Guestbook entries

Guestbook entries at the Fore Street Facelift 1961 exhibition

During the two weeks of the exhibition in October 2015 at the UCS Waterfront Building there were 192 visitor entries (some were for more than one person) in the Guestbooks; some just signed, others also left comments. Here is a selection of comments with initials in italics of the visitor. We have omitted the one's that go: “Great exhibition - well done Ipswich Society!”, although we appreciate them all.

1.10.15. Very interesting, especially the comparison photos of Fore Street past and present.

2.10.15. Brilliant. Lots of hard work involved. Thank you. B. & H. C.

2.10.15. Excellent exhibition of Ipswich Soc. effort - then and now. B.H.

3.10.15. Visiting friends for the weekend. Good to come. B.B., Shetland Islands

4.10.15. The two photos of the tram outside the Social Settlement - on the left hand page of the ‘Historical photographs' folder - are early 1904. Dated by the details of the trams. B.M.

4.10.15. On duty, so time to take it all in at last! All excellent. The architect's drawings are particularly fabulous. C.M.

3.10.15. Sound on TV cannot be heard if one person is talking the other side of the hall or walking, so missed any information about the transformation of Fore Street. A great pity, I would like to know and learn about the town we now live in. C. & G. F. [See reply to next entry]

5.10.15. Interesting display and film - it would have been even better if I could have heard the commentary - volume too low and noisy location. J.G. [As ever, we were subject to limitations of technology and noise from passers-by. For those with access to the internet, both films can be viewed on our Audio/Film page with good sound.]

6.10.15. Very interesting. Brings back many memories of childhood up to 1978. J.B., Dedham

7.10.15. Thank you for putting on this display, fascinating to see how the area has changed. J.E., Witnesham

8.10.15. Joining! Can't wait. W.A.

8.10.15. A very interesting display of the treasures Ipswich had or has to offer! J. B-O.

8.10.15. All looks really interesting - like the mag. Well done. J.A.

8.10.15. V. interesting. Looking for photos of No. 72 Fore Street (haberdashery or cloth?) owned by our great aunt. R.S.

8.10.15. A fascinating look at OLD IPSWICH - a terrific exhibition! M.J., Debenham

8.10.15. Very interesting. Will join. M.B.

9.10.15. Your efforts to put on this display are very much appreciated. Very interesting. E.W., Colchester

9.10.15. Very enjoyable. First visit to Ipswich - nice town. T.B., Carmarthen

9.10.15. As ever, good! More than that - fabulous! R.S.

9.10.15. What have they done to our Town - when will they put it back together - “too late”? I was in the Civic College that year - now pulled down - it was brand new. Fond memories. R. & J. B.

9.10.15. Trip down memory lane! Wonderful! The M.G. - Wow! My family car! S.E.

9.10.15. One of my earliest memories was coming into town with Mum to see the Queen. We waited forever, it felt to me, as I was only 2. Would I like a flag?, Mum asked - of course I would! Finally the Queen passed us in a magnificent car, wearing a yellow hat and dress. I waved that flag so hard. B.R.

10.10.15. So nice to spend time learning about Ipswich. C.G., Earls Colne

10.10.15. Very well presented. Nice to remember it. M.L.

11.10.15. A walk down memory lane. Great pictures and drawings. M.M.

12.10.15. Used to live on Fore St, so interested to discover some history! K.W.

12.10.15. Remember this only too well Lovely memories. Thank you. M.H.

12.10.15. Great exhibition. A shame the stall of information & Visitors' Book are hidden, could be on show more (where the Ipswich Society volunteers sit).

12.10.15. Great to see the old photographs of yesteryear. D. & J. T.

13.10.15. The exhibition makes me angry at how my home town has been trashed. P.T.

13.10.15. Well put together exhibition, very interesting, revived a lot of old memories. 13.10.15.

14.10.15. Very interested in Fore Street - ancestor connection: Abraham RAPHAEL, Outfitter & Hatter. He was born 1810, came to Ipswich 1839 at 64-66 Fore Street. He had 5 sons and 1 daughter.

14.10.15. Many memories revived. I was at Portman Road (with others from Tower Ramparts [School]) that day and attended the Civic College full-time from 1961-1963. Happy days and well done to all for putting on this exhibition! G.H.

15.10.15. A wonderful exhibition, bringing back so many memories. It was good to see so much of the Ipswich Civic College where I attended as a student in the 1960s. C.Q.

15.10.15. My grandmother, E. Spurgeon, lived at 34 Fore St - demolished. J.M.

15.10.15. Fascinating to see Ipswich as I never knew it. C.Y.

15.10.15. Wonderful exhibition - even spotted my Dad, a very young marine trumpeter! J.W.

15.10.15. Really enjoyed trying to spot myself on the pitch at Portman Road!! J. & A. F.

16.10.15. Tolly & Cobbolds were not originally as one and referring as Tolly/Cobbolds plant is not correct; it was only Tolly bottling plant until both were amalgamated later [in 1957, so 'Tolly Cobbolds' is correct in 1961- the organisers]. N.Y.

16.10.15. Lovely to see the before and after pictures - some I remember. Such a shame some more of the buildings didn't survive. J.K.

16.10.2015. At some stage my Great Uncle Arthur JOLLY kept JUBY'S Butcher's Shop on the Dock side of Fore Street. Meat tickets have survived amongst many other papers from my father's farm. I would be interested if any photographs exist of the butcher's shop. M.J.

16.10.2015. Now to revive it to its further glory. B.G.

16.10.15. Little boy waving the flag in the News film - Guy Eaves, aged three-and-a-half, Mike Atkinson's cousin.

16.10.2015. I would be intrigued to know what happened to the impressive front of Paul's office building in College Street. A.C. [We believe that Paul's grand doorway is in store somewhere and it was intended that it would be incorporated in new buildings…]

16.10.15. I was in the USAF at Bentwaters and Woodbridge '64-'68. D.D., USA

28.10.15. That was a great exhibition. Well done the Ipswich Society volunteers who gave up so much of their time. P.T.