I suggest we have a Bridport Radio Awareness Day. With balloons and publicity and stuff. I further suggest that on a chosen date, ALL Bridport Radio members wear a yellow flower in their button holes to let anyone else who is a Bridport Radio Member know that they are a fellow member (possibly a Bridport Radio Buttercup). Maybe we could have a secret handshake with discount given in Bridders shops? ALSO what's happened to the Bridport Radio party?
There I was, quietly watching the news at 06.00 this morning and there was an almighty 'crunch' right outside my front door. I thought the deer seen some months back was having a party.
No ~ a runaway van had decided that it didn't want to be where it was, so it went for a drive. All on its own, in reverse! Bent the back of the van and a sign post, all on its own!
I'm very pleased the post was there or it would have ended up in my front garden.
Please can someone out there explain to me why there have been two new tennis courts built on public playing feilds when the two existing courts are very rarely full? Surely the money could have been better spent on something else such as a basketball court or all weather football pitch, so that the kids of bridport have something better to do than get drunk and annoy others.
Has Bridport lost its heart? The word in town is that most retailers have seen a sudden drop in trade and takings.
One wonders why, but when I moved here, there was Humphreys’ right in the centre of town which was well known as a meeting point for families as it had something for everyone. Men and women alike. Nothing has replaced the ‘store’ and a golden opportunity was certainly missed by some entrepreneur. Certainly, we have a good selection of small independent traders but Bridport now lacks something to attract people to come and as the Council seems to be anti ‘Big Name’ retailer I cannot see a sudden reversal in the trend. Even the tourists have searched in vain for the ‘store’ in the town centre and are amazed we have nothing ‘interesting under one roof’, of course there is Morrisons Super? Store, but that has only drained customers from the small retailers who in many cases are struggling to survive. What is the answer?
Of course, we have the market, but I wonder why some of them bother to come – and certainly a lot don’t if the weather is even slightly inclement.
The local shops know the town doesn’t get busy on Saturday until about 11.00-ish so why do some many traders start packing up at 1p.m. and start blocking the pavement with iron bars, vans, and boxes just as trade starts to get going.. It’s not all of them, of course, as some stay until the shops close (and I hope they do well!)Surely the Council should put a time stipulation on the traders to stay until at least 4p.m. on a Saturday, just to keep the sales momentum flowing! Or is that too easy?
Even some coffee shops close early – they obviously do not need the cash!
Incidentally, I have been a retailer – shop owner – and worked market stalls so I have more than a little idea about these things…but now prefer to support the Greyhound as a customer.
Let us hope that some of our town councillors read this article to spur them back to life – if that is possible.
So, if anyone out there can give some suggestions, including the shop keepers and market traders, perhaps we can get come up with a solution to put the money back in the tills…
The bells of St Mary's in South Street are a complete eight by Mears of 1924, replacing a Warner eight of 1887. It is said that they were one of the last old style rings to be cast - Mears moved to true-harmonic tuning in 1926 or 1927. However, as with Taylor peals of the 1890s, the Bridport bells show evidence of the transition from one tuning style to the other. Christopher Dalton in his excellent book on Dorset Bells gives full details of the bells and their history and says "one cannot but wonder whether the present octave is any real improvement on Warner's ring". But I quite like these bells; the tenors have a warm, plummy sound; the trebles though flat-primed are quite good; and rung together they have a harmonious effect both in the ringing room and the churchyard, despite a slight wash of old-style partials in the background.
Aborigines The Tasmanian aborigines lived in and around the Bridport area with camps recorded in 1829-31. The Trawlwoolway and Pyemmairrenerpairrener bands of the North-East tribe inhabited the area around Bridport when Europeans first came to the area.
Sealers The first Europeans to frequent this area were the sealers who visited the coast from their bases on the nearby Furneaux Islands in order to capture aboriginal women for wives or barter for skins.
First European Settlers The region from George Town to the George River in the North East was named Dorset after a county in Southern England. The name Bridport along with many others such as Weymouth, Portland, Poole, Seaton, St Albans and Swanage were named by the surveyors who chartered the coast by boat after coastal towns in the county of Dorset.
The first settlers in Bridport were the Andersons (1832), Charles Hardwicke and Peter Brewer. The area was taken up for sheep country as wool was the principal export. Andrew and Janet Anderson whom Anderson Bay is named after were granted 1800 acres at the present day “Barnbougle”. Peter Brewer was granted 500 acres and built “Bowood”.
The settlement grew as a supply centre for small boats taking supplies to the nearby settlements. It became of greater importance as the inland areas were developed.
Boom Days 1869-1889 Two events had a great impact on the development of Bridport. One was the discovery of gold at Waterhouse and the other the discovery of tin along the Ringarooma River. Although the rush was short lived it had an impact on Bridport, a substantial wharf was built for supplies and miners arriving into Bridport and great quantities of tin were transported out.
The port declined in importance after the opening of the railway line from Launceston to Scottsdale. Surrounding farm properties continued to prosper and wool was still shipped from the port but dependent on the tin-carting trade for its prosperity, the population declined and boats no longer called regularly and Bridport had a peaceful interlude from 1890-1910.
By 1900 Bridport was fast becoming a favourite summer resort attracting visitors from a distance to the houses of accommodation for the mild climate, sea and sand.
Re-Birth Era 1911-1920 In 1911 a timber mill was built at Forester and a railway line was constructed into Bridport to transport timber out to Melbourne. This brought in an influx of families to work at the mill and in time the establishment of a fishing industry.
With the introduction of the motor vehicle the town prospered as it became an accessible seaside holiday destination. Bridport developed rapidly and after a Government land sale there were many new holiday homes built.
In 1930 the mill ceased operation and the railway line was removed. Bridport once again became a quiet holiday place.
Today Today Bridport, with a population of approx. 1200, has a fishing and boat building industry and surrounding farms. Bridport has become a popular residential centre for retired people and those working in the Scottsdale district.
It continues to be a popular holiday destination; over the holiday period the population exceeds 2,000-3,000 people.
Here are some old photographs of Powerstock and West Bay of that came to the Bridport Radio desk via Martin Clunes and the Riverside Restaurant. Have you got any pictures from bygone days that you would like to share? Contact Us to find out how. (Please remember that the copyright for these pictures belongs to their respective owners and they should not be used without prior permission).
RESTAURANTS AGAINST HUNGER 2006 the RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT, West Bay would like to thank all their customers for their contributions to this campaign which amounted to £600 The Riverside matched this amount and so the fund received £1,200. Well done everyone.
Here is a collection of images from Bridports past sent in by our readers. Have you got any pictures from bygone days that you would like to share? Or if you have any information about the pictures published here let us know. Please remember that the copyright for these pictures belongs to their respective owners and they should not be used without prior permission.
The Lyric theatre up for sale as 'LAND'. The Lyric Theatre (Formerly Bernard Gale's School Of Dance) in Barrack Street is being advertised by agents Goadsby And Harding, as 'LAND' For Sale? Correct me If I'm wrong, but didn't I see a dirty great stone LISTED BUILDING standing on that very spot for the last thirty odd years of my life? What corrupt game is taking place here. Could it be the planners are scratching each others back again, maybe hoping no one will notice.
There I was, quietly watching the news at 06.00 this morning and there was an almighty 'crunch' right outside my front door. I thought the 
Please can someone out there explain to me why there have been two new tennis courts built on public playing feilds when the two existing courts are very rarely full? Surely the money could have been better spent on something else such as a basketball court or all weather football pitch, so that the kids of bridport have something better to do than get drunk and annoy others.
Has Bridport lost its heart? The word in town is that most retailers have seen a sudden drop in trade and takings.
Aborigines
The first settlers in Bridport were the Andersons (1832), Charles Hardwicke and Peter Brewer. The area was taken up for sheep country as wool was the principal export. Andrew and Janet Anderson whom Anderson Bay is named after were granted 1800 acres at the present day “Barnbougle”. Peter Brewer was granted 500 acres and built “Bowood”.
Two events had a great impact on the development of Bridport. One was the discovery of gold at Waterhouse and the other the discovery of tin along the Ringarooma River. Although the rush was short lived it had an impact on Bridport, a substantial wharf was built for supplies and miners arriving into Bridport and great quantities of tin were transported out.
In 1911 a timber mill was built at Forester and a railway line was constructed into Bridport to transport timber out to Melbourne. This brought in an influx of families to work at the mill and in time the establishment of a fishing industry.
Here is a collection of images from Bridports past sent in by our readers. Have you got any pictures from bygone days that you would like to share? Or if you have any information about the pictures published here 
