Ipswich History Podcast

In this episode, I speak to artist, museum professional and researcher, Lisa Temple-Cox about the life of Thomas Birch Freeman. We talk about his work as a pioneering Anglo-African Methodist minister, missionary, colonial official and farmer in West Africa. We also explore his work as a highly capable botanist who corresponded with Kew Gardens. If you want to know more about Thomas Birch Freeman,...

In this episode I go on a history tour with Mike Garland from the Ipswich Tour Guides Association to look at locations in the town that feature in the works of Charles Dickens. We also talk about some other notable places in Ipswich that Dickens visited during his trips to the town. Podcast Artwork: Kelly Wadsworth Music: Caleb Howgego Ipswich Tour Guides Association website www.ipswichtourguides....

In this episode I speak to Phil Roberts the author of a book called Cardinal Wolsey: For King and Country that was published in 2022. Phil talks about the Ipswich Wolsey would have known as a child, explains how Wolsey managed to rise to such power, and what his achievements were. Phil also explains how Wolsey fell from power and how he died. Interviewee: Phil Roberts Podcast Artwork: Kelly Wadswo...

In this episode I speak to Pat Grimwade from the Ipswich Maritime Trust about her new publication about Ipswich's little-known connections to the Hanseatic League. The Hanseatic League was a confederation of merchant gilds that once dominated much of the Late Medieval Period European trade, connecting ports from Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the Baltic as well as a few in Britain, includi...

This episode features a conversation with Hannah Cutler from the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service about early prehistoric Ipswich. Hannah talks about what the area that would one day become Ipswich was like during the Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age) and Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age). Hannah also tells us about the work she is currently doing to update the Historic Environment Record for...

In this episode I speak to Andy Parker about how the River Orwell came to be gifted to Ipswich by King Henry VIII in 1519 and why it is that Ipswich appears to be the only town in the country to own a river. Andy volunteers for the Ipswich Maritime Trust, which seeks to protect and promote the astonishing maritime history and heritage of the River Orwell and Ipswich. Andy wrote an article for the...

This mini episode of the podcasts looks at the history of Chestnut Pond, located on the eastern outskirts of Ipswich in Rushmere St. Andrew, and its past connections to smuggling. It also retells another local story about how a place called Cat House once played a part in smuggling on the River Orwell. You can view some photographs of Chestnut Pond in a blog post for this episode as well as a map...

In the year 1645 the biggest witch-hunt in English history got underway and East Anglia was at its grim centre. Hundreds of people were hanged in East Anglia during the following few years after being put on trial for alleged crimes of witchcraft. However, one woman named Mary Lackland who lived in Ipswich was sentenced to the especially extreme sentence of being burned for her purported crimes. I...

This first episode of the Ipswich History Podcast explores the life and work of Basil Brown, who is best known for his excavation of the Sutton Hoo ship burial in the summer of 1939. But, as we will discover, there was much more of interest to the man than that. Interviewees Gilbert Burroughes Jude Plouviez Philip Wise Podcast artwork Kelly Wadsworth Podcast script and music Caleb Howgego Sources...