Our aim is to promote the study of family history in East
Suffolk in particular and to provide support and help for those
wishing to trace their family history outside the area.
We cater not only for those who wish to research their local
family history but also for those now living in Suffolk whose
ancestors were from out of the county.
The Group was established in April 2008.
Meetings are normally held on the fourth Tuesday of each month
(no meeting in August) in the United Reformed Church Hall, Chapel
Road, Saxmundham, starting at 7:30 pm, but please confirm before
traveling any distance.
Admission is £1.50 for members, £2.00 for visitors. Tea, coffee,
and biscuits are included. Visitors are always most welcome.
Some speakers give out literature related to their talk or have
books for sale.
Experienced family history researchers are at most meetings to
help you with your family history research.
For further details contact: -
Barrie Skelcher (Chairman) 01728 830463
Nigel Turner (Secretary) 01502 718019
John Martin (Treasurer) 01473 727545
Terry Davis (Membership Secretary) 01728 830113
Drop-In Centre
The Group runs an informal family history "Drop-In Centre" in
Leiston. This is housed in the Old Council Room of the Leiston
Council Offices in Old Post Office Square, Main Street, opposite
the Long Shop Museum. There is convenient public parking (including
disabled parking) immediately outside.
The Drop-In Centre is open to the general public, and provides
free access to a variety of family history advice and reference
material. It is normally open on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each
month, from 10 am to 12 noon.
Would-be visitors are advised to check on availability of the
room before making any special journeys.
Next Meeting
Our next event is on 28 July, when
a talk on "Yoxford Yesterday" will be given by Janet Barnes. Meet
in the United Reformed Church Hall, Chapel Road, Saxmundham,
starting at 7:30 pm.
See our Programme page for details.
Looking Further Ahead to September ...
The Suffolk branch of CAMRA is running a project to research and
document all of the county's former pubs. Nigel Smith is heading up
the project and on 22 September is going to talk to us about the
Old Pubs of Suffolk. His talk will place particular emphasis on the
Alde Valley area.
Nigel says “In the course of the research we have come across
many old pubs (or possible old pubs) which we cannot identify
satisfactorily. In some cases we have found buildings which appear
to have been pubs but we can't identify them because we have no
record of a pub in that location. We also have a number of pubs
which we have found on old maps but can't identify them. Where
possible, we have published photographs and maps of putative pubs,
to aid in identification.”
For instance it appears there used to be a pub in Westleton
called the
Royal
Oak but its location is uncertain - can anyone tell us
where it was?
Information is also sought on a number of other local Pubs
including:
The “Fife & Drum” at Strickland Manor Hill, Yoxford
The “Three Tuns” at Yoxford
The “Marlborough Head” and “The George” at Slaughden, Aldeburgh
If you have any photos, information or memories about old
Suffolk pubs please bring them along to the meeting and share them
with Nigel. It would be good to make this a two way process and to
help CAMRA to preserve as much information possible about our
county's pub history and heritage.
The CAMRA website can be found at
www.suffolkcamra.co.uk/pubs
As usual the meeting will be held at the Saxmundham URC Church
Hall starting at
7.30pm.