Devil’s Bait

While the Town Hall's rat-catcher's are away, Alfred Love (Dermot Kelly) leaves Mrs. Tanner’s lodging house after receiving a call from Mr. and Mrs. Frisby. Outside number 15 Aylesbury End in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

The same door on Aylesbury End in Beaconsfield Old Town rediscovered by Malcolm Tinnelly.

Fortified by a shot of the hard stuff, Mr. Love makes his way to deal with an infestation in the flour store at Joe Frisby’s bakery. Aylesbury End in Beaconsfield Old Town.

The porch has changed, but not the drainpipe arrangement. (SR)

With his mind on another tipple, Mr. Love inadvertently leaves a trace of poison in a damaged loaf tin before leaving the bakery with his payment. Aylesbury End, Beaconsfield with The Star public house to the top left.

Antony Blair found the same row of buildings with just a few alterations.

Desperate for a drink, Mr. Love enters the parlour bar of a pub. Outside The Old Hare public house on Aylesbury End.

Malcolm Tinnelly captured this shot facing the former pub which is currently a restaurant. The 'Tap Room' window survives and the basic colour scheme remains much the same.

Mr. Frisby returns home that evening to find that his wife has used a battered tin to bake an imperfect loaf.

Realising that he has to tell the Frisby's about using the old loaf tin, Mr. Love leaves the pub at closing time and crosses a railway bridge as he weaves his way to the bakery.

Choking on the smoke from a passing train, Mr. Love staggers into the path of an approaching fire engine and falls through a fence onto the railway embankment.

In the morning, the Driver of an engine spots Mr. Love’s unconscious body. Looking towards Beaconsfield station from beneath the footbridge running from Wilton Road to Maxwell Road.

While the contaminated loaf is being purchased by Mrs. Davies, the police arrive to tell Mrs. Tanner that her lodger has passed away. Aylesbury End in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, the northern part of which is also seen in ‘Please Turn Over’.

Antony Blair provides this up to date shot.

When Sergeant Malcolm learns about the poison and makes the connection with Mr. Love's ramblings about a dangerous tin, the police rush to the bakery. Aylesbury End with Wycombe End in the distance and the tower on St. Mary’s and All Saints church to the top left.

Different vehicle, same street by Antony Blair.

Following the Sergeant's visit, Mr. and Mrs. Frisby drive to Mrs. Davis's cottage when they can't raise her on the telephone. The then unnamed Bakery Court on London End in Beaconsfield.

Now with a modern look housing shops and restaurants. (SR)

Outside the bakery, the Sergeant's car moves off to follow Joe's van. Facing west on London End. London End is also featured in ‘The Walking Stick’, ‘Echo of Barbara’, ‘Prudence and the Pill’, ‘Thunderball’, ‘Doctor in Love’ and, at the country end, ‘Take a Girl Like You’.

A closer view from Antony.

The shot pans with the police car joins the main road. Looking east outside number 43 London End in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

Antony Blair captured the same location at dawn.

The Frisby's arrive outside Pear Tree Cottage. Penn Street near Amersham in Buckinghamshire located by Phil Richards.

Phil found the location almost the same as the film, except fewer trees, (now we don't say that very often!) (RL)

When there's no answer at the front door, Joe and Ellen make their way to the back of the cottage. Phil Richards discovered that the house is still called Pear Tree Cottage and stands on Penn Street.

Again Phil found almost the same view. The ground floor extension obscures the view of the house in the background, which incidentally he says, looks the same. (RL)

After Joe Frisby (Geoffrey Keen) finds the half cut loaf inside the cottage, Ellen (Jane Hylton) confesses to Sergeant Malcolm (Gordon Jackson). Pear Tree Cottage on Penn Street in the village of Penn Street, Buckinghamshire identified by Phil Richards.

The porch has gone and the front door moved to the right, however, Phil points out that the roof apex of the original porch can still be seen faintly. (RL)

When a dental appointment card is discovered, Sergeant Malcolm, his Driver, Joe and Ellen get into the car. Phil Richards found the roadway outside Pear Tree Cottage.

No where near the same amount of activity whilst Phil was there. (RL)

The police car speeds away from Peartree Cottage. Facing south on Penn Street towards Penn Street Village Hall located by Phil Richards.

The view down Penn Street remains virtually the same with all the terraced houses and chimneys still in place. Phil spotted that the chain link fence to the war memorial on the common has gone. (RL)

Racing onward, the police car nears a junction as a Morris Minor Convertible approaches on the main road. Looking into Beeches Road at the junction with Stewarts Drive, Bedford Drive and Lord Mayors Drive at the entrance to Burnham Beeches in Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire recognised by Teresa Giles-O’Connell.

The same junction 63 years later. (Steve Randall)

After a collision occurs, a Constable assists to untangle the vehicles allowing the police car to get on it's way before he speaks with Shirley Gordon (Shirley Lawrence) and Barbara Farrell (Eileen Moore). The junction of Beeches Road, Stewarts Drive, Bedford Drive and Lord Mayors Drive in Farnham Common identified by Teresa Giles-O’Connell who grew up just a few doors away from Moorside seen in the left background.

Nice conservatory, but autumn has taken its toll on the hedge. (Steve Randall)

Sergeant Malcolm rushes from the Dentist's practice when he learns from Mrs. Davies that her neighbours Shirley and Barbara had used the loaf to make sandwiches for a picnic. Phil Richards found the property next door to Pear Tree Cottage on Penn Street.

Phil found the dentists house has been significantly extended but the central bay windows remain. And another dentist surgery lost it would seem. (RL)

The shot moves to bring houses on the left into view as the Sergeant runs along the driveway. Penn Street at Penn Street discovered by Phil Richards.

Phil found that the house next door to the dentist hasn't changed with the lean to and the garage almost exactly the same. (RL)

As Shirley and Barbara reach their picnic spot, the Police Driver accelerates away while the Sergeant alerts headquarters. Penn Street in Penn Street, Buckinghamshire identified by Phil Richards.

Once again Phil was able to observe that the view down Penn Street is unchanged including all the houses the other side of the common. (RL)

The Sergeant and his Driver reach the young women as Ellen and Joe look on. Teresa Giles-O’Connell is pretty sure that the crossed trees to the top left give a clue that this is Upper Pond close to Lord Mayor's Drive in Burnham Beeches in Buckinghamshire.