Photos from the Royal Wedding Bun Throwing in Abingdon - Friday 29th April 2011

Photos from the Bun Throwing in Abingdon on Friday 29th April 2011 - to celebrate the Royal Wedding.

From l-r - Jon Gottfried, the Town Crier, Chris Gottfried, Richard Gottfried

Two of the specially marked Buns

Richard Gottfried holds aloft one of his Buns

Chris, Richard and Jon Gottfried show off their Buns

A view of the crowd

Another view of the crowd at the Abingdon Bun Throwing

A mural on the side of the hoardings around the construction work on the County Hall

Richard Gottfried practices some Bun Catching ahead of the big event!

Emily with a Royal Cake from Throwing Buns

Some of Throwing Buns advertising

The Calm Before The Storm - a view of the County Hall and Market Place before the crowd assembled

Abingdon IS Britain's Oldest Town!

Welcome to Abingdon

BUNTHROWING or BUN THROWING?

                              A view of the County Hall

Abingdon Bun Throwing Report - Friday 29th April 2011

Report from the latest Royal Bun Throwing in Abingdon and updated timeline of all recorded Bun Throwings in Abingdon 1761-2011.

On Friday 29th April 2011 the 32nd Bun Throwing event took place in Abingdon on Thames to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

The Buns were thrown from the former County Hall Building at 6pm with over 4,000 currant buns thrown to the massive crowd below.

In our group the Bun's caught/collected were as follows:
Chris = 6
Richard = 3
Jon = 7
Kim = 1
Emily = 0
Total = 17 buns

From l-r - Jon Gottfried, the Town Crier, Chris Gottfried, Richard Gottfried

The last two Abingdon Bun Throwing took place in 2006, reports below:
- Royal Bun Throwing Report - 15th September 2006
- Bun Throwing Report – 10th June 2006

To date there have been 32 Abingdon Bun Throwings! Another is planned to take place in 2012 to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Abingdon Bun Throwing Timeline:
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

- Abingdon County Hall Museum kindly provided details of the Recorded Bun Throwings in Abingdon since-1761

"Rejoicing Buns"

Re-reading the book 'Oxfordshire: A Pocket Guide' (by Carole Chester) there is a mention of the Abingdon tradition of Bun Throwing on page 13 in the Gazetteer section.

Interestingly the tradition is described as "The curious custom of tossing 'Rejoicing buns' from the roof on special occasions...". I've never heard of the event's buns being called 'Rejoicing buns' before. It also states the events have taken place since 1820, rather than the recorded date of the first Bun Throw in Abingdon in 1761.

Bun Throwing Events I Have Attended in Abingdon 1981-2006

Of the 31 Recorded Bun Throwing Events held in Abingdon between 1761 and 2006 I have attended all of those held since 1981, a total of eleven.

The next Bun Throw will take place later this month, to celebrate the Royal Wedding.

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

Recorded Bun Throwings in Abingdon 1761-2006

Raffle Tickets Received to "Be a Bun Thrower" at the 32nd Abingdon Bun Throwing

I have received my five Raffle Tickets for the chance to join the dignitaries at the 32nd Abingdon Bun Throwing event to celebrate the upcoming Royal Wedding.

The Bun Throw will be taking place at 6pm on Friday 29th April 2011.

You can find out more about the Abingdon Tradition of Bun Throwing, and purchase the Raffle Tickets, at the Abingdon County Hall Museum website.

Bun Throwing in Abingdon confirmed for Friday 29th April 2011

It has been confirmed that the 32nd Abingdon Bun Throwing event will take place in the town's Market Place at 6pm on Friday 29th April.

A total of 4000 currant buns will be thrown from the roof of the old County Hall building from 6pm, with entertainment starting at 4.45pm.

The celebration event will mark the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The first Abingdon Bun Throwing event took place in 1761 to mark the Coronation of George III.

This year's Bun Throwing will be slightly different to others for two reasons. Firstly the Museum/Old County Hall building is undergoing refurbishment, and secondly as the Abingdon Museum Appeal Raffle are holding a raffle, with the winners receiving two tickets to join the Mayor and Councillors throwing buns from the roof of the Abingdon County Hall Museum!

This is an oppportunity no Abingdonian can miss out on - I've got my raffle ticket order in. The closing date for the sale of tickets is Tuesday 12th April, with the draw taking place on Friday 15th April. Tickets cost just £1 each or £5 for a book and can be purchased at the Abingdon Visitor & Community Information Centre or by downloading and completing the form here.

There are also plans for a Bun Throwing in 2012, to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee as monarch.

Bun Throwing to Celebrate Royal Wedding 29 April 2011

Abingdon Town Council raffle will give two members of public chance to join them in traditional bun-throwing to celebrate royal wedding

More News on the Bun Throwing for the Royal Wedding in Abingdon - April 2011

According to a report in the Oxford Times, the Abingdon Bun Throwing celebration for the upcoming Royal Wedding will go ahead.

Full details here:

"Contractor Leadbitter pledges that traditional Abingdon bun-throwing will take place from top of County Hall to celebrate wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton."