Days Gone By - The people of London Road and Bramford Road over the last 100 years

This week photographer David Kindred has sourced pictures of the changes in London Road and Bramford Road.

Life in Ipswich, between London Road and Bramford Road, has seen many changes since the town expanded into the area during the Victorian and Edwardian era.

Six public houses – all within walking distance – have closed and several of the small shops in Bramford Road, which served the community, have also gone.

Two Victorian school buildings, London Road and Bramford Road, now have a new use and the area is served by Handford Hall Primary School.

In today’s Days Gone By, I feature photographs of the area in decades past.

I have included pictures taken by staff photographer Jerry Turner, who captured life there in July 1976.

Do you have memories of this part of Ipswich, or recognise anybody featured? If so, send an email here.

The picture below shows Gatacre Road from Bramford Road in the early years of the 20th century.

Bramford Road School for boys and girls on the right was built in the 1880s.

The building is now home to the Suffolk Record Office and the Sir John Mills Theatre. Residents now have difficulty parking in the street.

The next picture was take in January 1967 and features shops between Victoria Street and Prospect Street.

Most of the shops were then closed as the area was set for redevelopment.

A directory from the mid 1960s includes from the left: McDonald’s fish and chip shop, Mr L Singh’s store, Mrs Eleman draper, Mr C.A. Smith grocer, Mrs Walker’s shop and Chiltern Textiles drapers.

The Staff of Life, Bramford Road, is one of six public houses, now closed, that served the area of Ipswich between Bramford Road and London Road.

It closed in 1962. The Spotted Cow (also known as Sloanes and the Iron Horse) closed in 1992.

The Rose and Crown, at the junction of Bramford Road and Norwich Road, closed in July 2011. The Royal William, and Ipswich Arms, London Road closed in 1999. The Masons, (also know as the Freemasons) in Victoria Street closed in 2016 and soon after, it was badly damaged by fire.

The next shot shows Bramford Road from the junction with Beaufort Street, around 1960.

All of the houses on the left and the Staff of Life public house were demolished in the early 1960s.

Rendlesham Road and Bulwer Road are on the right.

The London Road, Ipswich School building is now home to the Westbridge Academy.

This group of infants and their teacher were photographed there early in the 20th century.

Do you recognise anyone in the picture?

Here is a moment in July 1976 that captures life in the Surrey Road, Sirdar Road area of Ipswich from over 40 years ago.

These children were playing in the street, including one boy in his slippers.