The Blandford Express

  It was in the George Inn in Blandford (featured) that an argument between George Seaviour and his married lover, Emma Tanswell led to her tragic death. Originally known as the Three Swans, the pub’s name had been changed to celebrate King George III passing through the town on the way to Weymouth. Emma (28), a married woman, had left her husband about four years earlier and was living with George Seaviour (27) in two small rented rooms. He was a carter who worked for Charlie Coates who was a straw and hay dealer. A Bridport newspaper was to describe Seaviour as ‘somewhat repulsive in countenance..’ Seaviour was drinking in the George Inn in Salisbury Street when Emma entered with friends. He was 5ft 8ins in height, powerfully built  and was described as ‘not well-educated’. An argument broke out between the two drinkers after Seaviour began abusing her using particularly bad language and urging her to go home to her husband and children. Emma claimed during the previous night he tied

In times gone by, Poole was notorious for its fearsome pirates. Among the most terrifying was Poole born Eric Cobham. In his first act of piracy he stole £40,000 worth of gold and goods from a French vessel. From his base in Newfoundland in Canada, he practised piracy on the high seas. It is said he operated out of Sandy Point on the island’s west coast. Throughout his ventures between 1740 and 1760, he was accompanied by his wife, the formidable Maria whom he met in a Plymouth tavern. It was a time when piracy was an all male club and Maria was one of the few exceptions. Both were notorious for their cruelty and for sparing no quarter. Captured crews were murdered with some survivors even used for target practice. This left no witnesses. Then, their vessels were sunk to the bottom of the sea. Chillingly and frighteningly, Maria has been described as Canada’s Pirate Queen . She was definitely not a lady with which to tangle. By all accounts, Maria did not play second fiddle to her husb

  Going for a spin around the Market Place - reckoned to be Blandford's first motor car. North of the town - Blandford's airfield in the 1930s. West Country locomotive Blandford Forum. 1919 transport to Blandford Camp for clerical staff. Bere Regis coaches - gone but not forgotten. Sprackling of Winterborne Stickland's double decker in the Market Place (1930s). Wilts & Dorset bus depot - no More!

Drunkenness was an issue both within and outside the Dorset Constabulary in the mid 19th century. Dorset Constabulary Records - General Orders: 23 rd January 1862. ‘The conveyance of prisoners is one of the most important duties connected with the Constabulary. On 24 th December last a prisoner named Jeremiah Fudge was brought into Headquarters by PC Collins under the influence of liquor. The Chief Constable finds upon inquiry that he was given over to PC Marsh at Buckland Newton who took him to the Royal Oak Inn and gave him a pint of ale having been marched from Sturminster. He then brings him onto Piddletrenthide (4 miles) to PC Collins, who directs PC Marsh to go with the prisoner to the Green Dragon Inn where they were served with two pints of strong beer and PC Collins marched him on from there to Dorchester, going into a public house on his way and of course brings him in drunk. Persons in custody are to be allowed ordinary refreshment and nothing more but it appears that

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