Monthly Archives: September 2024

As you know the Old Southampton Cemetery recently had a very large Asian Hornets nest discovered and desoryed. Thought the picture and details of the Hornet Queen might help in looking out for anymore around the Cemetery or even the surrounding area. Photo supplied by the British Association Landscape Industries website.

On Tuesday (24th) a group of men from the British Beekeepers’ Association lead by Alan Baxter climb a tree in the Old Cemetery to destroy an Asian Hornets nest some 30 m up a tree. FoSOC were already warn about this nest and that it was to be destroyed and that they pose no greater risk to human than native hornets, but are a threat to honey bees. Alan Baxter, from the British Beekeeper’s Association in Hampshire said the 75cm nest could hold about 3,00 hornets. Words and Photos taken from Daily Echo

Just as FoSOC thought they were getting somewhere with the very large branch (further up the Main Carriageway) another branch had fallen, as yet do not know what damage has been done!

As you will see the FoSOC ‘Taskers’ have been work hard to remove as much of the fallen branch as possible – but still a lot to do. Last photo show the very large fungi around the bottom of the tree which has helped towards the tree dying. Unfortuanltey, another branch has fallen in a different area, see photos on ‘Another branch down in cemetery’, which means more work to remove as much as possible and to see what damage has been done!

Exploring Southampton’s Victorian Cemetery For our 21st anniversary, and for Heritage Open Days. we welcomed members of the public to the former Non-Conformist Chapel where they were able to see and enjoy FoSOC’s exhibition put together by Secretary, Val. And throughout the walk the rain stopped and the sun come out plus it was warm, after so much rain. Geoff gave an introduction to the history of FoSOC, and the voluntary work we do in the cemetery, then took visitors on a walk that concentrated on people of prominence, and less so, who had been alive, and would have been known, during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901). Geoff explained that, when opened in 1846, the cemetery presented something completely new, an attractive, a ‘Garden Cemetery’ pleasant to visit and a ‘Porch of Eternity’ for the living to contemplate, … Continue reading →