Most Sundays Ena walks to Trinity Church in Abingdon, as she has for many years, but this morning there was a special blessing for Ena Mitchell who is 100 years old. She got her telegram from the queen yesterday and at the church service Deacon Selina Nisbett told us a little of Ena’s story.
Ena’s husband went to serve in WWII and was killed in action in Belgium. As a consequence Ena found herself a single mum with a young daughter. Ena moved to Abingdon in 1954 to make a new life and things were not easy as some people were a bit snooty about single mums in those days.
Ena found work as the first female traffic warden in Abingdon, and sent her daughter to St Helen and St Katherine school, wanting to do the best for her. Her daughter later went to Australia. Her grand daughter Sarah, and great grand daughter Sophie flew over specially from Australia for the birthday (pictured with Ena above).
Ena has been a champion of war widows over the years. As a consequence she has met Prince Charles and been to 10 Downing Street. She is usually to seen at remembrance day in Abingdon laying a wreath at the war memorial (picture above from 2016). She sold poppies for 50 years.
She was also involved with children’s charities such as NSPCC over many years and there were colleagues from those charities at the service.
There were exactly 100 people at the service today. An amazing coincidence!
Congratulations!
BTW, our town was 16D in the Times Cryptic Crossword on Saturday. No more help as it’s a prize crossword.
The worlds a richer place thanks to the likes of Ena that’s for sure!
Somewhat off-topic but something going on at The Upper Reaches this afternoon, initially 2 guys, then 2 more, folders shaking of hands etc. Maybe a prospective buyer and agent/surveyor meeting the existing owners rep and site security. Perhaps I’m over reading what I’m seeing but I hope someone is going to make something of it again at last.
Interesting, Badger.
Fingers crossed on Upper Reaches, it really should be a goldmine (and happy birthday Ena)
I am sure that for any potential developer of flats it will indeed be a goldmine.
I see that the Old Gaol development will soon have the promised restaurant units turned in to flats. Hopefully they will get the go-ahead for that, with all monies paid back to The Veil for underselling it in the first place?
Maybe the Vale should gift the Upper Reaches to Abingdons favoured builders first Daniel, that way they would have loads of money to pay back what they owe…you never know, they might even have enough to fork out for a replacement willow tree?
Happy Birthday Ena – what a great example to us all!
Re the Upper Reaches, I think that just possibly we might be maligning the Vale this time – it looks as if they have been standing firm against redevelopment into flats in which case they will presumably continue to do so with the new owners. Let’s hope we get a lovely hotel/restaurant where we can go and enjoy the riverside.
As for the Old Gaol, it is disappointing that more of the ground floor will be flats, but the proposal includes a very nice-looking wine bar: it could be a real asset to Abingdon and would mean that at long last we have achieved our objective of public access to the ground floor and the garden. Then we just need the willow tree!
Ever optimistic….
My Dear Aunt Ena, this is a wonderful write-up of a beautiful lady. We, her Canadian family, have had the pleasure of her visits to Canada. My mom was Aunt Ena’s husband, Bill’s sister. Dad, a Canadian solder met Mom, married, they had a son, before Mom sailed with other War brides to Canada. Love you Aunt Ena.