top of page

Andrew Elsden - stories, tales , rural and social and business issues past and present as I see them.


Search


Marsh Fen and Town South Lincolnshire and Beyond
After much work I have now published the full version of my book "Marsh Fen and Town South Lincolnshire and Beyond". It is a hard back book just under A4 size consisting of 450 pages, over 250,000 words and over 200 pictures and illustrations.
3 days ago2 min read


WORKING LIFE IN HOLLAND FEN IN 1867
An insight into the working life and accomodation in the 19th Century Lincolnshire Fens
Jul 42 min read


HEMP GROWING IN SWINESHEAD
Growing crops in a rotation is an old method of managing soil fertility that can be seen in Roman times. However, the development of...
Jun 272 min read


THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE TO INDUSTRY IN LINCOLNSHIRE IN THE 19TH CENTURY
In 1890 the industry of Lincolnshire was described thus: “Lincolnshire being almost wholly an agricultural county the manufactures are,...
Jun 202 min read


35. Dan Morgan
Few realise that he wrote and sold the best-selling guitar playing book of its day that outsold Bert Weedon's famous, " Play in a Day".
Feb 193 min read


Look at the Winners
Protesting farmers just don't get it. They need to look at the winners.
Feb 186 min read


Quotes from an Old Naturalist - AE Smith OBE MA
Possibly one the the greatest advocates of conservation in 20th Century Lincolnshire.
Feb 83 min read


22. An Insight into Agriculture Labour in Spalding in 1867
They lie as thick as thieves, and they live like pigs.
Feb 72 min read


My Identity - Home is where the curlews cry.
What of my identity? It is interwoven between marsh, fen and town but the world changes. My roots and ancestry is firmly in the Fens....
Jan 82 min read


Migration in the Fens - Two Great Lies
The local anger to this was huge and Professor Beard suffered an horrendous personal attack and an inappropriate backlash. In the meantime,
Dec 31, 20248 min read


Water - Wet and Dry
It is ironic that whilst typically being the driest area of the country in terms of rainfall the Fens of South Lincolnshire are also...
Dec 30, 202423 min read


Economy - looking back to the future.
I have emphasized earlier that the countryside of The Wash and the Fens inland effectively serve large towns and cities. The fisherman...
Dec 25, 20246 min read


Urban Bias
Urban bias could be seen as an antidote to parochialism. But, like parochialism, urban bias can be bad thing as well as good. Urban bias...
Dec 23, 202423 min read


Migrations in the Twentieth Century
The town centres of Spalding, Boston and Wisbech saw massive changes to their town centres dominated by a new generation of migrants.
Nov 29, 202442 min read


Inheritance Tax - The Experience
Here I explain the reality of inheritance tax . In 2007 I was outside my son’s school when I bumped into a local farmer – at least I...
Nov 17, 20243 min read


Inheritance Tax “only the largest estates will be effected”.
Most farmers consider the statement a lie. Whether it is or not is to be proven. Here I examine a take on inheritance tax that may be a...
Nov 16, 20244 min read


Spalding Canning Factory
November 1930 saw the following announcement that was to herald further establishment of the food processing industry in Spalding hot on...
Nov 15, 20243 min read


"Inheritance Tax will not affect Small Family Farms." What is a small family farm?
“Only the richest estates will pay – not small, family farms.” This is the repeated phrase parroted by the Chancellor and other Labour...
Nov 15, 20244 min read


Farm Inheritance Tax Relief – It needed Reform but this is flawed.
My experience with Inheritance Tax and especially with Farm Inheritance Tax Relief is that it appears to be applied inconsistently and...
Nov 14, 20243 min read


Farm Inheritance Tax - Not Just Land
In this second post I will demonstrate how inheritance tax can affect a tenant farmer by referring to a real life example from my past...
Nov 13, 20245 min read

bottom of page