This week as councillors discuss the future of Ferndown, it is good to look back on the town, decades earlier in a fascinating book by former Ferndown resident, Brian Davis, entitled, 'Ferndown Before the Bulldozers and Builders Moved In'.

"Less than 60 years ago Ferndown was just a village with gravel road and a scattering of shops. Then the bulldozers arrived and ripped out much of its history. Developers carved new roads, new estates and a shopping area. And with in two or three decades Ferndown grew into the town that we know today. The other Ferndown became just a memory", said Brian, a retired journalist who now lives in Essex.

Born in Ferndown in 1934 Brian who attended Ferndown Council School at Church Road before transferring to Wimborne Grammar School, recalls in his book the beginnings of the transformation and reveals many of the changes that have taken place over the years.

He writes about the everyday memories of ordinary Ferndown folk as well as more famous residents such as the three families, the Stewarts, Trehanes and Hydes who put Ferndown on the horticultural map of the world.

Other characters included Arthur Wareham, owner of the fish and chip shop on Victoria Road, who lost both his legs in an accident at Creekmoor Pottery in 1927. His daughter Joyce joined the Fire Service as a telephonist in 1941 and wanted to be a real fire fighter but women were never permitted to ride on the appliances. After the war she was allowed to remain in the brigade but without pay. Eventually after a battle she was allowed to take her place on the fire engine and became the first female firefighter in Dorset.

"Above Lloyd's was a flat occupied by Ferndown's two district nurses, Doris Maybury and Mollie Rowlands. Their duties included ante-natal and post-natal care and they delivered hundreds of Ferndown's newcomers in the days when the population was increased by new births rather than arrivals form other areas", said Brian.

"Ferndown Golf Club was formed in 1912, and in 1938 Percy Alliss was appointed golf pro there, remaining in the post for nearly 30 years. Percy's son Peter became a commentator on the game, attended Ferndown School before going on to Wimborne Grammar School. Mrs Alliss taught ballet and tap dancing, as well as giving singing lessons, and produced shows at the village hall. During the war she ran The Black Domino concert party, whose entertainers included a young comedian called Tony Hancock".

In 1946 the parish council discussed borrowing money to develop an area for facilities for tennis, bowls and a children's playground and the British Legion Sports Club asked if it could also be used for football. Goalposts were erected and Ferndown FC moved to the ground from St Mary's Hall. One of its members included Len Hawker, the mayor of Ferndown in 1994.

"For nearly 40 years Douglas Gabe ran the 1st Hampreston scout troop, teaching boys good citizenship and patriotism. During the war he was a member of the Ferndown Auxiliary Unit, the volunteer Resistance group, an elite group of local men who would 'disappear' in a secret underground bunker at Belle Vue if Britain had been invaded", said Brian who was one of a gang of boys at Ferndown who later discovered the underground 'den' and made it their own secret hiding place.

When war was declared Ferndown was deemed to be safe from German bombs and thus became the home for a large number of evacuee children from Southampton. Some lived in requisitioned houses but most were placed with households in the Ferndown area. Children attended Ferndown School for half a day each day because the school could not accommodate the village children plus evacuees.

On VE Day there was a small fair in the school playground to celebrate and they had a street party in Clayford Avenue.

The artist Augustus John was a frequent visitor to Ferndown, where he would live with Gerald and Nora Summers, talented and prolific artists, who had a studio at Green Worlds on Wimborne Road near Tricketts Cross. Other friends to visit the studio included artists Stanley Spencer, Henry Lamb and Adrian Daintrey as well as the writer Dylan Thomas and his future wife Caitlin Macnamara.

Pennys Hill crossroads was frequently on the council agenda due to concerns with the increasing amount of traffic. For many years an RAC man had the job of standing in the middle of the junction to direct motorists. It was with great relief when traffic lights were installed in 1956.

'Ferndown Before the Bulldozers Moved In' is available from Brian Davis, 31 Whinhams Way, Billericay, Essex CM12 )HD price £12.99 plus £2 p&p.