Blandford Throwback Facts XXVI

In 1954, local amateur dramatics and concert party, the ‘Footlight Follies’ put on its annual show in the Palace Cinema in East Street.

A 42 year-old bachelor and Blandford Electricity Board clerk won £50,500 on the football pools.

In 1955, minesweeper HMS Durweston was launched in Hamworthy. It had a remarkably short service life and was sold to the Indian Navy in 1956.

Blandford celebrated its 350^th anniversary by a week of entertainments and the visit of a Government minister. The Dorset Regiment was granted the Freedom of the Borough and marched through the streets with bayonets fixed. A tree was planted by the Mayor to commemorate the event.

A Secondary Modern School was built in Lord Portman’s former deer park.

In 1956, Stourpaine & Durweston and Charlton Marshall railway halts closed as economy measures. However, the latter was still used until 1961 for special trains carrying Clayesmore School pupils.

In 1957, located on the north side of East Street, the Ritz cinema closed.

In 1958, there was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) raid on Blandford Camp resulting in a young soldier being shot. Corporal Frank Skuse, who claimed he led the raid, later emigrated to the USA.

In 1960, the Royal Corps of Signals moved to Blandford Camp.

In 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, four Royal Air Force nuclear bombers were relocated to Tarrant Rushton airfield ready to take off loaded with nuclear weapons at a moment’s notice.

In 1963, Blandford Forum station was mentioned in the Flanders & Swann song, the ‘Slow Train’.

Mr Leo Jay operated a hand-knitted Blandford glove business selling its products in major London shops.

Hall & Woodhouse acquired Gillingham’s long-standing family business, the Matthews Wyke Brewery.

During a severe winter, the River Stour froze over near Blandford Bridge.

(Illustration: Blandford's severe 1962/63 winter)

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Panda Pops

Panda Blue Rasperry Ade, Strawberry Jelly & Ice Cream and Casper Ghostly Limeade were all unique soft drink flavours produced by the Panda Pops brand owned by Badger Beers. Panda Pops were often sold in small bottles of fizzy drink that were as sweet and sticky as it was as possible for them to be. Other popular Panda Pop flavours were Cherry Ade and Bright Green Cola. Even more singular blends could be concocted by mixing two or more flavours in a Panda Pops mixing bowl. Panda Cola achieved a sort of cult status and there is even a song, ‘ Warm Panda Cola’ . While among Panda aficionados there was even the spoof blend of Princess Diana Memorial flavour! The Blandford drink competed remarkably well against American giants Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola. Panda Pops date back to the 1960s when the Blandford brewer dropped the name of Sunparlor for its soft drink brands. Sunparlor had also been the name of a winning race horse owned by a member of the Woodhouse family. Cream soda was...

History Slice with an Aussie Flavour.

From Dorset Gallows to Van Diemen’s Land is the unlikely but true story of political corruption, hangings and transportation in the small market town of Blandford in Southern England. It is available as a paperback from Amazon in the United Kingdom, Australia and the USA. The book uncovers the extraordinary tale of two ordinary men, George Long a shoemaker and Richard Bleathman a butcher. Driven by belief and dissatisfaction they are swept along by events. Sentenced to be hanged in Dorchester Gaol for their protests against political corruption they are instead, following clemency appeals, transported to Van Diemen’s Land - on the other side of the world. ‘A fascinatingly good read. This book entirely complements the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs - also transported to Australia.’ (Richard Holledge, newspaper editor, freelance journalist - London. As read in the Independent, New York Times & Financial Times. Author of Voices of the M...

Holton Heath's Tragic Explosion

Ten were killed and 23 were injured according to newspaper reports at the time. This made it one of Dorset’s worst ever industrial accidents. Holton Heath employees were blown into unrecognisable fragments necessitating a roll call of the factory’s entire staff before the identities of those killed were identified. Eleven men were originally believed to have been killed but when a roll call was held one turned up. A crimson red plume of acid vapour had towered into the sky resembling the shuddering eruption of a volcano. It was caused by the bursting of a sulphuric acid tank. Close by low buildings vanished and the shock affected houses for 20 miles with roof slates dislodged, ornaments knocked down and windows broken. The sound of the explosion could be heard at Shillingstone some 18 miles away. Closer to the factory, a hoe was wrenched from the hands of a gardener who was flung against a tree. One fortunate employee, Charles Rogers owed his life to having to leave, just before the ...

The Blandford Express

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