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Letters
Letters Picture of AA box brought back memories
I was greatly interested in the photograph of the AA box at Blackmarsh Farm in your No.9 issue, and I will tell you why. When they were courting, my parents, who lived in south London, owned a tandem and in 1931 and `32 toured the west country. They were returning from one of these trips, which had been to Honiton and Porlock respectively, when they decided it was time to stop somewhere for the night. They asked an AA man at Milborne Port for assistance, who consulted his wife, who was presumably standing nearby, and for some minutes they were deeply engaged in discussion. Then the AA man returned to my parents and said that he and his wife would be happy to put them up for the night. It transpired 66 that the discussion had been as to whether or not my parents were married; and at that time they were not. So it was agreed that my father should sleep with the AA man and my mother with his wife! And so it was. The next morning my parents set off again for London and then stopped for refreshment at Shaftesbury where my father discovered that he had no wallet. So, assuming that it had been left at Milborne Port, they turned round and went back the way they had come. Having retrieved the wallet, they set out again for Shaftesbury and home. Nor is this the end of the story. Every Christmas for some years now my elder daughter has sorted a dozen photographs appropriate to the ending year and had them printed commercially into a calandar as a present for me. In 2020, having no suitable new photographs because of the lockdown she thumbed through the family albums to pick out some pictures for the 2021 calandar. Surprisingly, the photo for January is of my parents on their tandem, very probably on one of these tours: it could conceivedly have been taken at Milborne Port, perhaps even by Jack Voss, the AA man! And since 1st January this picture has been loking down on me every day while I eat my breakfast. I had not even seen the BVM article in your mag until a neighbour, to whom I had related the story last year, drew it to my attention yesterday. When I retired we moved to Stalbridge and In 2000 I took my mother, who was then aged 93, to Milborne Port. Although she could clearly remember these events she had no recollection of the place itself, which was where it all happened nearly 70 years earlier. Richard Kinnibrugh Stalbridge
n I wish to comment on the two letters in the last edition of the NBV objecting to the Lyndon Wall cartoon of the previous edition. Why do people, when they do not get the joke, always adopt a superior attitude? To fully get the joke you would need to understand that it takes a practice from the past, which you would need to be over 50 years old to remember, or have studied recent history. Also, you would need to be abreast of current affairs on radio and TV. If either writer would like to have the joke explained to them I would be happy to oblige, but don’t criticise what you don’t understand. Meanwhile, please do not think of criticising Lyndon Wall – he is simply brilliant. When I look at his page of the NBV, I always cover up the clues and guess at the characters and so good is he that I usually get them in one. Finally, if they don’t get the latest cartoon, then they must have a sense of humour problem. Name and address supplied
n Firstly, it is so great to have you back, the BVM is such an interesting magazine in all aspects, I hope you get all the support you deserve. With the ever increasing population in Stalbridge, together with an increase of dog owners whose dogs need exercising. It is time to bring to people’s attention the amount of DOG MESS left on the ground. This is such a
hazard, not to mention a health danger to children. There have been bags of dog poo left at the entrance to the badger setts in the small wood off Wood Lane (WHY?) Do these people realise if identified and reported there is a fine for this habit? The public are so lucky to live in this lovely part of Dorset, therefore they should appreciate where they walk and give a thought to the owners of the land on which they walk. Please buy poo bags clear up the mess your dogs leave and bin it – there are plenty of bins around the area. Let’s have some co-operation and put an end to this DISGUSTING behavior, so everyone can enjoy a clean countryside. Marcia Forman Stalbridge
n I expect like me that many North Dorset elderly patients who are being vaccinated at Sturminster Newton Health Centre are very grateful and impressed at the efficiency with which this has been arranged and conducted. There were many helpers guiding us and I would not have known I had had an injection if I had not seen it happen – perhaps the E for effort cheekily given should be upgraded to A+! I even nearly came away with a new ‘partner’ being mistakenly thought to be with the gentleman in front of me... but the nurse explained she wasn’t running a dating agency! The whole process was pleasant, efficient, I had my injection four minutes before my time but no one was rushed or flustered. I wore a loose buttoned up, knitted top, loose buttonthrough coat and undoing a few top buttons could easily slip the top of my shoulder out; this meant no pushing of a scrunched-up band of sleeve, especially more difficult shirt sleeves. The injection given into loose exposed muscle at the top of my arm did not and does not hurt afterwards. I have taken the view that I will eat well, rest and keep warm for 21 days to give my body the best chance to make the best use it can of the vaccine. Do have a woollen scarf as with this vaccine there is a 15-minute wait and doors are open for
Cartoon by Lyndon Wall justsocaricatures.co.uk ventilation. Many thanks again – until March. Anne Cunningham. OND ENT RGN CMB.
n I’m sure Simon Hoare felt good when he got that off his chest. Good on him – I quite agree with his comments. There are far too many people like Laurence Fox, who flout the law, either refusing to wear a mask or travelling miles to visit the seaside or faraway beauty spot. When they are caught I suggest they are sent to a covid ward to sit beside seriously ill patients to see how hard our NHS members are working.PREFERABLY without masks or PPE, but then Human Rights wouldn’t allow it. May I propose Simon Hoare as the next Prime Minister. BJ Churchill Shillingstone PS: Many congratulations on your super magazine.
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Land owners should be more tolerant during lockdown.
In my opinion petty signs preventing off road parking at designited footpaths is not only petty it is not in the spirit of we are all in this together
The example shown is of the mean spirit of a large landowner and the benevolence of a small wood owner Steve Topliss Tarrant Keyneston
n How refreshing to read the words used by MP Simon Hoare when he gave a verbal lashing to mummer Laurence Fox over his negative attitude toward protecting against Covid, and not a single offensive word in sight, not one. However it is a mystery to me that at least two obviously woke soaked local snowflakes could read anything 'shameful' into Mr Hoare's crystal clear comment. Well done Simon, and the New BV mag for printing the statement in full. David Gilby Shaftesbury