Thursday, October 01, 2015

Abingdon Bun Throwing in 2016

Bun Throwing planned to mark the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016.

I heard from my mum that there is a Bun Throwing event planned to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday next year! Great news.

Abingdon-on-Thames celebrates royal and national events and milestones by holding Bun Throwing events in the town's market place. Dignitaries throw buns from atop the town's museum, formerly the county hall, to the townsfolk assembled below. It's an event that has to be seen to be believed!

Photo of Abingdon Bun Throwing
The huge crowd in the town's market place for the 2012 bun throw. Photo by Alastair Fear of the excellent Abingdon Blog. Look closely (or click here) and you can see me and my brother Jon in the thick of the action!

If approved, the Bun Throwing will take place in the market place on Saturday 11th June 2016 and will be the first since 2012.

I have attended each Bun Throwing in Abingdon in my lifetime (13 since 1981) and I'm really looking forward to the next one. The last event was held on Sunday 3rd June 2012 to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

A pair of rejoicing buns we caught at the bun throwing held to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011
A pair of rejoicing buns we caught at the bun throwing held to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011

There have been 33 Bun Throwings since the tradition began in 1761 for the coronation of King George III.

Related blog posts:
- Abingdon-on-Thames celebrates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a Bun Throwing
- Abingdon Bun Throwing Report - Friday 29th April 2011

Links:
- Abingdon Town Council
- Oxford Mail
- Abingdon Blog

Timeline:
To date there have been 33 Abingdon Bun Throwings
1761 Coronation of King George III
1810 Golden Jubilee of King George III
1821 Coronation of King George IV
1831 Coronation of King William IV
1837 Coronation of Queen Victoria
1856 Declaration of Peace at the end of the Crimean War
1863 Marriage of the Prince of Wales to Princess Alexandra
1887 Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria
1897 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria
1902 Coronation of King Edward VII
1911 Coronation of King George V
1935 Silver Jubilee of King George V
1937 Coronation of King George VI
1946 VE Day
1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
1956 Visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Abingdon
1966 Abingdon International Week
1974 End of the Borough of Abingdon
1977 Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II
1980 Queen Mother’s 80th Birthday
1981 Marriage of the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer
1986 Marriage of the Duke of York to Sarah Ferguson
1987 40th Wedding Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II
1990 Queen Mother’s 90th Birthday
1995 50th Anniversary of VE Day
1997 50th Wedding Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II
2000 Millennium
2000 Queen Mother’s 100th Birthday
2002 Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II
2006 450th Anniversary of Abingdon Charter/Queen Elizabeth II’s Official Birthday
2006 450th Anniversary of Abingdon Charter/Visit by Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal
2011 Marriage of Prince William to Catherine Middleton
2012 Queen's Diamond Jubilee

There have also been two non-official Bun Throwing events in the town
2012 World Bun Throwing Championships to find the town's best bun thrower
2014 Bun Throwing at Abingdon Fire Station to celebrate its 50th anniversary

- Abingdon County Hall Museum kindly provided details of the Recorded Bun Throwings to 1997. Further details on events to 2006 can be found on the blog here.