Memories of Loders at the Grove, Dorchester (From Dorset Echo)

Memories of Loders at the Grove, Dorchester

11:19am Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Looking Back By Ruth Meech

FOR DECADES Loders garage has been part and parcel of Dorchester’s legacy.

Situated in The Grove, it was the place to go for car repairs, petrol and much more – staff also used to drive patients from nearby Herrison Hospital out for afternoon tours.

Last year the main garage site closed and has been replaced by a branch of Lidl. As a result of this, Ron Beasley, who was born in Dorchester, contacted Looking Back with his memories of Loders garage having worked there for seven years after being demobbed from the RAF at the end of the Second World War.

He has a very vivid recall of the events that occurred and people he met and worked with while working at the garage and was only too delighted to share them with our readers.

He recalls: “After leaving the services in 1947 and spending time on my demob leave, it was time to get a job.

“A friend of mine, Harold Gabe, stores manager of Tilley’s in Trinity Street, Dorchester, mentioned that Claud Loder at the Grove garage was looking for someone to run the stores. He made an appointment for me to attend for interview after which Claud said that he would like me to take the job and if I had any talent, then I could stay.

“I took the job and stayed for seven years before moving on to Express Electrical – in those days Lucas Electrical Agents – in Olga Road, Dorchester.”

When Ron joined the company, Loders was an extensive business selling petrol and also carrying out repairs and overhauls.

Ron said: “The garage covered a wide range of repairs including full engine overhauls, reboring and resleeving. Crankshaft grinding was carried out by Hunt’s Engineering Company of Bournemouth. Arthur Lambert, Hunt’s workshop manager and a very good friend of the Loder family, ran the Bournemouth XHG Motor Cycle Club which ran cycle trials in the area.

“It was at one of these trials that the tragic death of Claud occurred after he completed one of the sections. All the staff, customers and everyone who knew him were devastated and felt for his wife and children. He was a brilliant engineer and an expert at diagnosing engine faults and engine tuning.”

Ron can also remember the names of his colleagues as well as the companies and salespeople who had dealings with the garage on a regular basis.

While he was there the staff members included Jack Dight, who was the brother of May, Claud Loder’s wife, George Bowering, Jack Slade, Sam Palmer, Bert Paul, Bill Churchill, Kenn Dunn, Eric Gould, John Way, Harold Limm and Richard Chubb.

The workshop managers were Jack Hale and Bill Ratchew and the drivers were Stan Harris and Jack Trotter. Norman Burridge was the driver mechanic and working in the office were Ann Loder, Claud’s daughter, Bill Curtis and Mrs Pridle. Sid Combes was the petrol attendant.

The customers that visited the garage and vehicles that were dropped in for repair came from a wide area.

Ron said: “They included Dr Sinclair and Mr Coleman from Herrison Hospital, Mr Frank Mills who was a saddler, Dr Manns, Dr Burns, a farmer called Mr Hobbs, haulage contractor and farmer Ken Miles, Mr Stretfield, Mr hart from the Milk Marketing Board, a farmer called Bert langford and Mr hanson and Mr McCullock of the Weights and Measures Department.

“Others included council road foremen Mr Read, Mr Hodder and Mr Dunne, Mr Farmer from County Hall, brewery director Mr Courage and his daughter, Admiral Sir Lumley Lister, Brigadier Lucas and General Oxley, farmer Charles Budden, William’s bakery, farmers Mr Cake and his son.”

Ron added: “We also looked after Nursing Association vehicles, Rural District Council vehicles as well as cars and commercial.”

Ron has much more to tell of his time at Loders and Express Electrical and we will continue his story on a future week.

If anyone has their own memories of either firm or photographs they would like to share, please do get in touch.