When postcards and Christmas cards arrive addressed to ‘Abingdon Lock, England’ from locations as far away as Australia, Canada and Europe, there must be a special reason for this.
The team who oversees Abingdon’s lock, which has been in existence since 1790, go a long way to ensuring the people who use the lock through out the year are greeted with a warm welcome. One of the volunteer lock keepers whose life revolves around Abingdon lock is 83-year-old Frank Jordan who is one of five volunteers who assist resident lock-keeper Richard Hawkins in keeping the lock operating effectively.
Born and raised in Abingdon, Frank worked in a body shop prep and repair centre in th e town he loves before he retired in 2012. Although he had known th e river and the lock all his life, like many people living in Abingdon, he had taken the area for granted. However, with time on his hands following his retirement, Frank’s daily walks would often take him along the river to the lock. He knew the lock keeper who was about to retire, who would let Frank assist him occasionally with the various duties that are involved in helping boaters through the waterway system. When the new lock-keeper Richard Hawkins was appointed, Frank and Richard soon became friends and Frank was encouraged to join the other four volunteers in assisting Richard at the lock. Soon Andy, Brian, Roger, Terry, and Frank overseen by Richard became a companiable team.
Frank heads to the lock each day unless the weather gets too bad for him to be outdoors. Part of his journey takes him on the river steamer from Abingdon Marina to the lock. Once at the lock, Frank’s cheery disposition and positive attitude on life helps put a smile on everyone’s face.
The small island close to the lock has even become the venue for ‘Frank Fest’, a party to celebrate not only Frank’s participation with the lock but the other members of the team too. Originally set up before the Covid pandemic by a group of boaters who decided that Abingdon needed its own waterways festival, they came up with the name ‘Frank Fest’. This popular event has been posted online to be held this year on Sunday 27th August and members of Abingdon’s Traditional Morris Dancers are supposed to be coming along too; please check nearer the time if it is going ahead. ‘Frank Fest’ is so popular that T-shirts were even printed with a photo of Frank on them.
The team has appeared on numerous television programmes including The Hairy Bikers and with Tony Robinson. In 2016, Richard and Frank hit the local news headlines when they received the prestigious Esme Dowling Award for ‘Lock Keeper of the Year’, voted for by members of the APCO Hotel boats. The award is for outstanding customer care and performance and is open to all lock keepers on the UK’s in land waterways. The following year, Frank received the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire’s Award for services to the community lock. In 2022, headlock keeper Richard was one of three Environmental Agency staff to be nominated for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in recognition of the lives saved at the weir and lock.
Let’s raise a glass and say a big thank you, not only to true Abingdonian Frank but also to the other members of this award-winning team who make Abingdon Lock such a special place to visit.
