Programme for 2026
Unless otherwise stated, our meetings begin at 7.30pm at Wesley Hall, School Rd, Elmswell, IP30 9EE – where there’s ample free on-site parking.
8 January: Members’ Evening – Three short talks, being a selection of members’ own researches, i.e. “Growing up on the Ickworth Estate”, “The History of Postcards”, and “Memories of 1950-60s Woolpit”. Due to cold and icy conditions, this was postponed to 12th February – see below.
12 February: Members’ Evening – Three short talks, being a selection of members’ own researches, i.e. “Growing up on the Ickworth Estate”, “The History of Postcards”, and “Memories of 1950-60s Woolpit”.
12 March: Roy Clare, “Suffolk Connections with Charles Darwin’s Voyage on the Beagle”
9 April: Mark Lawrence, “Hadleigh Guildhall” – a fine Grade I listed building of Medieval origin containing many interesting historical and original architectural features and a Victorian Grade II addition. Mark has carried out extensive researches into many aspects of Hadleigh, and his talk will delve into the history of the 15th-Century Guildhall from when it was just a patch of land to the buildings that were put up, and sometimes fell down, over 600 years. We will learn about the wide variety of roles played by the Guildhall over the years and meet some interesting characters along the way. As a group, we visited this amazing complex a few years ago, and Mark’s talk will be based on a recently-published book which he co-authored, copies of which will be on sale that evening.
14 May: Helen Everett of Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company, “Project to Reconstruct a Replica Anglo-Saxon Longboat“
11 June: 7pm, AGM – then at 7.30pm, Terry O’Donoghue’s “History of West Suffolk Hospital“.
SATURDAY, 11 July: 2-4.30pm – Steve Bolton: Talk & Exhibition on “History of English Women’s Football since WW1“