MAX ASKAROFF

BULLDOG ANT

EXHIBITS    FRIENDS    HERITAGE    HOME    LIME PARK    OPEN DAYS    PARKING   TECHNOLOGY    UNESCO

BULLDOG ANT - The real ant, all the way from Australia, is an exhibit at Herstmonceux Museum. With big thanks to Max Askaroff

Maximillian (Max) Askaroff, was one of six brothers, brought up by Igor and Rosemarie Askaroff, the Russian/Austrian entrepreneurs, who escaped from Nazi occupied territory during World War Two. The Askaroff family moved from London to Eastbourne, where Rosemarie and Igor started producing waterproof accessories for baby prams and buggies.

Max is the younger brother of Nikolai and Alex. He traveled to Australia on an extended tour, eventually overstaying the six month limit of his Visa. Resolved amicably, as he was returning to England anyway, but lost track of time. But, actually, we think that Australia suited Max quite well. A good match for his character. And it is a pity that he was shown the door, where he could perhaps have applied for permanent residency, as an entrepreneurial type. Water under the bridge of course.

One good thing that came out of his travels, is that somehow, he managed to capture three live specimens, and bring them back to England around 1979-1980. These animals were a scorpion, a tarantula and a bulldog ant. We can only speculate why, but they were all in one large jar, when Max showed them to Vic, who was providing self employed services various to, Mumsie, at the Simplantex factory. To include decorating and painting at their house in Ashburnham Gardens, in Eastbourne. The subject of a bet royal. That Vic could not paint the hall and landings, without getting any paint on himself. And, he had to wear a suit, not overalls. A Fifty £50 pound bet that he won. And Rosemarie paid, without any fuss as a reward, for the entertainment factor; no doubt. There were a few amusing moments on ladders.

As a friend of Vic, Max knew that the handyman had a formicarium, housing wood ants. Presumably, the reason for bringing back the motley collection of Australian natives. Thus is was that Max presented the bulldog ant (scorpion and tarantula) to Vic. Naturally, Vic was over the moon about the well traveled gift. Which was eventually acquired by Herstmonceux Museum, now an exhibit alongside Anthony, a 300 times full size scale model, used at the basis for Jameson Hunter's stories and scripts: Jimmy Watson's Magic Dinobot & Sectasaur.

Big thanks then to Max for all his efforts in the land down under. Without his very thoughtful gift, the Museum would not have had this interesting exhibit, and those stories might never have been written.

An aerial view of Herstmonceux Museum in 2022, showing the public footpaths north of the generating buildings. Many of which are unregistered, but well trodden for over forty years, from our records.

As an independent, mobile, sewing machine engineer, Alex roamed the Sussex countryside, servicing the machines of hundreds of happy customers. On one such errand, he was called to Potmans Lane, Lunsford Cross, near Bexhill, where he met Ronald Saunders. As Alex serviced Mrs Saunder's sewing machine, they got talking about where they had lived before. Ronald mentioned that he'd lived and worked near Herstmonceux. As Alex listened to the unfolding story, and don't forget that Alex was at the time on the look out for stories to put in his first publication, he asked if Ron

      CHARACTERS

Max's brother Alex. Nikolai Askaroff, was the older brother who had it in mind to demolish what he saw as a liability. That was until he was running short of change, and wanted to secure the skills of his best handyman. Big thanks then to Max, Alex, and Nik.

If you know of any information that may help us complete this story, please get in touch.

EXHIBITS   FRIENDS   HERITAGE   HOME   LIME PARK   OPEN DAYS   PARKING   TECHNOLOGY   UNESCO

Copyright © 2023 Lime Park Heritage Trust. A not for profit organisation with charitable objects.