Blandford Throwback Facts XXV

In 1946, Blandford toy maker, Wend-al began making aluminium toys in its Shaftesbury Lane factory. The company prospered until the arrival of cheaper plastic toys came onto the market.

In 1948, Cecil Lambert travelled from Blandford to London to have a tattoo removed from his arm. Mrs Lambert had good reason for not liking the tattoo for it was a picture of the girl he had bigamously married during the war.

The perimeter around Blandford Camp was used to form the country’s first post-war road racing track. Attendances of 10,000 spectators were attracted. Sadly, this racing track became notorious for its serious accidents.

In 1949, Bere Regis & District Bus Company, unkindly nicknamed ‘Bere Regis & Risket’ operated 49 scheduled services across Dorset. The company would continue to operate until 1995. A London gang blew open the door of Blandford Post Office’s strong room early on a Sunday morning and stole items valued at twelve thousand pounds. Several crow bars used in the robbery were later found in the garden of Blandford cinema owner, Percy Carter who lived nearby.

In 1950, the steam railway locomotive ‘Blandford’ was built in the Brighton railway works. A member of the ‘West Country’ class, during its working life it travelled 719,818 miles. ‘Blandford’ was the 1,000^th locomotive to be built in Brighton. Later, it was renamed ‘Blandford Forum.’Motor cycle rider, Geoff Duke broke the Blandford Camp race track record at 91 mph.

In 1951, Blandford had a population of 3,667.

In 1952, a man suffering from memory loss was given a newspaper to read in Blandford Hospital. Suddenly, he shouted ‘that’s me’ and pointed to the disappearance of 48 year-old Harold Jarvis. Police checked and found he was right. More than 4,000 soldiers were placed in quarantine after a suspected case of smallpox was discovered in Blandford Camp.

In 1953, a soldier facing court marshal at Blandford camp refused to wear any clothes in his cell. Military policemen forced him to wear clothes before his commanding officer but he immediately stripped off upon returning to his cell. Blandford railway station was renamed Blandford Forum. Miss Ellen Gertrude Castleman-Smith was made Mayor for the fourth occasion having previously held the post in 1931, 1932, 1934 & 1935.

(Illustration: Blandford Forum locomotive name plate)

Comments

True Lovers Knot - a Tragic Tale

True Lovers Knot public house describes itself as a traditional inn set in a picturesque Dorset valley in Tarrant Keynston. Yet, this historical hostelry is said to have gained its name from a particularly tragic tale and still to be haunted by a distressed former publican. This publican’s son met and fell in love with the daughter of the local squire. Because the young lad was not from the gentry they decided to keep their relationship secret from her father. Unfortunately, a stable hand saw the two young lovers together and told her father. Set firmly against this friendship the squire made plans to send his daughter away from the district. Not able to face up to life without her boyfriend, the young girl decided to commit suicide and hanged herself from a tree in the village. So upset was the publican’s son of hearing of his girlfriend’s death he too hanged himself from the same tree. The Tarrant Keynston publican had, himself lost his wife at child birth and now losing his son b

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

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

The Blandford Express

Search This Blog