Editing Abingdon-on-Thames (section)

==Economy==
The Pavlova and Gloria [[leather work]]s were major employers but both are now closed. [[Alfred Booth and Company]] of [[Liverpool]] traded with the Pavlova Leather Syndicate from 1860,<ref name=Booth>{{cite web |url=http://www.boothandco.com/history.php |title=History |publisher=Booth and Co |year=2014 |access-date=25 March 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402185907/http://www.boothandco.com/history.php |url-status=live }}</ref> bought a share in it in 1917–18{{sfn|John|1959|p=116}} and took it over in 1921.{{sfn|John|1959|p=130}} In May 1947 at the annual [[British Industries Fair]] in [[Birmingham]], Pavlova advertised doe skins, [[chamois]], lambskins and goatskins, much of it as [[suede]], for uses including shoes, gloves and belts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Pavlova_Leather_Co |title=Pavlova Leather Co |date=1 November 2008 |work=Grace's Guide: The Best of British Engineering 1750–1960s |access-date=25 March 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402090234/http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Pavlova_Leather_Co |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1958 Pavlova's site covered {{convert|35|acre}}, employed neary 200 people and included a staff sports field. At that time its factory still processed imported skins of sheep, lamb and goat, mainly to make suede.{{sfn|John|1959|p=186}} Garner Group took over the Booth Group in 1979 and became Garner Booth. Pittards plc took over Garner Booth in 1987 and became Pittard Garner. It closed the Pavlova works in 1993.<ref name=Booth/>

Abingdon was originally home to the [[Morland Brewery]], whose most famous ale was [[Old Speckled Hen]], named after an early [[MG Cars|MG]] car. [[Greene King Brewery]] bought Morland for £182&nbsp;million in 1999, closed the brewery and moved production to [[Bury St Edmunds]] in [[Suffolk]]. The site of the brewery has been redeveloped into housing. The [[Malting]]s was demolished and is now a mixed residential area and council offices. In 2010, a [[craft brewery]], Loose Cannon, reinstated brewing in the town at the Drayton Road Industrial Estate and sells its beers locally, including on draught at some local [[public house|pubs]]. Abingdon is near several major scientific employers: the [[UKAEA]] at [[Culham]] (including the [[Joint European Torus]] (JET) fusion research project), [[Harwell Laboratory]], the [[Science and Technology Facilities Council|STFC]] [[Rutherford Appleton Laboratory]] and the new [[Diamond Light Source]] [[synchrotron]], which is the largest UK-funded scientific facility to be built for over 40 years. Many inhabitants work in [[Oxford]] or commute by rail to [[London]], from nearby [[Didcot]]. The [[British Army|Army]] now occupies [[Dalton Barracks]], which, prior to 1993, was the [[Royal Air Force]] station [[RAF Abingdon]].

Abingdon has a business park which has offices for several local, national and international companies including, until recently, [[Vodafone]] (acquired as part of its takeover of [[Mannesmann]] in 2000) and [[Northern Rock]] bank. The Science Park includes the global headquarters of [[Sophos]], an [[Antivirus software|anti-virus]] company. [[RM Education|RM]], an educational computing supplier, commonly refer to themselves as being Abingdon-based, which is technically true—even though their HQ is actually in nearby [[Milton Park]], Milton, they have an Abingdon post code (as does the rest of Milton Park). Penlon Ltd, a medical equipment company, have their premises on the outskirts of Abingdon (their previous site, near the former railway station, has been redeveloped as residential housing). Another major employer is the British head office of the German appliance company [[Miele]].

Industrially, Abingdon was best known for the [[MG Cars|MG]] car factory, which opened in 1929. 1,155,032 cars were made at the plant over the next 51 years until [[British Leyland]] closed it on 24 October 1980. Subsequent cars sold under the MG brand have since been produced either at [[Longbridge plant|Longbridge]] in [[Birmingham]] or at [[SAIC Motor|SAIC's]] factories in [[China]]. The company was founded in 1924 and moved its business alongside the Pavlova Leather Factory in 1929. By the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], MG was established as one of the most popular brands of [[sports car]] in [[United Kingdom|Britain]]. After the war, the MG factory continued to churn out increasing volumes of popular sports car which were available at competitive prices but the factory closed in October 1980 on the demise of the ageing but still popular [[MG MGB]] range, and was demolished within months. The headquarters of the [[MG Car Club]], founded in 1930, is at 11 & 12 Cemetery Road, next to the old factory offices. A [[Thames Valley Police|police]] station was built in its place, which was later extended with the addition of more cells, as [[Oxford]]'s police station could not be extended further.