Issue 13 Nov 2007
Newsletter November 2007
Welcome
We should like to welcome the following new members who have joined the Trust recently
C.J.Brown
Michael Nicoll
Ron Rossington
David Westward
Past Events
Lecture programme
Our Winter Programme is now well under way and has proved extremely successful with record audiences and growing numbers taking advantage of the excellent suppers provided by the Royal Harwich Yacht Club.
Antony Osler “Painting and Talking about Barges” October 3rd
Anthony Ostler, the well known marine artist and member of the Trust, demonstrated to us the skills of marine painting whilst entertaining us (simultaneously) with tales of his barging experiences. Working under a video camera, explaining and achieving the intricacies of painting waves, sails, shadows, background, etc whilst, at the same time, giving us a series of related tales of sailormen and barges was no mean feat.
In the first half of his talk we saw a blank sheet of paper become a superb painting of a barge off Tower Bridge. Anthony achieved another
admirable watercolour of a barge in rough seas, in the second half.
An excellent evening and a full house.
Keith Wade “The Archaeology of Ipswich with special reference to the Dock Area” November 7th
The waterfront at Ipswich has a long history. Major demolition work that is being carried out in the area has given Suffolk County Council and Keith Wade, their Archaeology Services Manager, the opportunity to dig deep into the past with the modern developers footing the bill! There was clear evidence of trade, commerce and a thriving community back in the 9th. Century. Keith showed us clear examples of a thriving pottery trade with “Ipswich Ware” being transported to many parts of Britain and the near Continent. In Medieval times and with the thriving Suffolk wool trade, Ipswich grew to rival London with warehouses, quays and merchants’ houses lining the riverbank. Excavations clearly showed that locally sourced stone “septaria” was used for construction.The building of the Wet Dock, with its permanently high water level, caused the water table to rise considerably in the areas under investigation. We all learned a great deal about the past of our
town and port – the “heart” of the IMT. It was nearly “standing room only” at the RHYC! Thank you Keith.
Wednesday February 6th 2008
Capt. Rod Shaw, the Hon Operations Manager of Harwich Lifeboat: “RNLI and the Harwich Lifeboats”.
Capt. Shaw has been associated with Harwich Harbour and surrounding waters for many years.
Wednesday March 5th 2008
AGM & Robert Simper, “A voyage around East Anglia”.
Robert is a local authority on our local coastline and has published many books on our rivers and vessels. Full details of the AGM will be sent with the next newsletter in January.
Wednesday April 2nd 2008
To be announced.
Exhibitions
Heritage Weekend September 8th and 9th
The lower floor of the Old Custom House was once again open to the public over Heritage Weekend. Our thanks go to Richard Smith who mounted an excellent exhibition entitled “The Dock Tramway”, and who also manned the centre for the weekend. Comments were received on how pleasing it was that photographic records were kept of our ‘near’ history, at a time when there was much destruction of Ipswich’s heritage and not the same level of interest in the past as there is today.
Future Events
Lecture Programme
Our lecture programme continues at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club, Woolverstone, where there is convenient parking, and a two course pre-lecture meal is available. Any member requiring transport, or who would like to share transport, please contact Des Pawson 01473 690090, as there is the possibility of making appropriate arrangements.
Wednesday December 5th 2007, 8pm
Martin Vince, “Fish & Fishing over the past 40 years”
Martin has worked for the Ministry, mostly at sea on all sizes of fishing boats, local and afar, over this period. Much of Martin’s work was involved with checking fish stocks, and there is many a tale to tell! He will talk about the past, present and future of the industry and give an inside picture of life afloat on the fishing grounds. We have arranged for a special fish supper to be served before this talk, although there will be anoption for carnivores. A booking form has been enclosed with this mailing.
At all our lectures, the bar is open from 6.45pm, supper is served at 7.00pm, and the lectures begin at 8.00 pm, ending about 10.00pm
We are now planning our ’08-’09 winter series, if you have any suggestions for subjects or speakers, or other ideas for our evenings at the RHYC, please contact Judith & Mark Grimwade on 01473 787210
Communications
With our large and growing membership and number of events, communicating with you is all important. For those who are suitably equipped, email is quick, cheap and efficient. Many members have opted to receive our communications by this means and we hope more will follow. Members, who receive their information electronically, may now make reservations for the pre-talk suppers by email, paying on arrival – no more forms to fill in or envelopes to address and
stamp!
If you have received this newsletter by post and would to join our growing band of those willing to accept IMT correspondence by email, please email our Membership Secretary Fraser Yates at info@ipswichmaritimetrust.org.uk to this effect.