In addition to the threat of German bombing during World War
II, Blandford also suffered from an infestation of rats. This infestation
resulted in a bizarre incident witnessed by a local businessman and Town Mayor.
Late one night he was counting the multitude of rationing
coupons that he had collected that week when he experienced an amazing sight. He
was working in his grocer’s shop at the corner of the Market Place and
Salisbury Street when he heard a loud swishing noise. He put out his light and
lifted the wartime blackout curtain. It was a moonlit night and he could
clearly see hundreds of brown rats marching from the river through the
Greyhound Yard and up Salisbury Street. Another man witnessed this army of rats
and was so shaken he fell off his bicycle.
It appears that at the time large quantities of corn were
stored in the Blandford Station Yard and when river levels were low the rats
would go to the yard to supplement their diet.
There was much discussion at Blandford Rural District Council
about the infestation so much so that consideration was given to employing an
Inspector of Rats. This suggestion was given short shift by Mrs Higgins of
Tarrant Monkton which caused some laughter among those present:
‘Surely it would be
cheaper and more satisfactory to employ cats to destroy the rats rather than
inspectors to look at them!’
With acknowledgment to Memories of Old Blandford by Charles K Lavington (1988).
(Illustration: Blandford Station Corn Store.)
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