shop left in the old part of the village. It was a fabulous place with big glass jars of sweets behind the counter, I used to visit here as soon as I received my pocket money! It was run by the Mussells, I think (pronounced 'Muzz-ells'). My sister got a job there on Saturdays. Unfortunately it eventually closed in the early 1980s.

The Village of Fond Childhood Memories (1955 )

High Street c1955
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I would have been three years old back then, living, as we did, at 77 High Street with my grandparents (the Dentons). Harry (my grandfather) used to keep bees and was regularly praised for his beautiful floral front garden. I, my brother (Desmond) and our parents later moved to Frilsham Street. The village is still my most favourite place in the entire world as it encapsulates all my cherished childhood memories. I left the village for work, aged 17, in 1969 but still seem to know it like the back of my hand decades later.

George Orwell

George Orwell (real name Eric Blair), who was the author of '1984' and 'Animal Farm', is buried in All Saints' churchyard.

Fortescue And Church Families

I don't have a memory as such, but I have been researching my family history and have traced my mother's family back to this place.  My mother was born in 1916 and lived in Oxford.  However, her grandfather came from Marcham and I've now traced the family back (so far) to the 1600's.  They were Fortescues and Churches, all from Marcham.  In the main the males were farm labourers and my mother's grandfather moved to Oxford to become head gardener at one of the colleges.
There is a record of the family being joined by marriage 200 years ago and, also, my mother's parents were a Fortescue and a Church.
If anybody has any memories of these families, or descend from them, I'd love to hear from you! anniewoodford@hotmail.com