I concluded Part 3 of my career in the construction industry in the village of Chardstock and I will now move on to the neighbouring parish of All Saints.

The family firm carried out a number of projects at All Saints School and we built a large extension on a difficult site at Dennings Down Farm on the road towards Membury. We also worked at Twist Farm and Oxenways in that same "neck of the woods". At Dennings Down, we encountered "green sand" when we excavated for the extension and thankfully the architects had carried out a survey of the site and were aware of the conditions and how the foundation structure would be constructed.

I had first come across "green sand" when we installed a new drainage system for the council at the rear of Porch Cottages, Smallridge. We dug the foundations for the new sewer and manholes on the first day on site, and packed up for the evening, ready for laying pipes and building the inspection chambers the following morning. However, on arrival the next day, you would not have known that we had been on site – all the excavations had "filled up" to where they were the following day. I soon became acquainted with the properties of "green sand" which is a green coloured mixture of clay, sand and excess water, which literally flows back into position after it has been disturbed.

Moving on to HAWKCHURCH, we carried out a number of tasks for Brigadier Bredin at Castle House. The Brigadier and I had a shared a love of cricket and in his later years, he helped to run the cricket club in the village, for whom he umpired. On more than one occasion, I questioned his eyesight as he sent me back to the pavilion for a very dubious LBW decision!

Just across the road, at CASTLE CROSS, we built an extension and renovated a holiday cottage, with a strict completion date. With just a couple of days to go to, the work was virtually finished – but the site was like a tip and the house needed a thorough spring-clean throughout. There was only one thing for it – my wife Mary sprang to action and by the time the couple arrived, it looked like a new pin – well almost. They couldn't believe it.

In the village of HAWKCHURCH, we put a new roof on the lovely old Post Office building in the centre of the village. Our task was to put in the new timbers and David Trezise, who sadly died just a few years ago, carried out the thatching. David had attended university and in his holidays assisted a local thatcher. He began to love the craft and decided to abandon his university course and train to be a Master Thatcher. The roof on the post office was his very first job as a qualified thatcher.

At HOLDITCH we carried out a considerable amount of work for Vic and Mary Hawkins at Middle Farm and became firm friends with the family, attending the wedding of their daughter Hazel to local solicitor Neil Griffin.

In the Hawkchurch Parish, we also built an extension at BUDDLEWALL. The area was somewhat controversial at the time, as the neighbouring property was a mink farm and there were alleged instances of mink escaping and ravishing the fish population in the river Axe.

Further on, we built an extension for Brian Frampton in THORNCOMBE. Brian and his brother Ron, ran a motorcycle business in the village, until Ron decided to concentrate his efforts on photography and local history. Ron taught photography and his fabulous portraits appeared regularly in the Marshwood Vale magazine. Sadly, Ron Frampton passed away in 2019.

DEPUTY FOR BOMBER OPERATIONS

Another lengthy trip was to NORTH PERROTT, where we carried out extensive work at North Perrott Rectory for Air Marshall Sir Aubrey Ellwood, who was a retired Senior Royal Air Force Commander and Deputy Director of Bomber Operations in the Second World War.

I had a phone call one morning from a gentleman called Charles Church. Initially, I didn't recognise his name, but it turned out to be the founder of Charles Church Developments, who had built up a development empire in the Camberley area of Surrey – and later around the whole of the South East.

Charles had purchased DRIMPTON Manor and as our firm had been recommended, he wanted to meet me on site. This beautiful building was behind the times as far as modern plumbing was concerned and Charles wished to put in a brand new central heating system, which his own heating engineers were going to install, the following weekend …. and they did! There were about 30 rooms in Drimpton Manor and if Charles had one, he had 20 heating engineers from Surrey on site – and they completed the whole installation in one weekend.

However, each room had moulded skirtings, architraves, picture rails, dados, ornate plaster cornices, etc. in abundance. So the work he wanted our skilled craftsmen to undertake was the making good and redecorating of all these features, after his plumbers had hacked everything to pieces. It took weeks – but he didn't mind – at least his lovely house was warm.

Charles Church Developments commenced operations in 1965 and specialised in building luxurious residential homes. Sadly he died in 1989 aged 44, when his Supermarine Spitfire aircraft crashed on landing at Blackbushe Airport. At that time, Charles Church was one of the richest 200 people in the UK. His wife, Susannah continued to run the company for a number of years, when the business eventually became part of Persimmon Homes.

In MARSHWOOD we carried out works for Mrs Wharton and her son Richard, who had a beautiful residence overlooking the Marshwood Vale. The work had to be of the highest standard – money no object!

During the seventies, we carried out two major contracts at LAVERSTOCK, a hamlet which nestles below Pilsdon Pen. Initially, we carried out a barn conversion on an old building at Yard Farm, for a Harley Street doctor. On arrival at the site, and viewing this dilapidated barn, one of our workmen remarked that "this Harley Street psychiatrist needs his head testing"! However, following the conversion, this building was transformed to a most attractive residence.

Whilst working on Yard Farm, we were then approached by an architect, who was developing a massive project at Laverstock House for Sir Frederick Warner. We won the contract for the project and completed the work. Sir Fred, who at that time was British Ambassador to Japan, was a very amiable client, but his wife at that time, Lady Warner, formerly Simone de Ferranti, was not easy!

An interesting situation arose whilst we were working there, as we noticed that at Laverstock Farm cottage, opposite Laverstock House, a couple had moved in. It transpired that this was Lady Antonia Fraser and Harold Pinter, who were involved in an affair which had aroused much interest amongst the press. Lady Antonia was the wife of Sir High Fraser, who was Secretary of State for Air in the sixties. Harold Pinter was a renowned playwright and Nobel Prize winner. Lady Warner and Lady Antonia Fraser were friends. Hence, the use of Laverstock Farm cottage as a hideaway.

Still in Dorset, we carried out a renovation project in WOOTTON FITZPAINE for two ladies, who had previously worked for the Pass family at Wootton Fitzpaine Manor.

Moving into CHARMOUTH, one of the first contracts I successfully tendered for, on returning to the family firm, was a sizeable extension to a residence in Lower Sea Lane. We also carried out major renovations for Mr Boase in Old Lyme Road.

SHIPPING MAGNATE

In LYME REGIS we worked extensively at Holme Cleve on the Sidmouth Road, where we built a conservatory with stunning views over the Cobb, the sea towards Charmouth and Portland in the distance. Our client was J. O. Plowright, a shipping magnate who, from his wheelchair, presided over a multi-million pound company. Although he had travelled all over the globe, he reckoned that the view from his property was the best in the world. Joe Plowright eventually sold Holme Cleve to Ronal Keeler, for whom we continued to maintain this lovely property.

Off Haye Lane, Lyme Regis, we worked on four or five properties in Haye Close. The first of these was for an architect by the name of Mr Peapell, from Humbert, Flint, Rawlence and Squarey, architects from Dorchester, for whom we also carried out the barn conversion at Yard Farm, Laverstock.

We also worked on properties off Clappentail Lane, including constructing a new bungalow in Portland Court for Mr and Mrs Holland and another large extension with fabulous views for Mr and Mrs Sullivan. Further up Clappentail Lane, we carried out conversion works for Charles and Marie Smith. Marie is an artist and art teacher, who works under the professional name of Marie Blake. She has displayed her work in exhibitions worldwide. Charles and Marie now live in Axminster.

In UPLYME we built an extension and carried out other works for Ted and Shirley Hobden in Pound Lane. Ted and Shirley were great bird lovers and I spent some time with them, watching greater spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches from their conservatory.

In Whalley Lane, Uplyme, we built a bungalow for Mr and Mrs Church (not our former medical practitioner!) We were on a very tight budget as Mr Church had bought a huge piece of land to graze and work with the family horses, which didn't leave much in the way of funds for the building of the bungalow!

My career in the construction industry (Part Five – My exit from the building industry) will be in the next edition of "Moulding's Memories"