An exhibition marking the 90th anniversary of Beccles and District Historical Society has been unveiled.
The display is on show at Beccles Museum in Ballygate, and features the early history of the society.
It includes details of its founding chairman, Lt Col Bernard Granville Baker (1870-1957), a noted historian and painter, who some older residents of Beccles will still remember striding along Ringsfield Road in strict military fashion. The society’s original minute book, crammed with press cuttings, has been mined for information about the society’s formative years.
The exhibition also features illustrations of life in Beccles at the time of the society’s beginning, such as a photograph of the Caxton Football Team 1926/7 and a Share Certificate for Beccles Golf Club, 1928.
Barry Darch, Chairman of the Beccles and District Historical Society, said: “Society members have looked round their homes and rummaged in their attics to find artefacts from the 1920s to display, including a 1923 wedding dress, stoat stole and bosom flattener for the boyish look favoured by young women in the 1920s. Items have also been provided by the museum, including bonnets to keep a Marcel wave in place and a beaded dress panel.”
The exhibition was launched on July 18 and runs until September 3.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Darch said that Beccles was very fortunate to have such a facility as the museum, as in the past a number of valuable items of the town’s history had decayed or been lost because of a lack of proper storage facilities. He praised the work of the many volunteers who support the museum, including those who catalogue and research donated items and those who help in preparing displays.
The society is also holding a 90th birthday celebration evening at Hungate Church on Saturday, September 23, which will have a 1920s theme.
And the group’s winter programme of talks will start on October 5 at 7.30pm at Hungate Church, when new members are welcome.
The last of this year’s four temporary exhibitions at Beccles Museum will run from September 5 until the end of October and will be provided by Waveney Valley Community Archaeology Group.
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