Ipswich has been a major port and the county town of Suffolk since the Middle Ages. The town was known for its wealthy merchants, trading from the port, but in the seventeenth century it became an embarkation point for many to start a new life in the New World. Charles Dickens later stayed in and wrote about Ipswich, and during the Second World War the dock area was heavily attacked by aerial bombardment. Today the waterfront area has been rebuilt and draws in many to Ipswich.In Quirky Ipswich author Pete Jennings delves into the fascinating tales from Ipswich’s past. In this book, readers will discover stories of a Grade II listed hole in the ground and a Museum Street with no museum, as well as a Lord Chancellor chosen for his dancing ability. Find out which famous writer was granted ‘a gallon of wine daily for the rest of his life’ and the meaning behind the ‘odd brick’ and Coprolite Street. There are inside tales of sporting legends, an inept murderer and a pub with a perpetual debt. Be frightened by the Horrible Head and spontaneous human combustion, or cheered by the fly-swatting major and Nelson’s frustration. Discover why war hero Sir Henry William Paget suddenly fell from grace and the odd origins of Dogs Head Street and Silent Street. Learn a unique method of counting, how to be a Dwile Flonker or seek out traces of a legendary underground railway.Quirky Ipswich celebrates the unusual and often strange history of Ipswich and its characters over the years. This fascinating insight into Ipswich will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the town’s quirky history.
