1947 Beccles and Bungay Times FDLHS newspaper archive

The Foxearth and District Local History Society

1947 Beccles and Bungay Times archive

4 Jan 1947

DEATH of Sir Nicholas Bacon at Raveningham aged 89. He succeeded his brother two years ago. He was one of the original members of Norfolk County Council, but resigned in 1937. He was also a foundation member of Loddon Rural District Council and attended a meeting on 23rd of December.
    He was a Magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant for Norfolk, High Sheriff in 1895. He was the second son of Sir Henry Hickman Bacon. He was a Captain in the 4th Dragoon Guards, served in the Egyptian Campaign of 1882. He retired from the Army in 1884. He married in 1893 a daughter of Mr Alexander & Hon Mrs Leslie-Melville of Branston Hall.
    The title goes to their son Lt-Col Edmund Castell Bacon. There are five married daughters.
    Nicholas Bacon was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1578. When James I instituted the baronetcy in 1611, Sir Nicholas of Redgrave became the first Baronet. Sir Nicholas was the twelfth of that line.
    He built a school, parsonage and dwellings for his workers. He resigned in 1946 as churchwarden after 50 years.

4 Jan 1947

STATION ROAD: Someone unknown has pulled the tops off a number of brick gateposts in the road.

4 Jan 1947

GERMAN PRISONERS of WAR from the camp at Ellough have been visiting Beccles. Almost every day they have been seen walking aimlessly through the streets. They require a rest room in the town.

4 Jan 1947

JOSEPH JOHN GURNEY: His centenary + an article. [Also 11 January.]

4 Jan 1947

AERIAL PHTOGRAPHS of some towns in East Anglia.

4 Jan 1947

BIOGRAPHY of Mr Fowler.

4 Jan 1947

SPOONBILL found dead near the coast – a rare visitor. In 1668 one was recorded as nesting in Suffolk.

11 Jan 1947

DEATH of Mr Jeremiah Tyrell of Puddingmoor, aged 76. He was a dealer in antiques and furniture. He attended the old Sir John Leman School in Ballygate. For 30 years he was employed by William Clowes & Sons Ltd. On his retirement he was presented with a clock and cutlery.
He was a sportsman, a footballer, walker, rower, hurdler, and later an enthusiastic bowls player. Former Secretary of the old Caxton Athletics Club, he played regularly foor it at Soccer. He belonged to the Conservative Caxton Bowls Team. He was for several years Secretary of the Club.
He had been a widower since 1921. Two sisters live at Puddingmoor.

11 Jan 1947

EDUCATION: Big plans for future by East Suffolk County Council. Members depored the disappearance of 60 Primary Schools. They were the focus of village life.
90% of village schools had earth closets and only 20% had running water.

11 Jan 1947

Ex-Servicemen’s Association now has a membership of 221, including 11 women.

11 Jan 1947

DEATH of Mr John Reynolds of 14 St George’s Road, aged 73. He was an employee of Elliott & Garrood for 33 years. For 40 years he was a member of the Co-Op Committee, of which he was Secretary for a long time.

11 Jan 1947

DEATH of Mrs Mary A Esling, aged 85, of the Elms, Ringsfield Road. She was the widow of Mr Edwin J Esling, newsagent and bookseller of Blyburgate, now carried on by his son, Mr John H Esling. She is survived by three sons and one daughter.

11 Jan 1947

PRISONERS of WAR from Ellough Camp have to be back in Ellough by lighting-up time.

11 Jan 1947

SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL term starts. The place of Mr LR Tilney has been taken by Miss Harcourt.

18 Jan 1947

TOWN COUNCIL: HOUSING: Mr Swindells (Chairman of the Housing Committee) said, “Everything, including the weather was wrong.” Hopeless timber delays, difficulties of sewage, were being faced with regard to the Airey Houses.
    The Aluminium Pre-Fabs were now all tenanted.
    The Ministry had rejected the tenders by local builders for 43 houses at Rigbourne Hill – because they were too high. The contractor building permanent houses (Comper & Wakeling) had no timber and would have to wait three weeks for the allocation. The first two should have been finished by February, but three or four years for the others. The first two would still not be finished yet.
    RAILWAY CROSSING at Northgate becomes locked closed when trains are not coming. Seventeen cars and an ambulance were kept waiting to be unlocked.
    BLYBURGATE ROAD WORKS progress is very slow. It took 70 working days to do 400 yards. Trade was effected.
    PLANNING agreed for additional buildings in the Insemination Centre.
    BUS SHELTERS were considered for Old Market.

18 Jan 1947

BAPTIST MANSE was bought in 1945 in Station Road for Ł1,750. So far Ł740 has been raised for it.

18 Jan 1947

KILBRACK HOUSE is being considered as the Civic Centre. At present in Beccles there is no Reading Room or Museum and the Library opens at the Guildhall three times a week for a short period. There is no place for Historical Records, pictures and Town Treasures to be stored and displayed. There is not much in Beccles for young people, and nothing for the elderly – no park, no square, not even a seat in the centre of the town.

18 Jan 1947

WEA Course of ten lectures on ‘Problems of the Countryside’ at the Adult School: Fee 2s 6d for 10 lectures or 6d each.

18 Jan 1947

GERMAN PRISONERS of WAR: The YMCA Hut is to be opened for them on Sunday afternoons. Some of them also go to the Church Services in Beccles.

25 Jan 1947

CAR ACCIDENT: A car somersaulted into the garden of Roos Hall Cottage after skidding on the ice.

25 Jan 1947

NEW SWIMMING POOL appeal for Beccles. Championships can no longer be held in the town, they must take place in still water. Beccles instigated the first championships in 1912.

25 Jan 1947

COT DEATH of 11 week old son of Mr & Mrs Ronald Goldspink.

25 Jan 1947

GERMAN PRISONERS of WAR passed through Beccles Station on their way to repatriation. “Some of them were standing or sitting about the platform and the rest were in the train amidst the piles of baggage and belongings. Hardly any of them spoke. Nobody smiled. They stood and sat about the platform and inside the train staring in front of them with expressionless faces. Quite honestly you would have never imagined they were on the journey home.
    I was able to have a word or two with several of them and I gathered that they were under no illusions about the sort of reception they were likely to receive on their return to their “Fatherland”. Their mail comes through regularly from Germany. One prisoner, an ex-farmer from just outside Frankfurt-am-Main, said he received on an average four letters a week from his wife whom he had not seen since 1944. He was captured during the German surrender of the Channel Islands. In these letters there have been full description about the state of affairs that exist in Germany today. He had received a full report of the extent of damage this German city has received.
    One cannot fail t notuice the varied colours and hues of their uniforms. Various shades of green jackets are worn by Germans patrolling Beccles, often with dark brown or grey trousers, which strike a note of incongruity. However the trousers are invariably nicely pressed and clean, so much so that you could almost cut your fingers on the crease. The glaring white letters denoting that the wearer is a German prisoner of war, seem a bit superfluous, because one could pick out a German prisoner of war a mile away with unfailing accuracy, if only because of his green uniform.
    At the YMCA I was able to talk with several of them and this is what they told me. They are “browned off to the teeth” with farm life in Suffolk, with eternal cutting and chopping of sugar beet and more and more sugar beet, they want to get home to the “helmet” as quickly as possible in spite of everything; they want to live in the British Zone in preference to any other; they think there won’t be any more war in Europe anyway, because of the atomic bomb.
    One of them was careful to explain to me what had happened to Japan. Pictures of the damage caused by the atomic bombs in Japan had been circulated in all countries. These pictures had shown that atomic bombs burned up everything and killed every form of organic life. That in short, would “put the wind up” all warmongers and aggressors in future.
    Not a single one of them mentioned the words “National Sociaism” or “Adolf Hitler”. One of them did make a plea on behalf of his own country. He said that Germany must have a place in the world’s social order of things. Germany had produced great scientists, musicians, writers, dictors and could produce plenty of coal, steel, machines etc, for which the world was crying out today.
    There was one trace of perhaps unconscious humour. He had been watching Beccles Town football team getting their weekly hiding on College Meadow, and so he said to me, “Our camp team could beat Beccles Town team easily!” Of course they have no money to spend as we know money. Instead they are issued with camp vouchers. I saw one of these vouchers. It was marked “WD., One Shilling.” with the name and date stamp of the camp marked thereon.

25 Jan 1947

WEDDING of Harold Johnson Self at Harpenden. He is the son of the late Mr & Mrs TJ Self, who lived in the district a number of years. He is an old boy of Sir John Leman School, and before joining the RAF in 1940 was employed at Lloyd’s Bank. He is known as a musician and tennis player. His wife, Kathleen Dickinson comes from Coulsdon, Surrey.

25 Jan 1947

DEATH of William Samuel Crisp, of 30 Peddar’s Lane, aged 79. He was a railwayman and retired from the LNER and the old GER.

25 Jan 1947

SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL: At present 406 pupils and need further accommodation. They hope to obtain the old school buildings of Leman House, Ballygate.
The National Trust has declined the offer of the building because of its financial commitments, under the will of Mrs Samuel White.
At present the school makes use of Peddar’s Lane Council Junior School, St Benet’s Hall and the Rectory Rooms.

1 Feb 1947

HEAVY SNOWFALL: 14 cars stranded on the Beccles to Norwich road. They were dug out assisted by an AA man.

1 Feb 1947

CONCERT by Beccles Light Symphony Orchestra in the Public Hall. It was attended by 120 people. The Orchestra was led by Mr RH Firth and conducted by Waldemar Schapiro. There was also a cello quartet by Mrs Firth, Mr Watkinson, Mr JH Esling and Mr Schapiro. Three songs were sung by Mrs Gallant.

1 Feb 1947

DEATH of Mr Charles Chandler Betts, aged 88. He was the son of the founder of the firm of builders, which he carried on. In his earlier days he was a keen bowls player.
A cablegram of sympathy was received from Belmont, Massachusetts, USA where three of the four sons of Mr Betts live: Messrs Robert, Grosvenor and George Betts. The other brother, Charles carries on the business.
Mr Betts visited his sons in 1923 and Miss Betts in 1924. [PHOTO page 1]

1 Feb 1947

PRE-FABS cost more than permanent brick houses, like those pre-fabs along Ellough Road and Orchard Green. The Ministry will spend Ł1,600 on Pre-Fabs – which are to last ten years – but turn down tenders of Ł1,400 for permanent houses – because the tenders are too high.
There is a need for more housing: “There are still inhabited properties in Beccles which will have to come down before long, otherwise they will fall down.” (At Gorleston over 700 Pre-Fabs went up on one piece of land.)

1 Feb 1947

GERMAN PRISONERS of WAR: One aged over 40 is a Yugoslavian, who lived about 50 miles from Belgrade. When the Germans occupied his country he was forced on pain of death to join up and fight for Hitler. Now he is afraid to return home because he thinks the present regime will exact retribution for having “assisted the enemy” and will be arrested the moment he sets foot in his native country. He never hears from his wife and family, who may think he is dead.

8 Feb 1947

SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL produce “The Arms and the Man” by George Bernard Shaw (including Austin Bates in the cast) [PHOTO]

8 Feb 1947

SNOW: It costs Ł200 a day to clear the snow in East Suffolk. By Monday they had 300 Prisoners of War at work, 250 from the Ministry of Transport, 20 from contractors, 10 from Catchment Board, 70 boys from Shotley Naval School and 530 County Council men.

15 Feb 1947

DEATH of Mr George Sampson, aged 69, of The Walk where he carried on a business as a furniture dealer. Born at Salhouse, he spent 35 years at Beccles. His wife died four years ago. He worked for charity, especially the Hospital. A member of the Adult School and the RAOB and Bowls League.
He leaves three sons and a daughter. One son, Cecil Sampson arrived to see his father from Windsor, Ontario, where he works for Ford. He arrived too late to see his father alive. It was his first visit for 24 years.

15 Feb 1947

DEATH of Mr Frederick W Garrett, aged 63, of Northgate. He was Works Manager of the Waveney Press since it opened 12 years ago. He was a keen supporter of Beccles Spiritualist Society.

15 Feb 1947

FINED Ł5 for having 18 loaves underweight, Arthur Daniel Clarke of 63 Blyburgate. The Inspector said that on drying the loaves 1 oz per loaf. He needed a new oven – t present he baked about 200 loaves at a time.

15 Feb 1947

HEAVY SNOW continues. Electricity ordered to be cut – a certain amount of minimum lighting was allowed in some of the shops. In the Post Offices candles were in use. Demand for oil stoves and paraffin, but at the all-electric Pre-Fabs it was a case of cooking in between times.
Elliott & Garrood were working as usual; they have their own powerhouse. Beccles is almost completely darkened by general street light restriction. Only one light remains – in Exchange Square, except for the red lamp on the Quay. The Parish Church Clock is not alight and telephone kiosks are dark.

15 Feb 1947

CO-OP DAIRIES in Fair Close have opened a Ł14,000 plant for pasteurised milk.

15 Feb 1947

BECCLES CHORAL SOCIETY sang excerpts from the Messiah in the YMCA hut, conducted by Mr RH Firth. Miss Mary Odam gave a selection of Soprano passages, Mr Lloyd Smith was the accompanist. Many Prisoners of War from the Ellough Camp attended.

15 Feb 1947

DEATH of Mr Walter Gibbens aged 39 of 49 Ingate. Born at Willingham, but he lived in Beccles most of his life. He went to sea (after being trained as a market gardener). His last ship was the drifter-trawler Jack Eve.

15 Feb 1947

NATIONAL SAVINGS: Mr Harry Reynolds elected as the Eastern Regional member of the National Savings Committee. He was educated at the Sir John Leman School; he has been a teacher at Yarmouth for some years. His brother Mr Roland B Reynolds is Secretary of Beccles Choral Society.

22 Feb 1947

HOUSING: Mr EW Swindells (Chairman of the Housing Committee) said they were dealing with accommodation for 217 families excluding the 60 hutments at the Aerodrome, but including 50 Pre-fabricated bungalows already occupied.
    The number of applications for houses is about 350.
    Tenders by eight local builders for 24 houses at Rigbourne Hill approved. (24 each comprising 2 flats at Ł1220, a dwelling and two at a dwelling, and two at Ł1341)
    The siting of 24 Airey Houses in Common Lane, in addition to the 63 permanent houses being erected at Rigbourne Hill by Comber & Wakeling Ltd.
    Delays caused by shortages of materials – timber and metal casements, scarcity of skilled labour and the weather.

22 Feb 1947

KILBRACK property valued at Ł2,750, being Ł1,390 for the land and Ł1360 for the buildings. Ł4,000 is to be borrowed for purchase and Ł1150 for adaptation and furnishing, Ł100 legal fees.

22 Feb 1947

PLANNING APPROVAL:
    A pair of houses in Queen’s Road for Messrs GH Hipperson
    Additional buildings at the Artificial Insemination Centre at Ringsfield Road
    Extension of existing buildings at Peddar’s Lane
    A new Junior School in Lowestoft Road
    Fresh Cloak Rooms at Sir John Leman School.

22 Feb 1947

WEATHER: Most of the Waveney frozen. Hoped to skate from Beccles to Oulton Broad for the first time since 1894/95. At the Cut in Beccles the ice is 12 inches thick.
Mr H Gilding of Rookwood, London Road is a prominent local skater. He said an attempt would be made on Friday – because Clowes is closed for the weekend due to the fuel shortage.

22 Feb 1947

St JOHN’S AMBULANCE: More recruits are needed. Bookings for Blyburgate Hall were healthy – and the optimism of those who had advised its purchase were fully justified.
21 volunteers had carried 270 patients during 1290 hours. Mr A Crisp (the paid driver) had put in over 430 hours driving.

22 Feb 1947

VERGER: Mr C Boggis has resigned, he had been verger since 1939. He has taken a post with the Gas Company.

22 Feb 1947

ELECTRICITY SHORTAGE: The streets are blackened out. There are only three lights in Beccles: one in Exchange Square, one at the Churchyard steps in Puddingmoor, and a red light at the Quay.

22 Feb 1947

DEATH of George Spalding of City Cottages Barsham aged 92. For the past 29 years he has lived with his eldest son. Born at Ringsfield, eldest of 11 children of John Spalding an agricultural labourer. He spent only a fortnight at school. He started working aged seven at Ringsfield Hall Farm keeping cows. “I used to run and tell my master when they got out. I got a shilling a week. Next he managed bullocks at Grange Farm. At Worlingham for two years he lived in the house, his wages were Ł4 and Ł5 respectively. He went to sea on a Lowestoft fishing boat for two or three years. He returned to Grange Farm. The only thing he could not do was milking. “I could plough, sow, reap, or mow, ditch, drain, cut a hedge, cut down a tree, take the bark off, build a stack, and thatch it. When the peas and beans were carried into the barn I could thresh them with a flail. I used to get a shilling a coomb for this work.” For twelve years he was a City Farm, where he looked after the horses and other jobs. His last work was operating the feeder of a threshing machine, which toured the district. He retired aged 69.
He enjoyed looking at the photographs in the newspapers, but could not read or write. He married aged 21 and for a number of years the family’s Christmas Dinner was made up of a solitary red herring. Their main food was turnips and bread. Three of his children attended school together. He was asked to pay 6d a week. He could not afford it and the teacher footed the bill.

8 Mar 1947

DEATH of Mrs Elizabeth Gibbs aged 83 of Ashman’s Road. She was a member of the Choir of St Michael’s and sang both services on Sundays.

15 Mar 1947

THAW AT LAST, which caused widespread flooding. The Beccles Norwich road and the Beccles Bungay road were impassable. The Marshes were flooded and rail traffic on the Waveney Valley line could only get as far as Harleston.
1947 Beccles & Bungay22 Mar FLOODING WORSE: Between 30 and 40 houses in Fen Lane, Bridge Street and Puddingmoor were flooded. The main damage was to floor coverings, wallpaper and furniture.

22 Mar 1947

RAVENSMERE SCHOOL has set up a Parents Teacher Association. Mr AE Pyeis the Chairman, Mrs FC Dix is the Secretary. Head teacher Miss A Wrigley with Miss Hunter and Miss Robinson are on the Committee.
They will urge that electric light be installed in the building to replace the present gas lighting.

29 Mar 1947

TOWN COUNCIL:
    1.) The Swimming Pool might cost Ł30,000, but a preliminary plan will be prepared. It will be sited on St Mary’s Estate bounded by Puddingmoor and Bungay Road.
    2.) Mr Bryan Forward sent in his notice of resignation. He had been Town Clerk since 1914 [PHOTO page 5]
    3.) The BATHING PLACE to be reopened. The premises to be cleaned, white and colour washed, with the woodwork creosoted. It will be treated with chloride of lime. Mr BL Moore is to be reinstalled as superintendent of the Bathing Place. The average income was Ł70 to Ł80.
    4.) HOUSING APPROVED for 26 permanent houses at Rigbourne Hill. Builders to be: CC Betts (4 at Ł1,220 per house); FH Reynolds (the same); George Taylor (the same); George Coggle (the same); J Blaza (the same); Spalding & Holmes (2 at Ł1,220); H Martin (the same; G Hipperson (two at Ł1,341) Total Ł31,962.
    Because of the weather construction has been limited over a period of eight weeks. It is difficult to get skilled labour, as local rates were lower than neighbouring towns.
    Work on the conversion of No 4 Site at Ellough Airfield: 14 Civil Building licenses had been issued in February at a total of Ł3239.
    Common Lane site for the Airey Houses was opposed by Mr Copeman, who said it was liable to flooding, was near the Railway and was frequently enveloped by smoke from factories and smoke from the Railway. The objection was defeated.
    5.) A GARDENER, Mr Miller was appointed as part of the general staff of the Corporation
    6.) The post of Marshman was to be re-advertised.

29 Mar 1947

Dr DOROTHY HODGKIN CROWFOOT was elected a member of the Royal Society.

29 Mar 1947

PARISH CHURCH ANNUAL MEETING:
    1.) Mr Fowler resigned as Rector’s Warden; Mr JC Woodward nominated as his successor
    2.) Mr BS George reappointed as People’s Warden
    3.) Mr James Howes appointed Verger in place of Mr C Boggis [PHOTO 12 Apr 1947]
    4.) The Electoral Roll contains 863 names, a reduction of thirteen.
    5.) The Church Council: Miss P Atkin, Mr RC Boggis, Mr AE Boar, Mrs Frank Clarke, Mrs Frank A Clatworthy, Miss C Darby, Miss G Fuller, Mrs EU Hartley, Miss E Jackson, Miss C Johnson, Mr R Keely, Mr HE King, Mr TG Knight, Mrs W Lee, Miss AM McCarthy, Mr FJ Meen, Mr GS Odam, Mr Allden Owles, Miss J Paddle, Mrs I Pagan, Capt FC Poyser, Mr RB Reynolds, Mrs FW Rideal, Miss M Robinson, Mr WM Sheldrake, Mr F Turrell, Miss F Watson, Dr LR Wood, Mr GA Youell.
    6.) The Rector in his address: “It was appalling to read, almost day by day of the lamentable breakdown in children – their behaviour and problems of all kinds of delinquency.”

5 Apr 1947

DEATH of Dr H Muir Evans of Greenbank, St Mary’s Road, aged 80. He was in General Practice in Lowestoft until retirement in 1934. Born at Richmond, educated at University College London and started practice in Lowestoft in 1894. He was Senior Surgeon at the Lowestoft & North Suffolk Hospital. He was a Magistrate and Chairman of the Juvenile Branch. During the First World War he served in France as a surgeon with the rank of Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was a well-known biologist and author of fishery research books. His hobbies were fishing, yachting and travel.

5 Apr 1947

LICENSEE of the PICKEREL retires. Mr & Mrs G Goffin of the Pickerel Inn Puddingmoor retire after 22 years. They are going to live at Oulton Broad. The new Tenants are Mr & Mrs E Cook.
1947 Beccles & Bungay 12\Apr CHORAL SOCIETY performs the Messiah at the Public Hall.

12 Apr 1947

St MICHAEL’S CHUCH WINDOW in the Choir Vestry broken in Tuesday’s gale.

12 Apr 1947

PROPERTY SALE by Read Owles & Ashford:
LOT 1.) Fairland House, Fair Close: Substantially built; Hall, 2 Reception Rooms; 4 Bedrooms, Bathroom, domestic offices, Mains water and Gas; small front and back Gardens.
LOT 2.) 23 London Road: Semi-detached; Hall, 2 Reception Rooms; 3 Bedrooms, Bathroom, domestic offices; Mains water and gas; front Garden, large enclosed Kitchen Garden.

12 Apr 1947

TABLET to BISHOP of NORWICH: Dr Bertram Pollock unveiled. Mrs Pollock and a daughter attended. The plaque was placed near the Bishop’s Throne, it is of Hopton Wood Stone. [Photo page 8]

12 Apr 1947

LETTER from “Ratepayers” saying that the rates are 22 shillings in the Ł, yet Beccles Council has engaged an additional Surveyor and seems to be about to employ two Town Clerks.

19 Apr 1947

TOWN COUNCIL:
    1.) Mr Coney accuses The Mayor (Mr EJ Hindes) of writing the letter to the newspaper divulging private Council business. Mr Hindes refused to reply. A heated argument ensued.
    2.) Mr WS Clark appointed Town Clerk.
    3.) Housing is being controlled and curtailed by the Ministry.
    The Rigbourne Hill houses were commenced 29 weeks ago, but none are finished yet. Mr Spashett criticises this slowness.
    4.) Old Market: A trader objected to the Bus Station and the one-way traffic system, saying it would seriously affect their business.

19 Apr 1947

DIAMOND WEDDING: Mr & Mrs James Keable of 76 Northgate. They are both 84. He worked at Elliott & Garrood and Darby Brothers. He retired aged 70. She earned 2s 6d a week working at the Silk Factory at Ditchingham at the age of 20. They have 2 sons and 4 daughters, 37 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

19 Apr 1947

STEFFANI (real name Fred W Wisker) gives a new silver challenge cup to the Golf Club. He is setting off on a tour of the USA. He is a well-known broadcaster, founder of the “Silver Songsters” and has been broadcasting for 14 years.

26 Apr 1947

DEATH of Mrs E Mann authoress of “Old Bungay” aged 85, widow of Mr Robert Mann. She was staying at 4 Broad Street Bungay after returning from some years in Devon. The records of her book she presented to the Central Library Ipswich. She also published JB Scott’s “An Englishman at Home and Abroad”.

26 Apr 1947

Mr AE Pye, Chairman of Lowestoft Divisional Labour Party and a Beccles Town Council accused the Mayor, Mr EJ Hindes, of being responsible for the publication of an anonymous letter, which disclosed committee information before it had been considered by the Council. “They are violating the common decencies of public life in your Council Chamber. You have never had such a weak Council.”

26 Apr 1947

Mr Frank P Glover, Senior Master at Sir John Leman School is leaving to become Senior Lecturer at the Teachers’ Training College near Wymondham. He was the first teacher appointed when the school was opened in 1914.
He was born in Yorkshire and has been an outstanding figure in Suffolk County cricket and hockey for many years. He took his BA in Geography at Cardiff. He met his wife, Miss Elizabeth Fry at Cardiff at the University.
In the First World War he was commissioned into the Royal Welch Fusiliers. He saw service in France and Italy and was wounded twice.

26 Apr 1947

BECCLES AMATEUR DRAMATIC SOCIETY produces “The Road House” by Walter Hackett [PHOTO page 1]. Actors included John Esling, Lindsay Tilney, Wilfred Durrant, Neville and Joan Cross, Frank Kelf, Keith Took, Robyn Butterfield.

26 Apr 1947

SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL: Miss Una Redgrave music mistress in place of Mrs RH Firth; Mr R Fuller succeeded by Mr G Pottenger as Instructor in gardening.

26 Apr 1947

MARRIAGE: Mr Jack Want of The Harbourage and Miss Brenda Bates daughter of Mr and Mrs Austin Bates of 58 Frederick’s Road. The reception was held at the Co-Op Restaurant.

26 Apr 1947

RETIRES: Mr EJ Shiplee of 106 Grove Road retires from the Post Office as postman after 45 years. His father, two uncles and both brothers were all postmen, averaging 40 years each.

26 Apr 1947

CAXTON AMATEUR ATHLETIC Clubhouse has opened during the last year in Gaol Lane

26 Apr 1947

TOWN CLERK: Mr WS Clark of Eversley Cottage, Ballygate is to become Town Clerk in two month’s time. In 1914 he became a junior clerk in the office of Mr Forward, who had recently been chosen as Town Clerk, following the death of Mr Tom P Angell.
During the First World War he was with the Household Cavalry and Grenadier Guards in France and Belgium. He was wounded three times. In 1923 he was appointed Accountant and in 1925 Rating and Valuation Officer. In 1942 he was appointed Assistant Town Clerk. In 1937 he ran the clerical side of the ARP when it was set up. He was the Chief Billeting Officer, coping with mothers and children from Gravesend and the London area. In 1944 during the flying bomb attacks Beccles hosted those from Romford. He has been the Food Executive Officer.
His late father, Mr William Clark, of the Lodge, London Road was a member of the East Suffolk Police and Captain of the Fire Brigade.

26 Apr 1947

WORLINGHAM CHURCH: [PHOTO page 5]

3 May 1947

FOUR GERMAN PRISONERS of WAR escaped from a lorry taking them to work from the Camp at Ellough. They were later arrested at Homersfield.

3 May 1947

RIGBOURNE HILL ESTATE: “The thing that struck me was the somewhat monotonous aspect. There will be over 80 houses in this region – all bricks and mortar, all more or less the same shape and size. Walking along Corton Road Lowestoft I could not help noticing that every house was different in shape and design, different in colour. – I suppose one can build in haste and repent at leisure.”

3 May 1947

PROPERTY SALE: Auction by Ashford & Owles of St Albans Ashman’s Road in Ľ acre garden; Entrance lobby, Hall, two Reception Rooms, 4 Bedrooms, Bathroom etc. Main Services; Lawn, fruit trees, large workshop.

10 May 1947

ROAD COSTS PRUNED of East Suffolk by Ministry of Transport. It would mean a drastic cut all round. All resurfacing would cease.

10 May 1947

BENACRE HUNT BALL revived – the first since 1938. About 400 people attended.

10 May 1947

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH: Mr F Bloom resigned as Treasurer and Church Secretary after five years. Mr RA Nursey elected to succeed him.

10 May 1947

BATTERY to be FORMED: A “Q” Battery of the 660 Heavy AA Regiment Royal Artillery at Beccles. The HQ is at the New Drill Hall, Lowestoft. A recruiting centre is to be opened at the Drill Hall Peddar’s Lane.

10 May 1947

DEATH of Herbert S Martin of 28 Peddar’s Lane aged 68. He was a general hardware merchant for 35 years and member of the British Legion.

10 May 1947

PROPERTY SALES by George Durrant for Mrs Jessy Taylor’s exors
    LOT 1: Station Road 14, small residence with Garden
    LOT 2: Station Road 12, small residence with Garden. Let to the Misses Bird at rent totalling
    Ł41-3s-4d
    LOT 3: Fair Close 45: small residence let to Mr CW Sharpin at rent totalling Ł41-3s-4d

10 May 1947

PROPERTY SALE by Ashford & Owles
LOT 1: South Road 6: small semi-detached Residence with Garden with well-stocked Garden, 2 Reception Rooms, 3 Bedrooms, bathroom.

10 May 1947

ELLOUGH AIRFIELD: “Not until comparatively late in the War was the Station completed.” Members of the USA Air Force were the first occupants, and after a considerable time their place was taken by the RAF.

17 May 1947

CAXTON PRESS: Mr George E Brown, manager of the Composing Department has been appointed Printing Works Manager at Norwich for Page Bros, a subsidiary of Boulton & Paul. He remains a member of the Town Council to which he was elected in 1945.
    The youngest of a family of ten, his mother died when he was two. His father, Mr Martin H Brown, a native of Ipswich, learned the printing trade at the “East Anglian Daily Times” office, afterwards being at the Caxton Press for over 50 years.
    During the First World War, as a small boy, he led Mr W Woolner, dressed in a real bear’s skin round the town and collected Ł35 in three days for the Belgian Relief Fund.
    He organized the local Hospital Carnivals in 1927 and 1930 and the Carnival sections of the Jubilee and Coronation celebrations. He contributed to the columns of the East Suffolk Gazette in the days of the late Mr Mark Buck, and when the paper ceased publication in March 1926 he became local representative of the “Norwich Mercury” (now the Beccles and Bungay Journal.”

17 May 1947

VIOLENT DEATH of Arthur Clarke aged 58 of 12 Newgate. Clarke was drinking in the Red Lion in Blyburgate. Trouble began when Clarke started to get hysterical shouting, “I am a good Englishman.” He stumbled out of the bar and Christopher Delvin, an Irishman aged 45 of 2 Nun’s Yard followed him out. Clarke attacked Delvin – Clarke slipped backwards and hit his head on the kerb.
The Licensee Fred W Colman said he served drinks to Clarke during the evening. His wife Mrs Clara Colman said there did not appear to be any argument in the bar. Coroner’s verdict: Death by misadventure.

17 May 1947

FILMSTAR: Bobbie Cawdron has been taking part in the production of “The Secret Tunnel” at Flixton. He was born in Paris and attended Beccles College. He is 25 and unmarried.

17 May 1947

HOUSES: Beccles Town Council accepted the tender of Messrs Gill & Son of Norwich at Ł29,951 for the erection of 20 Airey Houses at Common Lane – subject to the approval of the Ministry of Health.

17 May 1947

MUSIC FESTIVAL of a non-competitive kind held at the Public Hall.

17 May 1947

RETIREMENT of Inspector William T Bryant of Beccles. He joined the East Suffolk Constabulary in March 1919. He will continue to live in Beccles where he has been stationed since 1943.
Most of his service has been spent at Lowestoft, where he was on duty during the heaviest bombardment in the Second World War. While an Inspector he had to carry out some exacting duties in connection with the Tithe Dispute at Wortham, which lasted for 18 days in February 1934.
He will be succeeded by Sgt George Allison of Oulton Broad, with the rank of Inspector. [PHOTO 24 May page 5].

17 May 1947

POST-MILL dismantled at South Elmham St Michael [PHOTO]

24 May 1947

KILBRACK LOAN approved by the Treasury and Ministry of Health of Ł4,000 to acquire, adapt and furnish Kilbrack.

24 May 1947

ESTATE AGENT HONOURED: Mr JB Ashford of Dunburgh senior partner of Ashford & Owles to be Chairman of the East Anglian branch of Auctioneers & Estate Agents.

31 May 1947

ASSISTANT TOWN CLERK appointed: Mr John K Teasdale of Latchingdon, Essex. During the Second World War he was a Major, commanding an independent armoured brigade company in north-west Europe, and was mentioned in dispatches.

24 May 1947

DEATH of Mr James F Lincoln, of 80 Grove Road, aged 68, chief clerk in the goods office at Beccles station. He was a native of Yarmouth and had been living at Beccles for nearly 40 years. He retired at the age of 60. [PHOTO page 1]

24 May 1947

BRITISH LEGION opens fund for Headquarters

31 May 1947

BECCLES BOUNDS to be beaten on the longest day, 21st of June. It has not occurred in living memory, and the idea originated with the Mayor, Alderman Hindes. Mr Odam, Headmaster of the County Modern School was enthusiastic and he and some of his staff and pupils will be taking part. The boundary extends for eight miles, of which three are water. Although within a month of his 87th birthday, the Mayor hopes to do some of it himself. It will start at 2pm and will last for some hours. “The young people will be furnished with tall staffs having ribbons at the top. Very often they will be walking in single file. In the old days a boy was bumped or dipped into a dyke to fix the ceremony in his mind. This time, however, i think it would do well if we have a few halts for jam tarts and so on.” The walk will start near Castle Farm, then to Worlingham Lodge. This will lead to the boundary dyke, and will be followed to the back of the Butts at the east end of the Common to the point where it joins the River Waveney. A motor boat and some rowing boats will be ready to take the party as nearly as possible for three miles to Roos Hall. A point will be made of keeping to the middle of the river, which represents the boundary. Through the grounds of Mrs Suckling to the Bungay Road, through the Hollow Way, a delightful low-lying waljk between the fields. At the top end this joins the Ringsfield Road at the entrance to Murder Lane. Past Meadowcroft to the block of four cottages where the boundary goes straight ahead. A bridle path will be followed for a considerable distance into Cromwell Lane, which it joins 300 yards on the west side of the railway crossing. Then along the road to London Road, past the brickfields. Finally Dirty Lane will be crossed to reach the starting point. [There are mentions of a perambulation of the Bounds in 1672 in the Feoffees accounts and 1849 in the newspaper.]

31 May 1947

DEATH of Mr Herbert Sarbutt, aged 78, of Old Mill Terrace. For 54 years he was employd by Darby Bros, Timber Merchants. He retired about 6 years ago. [PHOTO page 3]

31 May 1947

PROPERTY SALE: by George Durrant for the late Mrs Jessy Taylor:
    LOT 1.) 14 Station Road, with posession bought by Mr H A Wells for the LNER at Ł12,275, let at rental of Ł41 16s 4d pa.
    LOT 2.) 12 Station Road sold to Misses E Clarke and M Clarke at Ł625
    LOT 3.) Finboro, 45 Fair Close, let at a rental of Ł41 3s 4d purchased by Mr RM Kiddle of Toft Monks for Ł500.
    by Ashford & Owles
    LOT 4.) St Albans, Ashman’s Road, purchased by Mrs Taylor of Lowestoft at Ł2,000
    LOT 5.) 6 South Road, purchased by Mr H Oxborough at Ł1575.

7 Jun 1947

BECCLES NATIONAL FIRE SERVICE called to a fire at the Royal Estate at Sandringham. Many brigades were in attendance. The contingent was: Company Officer AE Aldous; S-L L bolton; L-F J Woodrow; L-F N Cocker; and Firemen D Cooper, E Tuthill, W Spall, F Barrett, C Hall, and H Boast. It took them three hours to do the 65 mile journey. The King and Queen were in residence and came out and chatted to the Beccles contingent, who were working in the sweltering heat.

7 Jun 1947

SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL Sports Day [PHOTOS Page 5]

24 May 1947

EAST ANGLIAN MAGAZINE reproduces some striking water colours by FW Baldwin, of Stoven. He has had several paintings in the Royal Academy in the last 14 years. Trained as an engineer, he was a draugtsman during the Swecond World War at the Beccles Ingate Iron Works of Elliott & Garrood, Ltd.

14 Jun 1947

Dr GRANTHAM-HILL left Beccles in his six ton gaff-rigged yawl, White Cloud on the first stage of a voyage to the Baltic. The crew consists of the owner and two under-graduates from Cambridge. They intend to cross the North Sea and through the Liel Canal for a cruise along the East Danish coast. They may cross to Sweden, where Dr Grantham-Hill hopes to meet his daughter, who is now in Norway where her husband is in the Canadian Legation.
He expects to be ack in England in about a month.

14 Jun 1947

DEATH of Maltster, James Hadingham, of 3 the Pathway, Newgate, owing to an accidental fall into a barley bin at the premises of John Crisp & Sons Ltd.

14 Jun 1947

TRAWLER held up for two days, when Kenneth Gibbs, of 1 Providence Place refused to sail after he had signed on with the trawler.

14 Jun 1947

NEW BUILDINGS in Beccles: In the Castle Farm vicinity quite a lot of pre-fabs have been erected by the Town Council, and the permanent brick houses on the Rigbourne Hill estate
Buildings have been under construction for some months. They stand back from the road for the use of the artificial insemination centre of the Milk Marketing Board, Close by are two semi-detached houses for employees at the centre.
The Sir John Leman School has taken over part of the 20-acre meadow, which was used to accommodate the Suffolk Agricultural show. It is opposite the school and already looks like a sports field.

14 Jun 1947

TWO YEARS AFTER the end of the Second World War much still remains to be done to bring the Norfolk and Suffolk coast back to its pre-war state. At Aldburgh on Sunday employees of a King’s Lynn firm were removing the square concrete blocks which were erected in 1940 to frustrate any attempt by Hitler’s army to make a landing by tanks. The bocks were pushed over by a bulldozer and then loaded by crane on to a transporter fitted with 16 wheels. Four at a time they were taken tothe southern end of the town.

24 May 1947

Jun 21 1947

HOUSING COMMITMENTS: Mr EW Swindells, Chairman of the Housing Committee said that the borough’s commitment totalled Ł239,000 and the interest charges were Ł5,975 pa. This included 50 prefabricated houses at St Anne’s Road and Clerk’s Piece Ł58,000; 97 houses at Rigbourne Hill for Ł108,000; 20 Airey houses at Common Lane atŁ29,000 and roads and other items Ł44,000. These would house 242 families. In addition there was room for 140 houses at the hutments
    Progress had been held up by many things, but the first four flats at Rigbourne Hill would be handed over on Wednesday.
    Mr HA Spashett said they had 450 people on the waiting list and they had not got anyone in a permanent house, and when will they be able to get a permanent house?
    The Ministry has accepted a tender by HJ Martin for two C type houses at Rigbourne Hill at Ł1361 each plus Ł45 development allowance and Messrs Gill of Norwich for 20 Aire houses at Common Lane for Ł28,570. The value of the 6 ˝ acres is Ł535..
    Roads and sewage costs would be Ł6906 for Common Lane and Ł6,190 for St Anne’s Road by Tilbury Construction. Application would be made for a loan of Ł13,139.
    SWIMMING POOL: There had been criticism of the condition of the pool. Mr Swindells said that its condition was no worse than elsewhere on the Broads, where dirt and debris were general. He was surprised to hear that no shingle had been placed at the bottom of the Pool for the last 25 years. Mr GE Brown said he thought the place was filthy and not fit for human beings. A motion to get an estimate for shingling the Pool was defeated.
    WATER SUPPLY inadequate especially on the Grange Estate and Rigbourne Hill. The water “was like coffee in which babies could not be Washed. It was a question of health.
    PLASTER ROYAL COAT OF ARMS dated 1594 presented by Ashford and Owles to the Town Coucil. [from their offices in New Market]
    JOHN CRISP & Sons are willing for their dyke on the south side of the Quay to be used for moorings under municipal control. The dyke is silted up considerably.
    FOUR LARGE POPLAR TREES on the Quay are to be cut down.

Jun 21 1947

CHAMBER OF TRADE to be formed. It would be the ninth in Suffolk.

Jun 21 1947

PAKEFIELD CHURCH still in ruins. [PHOTO]

Jun 21 1947

CAXTON FOOTBALL CLUB Secretary,

Jun 28 1947

PAPER MISSING

Jul 5 1947

St BENET’S SCHOOL parets protest after East Suffolk County Council rule that all children over the age of 11 should go to the County Modern School from September and that the school should be a junior and kindergarten school only.

Jun 5 1947

CAXTON CLUB resignation of Mr A Fairchild as Secretary after 10 years loyal service

Jul 5 1947

SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL has acquired a large meadow oppsite the school for use for sports. Workmen are at present building a pavilion. [PHOTO page 5]

Jul 5 1947

CAPTAIN BOYCOTT was agent for the Flixton Estate in the 1880s. He was born in 1832 educated at Blackheath and Woolwich, entered the army in 1850 and retired some years later as a Captain. In 1873 he was appointed agent for the estates of Lord Erne in County Mayo in Ireland and after a few years came into conflict with the Land League agitators. He declined to accept rents at the reductions named by the tenants, and became the first victim of the system later called Boycotting. They began to persecute him and refused to work for him, or to bring in the crops. In retaliation 50 Orangemen from the North of Ireland, organised themselves into a relief band, and under the protection of 900 soldiers gathered in the crops, bringing Captain Boycott into a place of safety.. He left for London and the USA. When he returned to Mayo in 1881, he was again mobbed and ill-treated, but after this conditions showed a gradual improvement.. In 1886 he left to become agent for t.he Adair Estates
While at Flixton he was responsible for the revival of the Bungay races.

Jul 5 1947

BEATING THE BOUNDS last happened in 1884 63 years ago. Mr Herbert Branford, watchmaker and jeweller of Hungate, one time a member of the Town Council, who is 78 remembers it. He was in the employ of Mr Jonathan Read, watchmaker in New Market, the predecessor of Mr Samuel White. He got the day off in order to take part. Political feeling was then running high. The Liberals turned up with yellow ribbons, and the Conservatives , who include Herbert Branford with blue. “There were about 30 of us all young. I believe one of the Bland family, who lived at the Hollies in Frederick’s Road, was the leader. He was a clergyman. The late Henry Boyce, the Headmaster of the Leman School in Ballygate organised it. John Frith, who worked for Mr Flower, the chemist, was the comic of the party. We took with us poles and stilts, so that we could go anywhere. However we found the stilts were not any good as they sank in the soft ground. We used them to jump the ditches. We covered the bounds very thoroughly doing 17 miles. The journey finished at the old “black hut” or smelt house on the Roos Hall estate. He was accompanied by his brother James Branford of Hungate.

Jul 12 1947

NEW RATION BOOKS distributed in Beccles

Jul 12 1947

Rev ALFRED HENCHMAN CROWFOOT, Dean of Quebec, is visiting and staying with his sister, Mrs Henry Wood-Hill at the Staithe, Northgate. He has exchanged duties with the Rector of Great Bookham. He was the second son of Dr William Crowfoot, educated at the Fauconberge School, then Marlborough, Emmanuel College Cambridge and Wells Theological College. He was ordained Deacon in 1904 and Priest in 1905 in the diocese of Liverpool. He was Curate of Wigan and then went to Canada He married a Canadian woman and they have a son and a daughter, both married.

Jul 19 1947

PROPERTY SALE by Ashford & Owles
    LOT 1) London Road 21; Semi-detached residence let to Mr Alfred Day at Ł54 pa
    LOT 2) Peddar’s Lane 1a. Office (or bungalow) with attractive Garden or Workshop.
    LOT 3) Frederick’s Road 53
         Fairclose 56
         Peddar’s Lane 32
         Lady’s Meadow 13-17
         These are all let to good tenants producing rentals of Ł205

Jul 19 1947

TOWN COUNCIL:
    HOUSE RENTS INCREASED: Rigbourne Hill: Duplex flats, one bedroom 7s 6d; two bedrooms 8s 11d; non-parlour houses. Three bedrooms 12s 9d; four bedroom 14s 2d.
    SWIMMING POOL: Preliminary plans to be made by the Borough Surveyor for the pool in St Mary’s. Patience needed. There are at least 400 bathers in our existing pool
    TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB: Sanitary and electricity lacking at College Meadow, described by Mr Fairweather as “Primitive”. The matter has been raised for 20 years.

Jul 19 1947

PLAYING FIELDS provision being considered by the Remembrance Fund Committee. The owner of 12,327 acres at London Road was willing to sell. At present there was Ł750 available, after Ł255 had been paid for the Book of Remembrance and Ł100 for the Roll of Honour. Grants would be applied for.
Mr Meen was designing the cabinet for the Book of Remembrance, and the Rector is making application for a faculty permitting it to be placed in the Parish Church. The names of all men and women who served during 1939 to 1945. The number so far was 459. The estimated outstanding total was about 200. Mr Gilding offered to make a personal canvass for the remaining names. Messrs Nobbs & Goate would print 800 copies for Ł17 10s.

Jul 19 1947

STATIONMASTER, Mr JH Denholm, who took the post in July 1946 was leaving and going to Cowlairs near Glasgow. A presentation was made.

Jul 19 1947

SAILING HOLIDAY by Dr Grantham Hill to Denmark and Sweden. Looking at the Swedish shops he found they were stocked with goods made in Britain, including many tools which he had been unable to purchase here

Jul 19 1947

DEATH of Mrs Gertrude Judge aged 62, wife of Mr Will Judge of 42 Denmark Road, the Suffolk comedian.

Jul 26 1947

DEATH of Canon Ernest G Clowes, Rector of Weston, aged 80, killed by a train at Wickham Market while wheeling his bicycle. In 1911 he succeeded his father, Rev Josiah H Clowes, as Rector of Weston. He was at the Fauconberge School and then to the London College of Divinity and Durham University. For more than 30 years he served on Wangford RDC and its predecessor and was an alderman of East Suffolk County Council. [PHOTO page 5]

Junl 26 1947

DEATH of Mr William Ward, aged 75 of Bracondale, St Mary’s Road. He was born in Beccles, and an ex-Naval man, who retired in 1910, but served during the First World War. Later he served with the Coastguard Service, spent 11 years at Mundesley, 3 at King’s Lynn, following a short time at Portland Bill. He was a publican at Beccles for some years. For a short tim he was on Beccles Town Council. [PHOTO page 1]

Jul 26 1947

TOWN COUNCIL: So many things that require doing: The existing sewage system is totally inadequate, municipal offices, civic centre, playing fields, swimming pool, public parks, shelters, by-pass roads, library, housing accommodation for the aged, community centre, development of holiday amenities, waterworks undertaking etc.

Jul 26 1947

GOLDEN WEDDINGS: Mr & Mrs Clem Dennington of 37 Frederick’s Road. He was a plumber for 41 years and retired 6 years ago. Mrs Dennington is a native of Wymondham. They have 3 daughters and 2 sons.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 2    HOSPITAL has deficit of Ł1471 caused by higher nursing salaries, higher salaries for domestic workers fixed by the Eastern Provincial Council, increased cost of drugs, dressings, medical equipment and money paid to other hospitals for treatment of Beccles people, despite the fact that voluntary collectors had collected Ł2300.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 2    BATHING PLACE: Mr Bertie Moore, the superintendent, said that during the prolonged good weather this summer there have been between 300 and 400 people using the Bathing Place or about 2,400 a week.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 2    DEATH of Mr Robert William Holmes, of 6 Gresham Road, aged 63, a railwayman, who since 1942 had been a guard on the Waveney line. He started his career on the railway in 1919 a t Yarmouth.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 2    SUFFOLK FARM LOSSES caused by the recent ice storms on 8,000 acres cost Ł150,000.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 2    PROPERTY SALE: Avondale, Waveney Road, a small semi-detached residence with hall, 2 reception rooms kitchen, landing, 3 bedrooms, bathroom and Wc, garden with grass and fruit trees.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 9    SALE of Stanfield Hall. Built by Rev George Preston in 1792 on the site of the original home of Amy Robats, was the scene of the murder of Isaac Jermy, Recorder of Norwich and his son by James Blomfield Rush, who was executed in Norwich the following year.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 9    RAILWAY FARES large increase.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 9    FINANCIAL CRISIS: Premier outlines plans.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 2    BECCLES HISTORY: Old Prison: In 1879 extensive alterations were made to the buildings. The bedrooms of the governor and the old chapel were converted into a spacious court room. The outbuildings were removed, and part of the property sold for housing purposes. Dacre Place was erected on this site, but now, like the former prison, this has been pulled down for the extension of the Caxton Press. Built on part of the old prison yard was a public yard was a public soup kitchen, with fire station adjoining. At this kitchen soup was sold during the winter months, at a charge of a halpenny per pit, to the deserving poor of the borough.. It was open twice a week.. Mr Lawson G Laws being the manager and secretary.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 16    REGATTA: Brilliant weather, thousands attend the final night.[PHOTOS page 1]
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 16    GYMKHANA for St John Fund, with 70 horses. Attendance of 4,500 held in Ringsfield Road by kind permission of Mrs K Suckling. There was also a seven-a-side football tournament, children’s sports, and a rabbit and poultry judging competition. There were also stalls, sideshows and amusements. [PHOTO page 3]
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 16    PROPERTY SALE by Ashford & Owles
    LOT 1: St ANN’S ROAD: Belmont, a detached bungalow: Hall, 2 sitting rooms, kitchenette, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, main services, front and back gardens, for Mr CW Betts, who is moving into the house adjoining his business premises.
    LOT 2: 5 HUNGATE: Hall, 2 sitting rooms, kitchen with electric water heater, 4 bedrooms.
    LOT 3: for AE Mickleburgh’s Trustees: 14 & 16 NORTHGATE, two dwelling houses occupied by Messrs RE Cuddon and Mr F Harris.
    ALSO: 19 and 21 RAVENSMERE, detached pair of cottages, No 19 with possession and 21 Let to Mrs AE Simmonds.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 2    TERRACED HOUSING for Loddon District Council by architects Tayler & Green. 51 houses featured in a recent issue of “The Architect and Building News”.
    The houses are to be occupied mainly by agricultural workers. “The principal difficulty with the planning of terraced housing is to arrange for access through the building from front to back. This access is desirable, not necessarily for the back door (the kitchen is often at the front), but for connection between back and front gardens. Garden materials, plants, manure, refuse, wheelbarrows, tools, are obviously inconvenient to carry through the house.” The architects have solved the problem by making the store combined with porch serve as through access space. “This seems so satisfactory that it has not been used before.” This means that no space within the main body of the house is wasted on purely passage space. Each house is provided with individual private through access as well as access under cover to its store for fuel, vegetables etc. By keeping the concrete floors only three inches above the ground, the wheeling of barrows, cycles, prams etc is made easy. Occupants, visitors and tradesmen all enter by the door on the front. Other doors only provide access to the store, garden or store. “Thus the sequence of arrival, storing bicycles or boots, and the going indoors, is achieved under cover and in privacy. Entry for each member of the family, as well as for visitors, is the same and not through the back door and scullery.”
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 16    INSEMINATION CENTRE for cattle became available in this area less than four years, the insemination centre in Ringsfield Road has now over 1,000 herds on its membership list – an increase of 400 in a year. There are now a dozen bulls at the centre.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 23    BECCLES WELFARE CENTRE which is open on Tuesday afternoons in the Rectory Room in Ballygate, provides a most important function in the welfare of both mother and child, but is handicapped by lack of space. Out of the 51 days the clinic was open, a doctor was present on 45 days.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 23    FIRE in premises adjoining Lloyds Bank put out by Captain AE Aldous of the National Fire Service 9who is manager of the International Stores) and Mr Sidney Taylor, a pre-war member of the local brigade.
    The shop below the fire belongs to Mr and Mrs Kirby, following the retirement of Mr OG Poulton.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 23    DEATH of Mr Charles Cary-Elwes, aged 78, of Staithe House, 44 Northgate.
    Born in 1869, third son of Captain Windsor Cary-Elwes, of the Scots Guards. Educated at Stonyhurst, became a Benedictine monk at Fort Augustus, Scotland. In 1897 he married Edythe, second daughter of Sir Roper and Lady Parkington, who survives him. There were 8 children.
    The elfare of hospitals was his absorbing interest, and he was vice-chairman of the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in London. He became a Knight of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (the Knights of Malta) For many years he was the Chancellor in England. He was twice Master of the Distillers Company. He came to Beccles two years ago.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 23    DEATH of Mr David Henry Tuthill, of 7 Lady’s Meadow, aged 78. He was a retired employee of the Caxton Press. He retired in 1944.
    He was born on the Henham Hall Estate, where his father was employed as a groom by the Earl of Stradbroke. He came to Beccles when he was two years old, educated at the original Sir John Lema School, Ballygate. He started at the Caxton Press in 1883, and completed over 61 years service. He was an all-round sportsman, playing football and cricket for the Caxton Club, and was a well-known sprinter, a good skater, and took the first prize in a race from Beccles to Oulton Broad when the river was frozen.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 23    BECCLES REGATTA winning decrated boat was “a garden of flowers” owned and designed by Mrs JC Taylor of Teemore, London Road. The girl in the boat is Miss Josephine Aldred. [PHOTO page 5]
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 23    PROPERTY SALE by Durrants:
    WAVENEY ROAD, Avondale, purchased by Mrs Youngs, (Stoven) for Ł195.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 23    FAUCONBERGE SCHOOL: from “In Town and Village”: I understand that the old board preserved at the Town Council Offices, like those still in the former classroom at St Mary’s, was never part of a desk. These pieces of timber were provided specially at the school for the benefit of pupils who wished posterity to have a record of their names or initials and many made good use of them. [One of these is in Beccles Museum].
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 23    DEATH of Mr Harry John Beaton
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 16    PROPERTY SALE by Ashford & Owles
    LOT 1: St ANN’S ROAD: Belmont, a detached bungalow: Hall, 2 sitting rooms, kitchenette, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, main services, front and back gardens, for Mr CW Betts, who is moving into the house adjoining his business premises.
    Sold 13 Sep Ł2,250 to Mr & Mrs E Buxton of Weybread
    LOT 2: 3 HUNGATE: Hall, 2 sitting rooms, kitchen with electric water heater, 4 bedrooms.
    Sold 13 Sep Ł1,150 to Mr PS Harris of Beccles
    LOT 3: for AE Mickleburgh’s Trustees: 14 & 16 NORTHGATE, two dwelling houses occupied by Messrs RE Cuddon and Mr F Harris producing Ł49 8s pa
    Sold 13 Sep Ł675 to Mr FW Wisker of Beccles
    ALSO: 19 and 21 RAVENSMERE, detached pair of cottages, No 19 with possession and 21 Let to Mrs AE Simmonds.

1947    Beccles & BungayAug 30    DEATH of Mr Harry John Beaton, aged 73, at one time a leading sportsman. Born at Orford, he was sent to Beccles College at the age of 12 in 1887. He played for the school at football, when it was one of the strongest teams in Suffolk for the Suffolk Senior Cup. He won a Suffolk Senior Cup medal with Beccles College in 1892. After leaving school he played for Lowestoft in the final of the Amateur Cup against Bishop Aukland, by whom they were defeated in 1900.
    He was also a sprinter, cricketer, bowls player and golfer at a high level.
    He joined his father in business at the Bell Hotel, Saxmundham, afterwards taking over the Three Tuns at Yoxford and the Angel Hotel at Halesworth, before moving to the White Lion, Aldeburgh.
    He was a Mason in the Adair Lodge at Aldeburgh, Master in 1902 and Secretary from 1914 for 26 years. He was a Life Governor of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls and also the School for boys.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 30    A TAR SPRAYING LORRY, owned by Thames Tar Products of London swerved round the corner of Ingate and Blyburgate, crashed through a brick wall and came to rest among the gravestones of the disused cemetery on Friday night. The driver disappeared.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 30    EXHIBITION at Southwold of work by FW Baldwin, now living at Stoven, incuding paintings of New Market and Puddingmoor.
1947    Beccles & BungayAug 30    GARNEYS FAMILY: Nicholas Garneys died in 1628. He Built Boyland Hall, in the 1560s an imposing mansion at Morningthorpe, which is to be demolished. The family were formerly associated with Beccles District. He also built Redisham Hall, a fine Elizabethan mansion, demolished about 1820 to make way for the new one of John Garden. It contained lofty apartments and had clustered ornamental chimneys. It was of sound construction shown by the difficulties when it was destroyed.
    He has a curious monument on the outside of Ringsfield Church, which shows the kneeling effigies of Nicholas in a tabard and his wife in heraldic dress, together with six sons and four daughters. A mermaid appears on the pediment of the niche. The day and year of his death are not recorded.
    He was High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1592.
    Peter Garneys of Beccles in 1450 made a bequest of 13s 4d for the west tower of Ringsfield Church.
    Peter Garneys succeeded to the manor of Roos Hall at the death of his father in 1411.
    The first of the Garneys to own Redisham Hall was Robert of Heveningham, to whom it was granted in 1390. For upwards of 300 years they continued in ownership. In 1700 the portion known as Little Redisham was sold to Sir John Duke, Bart for Ł1,200. In 1706 the rest of the property was sold to Sir John Duke.
    Weston was also owned by Robert Garneys in 1535, included 500 acres of arable land and 500 of pasture, 60 acres of meadows and two of woods. There was also Ł4 rent in the parishes of Weston, Kenton, Debenham, Beccles, Worlingham, Ellough and Shadingfield. Nicholas Garneys sold the property in 1595.

Sep 6 1947

KILBRACK HOUSE has been purchased by Beccles Town Council for conversion into municipal offices. [PHOTO page 6]

Sep 13 1947

SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL: There are 422 pupils, a record number. Accommodation problem. New cloakrooms to be built.

Sep 20 1947

TOWN COUNCIL: Suggestion that a modern municipal market should be moved to Durrant’s auction mart. Ashford & Owles are prepared to sell their Blyburgate sale ground as a car park.

Sep 20 1947

COL FW BROOKS to retire as Colonel Commandant of the Suffolk Cadet Force. He was one of the first 50 to join the Beccles unit, which is the oldest in the country, and did so as a private 43 years ago. He served currently with the Territorial Army for 21 years and during the First World War went overseas with the 1st Suffolk Regiment of Artillery and during the Second World War was with the 8th Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment.

Sep 20 1947

PROPERTY SALE by Ashford & Owles:
Inbrac, Grove Road: Small modern detached residence at the junction of Kilbrack Road. Entrance hall, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, 3 bedrooms for Mr HG Boyce, who is leaving the town.

Sep 20 1947

BECCLES METHODIST CIRCUIT: Rev Stewart Bushby, who has been secod minister of the Goole Circuit appointed in September 1948. He has been in the ministry for 20 years.

Sep 20 1947

ASSISTANT POSTMASTER: Mr Reginald J Butler in succession to Mr J Wright, who is now Head Postmaster at Diss. He is 33 was born at Slough where he has been in the Post Office for 16 years. He started as a sorting clerk and telegraphist and became overseer. He is married and has a 5 year old son and is a keen golfer and cricketer.

Sep 20 1947

NEWSPAPER MISSING

Oct 4 1947

NEXT MAYOR of BECCLES: Mr JE Coney to succeed Mr EJ Hindes. He lived at Bungay from 1912 until 1915, when he joined the Royal Norfolk Regiment on war service. Later he was transferred to the King’s African Rifles, saw service in East Africa, and promoted Captain. He was engaged in coffee growing, returning to England in 1926. He was co-opted into Beccles Town Council in 1943. He retained his seat in 1945 as an Independent.
His business connections include the directorship of Johnson & Sons Ltd of Yarmouth and of the East Anglian Oilskin Manufacturing Co Ltd in Norwich. In the last few weeks he was elected chairman of Beccles Football Club.
Mrs Coney is hon housing welfare officer. She is daughter of the late Francis Easto Banham. There are two daughters, Mrs John Marriner now living in Yorkshire and Mrs David Douglas, whose husband is a master at Clifton College.

Oct 4 1947

St JOHN AMBULANCE inspected by the Earl of Cranbrook. Over 60 men, nurses and boy and girl cadets were on parade.

Oct 4 1947

DEATH of Mrs Elizabeth Freestone aged 61. She was the eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs Charles Wisker of Northgate. Mr Freestone’s father was a well-known bellringer at St Michael’s. She lives her husband , two sons and two daughters.

Oct 4 1947

DEATH of Mrs Violet Garrod of Grove Road, aged 47. She was a native of Gorleston, and was a prominent member of Beccles Labour Party , one of the four Labour nominees for the forthcoming municipal elections. [PHOTO page 6]

Oct 4 1947

CLOWES publishing trade is between 40% and 50% for export. But there are problems with labour and a shortage of materials, particularly paper and book cloth. The Government policy is to export white paper, but it would be better to export printed paper which would be of greater value.
The firm has at last received permission to resume the enlargement of the Newgate premises.

Oct 4 1947

NEW OFFICIAL GUIDE considered. There has not been a new one since the war stopped production.

Oct 11 1947

AIREY HOUSE CONSTRUCTION to be speeded up for Wainford RDC.

Oct 11 1947

BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE including the names of more than 40 citizens, including two civilians, who lost their lives in the Second World War, to be presented in St Michael’s on 2 November. The book has been produced by Miss Base under the supervision of Mr CW Hobbis of Norwich, and the cabinet designed by Mr FJ Meen and made by Mr RG Simmonds. The number of men who served was 568 and 90 women.

Oct 11 1947

THE YMCA in Beccles contains facilities for billiards, snooker and table tennis, a hut in which badminton is played and in which there is a stage with a full-sized concert grand piano. There is also a reading room. Yet the building exerts only a minor influence on the town. Only a handful of people make use of it. The place was all locked up at 7pm the other evening when crowds were queuing for the cinema.

Oct 18 1947

NEWSPAPER MISSING front and back pages

Oct 18 1947

MINISTRY of HEALTH will not grant permission for any more new houses unless they are for farm workers.

Oct 18 1947

WEATHER: DROUGHT since April, after the worst floods this century in the spring.

Oct 18 1947

NEW COUNCIL OFFICES in Blyburgate were opened on Monday. They contain the offices of the Town Clerk (Mr WS Clark), and the Borough Surveyor (Mr CM Hamby), who have previously used offices in Blyburgate and the Town Hall respectively. Committee meetings will be held in the new Municipal Offices, but the monthly meetings of the Town Council will be held in the Council Chamber. The offices of Mrs Coney (hon. welfare officer) and the Fuel Office are also in the building.

Oct 18 1947

HOUSING: The Ministry of Health will not approve, for an indefinite period, any more housing unless it is for agricultural workers. This means there will be no more houses for Beccles when the present ones under construction are finished. There are 100 applications for Beccles Council houses at present.
947 Beccles & Bungay Oct 18 SPIRITUALIST SOCIETY AGM held in Blyburgate Hall.

Oct 18 1947

DUNWICH SALE: Much of the village is to be offered for sale at the Barne Arms Hotel, which will itself be among the 51 lots. A few weeks ago 2,600 acres owned by the Barne family for 300 years were purchased by a London businessman. The major part of the Estate of marsh land, rough heath and some forestry is being retained for investment purposes. Up for auction will be 654 acres, and large and small houses. Some of their monuments are in the church at Dunwich, which was built in 1830.

Oct 25 1947

MINSMERE used to be a highly popular place for a quiet day by the sea before the Second World War. Today the sight is pathetic. An RAF camp had been built on much of the lovely heath, through which a bumpy road led to the edge of the cliff. Nissan huts had been abandoned in a semi-derelict condition, and here and there were massive concrete buildings built for the defence of the coast. Brambles had grown over much of the wire netting covering these buildings, and so helped to relieve their hideousness. The former Coastguard houses on the cliff top were empty, many of the windows being broken. The beach itself presented just as soory a spectacle. A few people were sitting on the shingle bank at a gap in the rusted steel scaffolding, which was beginning to look the worse for seven years’ hard battering by the waves. There was plenty of broken barbed wire, and an empty land mine on top standing upright. The shingle had been cleared of mines, but that was all. There were gun turrets right in the sandy cliffs, where the sand martins used to nest in peace.

Oct 18 1947

HOUSING: The Ministry of Health will not approve, for an indefinite period, any more housing unless it is for agricultural workers. This means there will be no more houses for Beccles when the present ones under construction are finished. There are 100 applications for Beccles Council houses at present.
947 Beccles & Bungay Oct 25 SPIRITUALIST SOCIETY AGM held in Blyburgate Hall.

Oct 25 1947

COUNCIL ELECTIONS: The Candidates:
    Cary-Elwes, Eustace, (C) Staithe House, Northgate
    Foster, Frank (C) Outfitter, Twyford House, Exchange Square
    Hodges, Harry (Lab) dairy manager, 19 Caxton Road
    Poyser, Frederick (C) retired master mariner, Montagu House, Northgate
    Pulsford, Dorris (Lab) teacher, Hungate
    Pye, Albert (Lab) retired stereotyper, 64 Grove Road
    Swindells, Ernest (Ind) secretary, South Bank, South Road
    Watts, William (Lib) chiropodist, 43 Blyburgate

Oct 25 1947

SAVE FUEL THIS WINTER. A fuel economy committee was suggested, but is probably not likely to happen.

Nov 1 1947

NEWSPAPER MISSING

Nov 1 1947

ELECTION RESULTS: The biggest surprise was that Mr Swindells, the Chairman of the Housing Committee, not only lost his seat, but came at the bottom of the poll. Mr AE Pye was the only Labour candidate to be returned. He retained his seat by ten votes. The other successful candidates were: Capt CF Poyser, Mr Frank Foster and Mr WC Watts. The voting showed a definite swing to the right.

Nov 8 1947

NEWSPAPER MISSING

Nov 15 1947

DITCHINGHAM HALL the home of All Hallows Preparatory School, which has moved in recently. [PHOTOS page 1]a

Nov 15 1947

WATERWORKS to be taken over by the Council for an undisclosed sum, but Ł45,000 has been suggested. This would include taking over a Ł1,500 mortgage and the expenditure of Ł21,000 to “put the waterworks into a satisfactory state.”

Nov 15 1947

DEATH of RC DUNT, [Robert Cave Dunt] Headmaster of the old National School in Ravensmere fro 1890 to 1924, who died at St James’ Hospital Shipmeadow [the old House of Industry]. His daughter, Miss Phyllis Dunt, who carries on a private school at Kemp’s Lane was with him when he died.
Before coming to Beccles Mr Dunt taught at Yarmouth for 6 ˝ years. He was a fine and able Headmaster

Nov 22 1947

DITCHINGHAM SCHOOL as Preparatory School for All Hallows Church of England Independent School opened officially. It has been leased from Brigadier William Carr of Fillongley Hall Coventry. It will accommodate 35 girls as boarders aged from 5 to 11, but day girls will also be accepted. Boys will be able to attend up to the age of 8. At the age of 11 girls will move on to the senior school.
The senior school has been in existence since 1864

Nov 22 1947

HOUSING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, Mr JE Coney to take over Chairmanship of Housing Committee as Mr Swindells is no longer on the Council. Mrs Coney will continue as honorary Housing Officer. The Council is responsible for the temporary housing of 162 families in Nissen huts at Ellough airfield.
    HOUSING Of the 40 flats being erected by Comben & Wakeling Ltd on Rigbourne Hill, 28 are now complete and occupied. Of the 48 flats being built by local contractors 16 are tiled, and plumbing work is in progress,
    Airey Houses in Common Lane: The first 20 of the 40 have reached roof-plate height, and roof framing is in progress. The site slabs for six pairs of the additional houses have been laid.
    “Site 5” on Ellough Airfield is 75% complete.
    The Ministry of Heath is to be asked for sanction to borrow Ł35,600 for the first scheme of 20 Airey Houses in Common Lane and Ł6,250 for road construction in St Anne’s Road.

Nov 22 1947

SWITCH OFF: If you burn the electric fire or stove at peak hours 7am to 9 am, 11am to 1pm, and 4.30 to 6pm, and you want your tea or breakfast with the light on, turn off the electric stove.
Monday’s “black out” came as a surprise to many people and it will be repeated if current is not reduced. Beccles current will be switched of on Saturday and again next Thursday unless you switch off.

Nov 22 1947

MUSEUM: The Town Council is considering making some of the vacant rooms\in the Town Hall into a public Museum.

Nov 22 1947

LIBRARY: A crying need for the town is, if not a full-time public library, at least a public reading room. There can be few towns in this part of the country of the size of Beccles with its more than 6,000 inhabitants, where there is no such thing as a public reading room, in which the daily newspapers and magazines can be read and some measure of warmth and comfort provided.

Nov 22 1947

DEATH of Mr Wiliam J Money, aged 83, of Lowestoft. After going to Australia for a few years as a young man, he returned to Beccles to manage his father’s bakery and confectionary business, and served on the Town Council for some years, being Mayor from 1908 to 1910. On his retirement he went to live at Wimbledon, then to Canada to stay with his brothers for three years before he returned to England and settled at Lowestoft. He was an exceptionally strong all-the-year-round swimmer. He celebrated his 75th birthday by swimming from Lowestoft to Kessingland and walking back along the beach. [No mention of his being married]

Nov 22 1947

Mr Coney, as the new Mayor, held the Mayor-making ceremony at St Benet’s Church. He was accompanied by his wife walking up the aisle with him. It is 50 years since her father, Francis Easto Banham was also made Mayor in St Benet’s.

Nov 29 1947

HOUSING: Since the Second World War Beccles has re-housed one-tenth of its total population. The largest of the permanent housing estates is at Rigbourne Hill. Several of the houses are already occupied. [PHOTO page 1]

Nov 29 1947

Mr JOHN FOWLER awarded the Medal of Merit by the Chief Scout in recognition to the Scout Movement. Until his retirement he was Hon sec of the Waveney Valley Scouts’ Association, a post now held by Mr DL Hipperson.
Mr Fowler and his wife are visiting their family in New Zealand in December. [PHOTO 6 Dec page 3]

Nov 29 1947

DEATH of Mr William Carter, who for more than 30 years was licensee of the Suffolk Inn, Station Road.

Nov 29 1947

HOUSING: 40 Airey houses are to be built at Common Lane in two separate schemes. The first 20 are nearing completion. [PHOTO page 6]

Nov 29 1947

LIBRARY: After being accommodated in the upstairs room at the Guildhall in Smallgate ever since its opening 20 years ago, the East Suffolk County Library is moving to the Adult School in Newgate. The room was too limited and the dark stairs a problem, and no room for a larger stock of books.
Throughout the Second World War the Adult School served as the home of the WVS Services Canteen.

Dec 6 1947

EX-SERVICEMEN’S ASSOCIATION to join British Legion.

Dec 6 1947

VILLAGE CONDITIONS: Villagers of north-east Suffolk still draw their water supplies from ponds, and are still without electricity. The Regional Water Scheme it is hoped will spend Ł631,000 on providing the necessary water.

Dec 13 1947

DEATH of Mr Dawson Crisp Smith, aged 66, Mayor of Beccles 1929-30 [PHOTO page 1]. A son of the late Mr Clifford Smith, of Waveney House, Puddingmoor, who was Mayor of Beccles 1884-85, he was educated at the Fauconberge School and afterwards at Cheltenham and in France. He was principal of the firm Smith & Eastaugh, corn and coal merchants, which went out of existence some years ago.
He was elected to the Town Council in 1922 and retired soon after the outbreak of the Second World War.

Dec 13 1947

DEATH of Mr William Henry Simmons, aged 73, of 10 St George’s Road, who served on the Council for 17 years. He was an Alderman for some years, being elected on 20 August 1940 in succession to Mr Smith. A native of Yarmouth, he was a keen worker for Beccles Trades and Labour Council of which he was Secretary for more than 20 years. He was also a prominent member of the Labour Party. For 48 years until he retired in 1943 he was employed by Elliott & Garrood Ltd at the Ingate Ironworks.
He is survived by his wife and one daughter. His son, Mr Frank Simmons was killed in action in the First World war. [PHOTO page 1]

Dec 13 1947

BECCLES CHORAL SOCIETY gave a concert performance of Carmen. The four principals came from London. Mr Firth was the conductor, the Beccles orchestra was led by Irene Underwood.

Dec 13 1947

BECCLES HOSPITAL may get a new Maternity Unit.

Dec 13 1947

TOWN COUNCIL opposed to the building of a temporary hut on the possible site of a garaghe in Saltgate, owned jointly by Durrants and Mr Knights. Public Enquiry held.

Dec 13 1947

NEW COUNTY LIBRARY opens in the Adult School [now the Quaker Hall] in Newgate. There are now 4,000 books on the shelves and the membership is 1,200.

Dec 13 1947

NEXT MEETING of OLD GIRLS of St Felix School, Southwold will be held at 10 Downing Street, as Mrs Attlee was a pupil at the school, as were their three daughters.

Dec 20 1947

RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSING in Northgate closed 13 times a day for 4 minutes each time. Capt Poyser proposed an amendment which was passed, that the subway should be repaired and opened by the gate keeper when the gates were closed, so that pedestrians would not have to wait. [Capt Poyser lived in Montagu House in Northgate]. [PHOTO 27 December page 6]

Dec 20 1947

SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL stages “The Importance of Being Earnest” in the Public Hall with Miss McCarthy as producer. The main parts were played by Terrence Collins, John Blyth, Nigel Fish, Olga Lincoln, Betty Martin and Ann Minns. Mr & Mrs RE White produced the stage sets.

Dec 20 1947

NORWICH MERCURY editor for 20 years, Mr George Rye, retires. He had worked for the newspaper for 50 years.

Dec 20 1947

SPIRITUALIST first anniversary in Beccles was held in the Blyburgate Hall. Mrs D Prior of Sutton gave a clairvoyance. Mr HJ Hodges is President.

Dec 20 1947

WE WIGG & Sons Ltd of Barnby, one of the oldest established firms of agricultural implement makers in East Anglia. [PHOTO page 5] of the blacksmith’s shop. Mr R Lee is seen working at the anvil, he has been employed by the firm for 50 years.

Dec 20 1947

BASKET MAKER, Mr Frederick Markwell, is one of the few left in the Waveney Valley. He works in a shed at the back of his house 19 Ballygate and he has been in the business for 60 years, having started as a boy of eight. He was one of a young family his father, Mr Robert Markwell brought to Beccles from Grundisburgh. His grandfather, Mr James Markwell was also a basket maker at Harleston. Two of his three sons are bricklayers, and one is in the army. The Markwell family is one of the oldest basket makers in Suffolk or Norfolk. Every year his father would take an order for a hundred dozen hampers, and they worked out at 4 ˝d each. They were to put herrings in, those being the days before boxes were used.
For a time he worked in the Tan Yard in Northgate, but stuck to basket making in his spare time. During the First World war he was for three years a prisoner of war in Germany with two other Beccles men. Serving with the 2nd Battalion the Suffolk Regiment, he was wounded and taken prisoner at Devil’s Wood on the Somme. Only 48 men survived out of 600 in that action.
Soon he will have to cut the new willows. He will do this job after Christmas. They grow on marsh land in Beccles. After cutting , they will stand in bundles in six inches of water until they start to shoot. Then he will take them out and peel them. A period of drying will follow, and after curing for a week the willows will be fit for use.

Dec 27 1947

DEATH of the EARL of STRADBROKE, Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, at Henham Hall.
    Born in 1862, when his father, who fought with Wellington at the Battle of Vittoria in 1813, was 68
    years old. He succeeded to the title in 1886. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College Cambridge.
    He was in the Volunteer (later the Territorial) movement and was Commanding Officer of the 1st Norfolk Royal Garrison Artillery from 1898, and after of the Howitzer Brigade of the East Anglian Division of the RFA, serving with them and as Colonel at various Brigades Field Artillery in France and Palestine during the First World War.
    The Rous family had owned the Henham family for four centuries, and he was an enthusiastic champion of the merits of the Suffolk horse, the Red Poll and the Suffolk sheep.
    When he was appointed Governor of the State of Victoria, he spread the virtues of the Punch and the Red Poll. On his return from Australia in 1926 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, a post he held until 1929. He was elected President of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1934.
    From 1889 to 1921 he was a member of the East Suffolk County Council, and its Chairman from 1911. When he returned from Australia he was reappointed an Alderman. He was Chairman of the Suffolk Territorial Association and an active leader in the British Legion movement. As a Mason he held prominent offices in Grand an Provincial Lodge.
    Lordv Stradbroke married in 1898 the daughter of General Sir Kith Fraser, who survives him, and is succeeded by his eldest of his four sons. There are also four daughters. [PHOTO page 1].

Dec 27 1947

ROYAL SOCIETY for Protection of Birds has acquired 1,500 acres of marsh and heathland at Minsmere for use as a bird sanctuary. During the Second World War the sea walls along this stretch of coast were breached to allow flooding as an anti-invasion measure. A happy outcome was the return to the inundated area of numerous rare and interesting birds. Large numbers of wildfowl spend the winter there. It will ensure the safety of such breeding birds as the stone curlew, nightjar, wheatear and chats.

Dec 27 1947

GERMAN PRISONERS of WAR from the Seething Prisoner of War Camp gave a concert at Bungay.