Blandford Throwback Facts XXVI

In 1954, local amateur dramatics and concert party, the ‘Footlight Follies’ put on its annual show in the Palace Cinema in East Street.

A 42 year-old bachelor and Blandford Electricity Board clerk won £50,500 on the football pools.

In 1955, minesweeper HMS Durweston was launched in Hamworthy. It had a remarkably short service life and was sold to the Indian Navy in 1956.

Blandford celebrated its 350^th anniversary by a week of entertainments and the visit of a Government minister. The Dorset Regiment was granted the Freedom of the Borough and marched through the streets with bayonets fixed. A tree was planted by the Mayor to commemorate the event.

A Secondary Modern School was built in Lord Portman’s former deer park.

In 1956, Stourpaine & Durweston and Charlton Marshall railway halts closed as economy measures. However, the latter was still used until 1961 for special trains carrying Clayesmore School pupils.

In 1957, located on the north side of East Street, the Ritz cinema closed.

In 1958, there was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) raid on Blandford Camp resulting in a young soldier being shot. Corporal Frank Skuse, who claimed he led the raid, later emigrated to the USA.

In 1960, the Royal Corps of Signals moved to Blandford Camp.

In 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, four Royal Air Force nuclear bombers were relocated to Tarrant Rushton airfield ready to take off loaded with nuclear weapons at a moment’s notice.

In 1963, Blandford Forum station was mentioned in the Flanders & Swann song, the ‘Slow Train’.

Mr Leo Jay operated a hand-knitted Blandford glove business selling its products in major London shops.

Hall & Woodhouse acquired Gillingham’s long-standing family business, the Matthews Wyke Brewery.

During a severe winter, the River Stour froze over near Blandford Bridge.

(Illustration: Blandford's severe 1962/63 winter)

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True Lovers Knot - a Tragic Tale

True Lovers Knot public house describes itself as a traditional inn set in a picturesque Dorset valley in Tarrant Keynston. Yet, this historical hostelry is said to have gained its name from a particularly tragic tale and still to be haunted by a distressed former publican. This publican’s son met and fell in love with the daughter of the local squire. Because the young lad was not from the gentry they decided to keep their relationship secret from her father. Unfortunately, a stable hand saw the two young lovers together and told her father. Set firmly against this friendship the squire made plans to send his daughter away from the district. Not able to face up to life without her boyfriend, the young girl decided to commit suicide and hanged herself from a tree in the village. So upset was the publican’s son of hearing of his girlfriend’s death he too hanged himself from the same tree. The Tarrant Keynston publican had, himself lost his wife at child birth and now losing his s...

Holton Heath's Tragic Explosion

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 ...

Tarrant Rushton's Nuclear Secret

Tarrant Rushton was a large RAF base used for glider operations during World War II. It was then taken over by Flight Refuelling for the conversion of aircraft for the development of aircraft in-flight refuelling. However, between 1958 & 1965, the Tarrant Rushton airfield had a much more secretive and less publicised role. This was in support of the nation’s nuclear bomber deterrent, as Tarrant Rushton airfield became a QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) dispersal unit. During 1958, contractors Costain reinforced the main runway and carried out other work to ensure the giant bomber aircraft could be accommodated. At times just a few miles from Blandford, there would have been up to four RAF Vickers Valiant bombers at Tarrant Rushton ready to become airborne in minutes charged with nuclear weapons. The bombers were from 148 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk. As there was no suitable accommodation at the airfield, an old US Air Force Hospital building at Martin was used. At the time,...

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