The Hadleigh Archive

The High Street, Hadleigh at a time when there was much less traffic than today, and also, long before the Hadleigh by-pass which was to be opened in 1983. Bicycles are propped up in a line outside Humphries the newsagent at the right, there are five of them and they equal the number of cars parked either side of the road. Where the bicycles stand there is a bus-stop sign for the bus to Ipswich or Sudbury. At the left hand kerb the open spring water gutter is well shown but on the day this photograph was taken, there is very little water flowing. The gutters were removed during 1969 and the water piped away. This spring water continued towards the Market Place and eventually into the river Brett. George Street and Angel Street had similar gutters carrying spring water. Un-wary car passengers were known to step into the cold water when getting out of their vehicles!

Electricity poles line the west side of the street and the whole scene looks quite serene, but when this photograph was taken about sixty years ago the population of the town was only about 3,500 people, today its fast approaching 10,000.

The Hadleigh Archive is administered by the Hadleigh Town Council. The Guildhall, Market Place, Hadleigh. IP7 5DN. A team of experienced volunteers look after the Hadleigh Archive and meet on a regular basis to catalogue and transcribe its large number of documents and images.

Visitors are welcome by appointment only. Email: hadleigharchive@gmail.com Tel: 01473 823884