Thursday 6th January: attended the funeral of our President Ewart Hemmings at Our Lady and St Edmund’s church, and afterwards danced at the wake at the Crown & Thistle.
Sunday 20th March: danced at the Boundary House for the presentation of MBEs to Rod and Rosalie James.
Good Friday 15th April: danced at the beer festival at Love Beer Brewery, Milton 5-6pm. Two shows with an interval. Afterwards some of us played some music at the Plum Pudding.
Sunday 24th April: danced at Folk Weekend Oxford 1100-1130: Ashmolean with Wreckers; 1200-1230: Bonn Square with Owlswick; 1400-1430: Broad Street with OBJ; 1530-1600: Bonn Square with Chiltern Hundreds. Had a nice music session in the Blenheim at lunchtime.
Saturday 30th April: danced at the Loose Cannon Brewery festival.
Monday 2nd May: danced at Abingdon Court Care Home Tree Planting Event (morning).
Wednesday 11th May: danced for the new Town Mayor, St Helens church, 6.30pm.
Saturday 21st May: Drayton School Fete, did two shows, 1.30 and 3pm.
Wednesday 1st June: danced at Stowford House Summer Fair, 1pm
Saturday 4th June: Harwell Feast in the morning, procession and one dance spot. Then over to Bampton for tea at 4pm, followed by dancing from 6pm with Bampton Traditional Morris and Windsor. As ever, a really enjoyable experience, even if we were a bit light on dancers.
Sunday 5th June: danced in the town centre before the Platinum Jubilee Bun Throwing at 5pm. Afterwards some of us played music in the back room of the Punch Bowl.
Wednesday 8th June: The Mayor and Fool gave a lesson on morris dancing at Aureus School Didcot, as last year.
Saturday 18th June: Mayor’s Day. Polling at the Brewery Tap, Stuart Jackson (President) was the Returning Officer. Result Harry Knight 82 votes, Richard Grimsdale-Yates 74. There were no guest sides. Programme was: 11:00 Procession into town behind Horns, 11:15 Black Swan, 11:45 Old Station Yard, 12:05 Procession down Stert Street, 12:15 Under County Hall (as it was raining), 13:00 Lunch at St Ethelwold’s House, 14:35 Long Alley Almshouses, 15:00 Coopers Lane (Cooper’s Tavern was its usual hospitable self), 15:45 Brewery Tap, Result of the Election of the Mayor of Ock Street, followed by chairing to Conduit Road and back, then dancing at the Brewery Tap. Around 17:45 we went to Mayott’s House to dance for the residents and, as it was threatening to rain again, just did a dance at the site of the former Crown pub before returning to the Tap. Just after the chairing of the new Mayor, we had a surprise visit from two Sint Niklaas flag wavers (Wim and Joris).
Sunday 3rd July: danced at WADStock (Wootton and Dry Sandford). Two shows of 30 minutes at 1.15 and 3.30. Had to shelter in the beer tent during a short rainstorm.
Saturday 9th July: Westminster Abbey Choir School Fair. An early start meant we could start with a couple of drinks at the pub (The Sanctuary House), then a quick stand outside the abbey itself before our first show at the fete in Dean’s Yard (12:10). Beer at the fete before the second show at 13:30, then a free burger and some more beer. After a Pimm’s or two (well you have to don’t you?), another show outside the abbey and then we were guests at the Choral Evensong service. We got to sit in the same place the royal family sits, though apparently they get more comfortable chairs. A great day out!
Monday 29th August: Town Tour, 3pm Punch Bowl, 4pm Broad Face. Great to be out dancing again after quite a long break. Thanks to both pubs for their hospitality. We played a few tunes afterwards in the back room of the Punch Bowl and were pleased to welcome Bill McKinnon as a playing guest.
Sunday 4th September: Wallingford Bunkfest: 1200-1230 Cholsey and Wallingford railway station; 1300-1330 Kinecroft Dance Stage with Taeppas Tump; 1400-1430 Market Place with Knights of King Ina; 1600-1630 The Dolphin with Owlswick; and lots of beer in between. An enjoyable day even though we only had six dancers.
The Heritage Weekend Event in Abingdon scheduled for Sunday 18th September was cancelled due to the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sunday 13th November: the Mayor of Ock Street, the Fool and the Lead Dancer once again took part in the town Remembrance Day Parade and Service.
Saturday 26th November: Abingdon Community Xmas Extavaganza: Parade at 12.00, dancing in Market Place 2.15-2.45 and Bath Street 3.30-4.00. In between, rest and a few tunes in the back bar of the Punch Bowl.
Thursday 15th December: Out of Town Mummers Play Tour – 7.30 Wheatsheaf (Drayton), 8.00 Plum Pudding (Milton), 8.30 Cherry Tree (Steventon), 9.00 North Star (Steventon). The Red Lion (Drayton) was unfortunately closed when we got there..
Tuesday 20th December: Mummers Play Town Tour – 7.00 Punch Bowl, 7.30 Broad Face, 8.15 Kings Head & Bell, 9.00 Tipsy Mercer, 10.00 Brewery Tap.
The two Mummers Tours raised a total of £434.06 for the Abingdon Food Bank.
Click here for some 2022 photos