Local History Group

The Local History Group

35 Ock Street picture The Local History Group provides a forum and meeting point for members with a particular interest in the local history of Abingdon and its region.

There are three meetings during the year, starting in February, with subsequent meetings in May, and October. At each meeting, one or two members give short presentations on their current research, which are discussed. Tea and coffee are provided, and there is usually ample opportunity for socialising and informal talk on historical subjects.

There are also sub-groups which form from time to time for specific purposes. One that is currently active is the Abingdon Buildings and People group, which manages the Abingdon historical website, http://www.abingdon.gov.uk/partners/history.

Meetings are (usually) on Tuesday evenings, 7.45 pm, in the Pendarvis room at 35 Ock Street OX14 5AG.

We welcome anyone with a question about Abingdon local history as we usually have a knowledgeable audience who can answer them. There is also the opportunity to share anything you have done about Abingdon or the surrounding area with those present.

Please let me know so that I can make sure we allocate you some time.

All AAAHS Members and guests are welcome.

Picture © M Brod 2013

Next Local History Group meeting:

The next meeting will be in Spring 2020 starting at 7.45pm in the Pendarvis Room at 35 Ock Street Abingdon OX14 5AG.

For security reasons the front door is kept locked, so ring the bell and you will be let in. Go up the stairs and the Pendarvis Room is on your left.

For more information contact John Foreman, at local@aaahs.org.uk

AAAHS Local History Group Convenor

Please note: Subsquent meetings will be held on Thursday 23 May 2019 and Thursday 24 October 2019.

Previous Local History Group Meetings

Meeting held on Thursday 30 May 2019

John Foreman writes: So far we have Manfred and Jessica Brod in perhaps their final attendance here. Manfred will be rounding off some of his research. To quote: “the significance of the Berkshire nabobs in the 1780s and 90s.” Nabobs is an interesting word that we do not hear much nowadays https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/nabob. Also the intriguing “the connection between a couple of political meetings at the Abingdon Guildhall in 1780 and the future sex-life of the future George IV”!

Jessica Brod will introduce a short film made by Michael Harrison about the development of the Abingdon shopping precinct starting in the 1960s. She also has two short presentations, one about an annotated Abingdon map and the other about whitebait.

I have some old slides to show and possibly some film if I can get it sorted in time.

David Clark will be doing a presentation on an old map of the Caldecott estate dating from before the house was built. Some of us have seen the map at the museum and it is very interesting.

As you have seen we have a lot to talk about but more is always welcome. Do come and bring your curiosity!

Meeting held on Tuesday 19th February 2019.

John Foreman writes: We have two confirmed presenters: Roger Thomas will be talking about ‘Aspects of the early topography of Abingdon’ I believe this will be about what Abingdon looked like in the late Saxon period, but I might be wrong. We also have Manfred Brod talking about ‘Abingdon politics from the 18C.’ We have learnt from his previous presentations around this subject a little of the bribery and shady dealings that have laid the foundation for politics today.

I do hope we have more to talk about and that is down to you bringing along anything you have been working on or just want to know more about.

Meeting held on Tuesday 30th October 2018.

Manfred Brod talked about the Abingdon food riots of the 18^th century, which were quite lively. Jackie Smith spoke about 'Daughters of the Empire' and the Norman (family) and Sandys connections. John Foreman asked why the Farringdon Road is where it is and not on the route we would go today. This evoked many ingenious theories. Bob Frampton talked entertainingly on the history of the Abingdon Fair, fairs in general and the influence of technology on their development.