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Contents 


Editorial       

The parable of the three bridges   

New members      

Penshurst Place visit   

Chairman’s remarks     

Tidal barrier    

Planning matters      

Maritime Ipswich & the Island buildings 

Success for the University of Suffolk   

Letters to the Editor   

Photoeast      

IBS World War I exhibition  

Snippets       

IBC's Local List    

The Wolsey tondo continued    

St Clement Memories & Recollections 

Street scene      

Public clocks in Ipswich   

Norwich Road improvements               

River valley cycling and the town centre 

Unmanned level crossings  

A-Z of Ipswich reviewed   

Book review: Christchurch Park  

Ipswich Society contacts / Diary dates 

Brickmakers Wood - forthcoming talk 

Ipswich clock faces  


Ipswich Cornhill, September 2018 – see pages 3 and 9.


Editorial 

Something to look forward to: from 24 November to 28 April 2019 Christchurch Mansion plays host to Auguste Rodin’s famous sculpture The Kiss with supporting exhibits. This follows successful shows of John Constable’s large Salisbury Cathedral with rainbow painting and the Wolsey’s angels exhibition. 


At the request of my predecessor as Editor, Neil Salmon, this issue sees the return of the regular column Street scene, once written by local architect Adam Gordon for this Newsletter. This will keep us all up to speed with many of the changes in our town. Tim Leggett contributes a bumper two-pager to start us off on page 9, plus the cover and inset monochrome photographs. 


Talking of the cover, our July 2018 splash of full colour front and back pages garnered praise from readers and requests for it to be a regular feature. So it will be. 


Axeman, spare that tree – oh, too late… 

Visitors to the Maritime Ipswich Festival might have had something of a shock when walking past the Question Mark sculpture towards the university car park. The ‘clearance’ of trees for The Hold site sure was thorough. Heavy work on the preparation of the site is in full swing.                     

Robin Gaylard 


Chairman’s remarks 

The future of the ‘new’ Cornhill 

One of the difficulties experienced when the market was trading on the Cornhill was that there was never a two or 

three day window of opportunity for other events.  Even one day events that needed the previous day to ‘set-up’ couldn’t happen without disrupting the market. 


When the market moved to the Cornhill from the Civic 

Centre car park (off Lady Lane) in 2002 there was an attempt to allow the Valentine Pleasure Fair to continue to operate in the centre of town, but this simply didn’t work.  


Given that the future of town centre retail is not looking rosy, we all – especially the local authority – need to do some things differently to maintain footfall, increase visitor numbers and attract residents from a twenty mile radius into the county town. 


One possibility is to leave the market where it is, in Queen Street, Giles Circus and upper Princes Street.  Queen Street has been pedestrianised and an underground electrical supply to each pitch has been installed.   


The Giles Statue was moved to its current location in 2010, the surrounding paving was renewed in York stone, but there is no underground infrastructure for the market.  Today, on market days, the electrical supply is overhead: a melée of wires and cable ties. 


Upper Princes Street, the length between Giles Circus and the Cornhill was resurfaced in 1988 at the same time as the ‘golden mile’ but it isn’t included with the new surfacing to the Cornhill this time around.  Should the main stalls of the market remain in this location, they still won’t enjoy an underground electricity supply, there is no running water and the stalls will stand on the old brick paving between two new sections of natural stone.   


Remaining here will, however, allow a multitude of different events to take place on the new Cornhill, particularly on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday as a long weekend event. 


Events such as cultural festivals could move from other parts of the town, notably the parks, ensuring an audience for performance, dance and street theatre.  Charities could promote themselves and local societies could set up a stall to attract new members, bands could perform and people could gather to mark special occasions, much as outside the Foyer in Norwich. 


Moving the market off the Cornhill and using the space for alternative activity is not my idea but rather the view of Stuart Rose who came to Ipswich in 2012 to tell us how to improve the town.  Keeping the market traders where they are is likely to be endorsed by the Borough Council before the Cornhill repaving work is complete.   


Do we accept the fact that the market isn’t coming back on to the Cornhill as a faît accompli or do we fight, insisting the Council keep its promises?  Do email the Secretary and let us know. 

John Norman 


Planning matters 


57 Henley Road. The owners have lost their appeal to build a house in the rear garden opening 

on to St Edmunds Road. It has now been sold with planning permission to convert to six flats. 

Hopefully, the new purchaser will return it to its real function as a large Victorian family house. 


241 Sidegate Lane. SCC have sold this care home for 35 elderly persons to IBC who hired 

Nicolas Jacob to design the conversion to accommodate 45 homeless people. This is more than 

ever desperately needed but some 200 locals raised two petitions and many written objections on 

the grounds of exposing themselves and their families to undesirables. The application was 

passed after considerable acrimonious discussion. 


Clifford Road Primary School. Suffolk County Council have applied for planning permission 

to continue replacing the fine Edwardian wooden windows with inappropriate aluminium which 

they have started to do without permission and propose to continue in the same vein. It is unclear 

who determines this application. This is a cheap solution to a problem and SCC should 

reconsider their proposal. 


3 Elsmere Road. The owner has applied to fell two fine oak trees in his back garden. They are 

part of a grouping of mature trees situated on the north east boundary of, but yards outside, the 

Park Conservation Area. They are about 100 years old and in excellent condition. Though in a 

rear garden they are easily visited from the road and indeed Henley Road. Situated in what was 

Tinker's Hole by a now lost right of way, they are protected by a Tree Protection Order. The 

proposer claims they are dangerous and deprive his proposed extension of light; the trees appear 

to be in excellent condition and are many yards to the north of any future building. We and the 

neighbours consider it would be wrong to fell these magnificent trees. 


Westerfield House, Humber Doucy Lane. This is a proposal to build a new assisted-care 

village concept to the rear of the listed buildings. The new buildings would be modern in design 

(by KLH Architects). So much extension has taken place on this site which is largely out of sight 

and does not affect the core building adversely that it is acceptable. We are however concerned 

by the proposal for two “directors’ houses” close to the road. 


It had escaped my notice until now, but others may have known… 

In October 2017, as part of Historic England's assessment of English schools 1963-1988, Birkin 

Haward's  Sprites Lane Academy Primary School has been Listed Grade II. 

The main points of interest are its hyperbolic paraboloid roofs, probably the oldest surviving 

ones in the country, and the five cement relief panels by local sculptor Bernard Reynolds. 

The Listing entry contains a very full description of the buildings, methods of construction and 

their surroundings. These are vital for the whole to be protected in the future. 

Additionally, it has a biography of Birkin Haward. 

This a notable addition to the C20 architectural heritage that has been acknowledged nationally: 

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1441403 

Then in May it was announced that another Birkin Haward school building had been Listed 

Grade II. The library and classrooms of Ipswich School in Ivry Street were built between 1980 

and 1982 with stained glass designed by John Piper. Substantially intact, it is Birkin Haward's 

last design and expresses his interest in linking modern design and older materials to the Listed 

original school: 

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1436599 


+A reminder: nominations of good/interesting buildings (NOT in a Conservation Area) will be 

gratefully received – you have until next spring to add to the Borough Local List (see page 18 of 

this issue). 

Mike Cook 


Success for the University of Suffolk

Each year the Guardian publishes its University Guide for the whole country. June 2018 saw 

Suffolk’s BA (Hons) History degree ranked 5th out of 96 institutions, above Bristol, University 

College London, Nottingham and Warwick. The top four in this subject were Cambridge, 

Durham, Oxford and St Andrews: excellent company to be in and putting UoS in the top 6% in 

the U.K. 


The University of Suffolk’s BA (Hons) Photography degree did exceptionally well too, being 

ranked 10th out of 67 institutions. Other courses featuring in the top thirty included Design 

(26th out of 75), Hospitality & Tourism (28th out of 48) and Health Profession (28th out of 

72). BA (Hons) English rose 43 places in the guide to 33rd out of 105, whilst Criminology was 

31st out of 64 and Sports Sciences ranked 37th out of 76. 


Nationally, the UoS was ranked 13 places higher than the previous year at 102nd in the 

country. Given that many other universities are long-established and (much) greater in size, this 

is a most creditable result for the university based in our town. It builds on an award for 

research excellence and, in particular, that into stem cells in recent years. 


Photoeast 

Without the University in our town, it is quite possible that this biennial photography festival 

would not have been based here. For four weeks over May and June 2018, the second 

Photoeast took place to much acclaim. ‘We know what we’re doing now’ quipped 

Saxmundham resident, Patron of the festival and renowned photographer, Eamonn McCabe at 

the launch event. The hard work of the organisers and many volunteers ensured that a full 

programme of free lectures and exhibitions were well-attended and of a high standard.  


Over thirty photographers showcased their work on and around the Ipswich Wet Dock, utilising 

unconventional spaces such as Gillian Allard’s work with refugees in La Tour Café (well worth 

a visit for refreshment and restoration) in the empty shop-spaces below Cranfield’s old mill, 

exterior billboards and gallery spaces. ‘What does it mean to belong?’ was the question 

addressed by the contributors. 


Unafraid of experimentation and new directions for photography, this year featured a camera 

obscura on the upper level of the Waterfront Building and a dance, video and photography 

performance, Carte Postale in the DanceEast main studio space.  

 

A highlight was the showing of Mark Power’s Shipping Forecast exhibition in the Waterfront Gallery – the twentieth time it has been aired worldwide. Inspired by a tea-towel depicting the shipping areas around our coasts, 

Mark resolved to make photographs in every area, no mean task when some of them don’t include any coastline. This involved much travel to far-away places and the capturing of quirky photographs including an empty beachwith two beach towels laid out, one in shadow, and an interior of a weather-spotting aircraft in flight over the ocean. Mark’s presentation about the show, chaired by McCabe, was equally intriguing and anecdotal. ©Mark Power


We should be very glad that this prestigious festival is staged in Ipswich 

featuring top-of-the range exhibitors and academics, many of whom were present.   R.G. 


Snippets 

Heritage talks at Quay Place 

10 October: Ropemaking and allied trades in Ipswich, Des Pawson. 24 October: A history of 

the Ipswich river in photographs, Stuart Grimwade. Both at 7 to 8.30pm; 

info@quayplace.co.uk or 01473-569696 to book. 


Brightwell Lakes, the planned 2,000 new homes immediately south of the BT tower on 

Adastral Park has the go-ahead.  A Section 106 agreement has been signed and work on the 

£96 million infrastructure investment can start almost immediately.  This includes a package of 

transport upgrades including junction and highway improvements, bus and cycle lanes, 

walking routes and a new A12 crossing. 

Total expenditure is likely to be in excess of £300 million and overall the development is 

estimated to create almost 1,000 new jobs.  On site there will be a new primary school, a 

business park and local shops.  34 hectares are assigned as open space; this includes heathland, 

meadows and woodland, sports facilities and wildlife protection zones. 

Debate about the proposal for this massive increase in the size of Martlesham was lively but 

long term it will provide space for Suffolk Coastal to deliver their housing strategy. 


Whether it is in the right place has been part of the debate. It will certainly shift what is 

effectively the Ipswich conurbation further east (with no benefit to Ipswich). 


Window Museum, Albion Quay  Another excellent display in the Ipswich Maritime Trust Window Museum currently features some fine photographic enlargements and exhibits from Des and Liz Pawson’s ropemaking and knotting collection including, at lower left, part of the huge anchor cable from HMS Victory (Nelson’s flagship which was designed by the naval surveyor Sir Thomas Slade, who is buried at the Church of St Clement). 


Suffolk Industrial Archaeology 

Society meetings 

Wednesday 10 Oct 2018: Barbara McElroy – The Bevin Boys, conscripted coalminers in World War II. 

Wednesday 14 Nov 2018: AGM followed by: John Jones – Industrial archaeology in Saxony. 

Wednesday 12 Dec 2018: Bob Merrett – A Brief history of mapmaking. 

Wednesday 9 Jan 2019: John O’Mahony – Little Hall, Lavenham in a nutshell.  

All meetings are held at the Ipswich Transport Museum commencing at 7.30pm.  


The Wolsey tondo continued… 

Bob Markham informs us that the Ipswich Museum records state that the memorial portrait of 

Cardinal Wolsey over the outside entrance of the Art Gallery is the work of sculptor Charles 

Grimwood of Ipswich. Perhaps it was designed by one person and sculpted by another… 


Herbert Charles Grimwood (c.1880-1966) studied at Colchester and in Ireland and became a 

working manager and marble mason and carver. In 1911 a 30 year old monumental marble 

mason was living at 39 Cemetery Road with his 29 year old wife Mary and their son, Herbert 

Henry (1908-1982). Herbert Senior exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1928 when residing at 

26 Hervey Street. He was a member of the Ipswich Art Club 1932-1939 and exhibited, from 

Hervey Street in 1932, two sculptures: the head of a boy 'Peter' and a portrait bust 'Mary'. He 

was living at 20 Levington Lane, Bucklesham when he died at the Ipswich & East Suffolk 

Hospital, Anglesea Road on 6 April 1966, aged 88.  


So, Grimwood Senior is listed as a marble mason and carver – perhaps making his living 

mainly from funerary masonry. The mason's business is still there (handily close to the Old 

Cemetery), but which now appears to be a vegan restaurant called Hullabaloo. The actual work 

of art must, I think, have come from sculptor Alan Waddington Bellis and came in the form of 

the maquette for approval by the committee in charge of the Wolsey gallery project. This would 

then have been handed to the carver for re-creation in stone from the maquette.             

R.G. 


Left: the plaster maquette and right: the portrait as it exists today. See the Newsletter April 2018 for the original article and July 2018 

(Letters to the Editor).


Towns never stand still for long and are forever changing. This is particularly true of Ipswich, a town which has never been shy of trying out new things. The Spiral Car Park, one of the first in the world, the Willis building, a completely new concept in office block construction, the Stoke Hill Railway Tunnel, said to be the 

first tunnel in the world to be built on a continuous curve, the Orwell Bridge where the centre span was reported at the time of building as the widest concrete span in the world – these are just a few of the notable projects, amongst many other innovations found in this special town.  


Our street scene sometimes just has a change of use for an old building such as a shop, sometimes a complete restoration and conversion, sometimes a brand new building. This column will aim to keep readers up to date on recent changes around Ipswich including those who may no longer live in Ipswich, those who rarely visit the town and those who are too busy in their daily lives to notice the rapid changes going on around them. 


Here is a selection of the more notable changes in and around Ipswich town centre in the last few months. There will be many more not on this list. 


Recent new shops / restaurants etc.:- 

Tessuti.   Joules.   German Doner Kebab.   Kiko Milano.   Zest.   Kare Plus.   Cats Protection.   

Bags 4 U.   Yours.   Z1 VIP.   Creams Gelato.   Best Days.   The Range (second shop).   Smyths 

Toystore.   Go Outdoors.   Nandos (second restaurant).   Bowmans update (under new 

management).   Central Canteen update (under new management).   Home Bargains.   Wickes 

(second store).   Freston Boot restored and reopened.   The Grazing Sheep reopened under new 

management.    La Tour Cycle Café reopened on the Waterfront.   Tavernetta Restaurant.   

Vietnamese Restaurant.   Chutneyz Indian Restaurant.   The Forge Kitchen.   Century 21 Estate 

Agents.   Yates.   Superbowl.   Bounce.   B&M (4th store).   Kings Kitchen.  


Coming soon to town centre:- 

easy Hotel - Northgate Street. 

The conversion of this building into an 89 bedroom budget hotel is expected to be completed in 

November 2018, according to workers on the site. In recent years the building has been used for 

a succession of night clubs and, after being left empty for a while, had become run down and an 

eyesore. This project can only be good for Ipswich. 

Pret A Manger - Cornhill. 

This new coffee shop/restaurant, popular in other towns, is under construction in the former 

Grimwade’s outfitters store which closed some years ago and has housed a few temporary shops 

since. The coffee shop is not expected to open until the Cornhill is completed and will certainly 

revitalise this corner which had become forlorn and unloved. 

Hotel Chocolat - Tavern Street. 

This new outlet in the centre of Ipswich is another new name in town. Filling a gap left when 

Accessorize moved to a larger unit last year. This company, already found in towns close by, is 

expected to be popular. 

Three Wise Monkeys - Lloyds Avenue. 

Work has been in progress for some time on this unit with completion expected late this year.  

This new pub/restaurant in the former Lloyds Tavern is part of the popular Three Wise Monkeys 

chain based in Colchester. 

Spoons World Buffet - St. Matthews Street. 

After months of work in progress the hoardings are now down on this site with signs telling us 

that the new restaurant in the former Iceland unit will be opening in September 2018.  It will be 

interesting to see how this new restaurant, a little way out of town, fares. The St. Matthews Street 

area is often overlooked, but is a very lively area packed full of independent shops and with very 

few empty spaces. [See Chris Wiltshire’s article about the area in our July 2017 issue, No. 208.] 


Shops which have moved: HMV.   Superdrug.   Accessorize.   Ipswich Building Society.   Toni 

& Guy.   Dunelm.   Hughes (Martlesham).   Ipswich market.   Twig. 


Building projects: The Winerack.   Birketts - Providence House.   Pauls Maltings office development.   ‘The Hold’ (Suffolk Record Office).   Cornhill revamp.   Cardinal Park revamp. Bar Fontaine restoration and conversion to flats.   Queens House Paul’s malting, Princes Streetrestoration and conversion to flats.   Fire and Ice restoration and conversion to flats.   Crown House new entrance.   Crown Multi-Storey car park.   Mutual House restoration.   Euro Retail Park refurbishment and update.   Wentworth House, Burrell Road conversion to flats.   St. Clements Hospital restoration and conversion to quality apartments.   Drum & Monkey demolished - new car park.   New Wolsey Theatre external revamp and roof repairs. Yates refurbishment of former Robert Ransome. 


The Cornhill, town centre, as shown on our front cover. 

Work started in January 2018 to completely rebuild and repave the surface on Cornhill starting 

with the removal of the trees – by far the biggest project in Ipswich town centre this year. 

  

After many years of discussion and rising costs this project at last got under way despite 

disapproval from many – although there were many others who thought the change must come, 

whatever the cost, if Ipswich was to keep up with the surrounding towns and cities. Reported to 

be costing in the region of £4 million the project is, as I write, on course to be completed during 

October 2018 in readiness for the Christmas shoppers. 


The scheme includes much more than repaving, which itself is a huge upgrade on the original 

paving.  There is a pavement "fun fountain", flood lighting set into the paving to light up 

surrounding buildings, electrical sockets for future functions and events on the site including the 

Christmas Tree which has its own hole. There will be four or five growing trees (still under 

discussion – the ground work has been done for five), a flat section leading to a stepped section 

in the middle, new seating and the controversial monolith which is probably the least liked part 

of the scheme for many commentators, but something that could also easily be removed in future 

years without an expensive revamp, as tastes and fashions change. 


Ipswich Street Scene is a regular feature on The Ipswich Society Facebook page on the World 

Wide Web with up-to-the-minute reports on the changes as they happen and links to websites with full information on the projects. You do not need to be a member of Facebook to view our page. Just type ‘Ipswich Society’ into Google and follow the link, or click the link on the Society’s homepage. 

Tim Leggett 


Tessuti shop, Westgate Street


Norwich Road Improvements 

Norwich Road from Barrack Corner to the site of The Rose and Crown is one of the most 

vibrant multicultural streets in the town; it has a destination shop, car parking and retail units. 

However, there are some problems that need to be addressed to improve the perception of those 

who don't know the area well and so encourage them to visit and use the shops, cafés and 

restaurants. 


To that end, local business people, community leaders and Westgate Ward Councillors have 

met and agreed to some changes. These will be funded by the Borough Council and some 

central government money. 


The plans include the renaming of South Street car park to “Norwich Road Shoppers Car 

Park”, making the car park better known by prominent signage from Norwich Road. Two 

spaces will be allocated for 15 minute free parking; the concept is to persuade drivers not to 

stop in Norwich Road “just to pick up….” 


There will be a physical transformation by cleaning up shop fronts and gable ends, installing 

artworks, “totem” poles and signage to proclaim the “Norwich Road IP1” zone. Additionally, 

consultation is already taking place with businesses regarding marketing, a website for the 

area, business support and development. The goal is to have a vibrant business community that 

leads to an enhanced physical area with better cultural integration. 


Members will be keen to support such efforts to improve the visual and retail appeal of this 

street and will look forward to further announcements. 

Mike Cook 


Unmanned Level Crossings 

It is no wonder Network Rail are trying to reduce the number of unmanned level crossings, 

particularly those used intermittently by farm traffic.  The vast majority have a maximum 

approach speed (for the train) of 60 mph together with an instruction to whistle.  Between 

Haughley Junction and Diss there are so many that the line speed becomes 60 by default. 


Much more serious however are the knock-on effects of an incident at one of these crossings.  

In early June a car driver decided to dodge around the automatic half barriers at Trimley.  The 

car was struck at 11.10 in the morning by the GBRf (Great British Rail freight) service 

between Hams Hall (Birmingham) and Felixstowe. 


The freight train came to a standstill some distance down the track, British Transport Police 

investigated the incident and arrested the car driver.  They were able to hand the line back to 

Network Rail for safety checks less than two hours later.  However it was not until 16.15 that 

the freight train could be moved (a replacement engine driver was required) and after 17.00 

when the line reopened. 


The knock-on effect was that the follow-on freight services were held, on the East Suffolk line 

between Ipswich and Westerfield, and on the East Coast Main Line between Haughley Junction 

and Ipswich, and between Colchester and Ipswich. 


This curtailed the movement of passenger services, trains were delayed and in the wrong place 

for return journeys.  All services to Felixstowe were cancelled for the rest of the weekend, and 

for those passengers on Peterborough Station, a long, long wait without explanation.   

The saving grace, if there was one is that the incident took place on a Saturday. Had it been a 

weekday commuters would have, yet again, been stranded at Liverpool Street into the evening. 


Book Review: Christchurch Park & Ipswich 

Arboretum, Souvenir & Guide 


The hills and valleys, the plantings, the buildings and the history of our great Park make it ‘a 

Park for Everyone’.  So it is very appropriate that in covering all these aspects David Miller’s 

is ‘a Book for Everyone’. 


The key to the unusual nature of the book is its sub-title, a ‘Souvenir and Guide’.  As a 

souvenir it will appeal to people of all ages with its glorious range of photographs and artwork. 

As a guide book, it will take readers to most of the outstanding features in the Park.  And if 

people are interested in the historical reasons why these features exist, they will find some very 

detailed descriptions and explanations. 


It is essentially a very personal and unique book, not at all like a standard guide book you 

might find in any part of the country.  David Miller is the perfectly qualified person to write 

and compile such a book.  Much of it is written with personal experience of work done in 

recent years, especially the selection and planting of 200 new species of trees in the Arboretum 

and more in the Park.  Then, in all matters where others are the experts, he uses their 

knowledge, whether contemporary or historical.  It all stems from his life-long love of a Park 

where he was born in the Arboretum Lodge and where his late father was Head Gardener. 


The uniqueness of the book is evident also in its lay-out and sequence. It begins perhaps surprisingly with 15 beautiful drawings by Duane Pugh, a varied range of subjects acting as a rich taster for anyone’s visit to the Park.  Later in the book there are groups of superb photographs of birds and trees by Liz Cutting and, quite different, very striking scissor-cut silhouettes by Erika Bülow-Osborne.  They all contribute to one’s awareness that this is indeed David Miller’s book but it is also a compendium of other people’s loving admiration of the Park. 


I have learned a lot more about the Park, not least the reminder that in the referendum of rate-payers in 1892 we nearly lost the Park and Mansion altogether.  But I still fail to spot the Ice House when I pass by. 

  

I feel sure this sumptuous volume will be enjoyed by many people locally and, I hope, by many visitors from further away. 

Neil Salmon 


Brickmakers Wood: a forthcoming talk 

Jo Brooks, Eden-Rose Coppice Trust Charity Manager, will be giving one of our Winter 

Illustrated Talks on the 19 December 2018 at 7.30pm to describe the charity’s aims and their 

woodland retreats at Brickmakers Wood in Ipswich and Eden-Rose Coppice in Sudbury. 


Eden-Rose Coppice Trust was founded in 2007 with the purpose of providing a safe and highly 

beneficial natural urban green space, with essential facilities, for people with a life-limiting 

illness such as cancer and for the development and skill acquisition of young people  

with disabilities. 


The positive health effects of green spaces, and more specifically woodlands, have been 

observed on longevity, people's self-reported general well-being and recovery from illness. 

In making the case for therapeutic use of outdoor spaces, the evidence base is important and 

proven. Many people see healthcare as an art as well as a science and encourage access to 

outdoor spaces. This approach is not often practised; however, the Trust has been doing this 

successfully since 2007.  


As an adjunct to the Charity’s main aim of palliative care and to enhance the woodland 

management of their sites, it provides vulnerable young people, the unemployed, elderly and 

the disabled, with skill-based educational training based on outdoor learning, dramatically 

increasing their self-confidence and providing an enrichment of life and companionship for 

those who may feel socially isolated for a variety of reasons.  


The charity’s Ipswich site, Brickmakers Wood, was subject to a number of crimes over the last 

year and, as a result of this, security measures have increased. A substantial fence has recently 

been installed, with 24-hour security surveillance, around the perimeter of the wood and a 

wheelchair-friendly pathway is currently being laid, along with wildlife habitats and benches. 


Join us on the 19 December to hear Eden-Rose Coppice Trust’s story, the charity’s retreats 

restoration stories and the highs and lows of running a charity.


Members of the Ipswich Society Executive Committee are shown around Brickmakers Wood by Rob and Jo Brooks in the heat of the 2018 summer.  The recently established wildlife pond is in the foreground; the newly turfed performance/meeting area  is behind.


The parable of The Three Bridges 


A new Conservative Member of Parliament for Ipswich was elected in 2010. On his first day in 

office, he stood on the Wet Dock quay and had a Great Vision of a new tomorrow with a broad 

new road bridge spanning the River Orwell below the lock gates and a high-tech business 

village on the Island site and a swing-bridge over the lock for cyclists and pedestrians (which, 

ironically, already existed, built by Ransome & Rapier in 1949). And, although some people 

couldn’t see the reasoning because the Island site was already served by a road from St Peter’s 

Dock, a second bridge was apparently needed from Felaw Street over New Cut. 


And soon a Mr Osborne – you may have heard of him – saw that it was good and set aside 77 

million of your English pounds to be spent as part of the National Infrastructure Plan (which 

meant that none of this would need Planning Permission). And some people in Ipswich saw 

that it was good and that it would cut a few minutes off their car journey time and some 

differed and doubted that the Biggest Bridge would help in reducing traffic through the town, 

when it patently would attract traffic from using the Orwell Bridge, yea, even from the A14.  


And some people were sore afraid of the Felaw Street bridge, perhaps because they couldn’t 

see why it was needed and also it would mess up an historic part of Over Stoke and because it 

would almost certainly be fixed. Which would have put sailing barges in a fix also, because 

they wouldn’t be able to navigate New Cut up to St Peter’s Dock – yea verrily, a dock outside 

the Wet Dock and of great historical and maritime significance. 


Many powerful people said that it was good and couldn’t understand the moaning minnies, 

NIMBYs and nay-sayers who wet-blanketed the Three Bridges and deserved to be cast out to 

Clacton, or even worse. But gradually, even those who looked forward to cutting a few minutes 

off their car journeys by using the Biggest Bridge began to have misgivings. And, lo, it wasn’t 

so good that traffic would double, triple, quadrupeddle (or even more) on either side of the 

Biggest Bridge, backing up to Clapgate Lane and making it a dangerous place for parents and 

children outside Cliff Lane Primary School to cross. And it turned out that traffic mitigation 

wasn’t going to have any money spent on it because already the prophesied costs of the bridge 

schemes were rising and it was difficult to see how it was all going to be paid for, despite the 

generosity of Mr Osborne – who you might remember, but who had now gone – to the 

Conservative Member of Parliament – who had also now gone. 


‘Who is this and what is here?’ said a few brave souls who thought that they could remember 

what on earth all this was about. And thought, O Best Beloved, that they could recall lots of 

money spent on an architectural competition where the winning entry floated above the water, 

as if by some magic, and thought that could remember lots of noisy drilling to test the geology 

deep in the bowels of the Earth for the Biggest Bridge supports (which had now appeared).  


But on the Seventh Day another important person said that there was going to be a PAUSE in 

The Whole Thing. ‘Paws?’ asked a wag, who was rapidly silenced. And many people were full 

of wonderment at this strange turn of events and thought that it was odd that important people 

who they thought were initially in favour of The Whole Thing were now saying, having heard 

the outcry, that it was sensible to PAUSE. And so, all paused and waited… 

Bridget Pawsey (as told to the Editor) 


Penshurst Place 

An Ipswich Society outing, 21 July 2018 


Penshurst Place, one of England’s oldest family-owned estates, was granted to Sir William 

Sidney by Edward VI in 1552 as a reward to the King’s tutor and steward of his household. It 

has remained the home of the Sidneys ever since, the current owner being Philip Sidney, 2nd 

Viscount de L’Isle.  


Sir John de Pulteney, a wealthy merchant and a Mayor of London, built the Baron’s hall in 

1341 and added the Solar and Crypt. The Hall, the finest surviving example of medieval 

domestic architecture in the country, is sixty-two feet long, thirty-nine feet wide and sixty feet 

high. It has chestnut roof timbers, tall windows and a central, unique octagonal hearth (no 

fireplace). Despite the Hall’s great dimensions there are no supporting columns, the weight 

being borne by timber bracing and huge arched supports from the walls. Successive owners 

made their own additions to the house: the Buckingham building (15th century) contains the 

Queen Elizabeth Room and the Tapestry Room; the North Range is linked to the building; the 

Long Gallery, the final addition, was completed by Sir Robert Sidney in 1607. 


In the State Rooms are many portraits, items of furniture and several large tapestries, all of 

16th to 18th century. In the Nether Gallery – below the Long Gallery – a display of historic 

arms and armour includes Sir Philip’s funeral helm. He was, and still is, considered to be the 

model of a Renaissance gentleman: poet, courtier and soldier (1554-86).  


The Grade I Listed garden is as old as the house; the Italian Garden (The Parterre) is intended 

to be viewed from the house. To the east of it are six individual ‘rooms’ divided by yew 

hedges, each featuring a variety of colour, form and foliage throughout the seasons. The whole 

garden covers eleven acres and there is extensive parkland. Many thanks to Barbara Barker for 

organising a marvellous outing. 

Richard Worman 


Tidal barrier 

Keeping water out – but not everywhere? 

A public exhibition was held on 5 December outlining the proposed construction of a 

tidal surge barrier in the New Cut, to be built in 2011 and 2012. This will "reduce flood 

risk to Ipswich," as the Environment Agency says. But residents in the Wherstead Road 

area below the barrier are less happy. New higher lock gates to the Wet Dock were 

installed on 7 Dec.      

             

Newsletter Jan 2009 (Snippets) 


By the time of this Newsletter’s publication, the tidal flood barrier installed across the New Cut 

of the River Orwell should be operational, helping to protect 422 businesses in the Waterfront 

area of the town centre, as well as 1,600 homes. 


The £70 million flood defence project to design, construct and install the 20 metre wide tidal 

barrier gate on behalf of the Environment Agency has been undertaken by VBA, a joint venture 

comprising VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster and SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins business. 


Maritime Ipswich and the Island buildings 

I have just returned from a wonderful day at the Maritime Festival, wallowing in nostalgia as I 

stood on South West Quay by the lock, looking across to what had been the shipyard. 


I gather there are possible plans to restore the Harbourmaster’s House and Lock Keepers' 

Cottages at South West Quay. The Lock Keepers’ Cottages were, in the 1960s and 1970s, the 

SW Quay Office of HM Customs (my Dad was Surveyor B, Ipswich, at the time). Here is a 

sketch in pencil (done in pen-and-ink twelve years later), looking towards Dock Head and 

beyond towards Cliff Quay and the power station, which I drew seated at his office window 

way back in 1965 when I was 12. This shows the quayside before the flood wall was built and 

when New Cut East was still lit by gas lamp. The EARAT roadstone works was clearly in full, 

and dusty, cry according to my sketch. 


In addition to the two houses mentioned above, there was another house of contemporaneous 

vintage nearby, which was the home of Mr Albert Proctor who was, I believe, Dockyard 

Foreman. Does this house still exist? I couldn’t seem to locate it today, but the scene is so 

changed it is sometimes hard to get one’s bearings. Incidentally, I recall that the courtyard of 

Customs SW Quay office boasted a rather fine grape vine; I wonder whether it’s still 

flourishing, though I doubt it. 


The dockside, New Cut East, and the buildings are, I believe, a reasonably accurate 

representation of the scene, although the distant countryside appears to be somewhat hillier 

than it is really. HM Customs Dock Head Office, seen in the distance, beyond the EARAT 

works, was the Office for the Preventive Officers and ‘Rummage Crews’, and used to have a 

rather fine coat-of-arms (the portcullis with flying chains) over the front door. I wonder what 

became of it? What remains of Dock Head Office now presents a sorry sight. 


My art teacher at school was Roger Finch, who knew a thing or two about the River Orwell. He was very encouraging  although he found me exasperating at times! 

Incidentally, my Mum was very proud of being ‘a direct descendent of Robert Ransome’. I must look into that… Raymond T. Wheeler 


Letters to the Editor 

Litter in the town from Keith Faull 

I just received (and read  with great interest) the July 2018 issue of the Newsletter. I was struck particularly by the Chairman's remarks about 'eyesores' in the town.   

  

I felt compelled to write to the Newsletter to add to the list of town eyesores: general litter. The 

amount of litter in the town and surrounds has now reached offensive proportions. In a short 

walk down into the town centre I saw (no pun intended) two dining room chairs, an electric 

heater, discarded drink cans, a number of plastic containers; thousands of cigarette butts – 

particularly around bus stops and cafes, more lumps of discarded chewing gum than it is 

possible to count. 

  

My concern is that the levels of what can only be described as rubbish in the street have 

reached the point where there is little or no incentive to 'do the right thing' and look after our 

town. May I suggest some vigilante citizens who take it upon themselves to tidy up our streets? 


Home thoughts from another county from Raymond T. Wheeler 

I wish I could be of more help [to the Ipswich Society]. Sadly, though, the lack of time 

available to me at present, not to mention the fact that I live in ‘darkest Norwich’, mean that I 

cannot offer any commitment as yet. 

I grew up in Ipswich and remember many great characters there, especially at the Docks where 

I was employed by HM Customs & Excise for a while before moving away in the early 1970s. 

Like so many, one only appreciates what one knew when, years later, one realises how special 

it was. 

Although I enjoy living in Norwich, I love to visit Ipswich as frequently as possible and much 

prefer Ipswich! Consequently, I am seriously moving back ‘home’. 

Meanwhile, it is great to belong to The Ipswich Society – many thanks for a fantastic 

Newsletter. Very best wishes and every success. 

(P.S.: I shall be very happy for my letter to be included in the October Newsletter; I do hope it 

is properly expressed in good English because Mr Salmon used to be my English teacher!) 


John Andreasen and St Clement Church from Ken Wilson 

The name of John Andreasen came up recently; he and St Clement’s were for so long closely 

associated that many of us can never think of the one without the other coming to mind. 

He was a lay-preacher and when the church was in use he was one of the churchwardens; when 

it became redundant he cared for it – indeed jealously guarding it – including opening days, 

virtually single-handedly. He made friends with the drifters who frequented the churchyard and 

made sure they behaved themselves. Indeed, he could be said to merit a substantial section in 

the guidebook. 

On one wonderful day John exhibited his impressive collection of church memorabilia and 

when dusk fell he held a lovely candlelit service. On another occasion he enthralled a group of 

us by recounting how he had successfully exorcised the uneasy sprit of an old mariner that had 

been the cause of some consternation in part of the Wet Dock. 

A famous Ipswich character, without a doubt. 


Signs and ‘signage’ from Margaret Hancock I was interested to see that the walk looking at 'Secret signs 

of Ipswich' included the winged wheel Cyclists' Touring Club sign on the wall above the Age UK shop [in Upper Brook Street]. I'm sure many local people have walked along the street for years without noticing it. Not so, 

Ipswich Society members Ken & Maureen Nichols – themselves both lifelong CTC members – who made sure that the sign was left intact whenever the building changed hands or was redecorated. An excellent example of how important it is for all of us to speak up to retain our heritage. 


The CTC cast iron sign as it was before someone smothered it in masonry paint


On a less positive note, I'm becoming increasingly annoyed by the signs put up around the town to warn of road 

closures and to advertise events that remain in situ weeks ifnot months after the date has passed. In the last few days I've seen signs about the Women's Tour on 13th June, and a large Eastern Angles banner on the waterfront promoting the Maria Marten play performed there in mid-July. Signs advertising a Food & Drink event which took place in June remained in situ until the week before the Maritime Festival in mid-August. Surely, those responsible for putting signs up should have some obligation to remove them (& the remains of the plastic cable ties) instead of littering the town in this way? 


Exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War I 

Ipswich Building Society will be holding a special exhibition at its town centre branch, Mutual 

House, from Monday 5 November to Saturday 17 November. The display will include items from the 

Society’s archive to illustrate how it continued to operate during the First World War, how it worked 

tirelessly to provide homes in the difficult years after the Armistice was signed in November 1918, 

and its donation of funds to provide a permanent memorial to those who died in the conflict. 


Society archivist, Margaret Hancock, will be on hand to answer visitors’ questions from 10am to 

4pm on Friday 9, and 9am to 12 noon on Saturday 10 November 2018.


The Society is also offering special events, with informal curator’s tours of the exhibition for its 

members and an additional event solely for members of Ipswich Society. 


Come along to hear the fascinating story of the Freehold Land Society’s attempts to provide 

accommodation for ‘members and demobilised men’. Efforts included converting former army huts 

into 3 bedroom bungalow dwellings with enough land to establish small market gardens and 

converting Roundwood, the former Mansion home of Admiral Lord Nelson, into flats for rent.


Numbers for these events are limited and booking is essential. 


Friday 9 November, 11am & 2pm – exclusively for members of Ipswich Building Society. 

Member events can be booked directly with the Society via its website: 

www.ibs.co.uk/members-lounge or by visiting any of its branches. 


Wednesday 14 November, 3pm – exclusively for Ipswich Society members. 

To book for this event email mutualhouse@ibs.co.uk, visit the branch in Princes Street, Ipswich, or 

telephone 01473 230211.


Ipswich Borough Council – Local List 

Ipswich Borough Council maintains a ‘Local List’, a document which identifies undesignated 

heritage assets which have architectural, historic, aesthetic, associative or evidential value 

which contributes to the historic interest of the Borough, and are sites which do not benefit 

from formal designation under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 

1990, being neither statutorily listed, nor included within Conservation Areas.  

The purpose of the Local List is to identify undesignated heritage assets which are of local 

importance. A ‘heritage asset’ could be a building, monument, structure, archaeological site, 

area or landscape which has a degree of heritage significance.  


In order to maintain the Local List, Ipswich Borough Council reviews the list every three years 

to ensure the 154 entries already on the list are worthy inclusions, remove any entries which 

may have received formal designation since the last review, as well as consider additional 

entries to the list. 


Ipswich Borough Council is looking to work with local communities for the 2019 Local List 

review, and is seeking nominations from members of the public to highlight potential 

candidates for the Council to consider adding to the list in the next review.  

Heritage assets to be included on the Local List must be of local significance and have heritage 

value. This may arise from age, rarity, aesthetic interest, group value, architectural value, 

archaeological interest, archival interest, historical association, designated landscape interest, 

landmark status, or have social and communal value perceived as a source of local identity.  

During the 2019 review process, Ipswich Borough Council will consider nominations from 

members of the public of sites for inclusion on the Local List. Following the assessment of 

these candidates, a revised Local List will be issued for public consultation and adoption by the 

Council. A revised Local List will then be published, and again reviewed in 3 years.  

If a heritage asset is included on the Local List, this does not mean that it becomes statutorily 

listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, but rather, that 

the building is of significance to the history of the local area, and its conservation becomes a 

material planning consideration when determining the outcome of planning applications.  

If you can think of a heritage asset which you feel should be considered for inclusion on the 

2019 Local List, please get in touch via the Historic Buildings and Conservation pages of the 

Ipswich Borough Council website (www.ipswich.gov.uk/local-list-community-nominations).  

Nominations must be submitted by 31/05/2019. 

Rebecca Styles, Conservation Officer 


Ipswich Arts Centre Memories & Recollections Project 

HLF funding has enabled this oral history project which aims to capture and save the personal 

memories of members of the public with connections to the Church of St Clement (between 

Fore Street, Star Lane and Grimwade Street) before it ceased to be a place of worship in the 

early 1970s. The stories gathered will help to illustrate the history of the church and, when it 

becomes the Ipswich Arts Centre, those stories will help keep the connection to the past. 


Ipswich Arts Centre (IAC) have appointed a Project Manager, Nicola Brand, who is currently 

looking for volunteers to help with the project. There is a variety of  roles available which will 

appeal to all ages and all levels of experience; full training will be given. The importance of 

capturing memories and experiences through oral history (sound recordings or written) is well 

recognised and will help to link the long, rich past of ‘The Sailors’ Church’ (the last of the 

medieval churches in the town to find a new role) with its new life as an arts space, venue and 

cultural centre.  


The project had a presence at Felixstowe Carnival, a stall was run during Maritime Ipswich, St 

Clement was opened for the Ride & Stride day (September 8) and on Heritage Open Days 

(September 15 and 16). 


It’s been a busy time at the church. St Clement is close to the university, college, historic 

waterfront, Brickmakers Wood project and the forthcoming Ipswich branch of the Suffolk 

Record Office, The Hold, as well as Fore Street, one of our oldest thoroughfares. As the 

‘hidden gem’ of Ipswich, screened by its lofty London plane trees and bordered by a busy, 

traffic-filled road it retains its churchyard, unlike its fellow dockland churches.  


Prompted by Anthony Cobbold of the Cobbold Family History Trust (St Clement is also ‘The 

Cobbold Church’, of course), The Ipswich Society researched and published a brand new guide 

booklet which was launched at the Ipswich Historic Churches Trust AGM on 28 June. This 

occasion also marked the ‘unveiling’ of the new, electronic carillon which takes over from the 

original ‘pianola-roll’ version to play hymn tunes on high days and holidays. Anybody 

wandering in the vicinity of St Clement in the last few months will have noticed that the 

refurbished church clock now strikes the quarters and hours. The new guidebook costs £2.00 

per copy from the TIC and The Ipswich Institute. 


Behind the scenes the Ipswich Arts Centre volunteers are working very hard and with great enthusiasm to achieve the first major step forward towards the church opening more frequently. As ever, they welcome support of any kind. 


Do tell your friends and family about the St Clement oral history project. 

Contacts: 

https://iacmemories.org 

https://www.facebook.com/iacmemories/ 

Nicola Brand: 07930 019823 

Email: iacmemories@gmail.com 

http://ipswichartscentre.org 


Public clocks in Ipswich 


We reproduce here an article by the late Brian Jepson from January 2010 with a 2018 update. 

 

Visual assessment conducted early November 2009 (column 1) and August 2018 (column 2) 

1. Christchurch Mansion -- going well Going well

2. St Margaret's Church, Soane St -- going well Going well

3. County Hall, St Helen's St -- not going well Destroyed by vandals, building lies empty since 2006

4. St Clement's Church, Star La -- not going well Recently refurbished, working (and chiming) well

5. Loch Fyne, Duke St. -- going well Now Forge Kitchen: going well

6. Trinity Church Fore Hamlet -- going well Going, but 10 minutes fast

7. Custom House, Waterfront -- going well Going well

8. St Mary Quay Church, Key St -- not going well Going well

9. Price's, now Ollie's, Tacket St -- going well Now Shamrock bar: going well

10. St Peter's Church, College St -- going well Going, but 15 minutes fast

11. Railway station car park -- going well Not going well

12. Royal Mail, Commercial Rd -- not going well Difficult to find (near the post boxes): not going well

13. CSV Media, Portman Rd -- not going well Now Archant offices. Not going well

14. St Mary Elms Church, Elm St -- going well Going well

15. St Matthew's Church, Civic Dr -- not going well Unable to find a clock on St Matthew

16. Elim Church, Barrack Corner -- not going well Now The Oasis Centre: not going well

17. Samuels, Westgate St -- going well Going well: not surprising for a jeweller

18. Town Hall, Cornhill -- going well Going well

19. Tower Ramparts Centre -- going well Now Sailmakers – clock removed

20. The Walk, Tavern St -- not going well Going well

21. Croydon's (Black's) Tavern St -- going well Going well

22. Yorkshire Build Soc Tavern St -- going well Not going well

23. Electric House, Tower Ramps. -- going well Unable to find a clock on Electric House

24. The Cricketers, Tower Ramps -- going well Not going well

25. Robt Ransome, Tower Ramps -- going well Now Yates; going well

26. St Mary le Tower Church -- going well Going well


[See the back page for images of the clock faces we could find…] 

(continues…)


Since I was implicated in the 'Tom Gondris Challenge' (Newsletter October 2009) of 

reassessing the town's public clocks, the above review has been undertaken. The numbering 

sequence is based on beginning in the north with Christchurch Mansion and St Margaret's 

Church progressing clockwise (what else?) east, south, west, then returning to the north with 

Tower Ramparts. 


In overall terms and probably a decade on, things have declined. The current economic climate 

precludes owners/organisations from spending on maintaining invariably ancient timepieces 

requiring that twice a year hourly adjustment. I suspect the horology expertise needed to 

maintain our street viewed clocks is a diminishing skill in our computer age. 


Congratulations to those with sufficient civic pride in keeping the clocks going, and to those 

responsible for the sad static hands perhaps they can be encouraged to get them moving. This 

applies particularly to clocks numbered 3, 13 and 16, these being in key open locations and 

would restore the feeling of pride in our town, especially so if illuminated at night. This review 

indicates a 30% non-functioning rate and raises the question how this would compare with 

similar sized venues in East Anglia, let alone mainland European urban centres where my 

suspicion is that greater community zeal exists. 


Please let me know if you find errors in my analysis, in particular if I have failed to discover some worthy contender in the heart of our town. I am aware of good examples further out of town, but the recording of these (invariably on cycle) will await more  suitable weather. 

Brian Jepson [2009] 


Footnote 

All the working clocks looked at in 2018 varied by a minute or two, but we have highlighted those which varied by 10 minutes or more. ‘Not going well’ indicates stopped or way off the correct time. Clocks on buildings are a dying breed, some have disappeared such as that which was once on Clydesdale House (now in Giles Square), although 

you can see the marks of the hour indicators on the wall. However, a new digital display projecting from the Aqua Pharmacy in Duke Street shows the temperature and the time in turn.  


County Hall clock: O tempera, o mores!


The clock over the entrance to Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre (R.I.P.) has been swept away 

by ‘Sailmakers’. We couldn’t find the clock on Electric House, nor that on the Church of St 

Matthew – not the easiest church to inspect. St Margaret and St Clement now have reliable 

electric clock mechanisms, replacing the faithful clock-winders who once climbed the ancient 

towers each week. Somehow a public clock is just that bit more romantic than a mobile 

telephone for telling the time. There is a project and website called Stopped clocks which seeks 

to get public clocks across the country working again. 

Editor 


River valley cycling and town centre challenges 

We have in Ipswich an amenity which is totally neglected and wasted: the valley of the River 

Gipping. If only a proper cycleway/pathway could be made on both sides, suitably fenced (not 

a towpath), with low level lighting and CCTV cameras, then we could have a cycle/pedestrian 

route from Bramford to Stoke Bridge via the railway station. With access slopes at various 

places, the path would be virtually level and a cyclist’s paradise. 


The river needs cleaning up to make it attractive. Maybe the Flood Barrier could be used to 

keep the river in water so that it could be navigable by shallow pleasure boats at all times. 


At present the area around the river is neglected and this would have to change. The old Cattle 

Dock was improved some years ago but it seems ignored since. It is now a haven for rough 

sleepers. What a waste of money. 


Whilst thinking the unthinkable, what of the town centre? The whole principle of the town 

being a close conglomeration of shops to which people must come to purchase their needs is 

now outdated and there need to be other attractions to bring people to town. What if we did 

away with the old Post Office and Town Hall/Corn Exchange? The area then could be opened 

up as an amenity area for a decent market and public entertainment. Westgate Street and Tavern 

Street need to be made into proper pedestrian-only areas with barriers to prevent access by any 

vehicles between 10am and 4pm. 


On-street parking should be banned in the town centre, but the car parks should be made free 

after 10am. The Park & Rides should also be free. The cost, initially, would have to come from 

Council Tax; control of the parking fees would have to be taken back by the Council. 


What is needed is greater economic activity, in whatever form that might be, to generate 

income by the community for the community. 

Mike Neale 


Book review 

A-Z of Ipswich: places, people, history  

by Sarah E. Doig, Amberley Publishing, 2018. £14.99 


This is the latest in a long-ish line of books about Ipswich using the honourable ‘scissors and 

paste’ approach to publishing (the Society’s blue plaques and Maritime Trail obviously played 

their part in the research). Quality and accuracy can be variable in such publications. At whom 

is the book aimed? Many Society members will already be aware of most of the material here, 

broken up as it is by colour photographs. One suspects that it is a book which will 

predominantly be purchased as a gift to others. One can always quibble with detail: most agree 

that the brackish waters of the Orwell mingle with the fresh waters of the Gipping at Horseshoe 

Weir north of Handford Bridge, not near Stoke Bridge. So, in summary, the more that we can 

get the word out about Ipswich being an excellent place to visit or to move to, the better. This 

book serves this purpose well. 


The Ipswich Society 

Registered Charity no. 263322 


www.ipswichsociety.org.uk | https://www.facebook.com/ipswichsociety | email: secretary@ipswichsociety.org.uk 

This Newsletter is the quarterly journal of Ipswich’s civic amenity society established in 1960 


(views expressed in the Newsletter are not necessarily those of the Society). 


Dates for your diary 

Winter Illustrated Talks at Museum St Methodist Church (entrance in Black Horse Lane); all 

talks start at 7.30pm and free tea, coffee and biscuits are provided afterwards. All are welcome. 

Wednesday 17 October: Planning for Suffolk's next emergency by Major CJ St John Green 

RAMC, of the Suffolk County Council Emergency Planning Team. 

Wednesday 19 December: Brickmakers Wood: the Eden Rose Trust project in Ipswich – as 

seen on TV – by Jo Brooks (article: page 12). 

Wednesday 16 January 2019: Ipswich treasures by John Field. 

Wednesday 20 February 2019: Ipswich cinemas and theatres by Eric Thorndyke. 


October 12-24: Royal Institute of British Architects (Suffolk) autumn exhibition at the 

University of Suffolk Waterfront Building; facilitated by The Ipswich Society. 

Wednesday November 21, 7.30pm: Ipswich Society Annual Awards Evening. St Peter’s-by-the- 

Waterfront. 


Wednesday 17 October, 7.30pm: Ipswich Building Preservation Trust AGM; speaker: Lewis 

Herbert on Strategic planning and conservation in eastern England at Isaac’s on Wherry Quay. 


Newsletter deadlines & publication dates (the latter may vary by a few days) 

Deadline for material: 1 December;     Publication date: 22 January; 

            1 March;                 2 April;  

            1 June;                   17 July; 

            1 September;                9 October.


Start the clocks*            See pages 20 and 21 for the accompanying article.


>27. One of the ones which got away: the recently restored clock on the lodge at the entrance to the Upper Arboretum, Henley Road…going well.


The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once. 


Albert Einstein 

[*and apologies to W.H. Auden]

Issue 213 October 2018

© 2024 The Ipswich Society, Registered Charity Number: 263322

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