Author Archives: Admin2020

Abbey Fish Ponds – April 2021

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Today was another sunny day in the current warm spell that follows a cool start to April.

Looking down from the earth mounds, at the centre of the Abbey Fishponds nature reserve, the fenland below is half green where the sedges have been cut back and are growing back fresh, and a straw colour where last year’s dry stems have been left.

Sedges can be seen growing from the edge of the boggy ground.

The pools are also being surrounded by green leaves.

Round the edges of the nature reserve new trees are growing from their protective sheaths.

From the woodland areas lots of Lords and Ladies can be developing their male flowers, the so called Cuckoo-pint.

There are a lot of birds singing and fighting for space, particularly in the wooded areas.

There are also early insects such as this Orange-tip Butterfly.

At the entrances to the Nature Reserve are notices warning of ticks. Ticks can transmit microbes that cause illnesses like Lyme disease.

Sunny Weekend was perfect for the first meal (or drink) out

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Over the weekend the garden of the Nags Head pub was a popular venue for people to experience their first meal (or drink) out since the lockdown easing. The sun shone on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Everyone entering the garden records their details with Track and Trace, and wears a mask to the table. Orders are made by mobile phones.

Here is a pint of Abingdon Bridge, brewed by the Loose Cannon Brewery in Abingdon.

While enjoying the garden the punters can watch the boats go by.

On the downstream side of Nags Head Island, Annie’s Tearooms, also has outdoor tables and has been welcoming people back.

There is currently work strengthening the moorings downstream from Abingdon Bridge.

Oxfam re-opened today in Abingdon

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During the pandemic the supermarkets have increased their delivery service and click and collect service. Priority delivery slots have been kept for older and vulnerable customers, including this one pictured by Tesco to the almshouses.

Mostly Books were one of the local shops that seemed to adapt quickly to – never experienced before – trading conditions. They offered deliveries and introduced click and collect.

Oxfam re-opened today in Abingdon, a couple of days later than most shops. Let us hope they don’t have to all shut again. Shop safely 🙂

2021 Census to take snapshot of Abingdon – 1921 Census details published soon

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census
We will complete our census return on 21st March 2021. Somebody investigating our family history in one hundred years time (or whenever the census is released) will see that we live at the same address as ten years ago, and that our professions have changed. In 2021, they will also be able to see for the first time whether we served in the armed forces, our sexual orientation, and gender identity.
census
The 1921 census was the only time the census was delayed (until June) and that was due to industrial unrest.

New questions in 1921 included more details about profession: what materials people worked in, place of work and their employer’s name. For those over the age of 15 there was information about marital status, and whether divorced. For those under 15 the census recorded whether both parents were alive or if either or both parents had died. It also had detailed questions on education including whether people were in full-time or part-time education.

The 1921 census summary for the Borough of Abingdon showed the inhabitants to number 7,167, an increase of 358 from 1911. Females numbered 3,896, and males 3,271.

Commenting on the summary statistics, released in September 1921, a local newspaper said, ‘It is evident that all of them cannot get married unless they go further afield. The single man who shows a preference for the single life will have to run the gauntlet and if the feminine majority care to exercise their powers, they will no doubt impose a heavy tax on bachelors. Women came into many occupations during the war, and many of them continued to be employed. They have cultivated the spirit of independence and are claiming equality of opportunity. The males have no longer any right to pose as the superior sex’.

The individual details of the 1921 census have not been published yet but will be within the next year on findmypast.com. This delay is supposedly for reasons of privacy. However a lot of the details of people now over 100 years old will be already in the public domain from other sources.