Place names of Calne: Bodinnar House

Bodinnar House

Bodinnar House was built as part of the Coleman's Farm housing scheme c. late 1960s. Named for Sir John Bodinnar (1895-1958), who came to Calne to work for C & T Harris and in 1917 became the managing director[1]. This began a period of expansion and modernisation for the Harris company, including new sausage and small-goods factories. Bodinnar also set up a Works Council, a works magazine, welfare schemes, a pension scheme, and sports activities, along with flower shows and Christmas carnivals. He was mayor of Calne three times between 1925 and 1927.

Bodinnar was also a Govenor of St. Mary's School, Calne, providing guidance and making financial arrangements for building schemes there, for his services to the school a dormitory is named after him[2]. He had to resign during the War due to his national commitments, but rejoined the Governing body after the War.

Bodinnar would gain his knighthood for his services to the country during the second World War, as Commercial Secretary and Head of Supply Department, Ministry of Food, 1941-45. He was Commercial Adviser to the Ministry of Food in 1946, and President of the Food Manufacturers Federations between 1947-49[3].

By all accounts, Bodinnar seems to have been a man of great business ability and charm, who made himself a man of Calne. Calne reciprocated by presenting the Freedom of the Borough on 4 June 1953[4].

His death was widely reported with one paper using the headline "Wartime Food Chief Dead", two charities were set up in Boddinar's name:
Sir John Bodinnar Prize In Connection With Calne Sec Mod School, which was a prize to encourage all round qualities and basic prinicples which make for character, loyalty, smypathy, and complete development with the aim of producing the leaders of tomorrow, which was registered in 1962 and ran until all the funds were spent in 2012, and
The Sir John And Lady Bodinnar's Trust (The Boddinar Trust), which makes grants to individuals residing in Calne and Calne Without to relieve need, hardship, or distress.




References:
[1] Other industries | British History Online. 2019. Other industries | British History Online. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol4/pp220-253. [Accessed 25 October 2019].
[2] St Mary's Calne News Sheet - 44, October 1959.
[3] Cook, C., 1975. Sources in British Political History, 1900-1951, Volume 2. 1st ed. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd. 
[4]  Sir John Bodinnar,  Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 14 March 1953 [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001671/19530314/280/0012 [Accessed on: 25 October 2019]