LOWESTOFT GROUP
INTRODUCTION
Lowestoft, (pronounced Lowes-toft) is in north-east Suffolk, and is the most easterly town in the British Isles. The Domesday Book has it as Lothuwistoft, and was the property of the King, kept by Roger Bigot. A few houses from the mid 1500's still survive from the ancient fishing town. Lowestoft is famous for its distinctive and now valuable porcelain made between 1756 and 1802. Since then the town has expanded to a population of over 65,000 and includes the Hamlet of Normanston in the north. Kirkley and Carlton Colville in the south are rapidly being absorbed into the town as is Oulton Broad. Most major industries, fishing, boat-building, food processing, coach-building and television manufacture have declined over the last two decades, or disappeared altogether, with little to replace them.
South of the bridge (actually Kirkley) is the promenade, recently refurbished . A Maritime Museum is close to the Heritage Trail at the north of the town and in the west at Oulton Broad, is the Lowestoft Museum. The South beach is very popular during the summer months with golden sands (EU Blue Flag) and the Lowestoft Air Festival which is held annually. Lowestoft has a superb Suffolk Record Office with helpful staff and hundreds of Parish Record transcripts.
CONTACT
Acting Chairman: Mr David Belden
Email
PROGRAMME
The Lowestoft Group meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 7.00 p.m. in the United Reformed Church, situated at the top of London Road North.
| 2011 | Title | Speaker |
| December 6th | Members Research/Social Evening | |
| 2012 | Title | Speaker |
| January | NO MEETING | |
| February 7th | “Far Eastern Pavilions Part II: Music Halls and Theatres of Lowestoft 1939 – 2000” | Michael Mills |
| March 6th | “The Lost Village of Lowestoft” - A talk on the old Beach village | Colin Dixon |
| April 3rd | “The History of Lowestoft Porcelain” | Colin Challis |
| May 1st | AGM – “Alternative Sources for Family History Searches.” | Trudie Jackson |
| June 12th [Note Date Change] |
“Family History On the Web” | Derek A. Palgrave |
| July 3rd | RESEARCH EVENING | |
| August | NO MEETING | |
| September 4th | “Stories from the Interrogation Files of POWs in this Country” | Sophie Jackson |
| October 2nd | Film Show of Local History Interest Films (Please note this will be held in the Studio Theatre, Sparrow’s Nest Gardens) |
Lowestoft Cine & Camcorder Club |
| November 6th | Treasures of East Anglian Churches | Kate Smith |
| December 4th | RESEARCH AND SOCIAL EVENING | |
LINKS
Lowestoft Online - This website gives a good deal of useful information about Lowestoft, including how to get there, places to visit and so on.
Lowestoft Porcelain - Examples of a recent revival of this craft can be seen at this Lowestoft Porcelain.
Waveney District Council Cemetery Index - On-line indexes for the cemeteries of Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Kirkley, Lowestoft, Southwold, Wrentham, and the Royal Naval Patrol.
