In 2019, Abingdon celebrated the centenary of a fascinating piece of primary historical evidence, a town treasure of the modern era, film footage made in the town centre in 1919. 

It was the end of the First World War. From the ceasefire of November 1918, to the signing of the Versailles Treaty in June 1919, demobilisation had gathered pace. Women began to leave their wartime employment as men came home to their jobs. As Belgian refugees considered whether to return home, and permanently wounded ex-servicemen tried out prosthetic limbs, Abingdon staged a Homecoming Parade, a “Carnival of Affection” for the returned troops and a ceremony of remembrance for the “Glorious Dead”.

The events of that day, 4th August 1919, included a parade down Stert Street, the Mayor’s address in the Market Place, a march-past and laying of wreaths, flowers and branches at a temporary memorial, and a lunch at the Corn Exchange. Throughout the day a camera rolled and someone put together a fascinating film. Today we still have ten minutes of good quality footage which depict the people and places in rich and truthful detail.

In September 2019 the film was the centrepiece of a Heritage Festival; the film itself was shown to a cinema audience probably for the first time in 99 years, an exhibition was opened in an empty shop, and a costumed recreation of the parade and flower-laying was staged in the Market Place, complete with wartime food and music.

The Festival was recorded on a legacy website, Coming Home, Moving On which is now moved to these pages within the Abingdon Heritage Weekends website.

 Photo credit above and throughout this section: Imperial War Museum - still from the Homecoming Film 1919

GALLERY: Were you there? The day in September 2019 when we relived some of the scenes from the film.