114-622: The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway (MSLR) was a standard gauge railway intended to open up an agricultural area of central Suffolk ; it took advantage of the reduced construction cost enabled by the Light Railways Act 1896 . It was launched with considerable enthusiasm by local interests, and was to build a 50-mile (80 km) network, but actual share subscription was weak, and the company over-reached its available financial resources. It opened 19 miles (31 km) of route from Haughley to Laxfield in 1904 to goods traffic only, and income
228-535: A Tyke from Yorkshire and a Yellowbelly from Lincolnshire . A traditional nickname for people from Suffolk is "Suffolk Fair-Maids", referring to the supposed beauty of its female inhabitants in the Middle Ages. Another is "Silly Suffolk", often assumed to be derived from the Old English word sælig in the meaning "blessed", referring to the long history of Christianity in the county. However, use of
342-473: A comprehensive education system with fourteen independent schools. Unusually for the UK, some of Suffolk had a 3-tier school system in place with primary schools (ages 5–9), middle schools (ages 9–13) and upper schools (ages 13–16). However, a 2006 Suffolk County Council study concluded that Suffolk should move to the two-tier school system used in the majority of the UK. For the purpose of conversion to two-tier,
456-625: A general staff . His Army's weaknesses were dramatically revealed by the poor organisation at the start of the Second Boer War . Prince George was born at Cambridge House, Hanover. His father was Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge , the seventh son of King George III and Queen Charlotte . His mother was the Duchess of Cambridge (née Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel ). He was baptised at Cambridge House in Hanover on 11 May 1819, by
570-603: A sword of state , helmet , gold and silver bowls, jewellery and a lyre . The Hoxne Hoard , to date the largest assembly of late Roman silver and gold discovered in Britain, was found near the village of Hoxne in 1992. While carrying out surveys before installing a pipeline in 2014, archaeologists for Anglian Water discovered nine skeletons and four cremation pits, at Bardwell , Barnham , Pakenham and Rougham , all near Bury St Edmunds. Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and medieval items were also unearthed, along with
684-564: A base in Sudbury. The UK horse racing industry is based in Newmarket. There are two United States Air Force bases in the west of the county close to the A11 . Sizewell B nuclear power station is at Sizewell on the coast near Leiston . Bernard Matthews Farms have some processing units in the county, specifically Holton . Southwold is the home of Adnams Brewery . The Port of Felixstowe
798-608: A canon of Worcester Cathedral . Like his father, he embarked upon a military career, initially becoming a colonel in the Hanoverian Army and then, on 3 November 1837, becoming a brevet colonel in the British Army. He was attached to the staff at Gibraltar from October 1838 to April 1839. After serving in Ireland with the 12th Royal Lancers ( Prince of Wales 's), he was appointed substantive lieutenant-colonel of
912-619: A client, (it proved to be B M Kilby,) who would match local subscriptions towards a light railway to serve the district. Enthusiasm for the scheme gathered pace, and soon 296 persons had contributed nearly £1,000 towards the legal costs, with amounts varying between a shilling and £1. An application for a Light Railway Order was made in May 1899, and the Light Railway Commissioners held an inquiry in Ipswich, on 6 July 1899. It
1026-466: A contract was awarded to S Pearson and Sons on 27 July 1900. However, after a few months Pearson and Sons were complaining that they had not yet had instructions to proceed; this seems to have been due to a delay in securing subscribed capital. At a board meeting on 23 November 1901, the engineers explained that there was difficulty in making the line near the River Blyth at Halesworth, and a deviation
1140-527: A countywide constitutional convention". Following the May 2010 general election , all further moves towards any of the suggested unitary solutions ceased on the instructions of the incoming Cameron–Clegg coalition . In 2018 it was determined that Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury would be merged to form a new West Suffolk district, while Waveney and Suffolk Coastal would similarly form a new East Suffolk district. West Suffolk , like nearby East Cambridgeshire ,
1254-533: A decision to close, and all train services were withdrawn from 28 July 1952. The railway was later taken up by contractors using a Ruston 48DS . Passenger stations: Nearly 40 years after it closed, a group of enthusiasts formed a Company to recreate the Middy Line at the site of the Brockford and Wetheringsett railway station . The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Society had a difficult task ahead of them due to
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#17327798195441368-577: A demand for a rental which the MSLR considered unaffordable. It took until February 1905 for the proposed deviation at Halesworth to be agreed by the Commissioners, due to delay by the Mid-Suffolk company in submitting definite proposals. Even then there was a dispute over the steep gradient on which train marshalling would have to take place, and interference between the MSLR and GER traffic during
1482-734: A fifth of the schools inspected were judged inadequate. This is unacceptable and now means that Suffolk has a higher proportion of pupils educated in inadequate schools than both the regional and national averages." The Royal Hospital School near Ipswich is the largest independent boarding school in Suffolk. Other boarding schools within Suffolk include Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School, Culford School , Finborough School , Framlingham College , Ipswich High School , Ipswich School , Orwell Park School , Saint Felix School and Woodbridge School . The Castle Partnership Academy Trust in Haverhill
1596-411: A large number had been decapitated , which archaeologists claimed gave new insight into Roman traditions. The burial ground includes the remains of men, women and children who likely lived in a nearby settlement. The fact that up to 40% of the bodies were decapitated represents "quite a rare find". A survey in 2020 named Suffolk the third best place in the UK for aspiring archaeologists, and showed that
1710-673: A large number of deficiencies and von Donop refused permission. The company decided during 1906 to extend the line by over a mile and a half to Cratfield (Goram's Mill), and in June 1906 this was opened. Passengers were occasionally permitted to ride on the goods service. In extending to Cratfield, the Company decided to slow down construction to Westerfield and suspended the loading facility at Debenham. More debentures were due in October 1906 and Eagle Insurance Company representatives sat in on
1824-433: A new system to restrict corporal punishment: soldiers became eligible for flogging only in cases of aggravated mutinous conduct during wartime, unless they committed an offence serious enough to degrade to the second class and make them once again subject to corporal punishment. A year's good behaviour would return them to the first class, meaning that only a hard core of incorrigible offenders tended to be flogged . Under
1938-604: A passenger service started on 29 September 1908. In February 1912 it was decided to suspend traffic on the section from Laxfield Mill to Cratfield, as income on the section was very poor. Even now the Directors, who of course were not in control of the Company as it was still in receivership, sought advice from the Railway Commissioners about reviving the extension to Halesworth. The reply inevitably reminded them that they would have to purchase their line back from
2052-467: A process called "the grouping". The MSLR was to be absorbed by the new London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). However the MSLR was in receivership still, and there were large liabilities and uncertainty about how to discharge them. £89,794 was owed, and an appeal was not affordable because of the cost. The LNER negotiated with debenture holders and negotiated a reduction of the debt to £29,960. The dispute took some time, only being resolved on 3 April 1924;
2166-403: A run to Kenton, and back after viewing buildings there. At the time the Ipswich to Norwich bridge had not been completed, and the line climbed to a temporary level crossing over the road. In 1905 it was stated that the company owned 2 locomotives, 7 carriages, 2 brake vans, 18 goods wagons, 2 horseboxes and 6 cattle wagons. All the rolling stock was paid for except locomotive No. 2. In this period
2280-409: A running battle developed between the contractor and the company, over whether the contractor had completed his obligations; the company's own engineer was compromised and he was replaced. At the end of March 1905 the Company's Chairman, Francis Seymour Stevenson , suddenly resigned and it became known that he was personally bankrupt. There was a public bankruptcy hearing. Coupled with the departure of
2394-488: A shade of pink that was not traditional Suffolk Pink. He was required by local authorities to repaint. In another example of Suffolk taking its colours seriously, a homeowner in Lavenham was obligated to paint their Grade I listed cottage Suffolk Pink, to make it match a neighbouring property. The local council said it wanted all of the cottages on that particular part of the road to be the same colour, because they were
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#17327798195442508-459: A single building historically (300 years earlier). The historic Suffolk Pink colour has also inspired the name of a British apple. Suffolk is also home to nature reserves, such as the RSPB site at Minsmere , and Trimley Marshes , a wetland under the protection of Suffolk Wildlife Trust . The clay plateau inland, deeply intercut by rivers , is often referred to as 'High Suffolk'. The west of
2622-460: A sumptuous luncheon, many brought in by special trains; the 83-year-old Duke of Cambridge performed the ceremony. On 22 July 1902, a further overdraft was agreed with the bank: £15,000 this time. Several more were to follow. On 22 September 1902 Lord Kitchener , the hero of Khartoum , had received the Freedom of Ipswich and the following day he visited Mr Chevallier at Aspall Hall. As the line
2736-652: A traditional limewash mix. Additives used in this process include pig or ox blood with buttermilk , elderberries and sloe juice. Locals and historians often state that a true Suffolk Pink should be a "deep dusky terracotta shade", rather than the more popular pastel hue of modern times. This has caused controversy in the past when home and business-owners alike have been reprimanded for using colours deemed incorrect, with some being forced to repaint to an acceptable shade. In 2013, famous chef Marco Pierre White had his 15th-century hotel, The Angel, in Lavenham, decorated
2850-691: A variety of vegetables. The continuing importance of agriculture in the county is reflected in the Suffolk Show , which is held annually in May at Ipswich. Although latterly somewhat changed in nature, this remains primarily an agricultural show . Companies based in Suffolk include Greene King and Branston Pickle in Bury St Edmunds. Birds Eye has its largest UK factory in Lowestoft, where all its meat products and frozen vegetables are processed. Huntley & Palmers biscuit company has
2964-658: A version for the infantry. In 1861, 100 were issued to five infantry battalions; in 1863 an order of 2,000 was placed for further trials. The Duke was also involved in the formation of the Staff College and of the Royal Military School of Music , and became governor of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich : he further sought to improve the efficiency of the army by advocating a scheme of annual military manoeuvres . In 1860 he introduced
3078-756: Is a banner of arms of the coat of arms which were attributed to Edmund the Martyr , a medieval king of East Anglia . It consists of two gold arrows passing through a gold crown or with heraldic description as Azure two Arrows in saltire, points downwards, enfiled with an ancient Crown Or . Novels set in Suffolk include parts of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens , The Fourth Protocol , by Frederick Forsyth , Unnatural Causes by P.D. James , Dodie Smith 's The Hundred and One Dalmatians , The Rings of Saturn by W. G. Sebald , and among Arthur Ransome 's children's books, We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea , Coot Club and Secret Water take place in part in
3192-510: Is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia . It is bordered by Norfolk to the north , the North Sea to the east , Essex to the south , and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county town . The county has an area of 3,798 km (1,466 sq mi) and a population of 758,556. After Ipswich (144,957) in the south ,
3306-526: Is held at Glemham Hall in August and attracts international acoustic, folk and roots musicians whilst also championing local businesses, heritage and crafts. In 2015 it was also home to the first instrumental festival of musical instruments and makers. More recently, LeeStock Music Festival has been held in Sudbury . A celebration of the county, "Suffolk Day", was instigated in 2017. The Suffolk dialect
3420-690: Is renowned for archaeological finds from the Stone Age , the Bronze Age , and the Iron Age . Bronze Age artefacts have been found in the area between Mildenhall and West Row, in Eriswell and in Lakenheath . In the east of the county is Sutton Hoo , the site of one of England's most significant Anglo-Saxon archaeological finds, a ship burial containing a collection of treasures including
3534-874: Is the oxlip . According to estimates by the Office for National Statistics , the population of Suffolk in 2014 was 738,512, split almost evenly between males and females. Roughly 22% of the population was aged 65 or older, and 90.84% were White British . Historically, the county's population has mostly been employed as agricultural workers. An 1835 survey showed Suffolk to have 4,526 occupiers of land employing labourers, 1,121 occupiers not employing labourers, 33,040 labourers employed in agriculture, 676 employed in manufacture, 18,167 employed in retail trade or handicraft, 2,228 'capitalists, bankers etc.', 5,336 labourers (non-agricultural), 4,940 other males aged over 20, 2,032 male servants and 11,483 female servants. Most English counties have nicknames for people from that county, such as
Mid-Suffolk Light Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3648-803: Is the county's only All-through Academy Chain. Comprising Castle Manor Academy and Place Farm Primary Academy, the Academy Trust supports all-through education and provides opportunities for young people aged 3 to 18. Sixth form colleges in the county include Lowestoft Sixth Form College and One in Ipswich. Suffolk is home to four further education colleges: Lowestoft College , Easton & Otley College , Suffolk New College and Northgate Sixth Form (Ipswich) and West Suffolk College (Bury St Edmunds). The county has one university, with branches spread across different towns. The present University of Suffolk was, prior to August 2016, known as University Campus Suffolk . Up until it became independent it
3762-471: Is the largest container port in the United Kingdom. Other ports are at Lowestoft and Ipswich, run by Associated British Ports . BT Group plc has its main research and development facility at Martlesham Heath . Below is a chart of regional gross value added of Suffolk at basic prices published by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. Suffolk has
3876-512: Is very distinctive. Epenthesis and yod-dropping is common, along with non-conjugation of verbs. The county's sole professional football club is Ipswich Town . Formed in 1878, the club were Football League champions in 1961–62 , FA Cup winners in 1977–78 and UEFA Cup winners in 1980–81 ; as of the 2024–25 season , Ipswich Town play in the Premier League , the top tier of English football. The club has as part of its crest
3990-558: The 8th Light Dragoons on 15 April 1842 and colonel of the 17th Lancers on 25 April 1842. From 1843 to 1845 he served as a colonel on the staff in the Ionian islands , then was promoted Major-General on 7 May 1845. He succeeded to his father's titles of Duke of Cambridge , Earl of Tipperary , and Baron Culloden on 8 July 1850. The Duke of Cambridge became Inspector of the Cavalry in 1852. In February 1854, at an early stage in
4104-615: The BBC Four TV series Detectorists , an episode of Kavanagh QC , and the films Iris and Drowning by Numbers . During the period 2017–2018, a total of £3.8million was spent by film crews in Suffolk. The Rendlesham Forest Incident is one of the most famous UFO events in England and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's Roswell ". Prince George, Duke of Cambridge Prince George, Duke of Cambridge (George William Frederick Charles; 26 March 1819 – 17 March 1904)
4218-622: The COVID-19 pandemic , the work being carried out by Network Rail contractors. The society also has a collection of goods wagons and road delivery vehicles, and line side artefacts. In addition there is an archive of photos and original artefacts from the working life of the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway. The museum operates from April to the end of September on Sundays and Bank Holidays, with Santa specials in December. Many of
4332-687: The Crimean War of 1853–1856, he received command of the 1st Division (Guards and Highland brigades) of the British army in the East. On 19 June 1854, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general . He was present at the battles of the Alma (September 1854), Balaclava (October 1854) and Inkerman (November 1854), and at the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) . In December 1854, owing to illness,
4446-833: The Earl of Cardigan returned first to Malta and then to England: before the conclusion of the Crimean campaign he was back in London. Meanwhile, Lord Raglan died at 9.30 pm on 28 June 1855 from dysentery; General Simpson succeeded Raglan in commanding in the Crimea, followed by General Codrington . Field Marshal Viscount Hardinge , the serving general commanding-in-chief since 1852, was forced to resign in July 1856 on grounds of ill-health. (The Crimean War had ended in March 1856.) On 5 July 1856,
4560-621: The Grenadier Guards ; honorary colonel of the 10th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Bengal Lancers , 20th Duke of Cambridge's Own Punjabis , 4 Battalion Suffolk Regiment , 1st City of London Volunteer Brigade and the Scots Fusilier Guards . He became the Ranger of Hyde Park and St. James's Park in 1852, and of Richmond Park in 1857; governor of the Royal Military Academy in 1862, and its president in 1870. He
4674-697: The National Stud , and Newmarket Racecourse . Tattersalls bloodstock auctioneers and the National Horseracing Museum are also in the town. Point to point racing takes place at Higham and Ampton . Speedway racing has been staged in Suffolk since at least the 1950s, following the construction of the Foxhall Stadium , just outside Ipswich, home of the Ipswich Witches . The Witches are currently members of
Mid-Suffolk Light Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
4788-709: The Premier League , the UK's first division. National League team Mildenhall Fen Tigers are also from Suffolk. Suffolk County Cricket Club compete in the Eastern Division of the Minor Counties Championship . The club has won the championship three times outright and has shared the title one other time as well as winning the MCCA Knockout Trophy once. Home games are played in Bury St Edmunds, Copdock , Exning , Framlingham , Ipswich and Mildenhall. The Suffolk flag
4902-546: The Suffolk Punch , a now endangered breed of draught horse native to the county. The next highest ranked team in Suffolk is Needham Market , who participate in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football. The town of Newmarket is the headquarters of British horseracing – home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations including
5016-719: The War Office Act 1870 , which formally subordinated the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces to the Secretary of State for War and in 1871 Cardwell abolished the custom of purchasing an office which had done much to instil elitism in the form of discipline and training. The Duke of Cambridge strongly resented this move, a sentiment shared by a majority of officers, who would no longer be able to sell their commissions when they retired. Pressures for reform built up as
5130-519: The rivers Blyth , Deben , Orwell , Stour , and Alde/Ore ; the latter is 25.5 km (15.8 mi) long and separated from the North Sea by Orford Ness , a large spit . Large parts of the coast are backed by heath and wetland habitats , such as Sandlings . The north-east of the county contains part of the Broads , a network of rivers and lakes . Inland, the landscape is flat and gently undulating, and contains part of Thetford Forest on
5244-484: The 7th century in Oulton, near Lowestoft . The graves contained the remains of men, women and children, as well as artefacts including small iron knives and silver pennies, wrist clasps, strings of amber and glass beads. According to Andrew Peachey, who carried out the excavations, the skeletons had mostly vanished because of the highly acidic soil. They, fortunately, were preserved as brittle shapes and "sand silhouettes" in
5358-512: The Board meeting. There was no means of paying the money, and the Company became bankrupt, a receiver being appointed from 6 October 1906. After a short interregnum, J F R Daniel was brought in to be receiver; he had been successful in keeping the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway in operation during its financial crises. Daniel was now 78 years old. In February 1907 a public hearing into
5472-704: The British throne. In 1839 Queen Victoria wrote to Albert about George's father: "The Duke told Lord Melbourne he had always greatly desired our marriage, and never thought of George: but that I don't believe." George was one of a range of suitors considered by Victoria, the most prominent of whom, Prince Alexander of the Netherlands , was openly favoured by William. The Duke of Cambridge made no secret of his view that "arranged marriages were doomed to failure." He married privately, without seeking Queen Victoria's consent, at St John Clerkenwell , London, on 8 January 1847 to Sarah Fairbrother (1816 – 12 January 1890),
5586-463: The Commissioners found in favour of that objection: the MSLR was unable to proceed. The priority of the Receiver was now to start passenger operation, and much work was done to that end. Von Donop visited the line to consider the matter on 25 September 1908. He was not entirely happy with the progress made, but subject to an undertaking to rectify a number of minor matters he approved the opening, and
5700-609: The Duke banded together, including Henry Campbell-Bannerman and Lord Lansdowne , the Liberal and Conservative Secretaries for War between 1892 and 1900. The leading generals eager to replace the Duke were Wolseley, Buller (1802–1884), Roberts (1832–1914), and the Duke of Connaught (1850–1942). The Duke of Cambridge was forced to resign his post on 1 November 1895, and was succeeded by Lord Wolseley. On his resignation he
5814-451: The Duke had also made a friend of Henrietta Jameson (née Haig), his older sister. The Duke's nomination was made in 1894 and 1895, but Haig did not take up the place until 15 January 1896 under Army Regulations Order 72 (1896). The Duke, who was replaced by Lord Wolseley , after 32 years was not the only patron of preferment. The Staff College was not intended to educate a General Staff until much later in its historical development. However
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#17327798195445928-650: The Duke of Cambridge aged; his strongest ally was his cousin, Queen Victoria. While the Queen insisted on reform, she was also protective of the Household brigades and their long association and traditions. An 1890 royal commission led by Lord Hartington (later the 8th Duke of Devonshire) criticised the administration of the War Office and recommended the devolution of authority from the Commander-in-Chief to subordinate military officers. A number of reformers opposed to
6042-414: The Duke was appointed general commanding-in-chief of the British Army, a post that was re-titled field marshal commanding-in-chief on 9 November 1862 and commander-in-chief of the forces by Letters Patent on 20 November 1887. In that capacity he served as the chief military advisor to the Secretary of State for War , with responsibility for the administration of the army and the command of forces in
6156-410: The Duke's command, the British Army became a moribund and stagnant institution. There were no new ideas. He allegedly rebuked one of his more intelligent subordinates with the words: "Brains? I don't believe in brains! You haven't any, I know, Sir!" He was equally forthright on his reluctance to adopt change: "There is a time for everything, and the time for change is when you can no longer help it." In
6270-400: The Duke's long career he helped to further the career progress of Douglas Haig , a talented and able young officer, who succeeded through Staff College to gain promotion. As Commander-in-Chief, the Duke was able to admit any candidate to the college so long as they passed three out of eight of the tests. Haig, who was also acquainted with Sir Evelyn Wood , left for India in 1893 knowing that
6384-590: The ECR and other lines in East Anglia were amalgamated to form the Great Eastern Railway . The central area between these lines was chiefly agricultural in nature, and industrial development was insignificant. In 1896 the Light Railways Act was passed; it was intended to foster the construction of low-cost railways by permitting streamlined processes for authorisation, and in some cases lower technical standards for safety equipment. In October 1898 H L Godden of Jeyes and Godden, civil engineers, wrote to parish councils of several villages in Mid-Suffolk, saying that they had
6498-410: The Halesworth deviation was at last held: the company proposed to cross the GER line and join the narrow-gauge Southwold Railway , and use its Halesworth terminus. The gauge of the Southwold line there would be altered, probably by providing mixed gauge. The GER objected to what they saw as an amalgamation of the MSLR and the Southwold line, on the grounds of unfair competition with their own railway, and
6612-501: The London & North Eastern Railway. The Society has been able to collect a number of Great Eastern coaches, three are now in working order, with others under restoration. The museum has also been able to collect some of the remaining station buildings from former Middy railway stations. In February 2017, permission was obtained to extend the line to a new station, to be named Wilby Halt. The line plans to eventually reopen as far as Aspall. The railway made progress on this extension during
6726-416: The Norfolk border and Dedham Vale on the Essex border. It is also known for its extensive farming and has largely arable land . Newmarket is known for horse racing , and Felixstowe is one of the largest container ports in Europe . The Anglo-Saxon settlement of Suffolk, and East Anglia generally, occurred on a large scale, possibly following a period of depopulation by the previous inhabitants,
6840-575: The Open Days have a Special Event to accompany the running of the steam locomotive. This is for the rolling stock of the Mid Suffolk Light Railway. Rolling stock of the mid-Suffolk light railway The line was used as inspiration for the John Hadfield novel, Love on a Branch Line . The book was first published in 1959, and was turned into a television series in 1994. 52°15′01″N 1°07′04″E / 52.2503°N 1.1178°E / 52.2503; 1.1178 Suffolk Suffolk ( / ˈ s ʌ f ə k / SUF -ək )
6954-417: The Reverend John Sanford, his father's Domestic Chaplain . His godparents were the Prince Regent (represented by the Duke of Clarence and St Andrews ), the Duke of Clarence and St Andrews (represented by the 4th Earl of Mayo ) and the Dowager Queen of Württemberg (represented by the Countess of Mayo). Prince George of Cambridge was educated in Hanover and from 1830 in England by the Rev. J. R. Wood,
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#17327798195447068-421: The Romanised descendants of the Iceni . By the fifth century, they had established control of the region. The Anglo-Saxon inhabitants later became the "north folk" and the "south folk", from which developed the names "Norfolk" and "Suffolk". Suffolk was divided into four separate Quarter Sessions divisions, which met at Beccles , Bury St Edmunds , Ipswich and Woodbridge . In 1860, the number of divisions
7182-445: The act was passed into law. In 2007 the Department for Communities and Local Government referred Ipswich Borough Council 's bid to become a new unitary authority to the Boundary Committee . Beginning in February 2008, the Boundary Committee again reviewed local government in the county, with two possible options emerging. One was that of splitting Suffolk into two unitary authorities – Ipswich and Felixstowe and Rural Suffolk; and
7296-402: The actual transfer was to date from 1 July 1924, with official transfer back-dated to 1 January 1923. The viability of the passenger operation came under scrutiny, and it was reported that from 1925 to 1928, the number of passenger bookings from the branch stations had reduced from 3,296 to 2,162; takings on the line in 1930 amounted to £990. At this period there was a serious proposal to convert
7410-411: The annual Aldeburgh Festival is one of the UK's major classical music festivals. Originating in Aldeburgh , it has been held at the nearby Snape Maltings since 1967. Since 2006, Henham Park , has been home to the annual Latitude Festival . This mainly open-air festival, which has grown considerably in size and scope, includes popular music, comedy, poetry and literary events. The FolkEast festival
7524-455: The area was especially rich in finds from the Roman period, with over 1500 objects found in the preceding year. In July 2020, metal detectorist Luke Mahoney found 1,061 silver hammered coins, estimated to be worth £100,000, in Ipswich. The coins dated back to the 15th–17th century, according to experts. In September 2020, archaeologists announced the discovery of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery with seventeen cremations and 191 burials dating back to
7638-547: The army from the monarchy. It is believed, according to Roger Fulford , that William IV , who had been his godfather when Duke of Clarence, had George brought up at Windsor in hope of an eventual marriage to his cousin Princess Victoria of Kent , who was two months younger. This prospective match was favoured by George's own parents, but was forestalled by Victoria's maternal uncle Leopold I of Belgium . He secured Victoria's betrothal to his nephew, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , which became formal after she acceded to
7752-401: The centre of Ipswich. The railway would be standard gauge. At the hearing, the GER was cautiously supportive, subject to agreement about junction connections. It was suggested that the very large number of level crossings should all have resident keepers, but it was agreed that that would be unreasonably expensive. There was some objection to both the Haughley and Needham Market connections, and
7866-521: The contractor, this put the company's reputation in the worst possible light, and when debentures became due for repayment and there was no money to discharge the debt, writs were immediately issued against the company. The Company sold land at Westerfield, intended for the line there, to the Great Eastern Railway, and used the money to pay some of the debt down. The Board of Trade inspection necessary for passenger operation took place on 2 July 1905, when Lieutenant Colonel P. G. Von Donop visited. There were
7980-476: The county lies on more resistant Cretaceous chalk . This chalk is responsible for a sweeping tract of largely downland landscapes that stretches from Dorset in the south west to Dover in the south east and north through East Anglia to the Yorkshire Wolds . The chalk is less easily eroded so forms the only significant hills in the county. The highest point in the county is Great Wood Hill , with an elevation of 128 metres (420 ft). The county flower
8094-491: The county. Roald Dahl's short story "The Mildenhall Treasure" is set in Mildenhall. A TV series about a British antiques dealer, Lovejoy , was filmed in various locations in Suffolk. The reality TV series Space Cadets was filmed in Rendlesham Forest , although the producers fooled participants into believing that they were in Russia. Several towns and villages in the county have been used for location filming of other television programmes and cinema films. These include
8208-536: The daughter of John Fairbrother, a servant in Westminster. Sarah Fairbrother (whose stage name was Louisa) had been an actress since 1827, performing at Drury Lane , the Lyceum , and Covent Garden Theatre . Without the Queen's consent, the wedding ceremony was in contravention of the 1772 Royal Marriages Act , rendering the marriage void . This meant the Duke's wife was not titled Duchess of Cambridge or accorded
8322-575: The directors were said to be surprised at the news. The Treasury informed the railway company in April 1904 that they would advance £25,000 as a grant, provided East Suffolk County Council advanced a similar sum, but the County Council refused. Discussions with the GER over the configuration of the junctions appeared to have been concluded, but an enquiry about the use of Haughley GER station resulted in
8436-485: The expedition against the Ashanti . In 1881, when the historic numbers of regiments were abolished and facing colours standardised for English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish regiments, the Duke protested that regimental spirit would be degraded; the majority of facing colours were restored by the time of World War I , although the numbers of regiments were not. The reforming impetus, however, continued. Parliament passed
8550-481: The field. He was promoted to the rank of general on 15 July 1856 and to the rank of field marshal on 9 November 1862. The Duke of Cambridge served as commander-in-chief for 39 years. Early in his term he encouraged the army to trial various breech-loading carbines for the cavalry, one of which—the Westley Richards —proved so effective that it was decided to investigate the possibility of producing
8664-513: The fifth time), she herself obtaining the licence. Legend has created for the couple an ideal relationship that is far from the reality; the Duke having other affairs. From 1837 the Duke had known Louisa Beauclerk, third daughter of Sir George Wombwell, 2nd Baronet , whom he later described as "the idol of my life and my existence." He saw much of her in 1847, and she was his mistress from at least 1849 until her death in 1882. As early as 1849 he had decided that he would be buried near Beauclerk and it
8778-439: The largest towns are Lowestoft (73,800) in the north-east and Bury St Edmunds (40,664) in the west. Suffolk contains five local government districts , which are part of a two-tier non-metropolitan county also called Suffolk . The Suffolk coastline is a complex habitat , formed by London clay and crag underlain by chalk and therefore susceptible to erosion . It contains several deep estuaries , including those of
8892-554: The latter was dropped, reducing the network to 42 miles. Accordingly, the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Order was made on 5 April 1900. The share capital was to be £225,000. Public ungated level crossings were to be equipped with cattle guards. There were complex restrictions in the event of the use of electric traction—street running tramways were being installed in Ipswich and elsewhere at the time. The directors wasted no time in preparing for construction, and
9006-555: The lightly constructed nature of the original line. As far as is known, no coaches or locomotives of the Middy are still in existence, and the corrugated iron buildings were either left to rust or sold to become farm sheds. However, the Company has been recreating typical scenes from the Middy's past by using restored coaches and wagons that would have run on its bigger neighbour, the Great Eastern Railway, and its successor,
9120-606: The line for cattle traffic in the Laxfield area had a noticeable adverse effect on GER traffic at Framlingham , which had been used as a railhead for cattle traffic previously. In January 1905 the board planned the start of a passenger service of four passenger trains each way between Haughley and Laxfield, increased to six on Tuesdays (Ipswich market day). In January the railway carried about 1,500 tons of goods, 30 trucks of cattle and 500 parcels, and an early cattle train started running on Ipswich market days. Passenger train operation
9234-471: The line to a road, but it was found to be impractical. During World War II the passenger train service was reduced to two trains each way daily and remained at that level throughout the remaining lifetime of the line. From November 1939 the branch trains used the LNER platform at Haughley; the MSLR station was used for goods sidings purposes only. The declining use of the line and the increasing deficit led to
9348-405: The more common primary to high school (11–16). Many of the county's upper schools have a sixth form and most further education colleges in the county offer A-level courses. In terms of school population, Suffolk's individual schools are large with the Ipswich district with the largest school population and Forest Heath the smallest, with just two schools. In 2013, a letter said that "...nearly
9462-490: The nine skeletons believed to be of the late or Post-Roman Britain . Experts said the five-month project had recovered enough artefacts to fill half a shipping container, and that the discoveries had shed new light on their understanding of the development of small rural communities. In 2019 an excavation of a 4th-century Roman burial in Great Whelnetham uncovered unusual burial practices. Of 52 skeletons found,
9576-405: The other, that of creating a single county-wide controlling authority – the "One Suffolk" option. In February 2010, the then-Minister Rosie Winterton announced that no changes would be imposed on the structure of local government in the county as a result of the review, but that the government would be: "asking Suffolk councils and MPs to reach a consensus on what unitary solution they want through
9690-461: The process. The line was opened between Haughley and Laxfield to goods traffic on 20 September 1904, although much work remained to be done to complete the line. The first train left Haughley at 8.00 a.m. hauled by Jackson's 0–6–0 tank locomotive Lady Stevenson . There was no ordinary goods traffic to convey, so the load was ballast wagons required by the contractor further down the line, although several packages were picked up at various stations on
9804-513: The receiver, and obtain the consent of the debenture and preference share holders; this was obviously an impossible task, and at length the directors accepted the reality that their scheme to cross the Mid-Suffolk area by rail was unachievable. The track that had been laid beyond Laxfield was recovered for war use in 1914. The Cratfield extension from Laxfield had been opened in 1906, and closed in February 1912. The originally proposed 50-mile network
9918-554: The reforms because they struck at the heart of his view of the Army. According to Theo Aronson , he "stoutly resisted almost every attempt at reform or modernization." He feared that the newly created force of reservists would be of little use in a colonial conflict, and that expeditionary forces would have to strip the most experienced men from the home-based battalions in order to fill the gaps in their ranks. His fears seemed to be confirmed in 1873, when Wolseley raided battalions for
10032-585: The return journey. The first of the company's own locomotives was delivered from Hudswell Clarke at the beginning of November 1904; it was an 0–6–0 tank engine, numbered 1 and named Haughley. It had been available for opening day, but the manufacturers were suspicious of the Company's ability to pay, and they did not release it at first. Some goods wagons arrived later. A second locomotive was delivered in March 1905. Goods stations were located at Mendlesham, Aspall, Kenton , Horham and Stradbroke , and later at Old Newton , Brockford, Worlingworth and Wilby . Use of
10146-418: The sand. Villages and towns in Suffolk are renowned for historic, pink-washed halls and cottages, which has become known far and wide as "Suffolk Pink". Decorative paint colours found in the county can range from a pale shell shade, to a deep blush brick colour. According to research, Suffolk Pink dates back to the 14th century, when these shades were developed by local dyers by adding natural substances to
10260-443: The share capital was being offered now as ordinary shares, with the second half to be issued later as preference shares. S Pearson and Sons resigned from the contract at this stage, evidently frustrated at the lack of action by the Company, and S Jackson of London was appointed instead. The first sod was cut on 3 May 1902 in a field at Westerfield; "no expense was spared" despite the company's financial problems; 600 guests attended for
10374-415: The style Her Royal Highness , while the son born after the marriage was illegitimate and ineligible to succeed to the Duke's titles. Indeed, Sarah's very existence was ignored by the Queen. Instead, Sarah called herself "Mrs. Fairbrother" and later "Mrs. FitzGeorge". The Duke was a very weak man where women were concerned, and it seems likely that he had been cajoled into marriage by Sarah (then pregnant for
10488-559: The term "Silly Suffolk" can actually be dated to no earlier than 1819, and its alleged medieval origins have been shown to be mythical. The majority of agriculture in Suffolk is either agronomy or mixed farming . Farm sizes vary from anything around 80 acres (32 hectares) to over 8,000. Soil types vary from heavy clays to light sands. Crops grown include winter wheat , barley , sugar beet , oilseed rape , winter and spring beans and linseed , although smaller areas of rye and oats can be found growing in areas with lighter soils along with
10602-466: The three-tier system was divided into four geographical area groupings and corresponding phases. The first phase was the conversion of schools in Lowestoft and Haverhill in 2011, followed by schools in north and west Suffolk in 2012. The remainder of the changeovers to two-tier took place from 2013, for those schools that stayed within local government control, and did not become Academies and/or free schools . The majority of schools thus now (2019) operate
10716-640: The traditional system of informal patronage was gradually giving way to more than gifted amateurs. On 22 November 1909 the reforms to which Haig, as Director of Staff Duties was a part, abolished the post of Commander-in-Chief which the Duke had made his own. In setting up the Army Council , with its head being called the Chief of the General Staff by Order in Council, the Liberal government separated
10830-593: The unified county of Suffolk. The county was divided into several local government districts : Babergh , Forest Heath , Ipswich , Mid Suffolk , St Edmundsbury , Suffolk Coastal , and Waveney . This act also transferred some land near Great Yarmouth to Norfolk. As introduced in Parliament, the Local Government Act would have transferred Newmarket and Haverhill to Cambridgeshire and Colchester from Essex; such changes were not included when
10944-555: The wake of the Prussian victories in the 1870–71 Franco-Prussian War , the Liberal Party government of Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone and Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell called for the Army to undergo major reforms. Cardwell succeeded in pushing through a number of reforms , including one that made the commander-in-chief nominally report to the secretary of state for war . The Duke opposed most of
11058-709: Was a collaboration between the University of Essex and the University of East Anglia which sponsored its formation and validated its degrees. UOS accepted its first students in September 2007. Until then Suffolk was one of only four counties in England which did not have a university campus. The University of Suffolk was granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in November 2015, and in May 2016 it
11172-564: Was a member of the British royal family , a grandson of King George III and cousin of Queen Victoria . The Duke was an army officer by profession and served as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces (military head of the British Army ) from 1856 to 1895. He became Duke of Cambridge in 1850 and field marshal in 1862. Deeply devoted to the old Army, he worked with Queen Victoria to defeat or minimise every reform proposal, such as setting up
11286-503: Was a protracted dispute over the liquidation of the debt, but in 1924 the Company was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway . The poor usage of the line led to its closure in 1952. A heritage group started a railway museum site at Brockford, and as a charity it trades as the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway. The original line and the heritage line are informally referred to as the Middy Line . The first railway through central Suffolk
11400-655: Was an ambitious scheme for 50 miles of railway, described by its supporters as "the most important Light Railway scheme to be brought before the Commissioners since the Light Railway Act of 1896." The network would interconnect the Ipswich to Norwich main line and the East Suffolk line; it was to run from Haughley to Halesworth , 27 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles, from Bedingfield to Westerfield , 14 miles, and from Debenham to Needham Market , 8 miles. Omnibuses would run in connection with trains from Westerfield to
11514-648: Was awarded University status by the Privy Council and renamed The University of Suffolk on 1 August 2016. The university operates at five sites, with its central hub in Ipswich. Others include Lowestoft, Bury St. Edmunds, and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. The university is organised in four academic schools and in 2022/23 had 13,700 students. 88% of the student body are aged over 21 and 46% of university students are male. Founded in 1948 by Benjamin Britten ,
11628-446: Was built during his time as Commander-in-Chief. As the male-line grandson of a King of Hanover , Prince George of Cambridge also bore the titles of 'Prince of Hanover' and ' Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg '. His title, 'Duke of Cambridge', fell into extinction upon his death. It was not revived until 107 years later, when Elizabeth II (Prince George's great-great-niece through his sister Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge ) awarded
11742-469: Was given the title of honorary colonel-in-chief to the Forces. Historian Correlli Barnett blames British failures in the Second Boer War of 1899–1902 on the Duke, stressing the Army's "[l]ack of organization, ignorant and casual officers, inferior human material in the ranks" as well as "soldiers drilled to machine-like movements [versus the Boer] with a rifle working on his own initiative." During
11856-458: Was not permitted until the line had been inspected by an officer of the Board of Trade , and this had not yet been done. Notwithstanding the prohibition, a private passenger train was run in June 1905, when an Ipswich historical study society visited churches and large houses in the area. More than one hundred members joined a Mid-Suffolk train formed of the company's new coaching stock at Haughley for
11970-399: Was now hoped that residential traffic could be generated there. Steam railcars had been introduced by the London and South Western Railway and this system appeared to offer a major benefit in technical and business terms. At the end of 1903 the Company's financial position was becoming obviously unsustainable, yet when the bankers stated that no further overdraft facility would be available,
12084-411: Was poor, further worsening the company's financial situation. The Board continued to harbour ambitions to complete the planned network, but crippling interest on loans and capital repayments falling due forced the company into receivership in 1906. Passenger operation was started in 1908, but this too was disappointing. At the grouping of the railways in 1923, the MSLR was still in receivership, and there
12198-652: Was probated at under £121,000. The Duke is today commemorated by an equestrian statue standing on Whitehall in central London ; it is positioned outside the front door of the War Office that he so strongly resisted. He is also commemorated by two street names in Kingston Vale and Norbiton , in southwest London, George Road and Cambridge Road; the Duke inherited much of the land in the area from his father in 1850. Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot
12312-416: Was recommended. The company's bankers were asked to give an overdraft of £1,000 to pay for additional surveys, pending the issue of shares. In fact it was not until December 1901 that a prospectus was published for the share issue. The tone of the document made it clear that this was no rural backwater branch, but that the Company saw its line as an integral part of the long-distance network of the country. Half
12426-496: Was reduced to 19 miles. In the Summer of 1911 a Sunday service of two trains each way was run, but it was not considered a financial success and was not repeated in later years. After World War I the huge backlog of maintenance overwhelmed the company's ability to pay for it against falling income. The Railways Act 1921 brought most of the railways of Great Britain into the ownership of one or other of four new large companies, in
12540-655: Was reduced to two, when the Beccles, Ipswich and Woodbridge divisions merged into an East Suffolk division, administered from Ipswich, and the old Bury St Edmunds division became the West Suffolk division. Under the Local Government Act 1888 , the two divisions were made the separate administrative counties of East Suffolk and West Suffolk ; On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , East Suffolk, West Suffolk, and Ipswich were merged to form
12654-473: Was solely on her account that Sarah Fairbrother and he were deposited in the mausoleum in Kensal Green Cemetery , west of the main chapel, about sixty feet away from Beauclerk's grave. The Duke of Cambridge served as colonel-in-chief of the 17th Lancers , Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers ; The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) and King's Royal Rifle Corps ; colonel of
12768-430: Was substantially complete from Haughley to Mendlesham , Kitchener was conveyed on the line in the contractor's wagon, afterwards continuing by motor car, one of the first in the district, following the planned route. At an Annual General Meeting in August 1903 it was announced that further overdrafts had been taken due to poor take-up of the preference shares. Westerfield was now favoured as the priority for opening, as it
12882-569: Was the Ipswich and Bury Railway: it opened from Ipswich to Haughley and Bury St Edmunds in 1846. The company was absorbed by the Eastern Union Railway in 1847, and in 1848 and 1849 the line was extended to Norwich from Haughley. Further east the East Suffolk Railway was opened in 1859, joining Ipswich to Yarmouth and Lowestoft . The lines were absorbed by the dominant Eastern Counties Railway , and in 1862
12996-561: Was the patron of the Oxford Military College from 1876 to 1896. Cambridge's strength and hearing began to fade in his later years. He was unable to ride at Queen Victoria's funeral and had to attend in a carriage. He paid his last visit to Germany in August 1903. He died of a haemorrhage of the stomach in 1904 at Gloucester House, Piccadilly, London. His remains were buried five days later next to those of his wife in Kensal Green Cemetery , London. In 1904, his estate
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