Quick Contacts
Crime Updates
Crime updates for May
See the latest updates on crime incidents affecting Wickhambrook and the surrounding areas...
Wanted/For Sale
Latest items for Sale - Treadmill and Buggy and a kitten. Also FREE Piano.
Take a look at all the items we have for sale and see if you can find yourself a bargain. You can also post requests for items you are looking for. It's free and we have sold lots of items over the years from cars to sofas!
BBC News Feeds
Resources
PDF Files
You will need the Adobe Reader to view some documents on the website. You can download it for FREE from the Adobe Website
I'm Philippa Taylor and I'm BBC Radio Suffolk's West Suffolk producer. It's my job to search out stories that will be of interest to the county - so if there's an issue that's got you talking in Wickhambrook - then contact me. You can email me - philippa.taylor@bbc.co.uk - or ring me on 01359 271865.
Did you know that each day we broadcast a What's On diary for charity and community events too? Just give us ten days notice in writing - with contact details and useful information like wheelchair accessibility - and your event will be advertised free of charge. Phone our receptionists on 01473 250000 if you'd like to know more or check out our Suffolk website.
page last updated 26 April, 2012
Wickhambrook Local History Society
The History of the Wickhambrook Local History Society together with how it is today providing interesting facts, exhibitions, talks and entertaining events.
Events and News
Help is still needed for the History presentation event with All Saints Church, please let Dorothy know if you are able to spare a few hours
- see poster here
Historical Association at Stowmarket
Saturday 21 April at 2.30 pm in the Munton and Fison Room, Stowmarket Community Centre, Hillside, Stowmarket, IP14 2BD, where there is ample free parking.
On May 19, Dr Nick Sign will be speaking on 'Education in East Anglia 1550 – 1700'.
The All Saints Church event on Friday 15th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th of June is to be called 'Wickhambrook Discovers its Past'. Thank you to all those who have volunteered to help.
Photos and Press Cuttings
We have had some fascinating photos and press cuttings sent to us which you can see by having a look at the pdf group images in the gallery
Local History Society photos
Our Committee
For information about the Society or events please contact either the Secretary or Events Secretary.
The main committee is as follows:
| Chairman | Dorothy Anderson 01440 820376 |
| Secretary & Events Secretary |
Gillian Cooper 01440 820052 |
| Treasurer | Pam Miller 01440 820696 |
Members Information
Membership costs £8 per year payable in April plus 50p for each meeting.
Guests are always very welcome - £2 per occasion.
Meetings held at 7.30pm in the W.I. Hall.
Library - The library is now all set up at the Primary School. Please let us know your views on this. (Little Bradley trip - we have bought Wendy Barnes' book for the library).
and now for some interesting Historical Facts from the 1500's ...
Our Location : CB8 8XR
View Wickhambrook W.I. Hall in a larger map
FIND US AGAIN
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Programme of Events
Our Club
The History Society has been running since 1986 when meetings were held in the Bar Room at the Memorial Social Centre before moving to the Pavilion.
Meetings are now held in the WI Hall on the third Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm.
We have around 50 members who enjoy talks, often illustrated by slides, on topics of local and historical interest.
We have at least two summer outings each year and a social evening in December.
Members also attend events and meetings held by the Suffolk Local History Council to which we are affiliated.
In 2000 we held a very successful Millennium Exhibition, and in 2002 a fundraising Concert in aid of All Saints’ Church.
How it all started ...
In the spring of 1986 Alf Hicks, known to many as Mr Wickhambrook for his lifelong love of his village called a meeting for all those interested in forming a local history society. About 30 people were present at the meeting in the Dulcie Smith room of the MSC and with the help of the Haverhill Society President, Lionel Mitson a society was set up to promote an interest in history with an emphasis on local matters. Alf was the first Chairman and we still have ten of the founder members in our group at the moment.
Over the years we have enjoyed a varied programme of talks, theatre trips, outings and visits to other societies.
Alf’s time as Chairman saw him undertake a successful campaign to save our Victorian post boxes, and as the longest serving village reporter (ever!!) for the Bury Free Press, he kept Wickhambrook very much in the public eye. After his death in 1995 at the age of 89, his old school friend Clement Fuller of Newmarket took over as Chairman until the A.G.M. of 1996 when Percy Nunn was elected to the post.
Under Percy’s Chairmanship, we have undertaken our most ambitious project – to “capture” the houses of Wickhambrook at the turn of the century. With the financial help of St Edmundsbury and the Parish Council we are compiling a record of the village which we hope will be of use to researchers in the future.
It was one of Alf’s dreams to investigate the many old interesting properties in the village and our project has already brought some interesting facts to light. We were fortunate to enlist the help of Leigh Alston of Madingly College, Cambridge to date some of the older properties. During his visit to the village. Leigh remarked that the “spread-out” layout of the village and it’s greens conforms to Anglo-Saxon village patterns, thus clearing up the mystery of those famous eleven greens. To have kept our village “shape” for over a thousand years is remarkable.
The survey was displayed In April 2000 at an exhibition in the W.I. Hall together with a photographic exhibition by Mike Pettitt, a video by Steve Taylor, beer tasting by Lidstones Brewery, displays by local societies and book signing by local authors.
The possibilities for further research are endless. There are wonderful grand houses, fascinating old farmhouses and famous council houses just begging for further investigation.
The Society has a hard working and “committed” committee whose interest in local history is boundless. The survey and video was also shown at the Suffolk Local History Council’s “Societies Day” at Mendlesham in March. Each time we take part in an event there, someone always says “Wickhambrook”? Oh yes we remember! The little man who used to give everyone copies of the ‘Scene’. Is he still going?” Alf’s Spirit goes on!
Useful links and information
Suffolk Family History Society
Suffolk Surnames - Information, help and advice for anyone researching their Suffolk Roots
I have had a letter from the East Anglian Film Archive with details of DVDs which may be of interest to you. You can look online at archivefilmshop.co.uk and type HISTSOC into the discount box. Their Phone no. is 01603 251744. Please tell them which Hist Soc you belong to when you call (Dorothy)
Many will know that The National Archives gives regular talks on various aspects of family history at the PRO in Kew. Less well known is that they're now available to replay online. Very easy to listen to, providing you've got broadband.
The Family and Community Historical Research Society
Doctors who practised in Wickhambrook up until 1900 - Suffolk Medical Biographies website - type in 'Wickhambrook' in the 'place of practice' box and then 'search'.