May 20th was a beautiful evening when about forty Ipswich Society
members met in front of the Old Custom House, with new and old
buildings, ongoing construction and a full marina, anticipating an
informative and pleasant evening. We were not to be disappointed. Our
leaders were Lois and Chris Terry. We were split into two groups - one
to look at 'Today and Tomorrow' west of the Custom House with Chris and
the other to look at 'Today and Yesterday' with Lois to the east. The
groups changed at 'halftime'.
With 'Today and Tomorrow' we were shown the new development replacing
and also incorporating the old dockside buildings. The remaining cast
iron columns and Victorian brickwork were familiar friends to older
Ipswichians amongst us; some still referred to 'the dock' rather than
'the Waterfront'. Two new throughways between the Waterfront and College
Street! Key Street allowed us to see the open-air area next to
Cranfield's flour mill (sorry, Dance East) and also the new display
window and case for the Maritime Trust. Dance East studios have concrete
floors sitting on springs to give 'acoustic insulation', but it was the
'car stacker' parking system that Chris described which sounded the most
futuristic.
With 'Today and Yesterday' we started at the great favourite, the Custom
House, with its bricks imitating stone. Then we had a detailed look at
the wonderful Isaac lord complex, also learning about wherries in Wherry
Lane. The backs of the buildings and the Old Neptune Inn in Fore Street
are surely one of the tourist sights of Ipswich, but oh, the traffic! At
least we stopped the two lanes of traffic when we crossed the road! (How
about a car-free day once a month?)
Passing by University Campus Suffolk we stopped in Coprolite Street,
learning of the old artificial fertiliser factory and the part the Rev
John Stevens Henslow (tutor of Charles Darwin) played in discovering the
raw phosphate material. We were also told about the first railway in
China, between Woosung and Shanghai - the train had been made at
Ransomes and Rapier on the other side of the dock here in Ipswich!
The evening was still not over. We then had tea/coffee, cake and
biscuits at Isaac Lord's, together with an exploration of the building.
Excellent evening. Thank you, Lois and Chris.
BOB MARKHAM
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