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Some trivia about Poole The Most Beautiful Woman in the World? Out of all five Miss Worlds from Great Britain, Poole had two winners – Anne Sidney in 1964 and Sarah-Jane Hutt in 1983. I Spy an Author Born in Poole in 1931, and famous for his spy novels, David John Moore Cornwell is his real name but he is better known by his pen name John le Carre. Poole’s Theory of Evolution Co-Author with Charles Darwin of the ‘Theory of Evolution’ was Alfred Russel Wallace of Broadstone, Poole. Beverly Hills II ! Poole has been home to: Professor J R R Tolkein, author of ‘Lord of the Rings’ & ‘The Hobbit’, the composer Mantovani, ‘Wakey, Wakey’ band leader the late Billy Cotton, entertainer Roy Castle and John Lennon’s Aunt Mimi. Augustus John, the artist, lived at Alderney Manor in Poole. Made in Poole - Poole is famous for the companies it keeps, including: Poole Pottery – hand made Poole Pottery can be found in many leading stores such as Harrods, and Tiffanys of New York, although no longer locally produced it remains a collectable item. Ryvita – Manufacturers of the UK’s most popular healthy eating snack for over 75 years. Penske Cars – Team Penske are the most successful Indy car race team in the history of motorsport. Since 1973 the cars have been principally designed and parts built in Poole. Mathmos – Poole is the home of the Mathmos lava lamp – over ¼ million lava lamps are produced each year. Poole at War The folding canoes known as ‘cockles’ used by the cockleshell heroes, were made in Poole. During the Second World War Brownsea Island was used as a decoy to protect important munitions factories. Poole was the third largest embarkation point with 81 landing craft leaving Poole Harbour for the Normandy shores. Poole was an important centre for the development of Combined Operations, USNAAB established here, plus US Coastguard No 1 Rescue Flotilla of sixty cutters. A US Coastguard ensign is laid up in St James’s Church. There is also a plaque on the quay given by men and women of the United States Coast Guard which commemorates these 60 cutters departing for the Normandy Invasion 6 June 1944, and expresses the appreciation of the kindness of the people of Poole to the crews. British Overseas Aircraft Corporation On 3 August 1940 the first BOAC flying boat passenger flight across the Atlantic by a British Commercial Airline took off from Poole Harbour. Poole was home to the southern headquarters of BOAC until the D-Day evacuations. Radio Fame Marconi broadcast the first ever radio signals from the Haven Hotel at Sandbanks to the Isle of Wight in 1896. Tony Blackburn, who began his career with Radio Caroline and became a well known Radio DJ was born in Lilliput, Poole. Silver Screen The Oscar winning ‘The African Queen’ features footage shot in Poole Harbour. The World War II film ‘Heroes of Telemark’ was filmed on Poole Quay. Part of '2001 – a Space Odyssey' was shot at Compton Acres in Poole. In 2008 - 'Morris a Life with Bells on' starring Sir Derek Jacobi on was shot in Poole with Sandbanks Beach standing in for the golden sands of California. The BBC Drama “The Scolds Bridle” was filmed in Poole – along with the “Missing Postman” featuring James Bolan. The BBC series 'The Collectors' from the 80's was filmed on location in Poole. The main theme music and five more songs from the 1986 Hollywood film 'Down and out in Beverley Hills' starring Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss and Nick Nolte, were recorded at Arnie's Shack (now Active Studios) in Penn Hill by the guitarist from the 'Police' Andy Summers. Smuggling talesOne of the most famous and daring smuggling incidents The Custom House Raid took place in Poole in 1747. 60 armed smugglers broke in to regain a contraband cargo of tea that had been seized. Even earlier, in 1405, the quay was attacked by Spanish raiders, seeking vengeance for the spoils of Harry Paye , the infamous Poole Pirate. His memory is kept alive every year with charity fun day by the Pirates of Poole History of Poole Poole gets its name from a corruption of the Celtic 'bol' and Saxon pool. By the early 13th century it was a town of importance and charters such as the Longspee of 1248 and Montacute of 1371 confirmed its status. The office of sheriff was created by the Great Charter of Queen Elizabeth I, and Poole is one of the few towns still to have a sheriff. The King Charles Inn is named after King Charles of France who fled to Poole in 1830. An Iron Age boat (c295 BC) was discovered in Poole Harbour. The Boat House, Hamworthy has items out of the ship The Mauritaina. Only open to the public during Dorset Heritage week by appointment only. Brownsea Island has been called various names, Bruncksey, Brouneckesey, Brankesey and Branksea before finally settling on Brownsea. Between 1927-1961 Mrs Bonham-Christie, a recluse owned the island and would not allow anyone on to it. David Croft, one of the writers of 'Dad's Army' was a member of Poole's Civil Defence Corps when he was 17! On 21 June 1988 a dramatic fire ripped through the BDH factory in West Quay Road, setting off a series of explosions blowing forty-five gallon chemical drums hundreds of feet into the air. Nearby traffic lights melted in the heat and more than 100 fireman tackled the blaze. In the largest peacetime evacuation in the UK up to 5,000 people and their pets were removed to safety overnight.