Days Gone By: Pictures of unique moments in Ipswich’s history

March 82 Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

Until digital photography took over around 20 years ago, film and prints were relatively expensive and most people only took photographs of special family occasions, like weddings, holidays and other special family events.

Few recorded changes to the area, and often it was only local news media that recorded dramatic events.

The Wherstead interchange on the A14 being built in March 1982. Work on the Orwell Bridge is in the background Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

Russell Whipps, who has lived in Ipswich since 1967, liked to capture life in the area with his 35mm camera and would often go to Ipswich Airport and pay £25 for a half-hour flight to record projects and sometimes disasters.

Russell was born in Fressingfield in north Suffolk in 1935. His family were bombed out of their home in Campsea Ash during the Second World War, they then moved to Ufford.

Bridge Street, Ipswich, looking towards Stoke Bridge in 1982, as work was going on to clear the site to construct the double roundabout traffic scheme in front of the Novotel Hotel Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

Russell worked for Potters garage at Woodbridge, Mann Egertons in Ipswich and at Felixstowe Port.

In todays Days Gone By I feature a few of the thousands of high quality photographs Russell has taken. He recorded the dates and captured unique moments and places gone forever.

The European Gateway on its side off Felixstowe in 1982.The ferry was travelling from Felixstowe to Zeebrugge when it capsized following a collision with the inbound Speed Link Vanguard on December 19, 1982. Six people lost their lives in the disaster Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

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San Salvador Feb 86 Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

The light coloured low buildings on the right were the former showrooms of Mann Egertons agricultural division in Princes Street, Ipswich. This picture was taken in July 1987. They have been replaced and the Civic Drive roundabout has been removed Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

April 92 Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

The Little Ships Hotel, Felixstowe, in May 1990. It was built as the Pier Hotel in 1883 at the site of the original dock basin and pier. The building was demolished in 1998 Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

1992 Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

A powerful storm hit during the night of October 15/16, 1987. Many buildings were badly damaged and trees fell blocking roads and hitting houses. This was the scene in Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, near the junction with Badshah Avenue, as a tree, which had brought down power cables and blocked the road, was removed Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

Neptune Quay at Ipswich Dock in May 1985. All of the buildings in the background, close to Coprolite Street, have been replaced. The silos of Eastern Counties Farmers on the left is now the site of the university. The former fertiliser factory on the right is now the site of a block of flats, offices and a coffee shop Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

April 99 Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

March 99 Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

The huge workshop constructed for Ipswich engineering company Ransomes and Rapier to build walking dragline cranes was being demolished in January 1994. This was one of the last buildings to be demolished on the large site, where generations of local people worked. Bath Street is on the left Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)

A steam powered crane working in the rail yards between the bridges in London Road and Hadleigh Road (background), Ipswich in 1981 Picture: RUSSELL WHIPPS (Image: Archant)