click on the thumbnail photos to see them fullsize, but don't forget to use your browser back button to return

there are also some of my historical photos on my flickr site, take a look at FLICKR

if you have any info or comments on this site please e-mail me at this address

Latest news from the ever changing face of Ipswich.

May 08

photos sorted out from April

Apr 08

As the town centre gains a new estate and tower block built on the old Compair Reavell site next to the river, it is also soon to lose the Civic Centre. Demolition teams are already on site and the former Borough Council offices are to be dismantled to make way for a new shopping complex.

Former Compair Reavell site -the new buildings and the soon to be demolished Civic Centre click on the photos for a full sized view.

Feb 08

In a new venture I have written my first short essay related to this site, number one os a short historical trip down Woodbridge Road and it can be found on the Essays page.

Jan 08

An update to the medieval page, with a new picture of the recently restored Curson Lodge. A few extra pictures of the Lodge have been added to my Flickr site along with some additional views of the work on the docks.

Oct 07

An addition to the Tudor page, the Elizabethan crest of 1593 from Cafe Nero.

I have now added my flickr site as a link from the sources page- these contain recent pictures of Ipswich and local sporting events, plus some old postcard shots I have recently acquired including early 20th Century football and athletics pictures.

If you are free on Monday at 10:00 during October there is a heritage walk being arranged as part of black history month, I attended on 8/10 and had an enlightening 2 hours around town centre. Meet at Ipswich Tourist Information Centre (St Stephen's lane) near the Ancient House, a small fee is charged for the guided walk, details at the Tourist Info.

I have also finally got around to re-scaling the photos to fit in a frame to make viewing easier.

Aug 07

Minor athletics page updates. A replica of one of the three ships which took people from Suffolk to America in 1607 to found Jamestown on display in the docks from 6-13 Aug. This tiny ship the Discovery only 35 feet long crossed the Atlantic with two larger ships, the full story can be found on this web site which also describes what happened to this ships after the initial crossing.

picture of the Discovery in front of the old Customs House

June 07

two new pages added - scrapbook and athletics, both of which will be updated with more info and photos as time permits

June 07

Work on the refurbishment of Christchurch Park continues with both Round and Wilderness ponds having been drained and cleared of silt, and a number of finds recovered including coins dating back to the 17th Century. The work has left a number of scars in the park with trenches and cutting down of vegetation, but hopefully this will rectify itself naturally. The Dock front is now in a process of rebuilding and refitting the buildings for the new dance centre etc. the signs directing tourists the the historic waterfront are now clearly out of date. The Isaac Lords building remains however an historic part of the waterfront, and this is now undergoing planning to convert it into cafe, bar and function rooms.

April 07

The international sport page has now been added highlighting some of the international events hosted by the town, especially some of the lesser known sports.

March 07

I am updating the site at the moment, retaining the local history sections but also adding new chapters on local sport.

January 07

Finally made it with my camera to the site of the old airport and fought my way through to the pillbox which still sits in defence of the airport (now Ravenswood estate). I also walked down by the river to get photos of the machine gun emplacements and the concrete base for what I assume was an anti aircraft gun.

The Evening Star (12/1/07) reports that the Christchurch Park terrapin (or terrapins) which inhabited the wilderness pond for 15 years has been removed safely from the pond during the current draining and cleaning up exercise. The terrapin will be returned once the pond is back in operation.

September 06

Another excellent heritage weekend, offered views of many of the redundant Churches and yet again the Sun Inn. I have added updates to a number of pages (Medieval, Tudor and Industrial). The docks continues to change, the latest picture shows a heap of crushed rubble all that remains of one of the massive buildings on site.

Updates to the Gipeswic page following attendance at a seminar on the history of the Alderman Canal

August 06

Ipswich Docks has been transformed by the demolition of many of the old industrial buildings and the new apartments, dance centre and student accomodation area is being built. The BBC view of the area is available from http://www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/360/views/ipswich_docks1.shtml

May 06

Over the last few months updates have been made to the docks page, and a new scrapbook page added for non Ipswich info.

December 05

New pics added to the docks page as the area changes dramatically over the year