Wandering through a forlorn-looking Wimborne Market on Sunday, December 19 – its final day of trading – Malc Thurlby took some poignant photographs of the stalls being packed up for the last time.

“So, today I thought I would pay the market a visit on its last day,” he said. “Many memories – even when I was a boy, when my first pair of slippers were bought there …”

Other residents and visitors were in similarly reflective mood as the reality that ‘their’ market was closing for good after 165 years to make way for a retirement development sank in. And despite a promise from the George family, who own the land, that a new market will be set up nearby, the sadness is evident as folk fondly reminisce over happier times.

“I can remember going with my grandparents when there was a livestock market there each week. “The market used to be the real hub of the town,” said Rog Lou. “Such a shame that over time it has become so run down and a great shame to see the market go. The end of an era for many.” Emma Nutland has cherished memories of the place: “So sad… we recently lost my grandad, Donald Cave, a Leigh Park resident of over 60 years,” she said. “I have such fond memories of shopping the market with him as a child and in later years for veg and essentials while pushing my girls in their prams.” Emma adds: “Grandad always bought me a treat, no matter how old I got.” Another regular, Ryan White from Merley, recalls a cool present. “I remember my mum bought me a watch there that had a touch screen and scrolling world map… thirty years ago!” he says.

The market was established in 1855 by Thomas Ensor, who already had a livestock market in Dorchester. After acquiring fields beside Wimborne’s railway station, which had only opened a few years before in 1847, Ensor set up a Tuesday livestock market.

It was suspended during the Second World War, but livestock trading recommenced in 1955 and continued until 1972. In a letter to businesses and traders, John George, head of the land-owning family, said they’d struggled with the decision to close the site. Part of it read: “It is always difficult and a bit sad to face the end of an era, but I am afraid time never stands still and for many reasons, stall markets up and down the country have declined and closed down.” That he added: ‘But, for many years, Wimborne has benefitted from being a market town with one of the largest and most interesting markets in the south of England,’ offered little consolation for many. Wimborne born and bred, Carole Willis worked at the market when she was a teenager: “My first weekend job was selling flower bulbs there when I was 14,” she says.

“A sad day for the ‘market town of Wimborne’.” Ken Fripp from the town is also saddened by the closure: “Another part of Wimborne slips away. “People hold fond memories of that place in their hearts,” says Ken, who had fun playing cheeky pranks there as a child. “We would hang around the chicken pens waiting for them to lay an egg, grab it, run home and have boiled egg with soldiers. Lovely!”

By Lorraine Gibson
newsdesk@stourandavon.net