Monday, November 12, 2018

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018

Report from the Bun Throwing event in Abingdon-on-Thames on Saturday 10th November to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.


Abingdon's Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
Abingdon's Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018

The latest in a long line of Bun Throwing events took place in Abingdon-on-Thames at 2pm on Saturday 10th November.

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
There was certainly more than one bun thrown

The special Bun Throwing brought people together to commemorate the end of hostilities and celebrated the return of the soldiers at the end of the conflict.

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
A look at the crowd in the Market Place

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
For the first time in year we changed position and stood to the left of the County Hall rather than in the centre

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
The skies (and a new rule) before the heavens opened with buns and rain

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
I'm glad the rules were broken

At 2pm the first of a total of 5,000 currant buns were thrown by local dignitaries and soldiers from the top of the old County Hall to the crowd of thousands of townsfolk in the Market Place below.

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
It was raining buns and rain on the big day

Check out the video of the action.



For the second Bun Throwing in-a-row I failed to catch any buns. Although I was hit by four! You should also definitely pay attention at the event too, or else this might happen to you!



The Bun Throwing was the 35th staging since 1761. There was also a special Bun Throwing event at the town's fire station in 2014. The last Bun Throwing held in Abingdon was to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016. I have attended each Bun Throwing in Abingdon in my lifetime, a total of 15 since 1981.

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
Several of the 5,000 buns that didn't get caught

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
We had a brilliant time at the Bun Throwing

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
My brother Jon and my dad Chris with some of their haul of buns

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
The scene shortly after the Bun Throwing

Abingdon Bun Throwing on the 10th November 2018
The Market Place in the evening - the pigeons must've got full up

Check out the Abingdon Blog's report on the event at Abingdon Bun Throwing 2018.

Abingdon's old County Hall from afar
A view of the County Hall from afar

Abingdon Bun Throwing timeline - 1761-2018:
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
2016 Queen's 90th Birthday
2018 100 year anniversary of the Armistice

There have also been three unofficial 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
2016 World Bun Throwing Championships to find the town's best bun thrower

Abingdon County Hall Museum kindly provided details of the Recorded Bun Throwings to 1997.


Abingdon is Britain's Oldest Town
It was nice to spot this new sign declaring Abingdon as Britain's Oldest Town

Sunday, November 04, 2018

Bun Throwing in Abingdon this Saturday, 10th November

There will be a Bun Throwing event in Abingdon-on-Thames on Saturday 10th November to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.


The next special Bun Throwing event will be taking place in Abingdon this weekend, with the market place action set to begin at 2pm on Saturday 10th November.

The aim of the event is to bring people together to commemorate the end of hostilities and also celebrate the return of the soldiers at the end of the conflict.

The Bun Throwing will be the 35th staging since 1761. There was also a special Bun Throwing event at the town's fire station in 2014. The last Bun Throwing held in Abingdon was to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016.

Bun Throwing from the County Hall in Abingdon
The crowd at the last Bun Throwing held in Abingdon

I've attended each Bun Throwing in Abingdon in my lifetime, a total of 14 since 1981.

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Bun Throwing in Abingdon this November

There will be a Bun Throwing event in Abingdon-on-Thames on Saturday 10th November to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.

The aim of the event is to bring people together to commemorate the end of hostilities and also celebrate the return of the soldiers at the end of the conflict.

The Bun Throwing will be the 35th staging since 1761. There was also a special Bun Throwing event at the town's fire station in 2014. The last Bun Throwing held in Abingdon was to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016.

Bun Throwing from the County Hall in Abingdon
The calm before the storm of the last Bun Throwing held in Abingdon

I'm looking forward to a return to my home town to take part in the unique event.

More information on Bun Throwing can be found on the Abingdon Town Council and Abingdon Museum website..

Timeline of Bun Throwings in Abingdon 1761-2016:
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
2016 Queen's 90th Birthday

There have also been three unofficial 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
2016 World Bun Throwing Championships to find the town's best bun thrower

Abingdon County Hall Museum kindly provided details of the Recorded Bun Throwings to 1997.