Our beloved scarf now has a permanent home
The following article was written by Sonja Francis and edited by Laura Fellows – a collaboration of previous and new owners of Thame.net. Thank you to Sonja for the research and for being the custodian of the scarf before it finding a permanent home at Thame Museum.
Having made many appearances over the years, the Thame Giant Scarf now has a permanent home at Thame Museum – as featured on their website as ‘Object of the month’ in August 2021.
Why does Thame have a giant knitted scarf?
The history of the Thame giant scarf began in November 2004. The people of Thame were invited to contribute to knitting a giant scarf in preparation for that year’s Big Thame Christmas event, with the theme ‘Winter’. During the event, Robin Gibb, who lived in Thame, was scheduled to be the guest celebrity and turn on the town’s Christmas lights.
The excited crowd had gathered outside Thame Town Hall eagerly awaiting the arrival of their favourite Bee Gee to arrive and push the plunger and illuminate the town’s Christmas lights. The Mayor of Thame at the time, David Laver, and ‘Father Christmas’ (aka Cllr Don Butler) manfully kept the crowd from going home with some very questionable jokes, and passing on updates arriving regularly by phone from Robin’s car travelling Thame-ward on the M40. Robin was running an hour late after a TV interview with Richard and Judy!
During this night, the giant scarf was hung outside from windows in what was then Austin’s Gentlemen’s Outfitters for all to see.
Destined to stay in Thame
The plan was to auction the scarf after the event to raise money for charity. Unfortunately, although someone did win the bidding for the giant scarf on ebay, it turned out that he was a wool merchant from the US and didn’t realise that the amount he had agreed to pay was in pounds and not dollars, and he pulled out! But fortunately we got to keep the scarf for future events and to be part of Thames history.
The scarfs next public appearance was on February 18th, 2005, when Boris Johnson, Thame’s Member of Parliament at the time, visited the town to officially open the refurbished Shaw Trust Charity shop in the High Street. From there he moved on down to Thame Town Hall to help Thame Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor, Cllr David Dodds, publicise a second attempt to auction the scarf on Ebay. Boris gamely donned Thame’s Giant scarf, which at 500ft went five times around a DAF truck!
For a second time, the scarf did not find a new home – it was destined to stay in Thame. Until now, the scarf has been in hibernation at the home of the previous owner of Thame.net and instigator of the Giant scarf project – Sonja Francis.
Sonja is now retiring and leaving Thame for pastures new and has donated this unique curiosity to Thame Museum to be admired and wondered at by future generations of knitters, and visitors to the town, a snapshot of the life and history of our very special town.
Rolling up the giant scarf: Video Link: https://youtu.be/lzyN2q7PgBQ
From the archives
November 1st, 2004 – The Big Christmas Event – https://www.thame.net/archives/1443
December 6th, 2004 – https://www.thame.net/archives/1494
17th February, 2005 ‘Wrap up Boris’. https://www.thame.net/archives/1583
18th February, 2005 – ‘Boris All Wrapped up’ https://www.thame.net/archives/1586
