Blandford Throwback Facts XVII

In 1899, Blandford railway station sold 120 five shilling (25p) special excursion tickets to visit the Birmingham Onion Fair.

In 1900, there were 20 public houses, 10 butchers, 8 grocers and 5 greengrocers in the town. Local born athlete and railwayman, Charles Bennett, known as the ‘Shapwick Express’ celebrated winning his gold medal in the Paris Olympics by visiting the Folies Bergere night club. When the River Stour burst its banks, shops in West Street were flooded and guests in the Crown Hotel had to make their exits by way of a ladder from the hotel’s first floor. Two old fire-fighting machines belonging to the town’s Volunteer Fire Brigade were put up for sale but there were no takers. Hector’s Brewery on the banks of the River Stour, and acquired by Hall & Woodhouse in 1882 was destroyed by fire.

In 1901, following the news of the death of Queen Victoria, a day of mourning was declared in Blandford and all business was suspended. ‘VR’ and ‘RIP’ were displayed in bold white letters in front of the Town Hall. A large procession assembled and marched to the church where a service was held with many in the congregation unable to find seating. A four and a half feet wreath was sent to Windsor which read, ‘In memory of our beloved Queen Victoria from the loyal mothers and daughters of Blandford Forum. January 31^st 1901.’

In 1902, Blandford born George Vince died in an accident in Antarctica when serving in an expedition led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott. A wooden cross was erected by the members of the expedition in his memory and it continues to be maintained by the nearby US and New Zealand Antarctic bases. A procession marched down Salisbury Street to welcome back the Blandford volunteers that had fought in the Boer War.

In 1904, a traction engine crashed and turned over on Stickland Hill.

In 1905, led by volunteer fireman Jack New, Blandford’s Mouth Organ Band was extremely popular. Their presence was frequently requested to play at concerts and social events across the county. A fire broke out in a Spetisbury bakery and at one time the heat was so fierce that one half of the village was cut off from the other. Fire engines from Wimborne and Blandford attended the fire.

(Illustration: Blandford Mouth Organ Band.)

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Chimney Sweep Tragedy

Crown Hotel, Blandford is reckoned to be one of Dorset’s oldest hostelries. Yet its most tragic day, during a long history, must surely be when a young chimney sweep lost his life. The chimney sweep, who was just a child, suffocated and was burnt to death in a Crown Hotel chimney which had been alight a little while before. ‘His cries were dreadful and no-one could give assistance. Part of the chimney was taken down before he was got out.’ (Salisbury & Winchester Gazette 27th March 1780) The lad had gone up one chimney and attempting to go down another had become stuck. At the time children were used to climb up chimneys to clean out soot deposits. With hands and knees, they would shimmy up narrow dark flue spaces packed thick with soot and debris. After the 1731 Great Fire of Blandford it was realised that it was important to sweep chimneys regularly while many rebuilt houses had narrower ones. Smaller chimneys and complicated flues were a potential death trap for children. The sw

Murder at Gussage St Michael

Gussage St Michael is a quiet North Dorset village with a population of few more than a couple of hundred. Yet for several months in 1913, it made headlines across the world as far away as Australia and New Zealand. William Walter Burton, a rabbit catcher, was found guilty of murdering his lover, 24 year-old Winifred Mitchell and had buried her in a lonely wood. Winifred Mary Mitchell was 5ft 5 ins tall, dark haired and was employed as a cook. She was known as ‘ Winnie ’ and ‘cookie’ . Winnie wore false teeth that had been given to her by a former employer. On the 9 th August 1913, South Australia’s Adelaide Advertiser reported. ‘ In the annals of crime, there have been few murders so carefully planned and so ingeniously carried out and it will be remembered that the judge in passing sentence of death intimated that Burton was beyond human forgiveness.’ William Burton walked alone to the scaffold and was hanged at Dorchester Prison on the morning of Tuesday 24 th June 1913.

Tarrant Rushton's Nuclear Secret

Tarrant Rushton was a large RAF base used for glider operations during World War II. It was then taken over by Flight Refuelling for the conversion of aircraft for the development of aircraft in-flight refuelling. However, between 1958 & 1965, the Tarrant Rushton airfield had a much more secretive and less publicised role. This was in support of the nation’s nuclear bomber deterrent, as Tarrant Rushton airfield became a QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) dispersal unit. During 1958, contractors Costain reinforced the main runway and carried out other work to ensure the giant bomber aircraft could be accommodated. At times just a few miles from Blandford, there would have been up to four RAF Vickers Valiant bombers at Tarrant Rushton ready to become airborne in minutes charged with nuclear weapons. The bombers were from 148 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk. As there was no suitable accommodation at the airfield, an old US Air Force Hospital building at Martin was used. At the time, the

The Blandford Express

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