STOWMARKET GROUP
INTRODUCTION
Stowmarket is a market town situated mainly to the south of the A14 road approximately midway between Bury St. Edmunds and Ipswich in the county of Suffolk. It has a population of about 14,000 people. Stowmarket lies on the River Gipping, which flows to Ipswich where it joins the River Orwell.
Until the end of the 18th Century the town was mainly a centre for the marketing of the agricultural produce of the surrounding village. The only other large industry was the weaving of Worsted cloth.
The River Gipping was made navigable between Stowmarket and Ipswich in 1793. This event marked the start of a period of prosperity and some industry was introduced to the town. In the 19th century it was a centre of malting. An ironworks was founded by James Woods around 1810 and also about this time the Prentice family started several enterprises in the town, the foremost being an artificial fertilizer factory and the manufacturer of the explosive guncotton.
On Friday 11th August 1871 there occurred an explosion at Prentice's guncotton factory which killed and injured many workers including two members of the Prentice family.
A large tannery was situated nearby in the neighbouring parish of Combs.
The railway was constructed in 1846 with a direct line to London. There is a market in the town centre on Thursdays and Saturdays.
CONTACT
Secretary: Lesley Anne Hawthorne
Tel: 01449 612567
Or by
Email
PROGRAMME
The Stowmarket group of the Suffolk Family History Society meets in The Old Library, Red Gables, Ipswich Road, Stowmarket. Red Gables is alongside Lockington Road close to the roundabout with Hollingsworth Road. The entrance is opposite Duke Street. There is a free car park. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month. Everyone is welcome.
| 2008 | Title | Speaker |
| 13th May | AGM & Jewish Community In Ipswich | Sheila Hardy |
| 10th June | Landguard Fort | Dave Wood |
| 8th July | Surnames | Mervyn Lemon |
| 12th August | Open Evening | |
| 9th September | Written In Stone | Martin Taylor |
| 14th October | 300 Years Of Countryside History | Ashley Cooper |
| 11th November | Master Of The Seas | Meryl Catty |
| 9th December | John Milton | Jeannette Baldry |
LINKS
Stowmarket History and Heritage - Dedicated to the history of the market town of Stowmarket.." "If you have lived in the town or have ancestors who lived here, you should find something to interest you." There is a surname research section.
Stowmarket Online - A website implemented by the Town Council. The website has recently been substantially re-designed and built.
Museum of East Anglian Life - Apart from being Stowmarket's principal tourist attraction, the Museum has 40,000 artefacts and 11 historic buildings.
Stowmarket Mailing List - A Rootsweb mailing list for anyone with a genealogical or historical interest in the town of Stowmarket, Suffolk, England, and its adjacent parishes; also a forum for reminiscences of the area from anyone with memories to share.
St Peter and St Mary Church - This site is part of the the large Suffolk Churches site. There are also pages on the Catholic Church of Our Lady and many other churches in the area.
