Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Meeting

ON May 15th the Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Group will welcome the return of Pip Wright to talk about “Surprises from the Parish Chest” – an alternative history of Suffolk.   We will hear of wife-sellers, crooked bankers, rogue rectors, sportsman-naturalists, witches and wizards, spendthrifts and misers, respectable thieves and smugglers and, of course, a good few fornicators – most of whose existence can be verified by contemporary accounts; but occasionally they appear alongside more hazy stories where the truth is much harder to determine. All have played a part in Suffolk’s colourful past. Pip Wright’s illustrated talk tells their stories.

Pip is a retired Primary School teacher living in Stowmarket, who writes local history books and gives talks to groups of all kinds and all ages across East Anglia. Together with his late wife Joy, who died in July 2005, he has spent a number of years gathering information on Suffolk’s social history.

The meeting will be held on Monday 15th May at Leiston United Church (URC/Methodist), High Street, Leiston, IP16 4EL.  Entrance is not at the front of the church, but on the left hand side as you face the building.  Parking is available in the Co-op/Solar car park which adjoins it, but you must sign your vehicle in at the tills in the supermarket or face a charge of £100. Visitors welcome. Admission: members £1, visitors £3, incl tea/coffee.

The Group will continue evening meetings in Leiston until the winter.

Further programme:  all at 7.30pm Leiston United Church: Monday 19th June – Tracing Criminals in the Family – Gill Blanchard; Monday 17th July The Diary of a Norfolk Parson – James Woodforde, 1740-1803 – Sheila Harrison.