“LAST orders please” is the call of publicans towards the end of trading everyday.

David Kindred

“LAST orders please” is the call of publicans towards the end of trading everyday. In recent years it has taken on a different meaning as dozens of local public houses have closed forever.

For generations the public house was part of the neighbourhood community. Social gathering would centre on the 'pub'. Most had a darts, and dominoes team.

Younger regulars would play in the pubs football team, taking part in a local league. Older regulars played in card game matches against other local pubs.

Throughout the year the landlord or lady would run a Christmas club helping families organise their Christmas budget.

Before the Second World War there were very few homes with central heating and many were without electric power and had an outside toilet.

An evening of good company in the warmth of the pub, in the days before television, was a feature of most homes, and often an attractive alternative.

In Ipswich there were many pubs around the dock like The Steam Packet, Duke Street, The Lock Tavern, New Cut East, The Bull, Key Street, The Seahorse, College Street and the Waterman's Arms in Foundry Lane.

The Cattle market area around Princes Street had the likes of The Friars Inn, The British Lion and The Three Swans, all in Princes Street, and The Suffolk in Commercial Road.

Rail workers from the Ipswich locomotive maintenance yard off Wherstead Road would enjoy a pint or two during their break with men from the engineering works of Ransomes and Rapier's and Cocksedge's.

These men would be found in the crowded smoky bars of the EUR and Great Eastern in Croft Street or the Engineers Arms or The Griffin in Bath Street.

All of these pubs along with many others have now closed forever as the trade has changed dramatically over recent decades.

Many of the buildings featured have been demolished, others like the Blue Coat Boy on the Old Cattle Market and the Half Moon and Star, St Matthews Street, have been given a new use.

Many are now trading very successfully selling good food or as music venues, but there are few who survive as they did until the 1970s, just selling beer with a bag of crisps as the only thing on offer to eat.

I have searched through my picture archives to look for photographs of public houses in the Evening Star area lost from local history.

I have found over 100 most well within living memory. I am sure there are several more that readers will recall.

- What memories do these photographs bring for you or what other names can you add to the list? Write to Dave Kindred, Kindred Spirits. Evening Star 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich.