History of the Ipswich & Suffolk Club 1885 - 2010 History of the Ipswich & Suffolk Club 1885 - 2010 Contents Foreword by Martin Wood Chapter One William Pykenham and Pykenham’s Gate ..............................1 Chapter Two Ipswich & Suffolk Club 1885 - 1985 ......................................5 Chapter Three Characters and tales told - Memories of Harold Page ............19 Chapter Four Games played at the Club ....................................................27 Chapter Five Ipswich & Suffolk Club 1985 - 2010 ....................................29 Past Chairman 1885/6 ..................Spencer Dixon 1958/60 ................G. J. Haskell 1886/7 ..................Spencer Dixon 1961/2 ..................M. W. Gonin 1887/8 ..................Frederick Saxton 1962/3 ..................W. J. Block 1888/89 ................Spencer Dixon 1963/4 ..................P. Cordy Allen 1889/90 ................W. F. Leighton 1964/5 ..................G. T. Barnard 1890/1 ..................William Bennett 1965/6 ..................A. E. Sladen 1891/2 ..................William Bennett 1966/7 ..................G. P. Woodward 1892/3 ..................William Bennett 1967/8 ..................G. J. Haskell 1893/4 ..................William Bennett 1968/9 ..................J. L. Roberts 1894/5 ..................William Bennett 1969/70 ................R. M. Cooper 1895/6 ..................William Bennett 1970/71 ................G. T. Barnard 1896/7 ..................Spencer Dixon 1971/2 ..................H. W. Page 1897/8 ..................Spencer Dixon 1972/3 ..................M. R. Taylor 1898/9 ..................Spencer Dixon 1973/4 ..................R. M. Cooper 1899/00 ................Spencer Dixon 1974/5 ..................R. H. Willett 1900/1 ..................Spencer Dixon 1975/1976 ............N. Twigge 1901/2 ..................Spencer Dixon 1976/77 ................C. E. Cocksedge 1902/3 ..................Spencer Dixon 1977/78 ................J. P. Hughes 1903/4 ..................Spencer Dixon 1978/79 ................H. W. Page 1904/5 ..................Spencer Dixon 1979/80 ................M. R. Taylor 1905/6 ..................Spencer Dixon 1980/81 ................M. H. Vinden 1906/7 ..................J. F. Peacock 1981/82 ................R. H. Willett 1907/8 ..................J. F. Peacock 1982/83 ................J. D. Bright 1908/9 ..................J. F. Peacock 1983/84 ................C. E. Cocksedge 1909/10 ................J. F. Peacock 1984/85 ................J. P. Hughes 1910/11 ................J. F. Peacock 1986 ......................M. V. Vinden 1911/12 ................J. F. Peacock 1987 ......................D. J. Wass 1912/13 ................J. F. Peacock 1988 ......................J. Bright 1913/14 ................F. E. Leighton 1989 ......................R. T Hedley 1914/15 ................F. E. Leighton 1990 ......................C. E. Cocksedge 1915/16 ................E. P. Ridley 1991 ......................W. J. Turnbull 1916/17 ................E. P. Ridley 1992 ......................B. F. Tenwick 1917/18 ................E. P. Ridley 1993 ......................D. J. Wass 1918/19 ................A. J. Gaze 1994 ......................A. R. Anderson 1919/20 ................B. W. Elkington 1995 ......................W. J. Turnbull 1920/21 ................B. W. Elkington 1996 ......................Dr. M. Knight 1921/22 ................B. W. Elkington 1997 ......................R. Wright 1922/23 ................B. W. Elkington 1998 ......................J. Stansfield 1923/24 ................F. Stanley Ward 1999 ......................K. Ferguson 1924/25 ................Col. Horsfield 2000 ......................D. J Wass 1926/32 ................B. W. Elkington 2001 ......................D. S. L. Pinner 1933/4 ..................R. C. Mennson 2002 ......................E. McCoy 1934/41 ................W. J. Block 2003 ......................B. F. Tenwick 1942/3 ..................J. P. Clover 2004 ......................R. Wright 1944/51 ................E. P. Tetsall 2005/06 ................S. E. Gaskin 1952/55 ................H. Gotelee 2007/08 ................R. J. C. Hawkins 1956 ......................F. H. Ridley 2009/10 ................B. Murrill 1957/58 ................G. P. Woodward 2011/12 ................M. Wood Foreword Following the very successful 125 year celebrations in 2010 two things were apparent. Firstly, there was a genuine interest amongst Club members in the history of the Club and, secondly there was awareness amongst the Board of Directors that there were very few records available that would help to augment the existing history of the Club that covered the first 100 years to 1985. Further discussion quickly revealed that there was a cohort of long standing Club members who could personally add to the history of the Club from their own recollections and experiences. It was decided that an attempt should be made to gather up as much information as possible from these members. This was duly achieved by way of an extended meal at the Club where many colourful stories were recorded. The process of going from recorded anecdotes to the document before you has entailed much effort and hard work. Two members, in particular, have undertaken this project and given up many hours of their own time and I would like to acknowledge and thank Harold Page and Basil Tenwick for their labours. In order to continue to flourish in a changing world, the Club has to continually evolve. However, we as members today can appreciate stories from a different era and see how they have contributed to uniqueness of our Club and its own character and charms. Interestingly, many of the stories included here bear witness to the fact that the Club has always had to undergo change in response to the circumstances that prevailed in the wider world at any point in time. I very much hope that you enjoy reading this booklet and would like to thank all those who have contributed to its publication. Martin Wood Chairman 2011/2012 Throughout the book there are caricatures of ‘old members’ which are portrayed in the Club bar. These have been drawn by Leslie Harrison, above (with the exception of Bob Wright, David Wass and William Mulley) CHAPTER ONE WilIiam Pykenham The House and Gatehouse The House doctorates at both Cambridge and This modest gatehouse is almost all Oxford and had already acquired that remains to hint at the grand wealthy and influential patrons, in residence that William Pykenham built particular Henry, Lord Bourchier for himself when he became (later earl of Essex) and his younger Archdeacon of Suffolk. It predates by brother Thomas who was Archbishop thirty years a less impressive structure of Canterbury. He had arrived and that nevertheless related to a much quite rapidly. greater enterprise - Wolsey’s Gate in Not surprisingly, Dr Pykenham College Street. progressed swiftly and in 1471 we find There have been Archdeacons of him Archdeacon of Suffolk, a Suffolk since the twelfth century and representative of the Bishop of there are references to a house on the Norwich in an appointment that site from about the same time. The required the confirmation of the Pope. holder of the office did not always live He held his court at St Mary le there indeed during the Peasants Tower; this dealt mainly with Revolt it is recorded that he was an, administrative matters but it also had absentee foreigner, the cardinal of St. the power to fine and even to Angelo in Rome. In a later age, during excommunicate offenders against the 17th century, the house was church law. occupied by John Robinson, whose However it seems that despite his monument may be seen in nearby St. position he was not a model of probity Mary le Tower church, The site of the and there is a record of his having Archdeacon's house is today occupied accepted the same fee for a wedding by the Ipswich and Suffolk Club, from two different people - but when but it is evident that much of the confronted he just laughed it off. original structure, including many Archdeacon Pykenham quickly set roof timbers, is hidden within later about enlarging and improving the old work. Substantial remains of the house - and to emphasise its boundary wall also survive including a importance he erected a suitably once-fine doorway in to Northgate Street. imposing entrance; the gatehouse that WilIiam Pykenham we see today. William Pykenham was born to John For some time, we must assume, he and Katherine Pykenham of Otes was well-satisfied with his new and Manor, Higher Laver in Essex - landed distinguished Ipswich residence but is gentry of some affluence - but little is seems that eventually he grew restless known of his formative years. By the and after about twenty years his early 1460s however he had taken attentions were turned to Hadleigh 1 HISTORy OF THE IPSWICH & S uFFOLK CLuB where he built the deanery Tower, a In the eighteenth century a brick much larger and quite magnificent facade was often added to such portal to what was to be a new deanery. buildings or, more simply the face Whether work on the house actually rendered with sand and lime, as started is not certain; Pykenham died indeed was the gatehouse at this time. in 1497 and although the tower Nowadays half-timbering is seen as survives to this day a later deanery aesthetically pleasing but the problem survives beside it. of draughts is as annoying now as it There is no record of where William was then. The early practice - scorned Pykenham died or is buried. Stoke-by- in more recent times - of lime washing Clare and Hadleigh both lay