Skip to main content

Great Blandford Post Office Robbery

 

When a Langton Long postman opened up Blandford Post Office on a Sunday morning in April 1949, he discovered quite a surprise. A London based gang had blown the door of the strong room wide open. The robbers had got away with £12,000 worth of cash, stamps and savings vouchers (about £445,000 in today’s money.) The thieves were apparently aware that the Post Office would be unoccupied from 9.00pm on Saturday evening until its opening early on Sunday morning. 

Post bags had been placed around the door to muzzle the noise of the explosion and the door of the strong room had been completely blown out. The Head Postmaster’s office had also been completely ransacked. The police suspected the raiders made their getaway along the Blandford-Warminster road. So, a 25 mile search was carried out along the road behind walls, hedges and fences looking for gelignite and other equipment. The police regarded the break-in as highly skilled. At the time, Percy Carter was the owner of the town’s two cinemas, the Ritz and the Palace. It was believed the raiders gained access through the cinema owner’s garden. Two large crowbars were discovered in his garden later that Sunday morning.

Five London men were arrested the following month including a sales manager and a company director.

In 1935, the new Blandford Post Office had been opened by Mayor Miss Ellen Castleman-Smith (featured) who was supported by Council members. She was to be the town’s mayor on five occasions. The previous Post Office could be found in West Street and had closed because it was not considered to be a healthy working environment. After the opening of the new building, the Deputy Mayor, Alderman W J Newman bought the first stamps sold across the counter. A dinner was held in the Masonic Hall to celebrate its opening. The chair was taken by Head Postmaster, Mr S Turner and 120 sat down to ‘an excellent dinner.’ At this time, the predominately male Blandford Post Office workforce was around 40 people.

(Illustration: Opening the new Post Office in May 1935)



 


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

Blandford Races

It might not have been Ascot, Epsom or Aintree but Blandford Races was once quite an important event in the county’s social calendar. Blandford Races date back to 1603 and were held on the downs which today would be part of Blandford Camp. Meetings continued until the middle of the 19 th  century with few breaks in between. The longest interruption was when Oliver Cromwell was Head of State and Government. As Lord Protector he was not amused by such events. Apart from horse racing, there were other entertainments. These included wrestling matches, cock fighting and dancing. Much feasting took place which was highly lucrative for the town. In 1780, cudgel playing was advertised and resulted in a Shaftebury man losing his left eye. This was then replaced by a sword and dagger contest between the gentlemen of Dorset and Somerset. One of the race patrons was Lord Palmerston who was later to be Prime Minister. In 1824, he had had a winner, Luzborough in the Dorsetshire Gold Cup. No...
2 comments
Read more

Dorset History 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