James Bidwell, former teacher of English at
Woodbridge School, cricket and rugby coach and leader of foreign
cruises, book-shop guru and much more has completed his year of office as MAYOR OF WOODBRDGE -
MAY 2006 to MAY 2007.
Many OWs retain a great affection for the Town of Woodbridge. Here we hope to give you just a little information on that subject.
It's all gone a bit building mad in Woodbridge, reports Registrar
Weaver, with building everywhere. Notcutt's Garden Centre
will be witnessing the arrival of massive blocks of retirement
flats which will alter the Western entrance to the town.
On the Melton side, huge building works have taken place near
the river with more homes for those people who want to get
away from it all in dear little Woodbridge but who's arrival
changes the character of the area totally!
They want to convert New Street County Primary into bijou
homes and put the School on the most dangerous road in Eastern
England, Pytches Road.
There are now bijou flats in the Woolworth's car Park with
wonderful views of ..... er ....Woolworths and the backs
of the Thoroughfare shops!
But enough of housing and such! What about the Town
Council? Former school-master James Bidwell, has become
Mayor of Woodbridge, as you have just read. This should
liven things up. Also on the Council - OWs Roy Burgon
and Ben Redsell and Registrar M.Weaver.
PUBS
The Melton Grange has closed down. It has been an institution
at Woodbridge for as long as anyone can remember. OWs dinners
have been held there. Rumours suggest that the land may be
just too valuable as building land. A lot of houses
are appearing there.
Would you believe that 'The Waggon and Horses' has also closed down? It was beginning to look very tatty and run-down and when it came up for sale the Governors of Woodbridge School purchased it. They have now sold it on to property developers and building work has just been completed. A sort of mews development has sprung up and the pub itself is converted to a smart 4-bed dwelling. So that's one pub less but there is a new pub in town - The Seal, at the top of Old Barrack Road.
What about the old air-bases? What shall be done with
the USAF bases outside the town. A bold scheme to create a
working airport was resisted by those who wanted to preserve
the quiet of the town. Apparently, if there was an airport
at Bentwaters, the wild life of the area would be destroyed;
The Snape Festival would close down; the local roads would
become terribly congested and no one could ever sail on the
river in peace again. Suffolk Coastal Council rejected the
plans at a well-attended meeting and we await the next proposal
for the former base. It now looks as if an OW is going to
buy the base. Bill Kemball has purchased it and will return
it to leisure and agricultural use.
OK. More housing!
Building in Woodbridge continues apace and on Chapel Street,
near School, a final infilling has taken place. Remember the
old apple shop - that's now a smart 'gentleman's residence'
and the views across the valley are gone. The Bury Hill Woods
are now a huge housing estate - no more cross country runs
there and the green area around the Melton Grange Hotel is
diminishing fast. OK. Here are some familiar views. Have a
brief look round the Town. I think we are getting nearer
to publishing more photos but Linn Barringer is your man and
if you search on Woodbridge in Google, go to his sites for
some great pics.
Woodbridge Tide Mill. What pupil at the School from about 1974 onwards has not been taken down there by M.A.Weaver and shown the exceeeeedingly exciting Pit Wheel and the fascinating Great Spur Wheel? Picture dated 1910.
Here is the Tide Mill as it is today - this picture was taken in 2006
St. Mary's Church, at the heart of Woodbridge. Carol services and commemoration services held here. Remember? This is also an old pc.
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