The Blandford Express

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...

  In 1741 , two men, Will King and Ben Fluel, were publicly hanged in the Market Place for robbing Lady Grace Haynes. In 1742 , scavengers Robert Pitman and Richard Dutton were paid fifteen shillings (75p) per quarter to sweep the streets and remove the dung and filth. In 1744 , Blandford Races were revived after a lapse of several years. In 1752 , a cudgel contest was held in the Sword & Dagger public house. A two guinea prize was offered ‘to the man that breaks most heads and saves his own.’ In 1753 , during this year, eight Blandford girls married soldiers. In 1755 , the famous Damory Oak was felled. It stood 75 feet high and its cavity could hold 20 men. During the Civil War, an old man sold beer in it. Its wood was sold for fourteen pounds. During Blandford Races, cockerel fighting took place regularly in the White Bear and the Cock Inn. Eccentric Jonas Hanway, the first man to use an umbrella in London, stayed at the Lion Inn with friends. In 1756 , thirty Blandford men j...

  During World War I, there was a German Prisoner of War Camp on the Blandford Milldown which opened in June 1917. It held nearly 200 internees who were accommodated initially in three huts and 30 large bell tents. Each tent was lit by lamps but there was no heating. The kitchen was in a shed and tobacco could be purchased from a canteen. As there was no infirmary, all sickness cases were sent to Blandford Camp. There was considerable ill-feeling towards German people at the time and that was often reflected, and frequently encouraged, by newspaper reports. The Weekly Despatch of 6 January 1918 reported that ‘the good people of Blandford are much incensed at what they consider to be undue pampering of a number of German prisoners interned there.’ Apparently, the townspeople were surprised to see at Christmas ‘ batches of their grey clad guests’ entering any shop they pleased and buying what they wished – even tea ‘ by the pound’ as one indignant housewife complained. However, ...

Shapwick’s Charles Bennett was Britain’s first track  and field athlete ever to become an Olympic champion. He won two golds and one silver medal at the 1900 Paris Olympics. Nicknamed the Shapwick Express, Charles Bennett was born in the village on 28 December 1870. He became one of the finest middle distance runners of his time. Charles Bennett won the AAA four mile championship in 1897 and the cross country running title in 1899 and 1900. At the 1900 Paris Olympics, he beat the favourite, Frenchman Henry Deloge to win the gold medal in the 1,500 metres race. His time was a new world record. He then won a second gold medal in the 5,000 metres team race. Charles Bennett just missed an Olympic gold hat-trick by coming second in the 4,000 metres steeplechase. Apparently, he celebrated his victory by visiting the Folies Bergere night club. Despite limited press coverage, when he returned home to England, he was carried shoulder high through the streets of Wimborne. Charles Bennett...