Picture Postcard Magic - Abingdon-on-Thames

Check out my latest guest post on the Picture Postcard Magic blog from Reflections of a Bygone Age. It's about my home town of Abingdon.

Bun throwing activities at Abingdon Museum

Details of museum fun and games during lockdown.

Buns on display at Abingdon County Hall Museum

My parents let me know that Abingdon County Hall Museum has a number of indoor activities to pass the time and keep you entertained during lockdown.

Among the lockdown fun and games are a bun throwing jigsaw puzzle and a bun throwing quiz.

The quiz is nicely tricky.

Throwing buns

We revisited the museum the last time I was back home. It's always nice to pop in and see the exhibits and have a look out from the roof when it's open.

The last bun throwing held in Abingdon-on-Thames was in November 2018 to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.

That bun throwing was the 35th event since 1761.

I wonder when it will be possible to hold another bun throwing?

As a mass gathering and celebration event it's something that won't be taking place for quite some time.

It'd be nice to think a bun throwing could be held to mark the safe end of the coronavirus pandemic.

No Umbrellas

One of the fun things about the mass scramble of a bun throwing event is seeing the different tactics people employ in an effort to catch or retrieve a bun.

As a traditionalist I opt for the open handed catch. However, quite a few people use the upturned umbrella approach. Something that was outlawed at the last event!

A new rule

The last Abingdon bun throwing took place in November 2018 to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War. The weather wasn't too great at all and the umbrellas people brought along were actually used to keep the rain off them rather than to catch buns in.

I've never gone in for the umbrella catching tactic as I've seen more buns bounce, slip and slide out of upturned brollies than stay in

Social distancing from a Bun Throwing sign in 2018. Yellow and black warning signs have become commonplace in 2020

VE Day Bun Throwing in Abingdon

Two of the town's bun throwing events have marked VE Day.

In 1946 there was a Victory Day bun throwing where 2,500 buns were thrown.

In 1995 there was a bun throwing held to mark the 50th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Some of those currant buns had a special 'V for victory' marking on them. The excellent Abingdon Blog has a post about 1995's event.

The last bun throwing held in the town to date was in 2018 to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War.

That bun throwing was the 35th event since 1761. The last bun throwing held before the 2018 event was to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016.

At the present time it's hard to know when the town will be once again able to hold a bun throwing.

A look back at the World Bun Throwing Championships in Abingdon

A look back at the World Bun Throwing Championships held in Abingdon in 2012.

It's been eight years since the inaugural World Bun Throwing Championships were held in Abingdon.

The event set out to find the town's best bun throwers who were then selected to join the town's mayor and other dignitaries atop the old county hall for that year's bun throwing event.

Throwing a currant bun at the World Bun Throwing Championships at Abingdon Vale Cricket Club on the 14th April 2012

The 2012 bun throwing was held to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and saw 6,000 currant buns rain down on the thousands of people in the market place.

Abingdon Bun Throwing by Alastair Fear / Abingdon Blog

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The last bun throwing held in Abingdon-on-Thames was in November 2018 to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.

Bun throwing in Abingdon-on-Thames, November 2018

That bun throwing was the 35th event since 1761. The last bun throwing held before the 2018 event was to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016.

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I wonder when it will be possible to hold another bun throwing event?

As a mass gathering and celebration event it'd be nice to think a bun throwing could be held to mark the safe ending of the coronavirus pandemic once a vaccine is created, distributed and working.

The first bun throwing in Abingdon marked the Coronation of King George III in 1761.

A visit to Abingdon's County Hall Museum

On Saturday we were back in my home town and visited the County Hall Museum.

If you visit the museum make sure to also check out the Mouse Hole Cafe below it for more exhibits

The Market Place was being used as a Christmas tree drop off and chipping point on Saturday

It's always nice to have a look around, see what's new and also have a look at the Bun Throwing exhibits.

Information on the town's unique custom of Bun Throwing

Buns from the Bun Throwing that celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012. A total of 6,000 buns were thrown on that occasion 

As it's winter the rooftop isn't open to visitors, however you can still climb the stairs and get a fairly good view of the town and the surrounding area from inside.

A look down at the Market Place

A view of the rooftop looking towards St Nicolas Church

A view looking south of Abingdon

Abingdon-on-Thames has a brewing heritage and was for many years the home to Morland Brewery.

A Morland Brewery Plaque and Sign

You can still see old Morland Brewery plaques on pubs and lost pubs around the town and further afield.

A Morland Brewery Plaque at the Old Anchor Inn beside the River Thames

Can you see the Morland Plaque on this lost pub building at St Aldate's in Oxford

A closer look at the plaque in Oxford

One of the exhibits caught my eye as I hadn't heard of Bun Thrower ale before!

One of the recent exhibits was about the Michaelmas fair that stretches from the Market Place to the end of Ock Street. I haven't been to the annual street fair since 1999 as I moved from Abingdon in the year 2000, but it was nice to see the old photos showing scenes from years gone by. Hopefully I'll get back for the event this year.

Check out the Abingdon County Hall Museum website for more information and opening times.

The old County Hall and Market Place lit up for the festive season on Friday evening

A year since Abingdon's last Bun Throwing event

Looking back at the last Bun Throwing in Abingdon-on-Thames.

Last November the town of Abingdon marked 100 years since the end of the First World War with a Bun Throwing in the market place.

The Bun Throwing was the 35th event since 1761. The last Bun Throwing held before the 2018 event was to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016.

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.

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.

I wonder what and when the next occasion will be celebrated with a Bun Throwing...?

Abingdon-on-Thames Bun Throwing timeline - 1761 to 2018

Details of Bun Throwing events in Abingdon.

There have been 35 Bun Throwing events held in the town since 1761.

The first marked the Coronation of King George III while the most recent marked the 100 year anniversary of the Armistice.

Abingdon's tradition of bun throwing

Abingdon Bun Throwing events:

• 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 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

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

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.

A look at the crowd in the Market Place

For the first time in year we changed position and stood to the left of the County Hall rather than in the centre

The skies (and a new rule) before the heavens opened with buns and rain

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.

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.

Several of the 5,000 buns that didn't get caught

We had a brilliant time at the Bun Throwing

My brother Jon and my dad Chris with some of their haul of buns

The scene shortly after the Bun Throwing

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Photos from Abingdon's Royal Bun Throwing

Bun Throwing held in Abingdon to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.

The crowd rejoicing

We had a great time in my home town of Abingdon-on-Thames for the 34th Bun Throwing celebration.

The tradition draws a huge crowd to the market place

At 7pm the first of 4,500 currant buns was thrown by the Mayor of Abingdon from atop the old County Hall to the thousands of people gathered in the town's market place.

People often worry that they won't catch a bun if they're at the back of the crowd - well here's proof that some of the bun throwers have quite an arm on them! This landed on top of the sign at Costa Coffee!

I've attended each Bun Throwing in Abingdon in my lifetime, a total of 14 since 1981. The first event was held to celebrate the coronation of King George III in 1761.

Our haul of buns - well, that of Christopher, Chris Senior and Jon

Unfortunately I didn't manage to catch any buns this time - only the second time I can recollect not getting one. The last time I blanked was at the small mid-week Bun Throwing to celebrate the 450th Anniversary of Abingdon Charter and a visit by Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal in 2006.

My dad showing his pride at nabbing five rejoicing buns

Christopher managed to catch a couple of currant buns too and was well happy with his achievement

Emily didn't catch any buns either. But did get one hit her quite hard in the head! However, we did catch this nice video of the action - we were in quite a prime position.



Timeline:
To date there have been 34 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
2016 Queen's 90th Birthday

There have also been three 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
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. Further details on events to 2006 can be found on the blog here.

Related blog posts:
- Bun Throwing in Abingdon 2016

Bun Throwing in Abingdon 2016

Here's a video with action from the Bun Throwing event to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen's 90th birthday.

Held on Saturday 11th June 2016, the first of 4,500 currant buns was thrown by the Mayor of Abingdon at 7pm.

The 2016 bun throw was the 34th since the tradition of Bun Throwing in Abingdon-on-Thames began in 1761. The first event was held to celebrate the coronation of King George III.

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

World Bun Throwing Championships

Check out the Abingdon Blog for a report and photos of the recent World Bun Throwing Championships held in the town.

The contest was the second edition of the event to find the town's best Bun Throwers. The winners are invited to join the Mayor and other dignitaries to throw buns to the townsfolk in the Market Place below at the next Bun Throwing on Saturday 11th June.

I competed in the first World Bun Throwing Championships in 2012. I hit a personal best of 25m 10cm to set (and temporarily hold) the new World Record and clubhouse lead. The record was eventually set at 222 feet (67m) 

This year's winner managed to throw their currant bun over 150 feet.

The 2016 bun throwing will be the 34th since the tradition began in 1761.

On special occasions since then townsfolk have gathered in the marketplace in front of the old county hall in attempt to catch a special hot cross bun. The first event was held to celebrate the coronation of King George III.

The last Bun Throwing was held in 2012 to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Abingdon Bun Throwing Championships announced

Bun Throwing Championships to find town's best thrower to be held in May.

Ahead of the Royal Bun Throwing to celebrate the Queen's 90th Birthday, Abingdon-on-Thames will be hosting the second-ever World Bun Throwing Championships to find the town's best bun thrower.

Prospective throwers can chance their arm in the Bun Throwing contest on Bank Holiday Monday, 30th May.

The winner will take their place alongside the town's Mayor and other dignitaries when they stand atop the County Hall Museum on Saturday 11th June as they throw 6,000 buns to the crowds below.

The crowd looks on as I throw a currant bun at the first-ever Abingdon World Bun Throwing Championship back in 2012

The 2016 bun throwing in June will be the 34th since the tradition began in 1761.

On special occasions since then townsfolk have gathered in the marketplace in front of the old county hall in attempt to catch a special hot cross bun. The first event was held to celebrate the coronation of King George III.

I have attended each Bun Throwing in Abingdon in my lifetime, a total of thirteen since 1981. I'm looking forward to returning to Abingdon for the next event.

Related blog posts:
- Abingdon Bun Throwing in 2016 (includes timeline of events 1761-2012)
- Bun throwing in Abingdon in 2016
- Competing in the first-ever World Bun Throwing Championships in Abingdon-on-Thames