© 2009 -
Past Events: Unveiling of the Poole Park flower bed
27th June 2008
The following is the speech made at the unveiling of the Carpet Bed Display in Poole Park, delivered by Ken Sanson the Commodore of PFBC:
“Councillor Peter Adams, Cllr. Les Burden with Mrs Burden, and invited guests -
Also Sarah Austin Borough of Poole Leisure Services; Mike Parkinson Continental Landscapes;
Mike Heckford Friends of Poole Park; Group Capt. Douglas Cook OBE with Cadet Corporal
Harris of No.149 (Poole) -
This wonderful bed depicting the famous Sunderland Flying Boat celebrates the years particularly from 1939 to 1948 when various types of Flying Boats and Seaplanes flew in & out of Poole Harbour.
In 1940, Poole was the birthplace of BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation)
which took over Imperial Airways Limited and flew passengers and freight from the
Harbour during the War. These services continued post-
During the War Years, RAF Hamworthy was home to Sunderlands and Catalinas of Coastal
Command (Group 19) which served with great distinction on patrol from Poole, and
in finding / attacking U-
Poole Flying Boats Celebration has recently been contacted by people from around the UK, Canada, the USA and even Australia who intend to come Poole to see this carpet bed and our Harbour!
We wish to sincerely thank Mrs Cecilia Grimston for proposing Poole Flying Boat Celebration’s
Diamond Jubilee in marking the last Flying Boat services from Poole during 1948,
to be honoured by this fantastic carpet bedding -
Currently, we are looking at potential ways of informing young people and visitors to Poole about this remarkable slice of history.
Thank you all for coming along today -
The carpet bedding design unveiled at Poole Park, June 2008
