Our Open Day, Sat 7th Oct 2023

flying the banner	to	our busy Open Day!

On Saturday, 7th October we held our first Open Day since immediately before Covid in 2020.  Previously we had these annual events at the Long Shop in Leiston, but this year was a change of venue — to our new home at Saxmundham's Fromus Centre.  Its larger hall gave us the welcome opportunity to invite about six similar groups and individuals to join us with their stalls — an offer that was taken up so enthusiastically that we had to book the Fromus' conference room as well, for individual visitors' family history research enquiries.  These were answered over several hours by some of our members.

BENHALL & STERNFIELD HISTORY GROUP presented their research on transport through the years, whilst YOXFORD HISTORY GROUP looked back to the 20th century with faces from living memory and places that were familiar but strangely different.

Benhall & Sternfield History Group		Yoxford History Group
Chris welcoming the crowds		Jane Evans assisting enquirers

Our own JOHN MARTIN and ANGELA SKELCHER had researched the personal histories of the Fallen of the two world wars listed on LEISTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL's wooden memorial plaque, which for many years hung in Leiston's old Council Chamber — now the repository for our archive.  As well as displaying the war memorial information, John brought sports, class and panoramic whole-school student photos, many retrieved from a skip some years ago, others donated or lent by alumni attending school reunions.  We have over 200 of these — which can be made available to view on application to us at LGS@avsfhg.org.uk.

LGS Roll of Honour for WWI and WW2			War record of Derrick George GOOCH

From further afield, MARTLESHAM HEATH AVIATION SOCIETY brought a selection of their memorabilia, mostly original equipment from the Second World War, whilst their publicity officer Howard King, dressed in camouflage gear, regaled us with facts and reminiscences about the airfield, and its part in conflicts since the earliest days of the Royal Flying Corps.

Martlesham Heath Aviation Society		Janet Huckle dating a photograph for a visitor

As usual, there was a long queue of people wanting to see our Secretary JANET HUCKLE, who dated photographs brought in by some of the 100+ visitors — who came from as far afield as Bishops Stortford, Newmarket and London.  Janet has offered this useful service for several years now, but this time she also brought her researches into the names listed on Halesworth's war memorial.

SAXMUNDHAM MUSEUM joined us from across the road with a comprehensive display of old views of the town.  It was especially interesting to see how the High Street and North Entrance had changed bit by bit over the years.  SAXMUNDHAM & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY displayed a selection of their own views of the town, and photograph books from their “Sax Stories” series.

Saxmundham Museum		Saxmundham & District Local History Society

North Entrance, Saxmundham		Janet Barnes re Middleton Moor farms

Our member JANET BARNES presented her researches on the farming community of Middleton Moor over seven centuries.  She was herself a subject of the neighbouring display by ALDEBURGH AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY, featuring their Aldeburgh Voices oral history project — as well as their excavations over some years of the Saxon cemetery at Barber's Point on the River Alde.

Aldeburgh and District Local History Society
Excavations of Saxon cemetery at Barber's Point		Aldeburgh Voices oral project re Janet Barnes

Although entry was free, visitors and exhibitors alike kindly gave donations that healthily covered our hire of the main hall, and of the conference room that we had to spread into as well.  All in all, a day of great interest and satisfaction for visitors and exhibitors alike, and we are grateful to our members and exhibitors for all their contributions and hard work that made the day such a success — thank you all.

Steve Stocks and Maggie Strutt
Photographs by Chris Broom, Jane Evans, Steve Stocks, Maggie Strutt & Clive Strutt 

© EADT