Bond Street- Ipswich

[Borley Manor]

Perfectly true on every count, my mother nearly got wiped out in Salthouse Street, which runs adjacent to the docks, a load of wallbricks came down and grain spilled across the road. A engine from a german bomber came throught the roof of the machine shop of Ransomes and Rapier on the other side of the dock from that, it was still on the premises in the late sixties as I saw it myself...a bit battered though and the prop was missing...A doodlebug landed over Stoke and tore a great hole in the area..a german plane crashlanded in Gypeswyck Park....these are all documented somewhere....

[a j bayram]

I remember my Mother telling me, as we walked up Belstead Road, that a Doodlebug  landed near the top of Willoughby Road, hence the more modern flats built there.  Wasn't aware of a German plane crash landing in the park.  A former neighbour is doing some articles for a local magazine about "battles" in or near Suffolk, I shall pass this on.

Whilst on the Fire Station/WW2 theme, there were numerous Fire Stations scattered around the Town during the conflict.

Post war, there was an enormous housing programme undertaken.  This resulted in communities being split up (and some families) totally changing the face of Ipswich forever.

[Greensleeves]

My mother also told me about a very large  bomb which landed in one of the parks (I believe it was Holywells Park) and failed to explode.  Apparently after it had been made safe, and before it was removed,  it became quite an attraction as people travelled from all parts of Ipswich to see it.  I expect that meant plenty of business for the trolley buses!

[Borley Manor]

My paternal grandparents lived in some newish flats up Belstead Road, Selwyn Close was it's name. He was a trolley bus conducter. I remember the hassle involved in changing the arms as they raced up the gradient of Bishops Hill that runs alongside Holywells Park, them branches off from the Felixstowe Road, and into Nacton Road, which again runs alongside Holywells Park...I do not know anything about a bomb there though, but, will ask my mum soon, she knows everything, one just has to wait for her to recall it...

[a j bayram]

Borley Manor, it was either Selwyn Close or the opposite side of Belstead Road from there.  I'm trying to remember just what she said some 40 odd years ago!!

[Borley Manor]

I really do not know which was first, there used to be some flats opposite, which were overlooked by my g/parents, if memory serves they may have been contemporary with the end of hostilities, my g/parents flat might well be newer than that. Just a tad further up was the top of Willoughby Hill, I think that is how it's spelt...I haven't been up there for years, now it's imperative that I do, or, at least find out some more.....

[Borley Manor]

Quote.
'Post war, there was an enormous housing programme undertaken.  This resulted in communities being split up (and some families) totally changing the face of Ipswich forever. '
Somewhere here amongst zillions of books, is a couple of 1930's Ipswich magazine booklets. On the front page it states 'An Ideal Industrial Centre'. Some arial shots of Nacton housing estate, but, not a lot more building going on around the outside of town. A lot of the industrial areas are actually inside the town itself. I recall Footman & Pretty, now Debenhams, having a clothing factory up on Crown Street, the roof huts of which were still painted in camoflague colours way back in the sixties.....funny to imagine that a lot of stuff put up in my lifetime is now becoming almost slum areas now....so much to learn, so little time..hey ho !!!

[Greensleeves]

One of the major housing developments post-war was Chantry, which I believe was started in the 1950s.  A particularly disastrous clearance campaign in the 1960s/early 1970s resulted in the construction of Greyfriars and the demolition of a substantial number of historic properties.  At the time the plan was to move the shopping centre of Ipswich to Greyfriars, for some reason.  However, the good citizens of the town said they would not use the shopping facilities at Greyfriars and meant it.  The market was moved from the Corn Exchange to Greyfriars but soon closed through lack of custom, as did the supermarket and the other shops located there.  And as can be seen, the shopping centre of Ipswich remains where it always has been: some years ago excavations revealed that Ipswich town centre still retains the original Saxon street pattern.

[Borley Manor]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/72/a3236672.shtml

You may find this a little interesting, I do hope so......