In 1899, Blandford railway station sold 120 five shilling (25p)
special excursion tickets to visit the Birmingham Onion Fair.
In 1900, there were 20 public houses, 10 butchers, 8 grocers and 5
greengrocers in the town. Local born athlete and railwayman, Charles Bennett,
known as the ‘Shapwick Express’ celebrated winning his gold
medal in the Paris Olympics by visiting the Folies Bergere night club. When the
River Stour burst its banks, shops in West Street were flooded and guests in
the Crown Hotel had to make their exits by way of a ladder from the hotel’s
first floor. Two old fire-fighting machines belonging to the town’s Volunteer
Fire Brigade were put up for sale but there were no takers. Hector’s Brewery on
the banks of the River Stour, and acquired by Hall & Woodhouse in 1882 was
destroyed by fire.
In 1901, following the news of the death of Queen Victoria, a day of
mourning was declared in Blandford and all business was suspended. ‘VR’ and ‘RIP’ were displayed in bold white letters in front of the Town
Hall. A large procession assembled and marched to the church where a service
was held with many in the congregation unable to find seating. A four and a
half feet wreath was sent to Windsor which read, ‘In memory of our beloved Queen Victoria from the loyal mothers and
daughters of Blandford Forum. January 31st 1901.’
In 1902, Blandford born George Vince died in an accident in Antarctica
when serving in an expedition led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott. A wooden cross was erected by the
members of the expedition in his memory and it continues to be maintained by
the nearby US and New Zealand Antarctic bases. A procession marched down
Salisbury Street to welcome back the Blandford volunteers that had fought in
the Boer War.
In 1904, a traction engine crashed and
turned over on Stickland Hill.
In 1905, led by volunteer fireman Jack New, Blandford’s Mouth Organ
Band was extremely popular. Their presence was frequently requested to play at
concerts and social events across the county. A fire broke out in a Spetisbury
bakery and at one time the heat was so fierce that one half of the village was
cut off from the other. Fire engines from Wimborne and Blandford attended the
fire.
(Illustration: Blandford Mouth Organ Band.)
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