Blandford Throwback Facts XXII

In 1925, a Bournemouth man was sued for breach of promise by a 24 year old Blandford girl for failing to marry her. He explained he was already engaged to a Shrewsbury girl while another Bournemouth girl had successfully sued him for breach of promise. During the 1920s, Hall & Woodhouse had a football team nicknamed the ‘Tubbs’.

In 1926, twenty seven people were killed and 40 were injured in the Great Blandford Rail Crash. However, this was not in Blandford, Dorset but Blandford, New South Wales in Australia.

In 1927, Charles Hunt, the last surviving member of the Blandford Town Band which had won the National Brass Band Championship in 1863 died. Draper, A Cherry & Son of Salisbury Street published an apology in the Western Gazette newspaper stating that an employee had spread a false and ‘entirely untrue’ rumour that a Blandford doctor was leaving the town and giving up his local practice. Mr Warrilow, a blind organist and Director of Music for the National Institute for the Blind gave an organ recital in Blandford Parish Church.

In 1928, the first train that stopped at the newly opened Stourpaine and Durweston railway station halt was greeted by the two vicars and most of the population of the two villages. The halt closed in 1956.

In 1929, Frederick George Abberline died in Bournemouth. Born in Blandford, he was a Chief Inspector in the Metropolitan Police and was a key figure in the East London ‘Jack the Ripper’ serial murder investigations. Chief Scout Robert Baden Powell and Lady Powell attended the Blandford Scout and Girl Guide Rally. During their visit to the town they were granted the Freedom of Blandford. Dorset County Council took over responsibility for running Blandford Workhouse. During one month, during economic recession, 549 vagrants were admitted into the Workhouse. The early morning mail train was derailed at Blandford St Mary. Hall & Woodhouse acquired the Badger trademark from a Yorkshire mineral water producer.

In 1930, West Street outfitter, Alexander J Hicks became Mayor for the fourth time.

(Illustration: Stourpaine & Durweston Halt opens)

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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

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