Have you ever heard of the local legend where members of the royal family were banned from visiting Ipswich due to a controversial incident that happened in 1851?

Queen Victoria's German born husband Prince Albert visited the town in July 1851 to open the 21st Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science which was held at the Town Hall.

The prince arrived in Ipswich and travelled from the station for the Town Hall in an open carriage.

It was during this part of the royal's visit that an incident occurred that supposedly impacted relations between Suffolk's county town and the crown for three generations.

A man in the crowd shouted at the passing Prince "‘Goo hoom, yer rotten ole Jarman" in a broad Suffolk brogue.

It is here where the story is born as the comment was not forgotten.

Although the Prince wasn't known for his command of the English language courtiers apparently told Queen Victoria about the comment and she allegedly imposed a 75-year ban on royalty visiting Ipswich.

There is also a story that in 1902 when the Duke of Cambridge lifted the first turf for the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway to link Ipswich to Debenham, the event was held in Westerfield. 

However on their website the Mid Suffolk Light Railway (MSLR) have explained that they are sceptical about the ban itself pointing out that until 1985 Westerfield was within the boundaries of the Borough of Ipswich. 

They also point out that it was logical to hold the ceremony in Westerfield as this was where the MSLR was due to terminate rather than Ipswich itself. 

According to the railway one of Queen Victoria's daughters Princess Louise visited the High School for Girls in Ipswich on 15th May 1899. It seems unlikely that the Princess would have ignored a ban had it been in place. 

However, there is evidence that even if a ban wasn't in place members of the royal family continued to be wary of visiting the town. 

In 1903 Victoria's third daughter Princess Helena did visit the town to open the Suffolk Victoria Nursing Institute in Lower Brook Street.

However, as her husband was HRH Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein she visited as a member of the German royal family.

Before the First World War King George V used to take part in shooting parties on the Orwell Park estate but the royal train always steamed through Ipswich and Derby Road stations without stopping.

Tellingly the Suffolk memorial to Prince Albert erected following his death was built in Framlingham rather than Ipswich.

In 1926 the ban if it existed was finally lifted when Prince Henry one of George V's younger sons visited the town.