Days Gone By: Fore Street through the generations

An October 1963 photograph of Fore Street from near the Duke Street junction, looking towards Grimwade Street off to the right. The tower wagon was removing the trolley bus cables after they had gone out of service in August 1963. The University building is now off to the left of this view. Picture: ALAN VALENTINE (Image: Dave Kindred)

Vast swathes of an iconic Ipswich street would still be recognisable to generations no longer with us – although the amount of traffic passing through parts of it daily would amaze them.

Many of the buildings in Fore Street remain from centuries ago – The Spread Eagle public house, at the junction of Eagle Street, can be traced back to at least 1721.

It is thought the original building was home to a merchant and adapted as a public house.

A trolley bus in Fore Street, Ipswich, close to the junction with Lower Orwell Street, in January 1963. The trolley buses were taken out of service in August 1963. Picture: ALAN VALENTINE (Image: Dave Kindred)

The Spread Eagle was rebuilt in the 19th century – with the first floor an imitation of the original.

The Lord Nelson Inn, opposite the junction with Salthouse Street, is also centuries old.

Prior to 1802 it was known as Noah’s Ark, records refer to it in 1672.

This row of seventeenth century cottages in Fore Street, Ipswich, on the the right of the Duke Street junction, are now used as shops and flats. This Victorian photograph includes the Welcome Sailor public house (left) in Fore Hamlet, which closed in 1924. Picture: DAVID KINDRED'S ARCHIVE (Image: Dave Kindred)

Other public houses and inns in the street have closed including the Sorell Horse, the Bull, the Neptune Inn, the Prince of Wales, the Angel Inn and the Lion and Lamb.

In today’s Days Gone By, I feature this main route to and from the Ipswich town centre.

Do you have memories of Fore Street you would like to share with readers?

The Angel Inn, next to Fore Street Baths, was in poor condition when this photograph was taken in the 1890s. The Angel closed in 1900. References to the Angel date back to 1674. After closure the building was used as a greengrocers and a coffee house. It was demolished in the 1930s. Picture: HARRY WALTERS (Image: Dave Kindred)

To submit a letter, write to David Kindred, Days Gone By, Ipswich Star/EADT, Portman House, 120 Princes Street, Ipswich, IP1 1RS or e-mail info@kindred-spirit.co.uk

An electric tram passing the Social Settlement in Fore Street, Ipswich, around 1904. The Social Settlement opened in the late 1890 as a community centre for the thousands of residents in the area. It closed in the 1920s. The main hall was then used as the Empire Cinema. The building was demolished in the 1950s. Work to build the new record office The Hold has now started on this site. Picture: HARRY WALTERS (Image: Dave Kindred)

The Spread Eagle public house, at the corner of Eagle Street and Fore Street, in a photograph from the 1960s. Smyth Brothers builders and plumbers merchants and retail ironmongers were then in the building next door. Picture: DAVID KINDRED'S ARCHIVE (Image: Dave Kindred)

These Malting buildings, opposite Grimwade Street, are now the site of the Neptune Square flats. In the centre is C Healeys Post Office. This photograph was taken in the mid 1960s Picture: JACK KEEN (Image: Dave Kindred)

The Sorrel Horse public house was close to the corner of Grimwade Street and Fore Street. This photograph was taken in October 1948. It closed in 1975. Picture: FRED BANTICK (Image: Dave Kindred)

Were you among the children who greeted the Queen in Fore Street, Ipswich, in June 1961. This photograph was taken outside the Orwell Service Station. Picture: DAVID KINDRED'S ARCHIVE (Image: Dave Kindred)

Fore Street, Ipswich, from the junction with Salthouse Street, in 1934. The building on the left, next to Herbert Wells pork butchers shop, was demolished later in the 1930s, when the entrance to Salthouse Street was widened. Picture courtesy Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service (Image: Dave Kindred)

Crowds greeted the Queen as she travelled along Fore Street, Ipswich, in 1961, on her way to the town centre. The people were on the wall and gates of Tollemache and Cobbold Brewerys yard. Star Lane now cuts across Fore Street here. Picture: DAVID KINDRED'S ARCHIVE (Image: Dave Kindred)

Fore Street, from the junction with Lower Orwell Street, as preparations were being made for the Queens visit in June 1961. Shops and businesses in the background were Rapid Radio television engineers and Porter and Tonkin Ltd wholesale newsagents. Picture: DAVID KINDRED'S ARCHIVE (Image: Dave Kindred)

Fore Street in June 1961 as the street was being prepared for the visit of the Queen who was visiting to formally open the Civic College. Fore Street was on the route the Queen took to tour the town when her visits included the Cornhill and the Portman Road football ground, where she was greeted by thousands of school children. The shop featured include Martin and Newbys ironmongers on the left. The workmen on the left were at H and R Sneezums shop. Sneezums shop stood where the Prince of Wales public house was until it closed and was demolished in 1893. Picture: DAVID KINDRED'S ARCHIVE (Image: Dave Kindred)

The Queens car passing through crowds in Fore Street, Ipswich, in June 1961. Part of Fore Street Baths is in the centre background. Picture: DAVID KINDRED'S ARCHIVE (Image: Dave Kindred)

A pair of cyclists in a traffic free Fore Street in 1934. H and R Sneezums shop is in the centre with the blinds down. Star Lane now crosses where the photographer was standing. Picture courtesy Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service (Image: Dave Kindred)

These old houses photographed in the mid 1930s were at the junction of Fore Street and Lower Orwell Street. H and R Sneezums shop is on the left. They were then a pawn brokers. Picture courtesy Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service (Image: Dave Kindred)

Gyfords shop in Fore Street, Ipswich, as was at Christmas time around 1908. The pavement was packed with fruit and vegetables. Haggars butchers shop is on the right next to the Neptune Inn. Picture: DAVID KINDRED'S ARCHIVE (Image: Dave Kindred)