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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 

roger@wolfe4800.freeserve.co.uk

Issue 159 April 2005

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