As our journey takes us into the 80’s we bring you these images.
As we leave the 70’s behind and continue into the 1980’s we found images of youngsters awaiting the arrival of Princess Alic at Ipswich High School, John Louis at the Felixstowe Motorcycle show and the Westbourne netball team. We also have pictures of Walton Newboys five-a-side football team, Co-op art cometition winners and Felixstowe road safety quiz competition winners.
Meanwhile, after last week’s picture of Kenny Ball at the Corn Exchange in 1979 we have heard from two of the people in the picture – one of whom has a close relationship to the Ipswich Star!
Sue Stone (nee Warwick) writes: “Wow, now that’s a blast from the past – half a lifetime, in fact! Turning a page and finding a picture of your 30-something-year-old self is pretty surreal!
“The picture of Kenny Ball was one of many publicity shots that I arranged during my sojourn as publicity officer for the recreation and amenities department of Ipswich Borough Council during the late 1970s. This one includes Jim Gillies (then manager of the Corn Exchange) and Randall Bevan (then director of R & A).
“Me? Well I’m the only lady in the picture... and my name? Sue Warwick. I left the Corn Exchange in late 1980 to give birth to a son – his name? Josh Warwick (now head of news for the Ipswich Star). Doesn’t life have a habit of turning full circle!”
Also prompted to send in his memories of the time was Randall Bevan, who writes: “Kenny Ball was a regular in the Corn Exchange – alas now closed for lack of initiatives by elected members and officers.
“He was a very kind man and I recall the evening with great pleasure given that my chairman, county and district councillor Hugh Davies, was present and as ever a great servant for his home town Ipswich.
“As director of recreation and amenities the Corn Exchange was a division of my large leisure department. The manager – Jim Gillies, left in photograph – was a very experienced entertainments manager who worked tirelessly to bring the best to Ipswich.
“Kenny Ball was but one of the great artistes who performed, who included Stéphane Grappelli, Michael Parkinson, Donald Houston, the great pianist John Ogden, the world-class diva Victoria de los Angeles, Pam Ayres and The Royal Shakespeare Company.
“We also had international boxing, China v England table tennis, Tolly Cobbold snooker, world darts championships, and the youth discos which were a great success with over 500 youngsters attending every week.
“Having such memories of exciting times and hard working staff, it is a great disappointment that the Corn Exchange is now hardly used. Perhaps this comment might spur Ipswich Borough Council to reconsider the future of the Corn Exchange and once again provide a comprehensive programme for this great venue.”
Are you in any of these pictures? Drop us a line.
If you have any memories you wish to share with Star readers, email us at starnews@archant.co.uk
To buy a copy of one of these photos, select the myphotos24 link top left.
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