Miscellaneous News

Suffolk Country Homes and their Estates, c.1750-1850

This course at Belstead House. 4-6 May, is possibly the last of the popular weekend courses organised by the Suffolk Local History Council, owing to the proposed closure of the House by Suffolk County Council. The course explores the building and re-building of some Suffolk estate houses, the making of their parks and gardens and management of their estates, A coach trip visiting gardens of the period is included. For booking information contact Belstead House, Sprites Lane, Ipswich, IP8 3NA. Tel: 01473 686321. e-mail belstead.house@suffolk.gov.uk Their website is www.belsteadhouse.co.uk

Ipswich Record Office, Free Open Day, Saturday, 14 April, 9am-5pm.

This special day will be hosted by Ipswich Record Office and Ipswich Building Society. Three guided walks for adults and children will be led by Margaret Hancock. She will explain how Ipswich Building Society helped working people to get a stake in property in the Bramford and Norwich Road areas and show how you can learn more about their lives from the census and Record Office archives. In this way you can learn how to begin your family and local history research using the county archives. There will also be strongroom tours, a second hand book sale and activities for children. Although the day is free of charge, booking is essential via Ipswich Record Office, Gatacre Road, Ipswich, IP1 2LQ, tel: 584541 Ipswich.ro@suffolk.gov.uk

Road Maintenance and Libraries

Ipswich Borough Council has been responsible for maintaining most of the roads in the town on behalf of the County Council. This responsibility will be taken over by SCC and then transferred to a private company in April 2013. At the same time the county's 44 libraries will be transferred to a new body, an Industrial and Providential Society. Whatever one thinks of the reasons for these moves, maintaining the resulting quality for us as users is surely a demand we can all share.

A Little Known Ipswich Product?

Most members are likely to know something about the engineering and other manufacturing activity which used to take place in Ipswich. But sewing machines? It has been brought to our attention that high quality machines were made here in the late 19th century by Whight & Mann at their Gipping Factory, New Station Road and sold from 39 Buttermarket (and in Holborn). Their Prima Donna is a collectors' item now. But they also imported German and North American models. Apparently re-badging and competition led to closure in 1884.

A Critic's Parting Words

Jonathan Glancey who gave us a memorable talk in our anniversary year, 2010, has left The Guardian where he has been architectural critic for 15 years. Amongst his last words in his final article he wrote what could be the key criteria for societies like ours. "But what really matters today is the creation of good homes for millions of people, and the nurturing of towns and cities that are lovable yet distinct from one another."

Language changes - for good or ill!

The English language has always been remarkably fluid, but sometimes it's hard for older people to accept changes. The Newsletter has previously been prickly about "train station" replacing "railway station" which is said to have started in 1960. But what about today's "it's down to you" instead of "up to you" or a person feeling "good" instead of "well"?