Issue 159 Newsletter Apr 2005
Contents:
• Editorial
• Helping the Society
• New Members
• James Hehir: "Living the Dream"
• The Ipswich Education Quarter
• Snippets (1)
• Recent Planning Matters
• Licence, Levy or Queue
• Problem Buildings and Owners
• Heritage Open Days
• Our Approach to Planning
• Cultural Strategy Discussed
• The Founding of Gipeswic
• Ipswich Maritime Trust
• Snippets (2)
• Letters to the Editor
• Tayler and Green 50 Years On
• Heavy Goods Vehicles
• The Portman Road Pitch
• Ipswich Parks Panel
• Orwell Park Observatory
• Forests After the 1987 Storm
• Our Dockland Churches
• Ipswich Retailing
• Your Committee
• Members' Outings and Events
Heritage Open Days
This year the Open Days weekend will be 10-11 September. Last year right across the country,
some 800,000 people had free access to interesting buildings that are usually closed to the public or
charge an admission fee. 1142 organisers drew on the energy and expertise of their own staff and
some 26,000 volunteers to make the weekend memorable.
The Ipswich Society will again be organising the event in our town and we expect twenty or more
buildings to be open to the public. Your committee is very grateful to Pauline West who has taken
over this reponsibility from Tom Gondris. We wish her well in her work for the Society, and feel
sure that members and friends will have much to look forward to.
Ipswich Maritime Trust
The Ipswich Maritime Trust is going from strength to strength. A shipping container has been
acquired as a store for maritime artefacts. Members of the Trust have already lined and insulated it.
They have even begun to fill it, so if you have any artefacts you might like to donate please do not
hesitate to contact me. We shall be interested in anything you have to offer.
The Spring lectures introduced in 2004 were so successful that the series has been continued this
year - but in more spacious premises. The new venue is the Ipswich Central Library lecture room.
The last lecture will be on Wednesday, 4 May 2005 on "Ipswich Dock and its Engineers" by Bob
Malster.
Indeed, the interest shown in "matters maritime" and the Trust's projects has resulted in the
introduction of a New Membership scheme. Details can be obtained from:
Fraser Yates, Membership Secretary IMT
309 Norwich Road, Ipswich, IP1 413W
or email fraser@infocomm.co.uk
No commitment is required when becoming a member but everyone will be encouraged to be
involved in events and projects. New ideas and fresh input are always welcome. This might be a
particularly auspicious time to join the IMT as 2005 is designated "Sea Britain 2005”.
In any case, look out for celebrations at our Historic Waterfront during the coming months. (After
all, Nelson was the High Steward for Ipswich in 1800.)
DIANA LEWIS
Our Dockland Churches
Plans are being made to open the three dockland churches again in 2005. As in previous years we
intend to open the churches on Thursday afternoons from 12 May until late September at the same
times as last year:
• St Peter and St Mary at the Quay 2-4 pm,
• St Clement 3-4.30 pm.
•
In addition there will be a special "one-off" opening on Saturday, 7 May (times to be decided but
possibly 10.30-12.30 and 2.30-4.00) as well as during the very busy weekend of Heritage Open
Days, 10-11 September. Friday, 6 May will be a sweeping, polishing and setting up of displays day
for which as much help as possible is needed.
Last year we had a very successful season - over one thousand visitors were glad to have the
opportunity to see inside these marvellous buildings and to enjoy the local history and other
displays. In addition to many local people, visitors came from many parts of the UK as well as from
USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, Greece and Norway. Also among the
visitors were members of the family descended from Sir George Gilbert Scott, whose architect son
did so much excellent restoration work at St Peter's in the 19th century.
None of this would have been possible without the help of a team of volunteers. If you would like
to help, please contact me by phone or email.
ROGER WOLFE
Tel: 01473 726649