Skip to main content

Mischievous MP & a Boozy Barber

Francis Fane was the silent but rather mischievous Dorset MP who loved a joke and can  also be regarded as the founder of the village of Spetisbury. Francis Fane was born in the village in 1750 and served as the Member of Parliament for Dorchester from 1790-1807. In line with his taciturn reputation, there is only one record of him speaking in Parliament where he raised just a single question.

One day Frances Fane was travelling up to London sitting comfortably inside a horse drawn mail coach when sitting above, in the open, was a barber from Dorchester. The latter’s heavily laden coat pocket hung temptingly over the MP’s open coach window. Francis could not resist slitting the inviting pocket and salvaging its contents which turned out to be a large bundle of bank notes. These had been entrusted to the barber to deliver safely to London. When the Dorchester hairdresser realised his loss he was in a state of apoplexy and extreme desperation. The mischievous MP then produced the banknotes and by way of recompense offered to treat the unfortunate crimper to a splendid meal at the White Horse Cellar hostelry in London’s Piccadilly.

This ‘grande bouffe’ was arranged for the afternoon of the barber’s scheduled return to Dorset. In its heyday, the White Horse Cellar was one of the best known coaching inns in England. It was the starting point for many westbound mail coaches and was renowned for its huge, juicy beef steaks and extensive wine cellar. During the splendid feast, the Dorchester barber was plied with and enjoyed much liquor so much so that Francis Fane had to help the sozzled inebriate up onto the Dorchester bound mail coach. However, when the hung over traveller finally arrived in Dorchester he could not find the town water pump next to which was his hairdresser premises. This was because the mischievous Spetisbury born MP had placed his unfortunate former travelling companion on the mail coach to Dorchester in Oxfordshire rather than Dorchester in Dorset.

Francis Fane lived at Spetisbury House and can be regarded as the founder of the village of Spetisbury. The place name has Anglo-Saxon origins meaning 'the ancient earthwork frequented by the green woodpecker.' The village is an amalgamation of three separate manors and it was Francis Fane who brought these manors together under a single ownership.

Francis Fane died in November 1813.

Illustration: White Horse Cellar, Piccadilly, London.

(Source: Western Gazette December 21st 1900)

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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...
3 comments
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blandford’s Magpie Mick

Do you remember Mick Robertson - presenter with Jenny Hanley on ITV children’s programme Magpie  in the 1970s? For many years, Mick lived just outside Blandford in the village of Ibberton in the shadows of Bulbarrow Hill. Living nearby was Jack Hargreaves another television presenter and writer who had a keen interest in the North Dorset countryside.  Initially, Mick trained as a teacher before working in television as a researcher. After presenting Magpie, Mick produced many award winning programmes for children. In 2007, he was given the Special Children’s BAFTA Award for his television work . Although now retired Mick retains an interest in television as a family member is the Executive Producer on the popular television series the  Repair Shop. He is a lifetime follower of both County Cricket and Portsmouth Football Club. Together with  ex-Magpie presenting mate Tommy Boyd,  he is a regular contributor to internet radio station  Pompey Sound.  Mick...
Post a Comment
Read more