Felixstowe Family History Society

Felixstowe Family History Society was founded in January 1986 by 32 people who had attended evening classes run by the Reverend Ken Francis. The inaugural meeting took place on 15th January 1986 and our first chairman was Jack Brookes.

The first public meeting took place at Felixstowe Library during April 1986 and the first Reading/Research Room was opened on 20th April 1988 and was situated in Orwell Road next to Lloyds Bank from whom it was rented.

Reverend Ken Francis opening the first Reading/Research Room
with the Mayor and Mayoress of Felixstowe
Reproduced with permission of Jack Brookes

When the lease expired on this room we moved to our second Reading/Research room which was a disused portable classroom which was situated on the playing field at the back of Orwell High School. This room was opened in November 1990 and served us well until we purchased our own building which is the current Reading/Research room and was officially opened 8th December 2001 although it had been in use since 28th August of that year.

Inside the first Reading/Research Room on 20th April 1988
Reproduced with permission of Jack Brookes

Inside the second Reading/Research Room
Reproduced with permission of Jack Brookes

The official opening of our current Reading /Research room on the
8th December 2001

The first public meeting of Felixstowe Family History was held at Felixstowe Library in Crescent Road during April 1986. Our Monthly Meetings continued to be held at the Library for many years, but we had to relocate to a new venue when we were getting too many members at meetings for the upstairs of the Library. We moved to the Senior Citizen’s Day Care Centre in Orwell Road in January 1999 and have been there ever since except for a temporary spell from December 2003 to January 2005 when we used St Edmund’s Church Hall in Langer Road owing to the Day Care Centre being rebuilt. Over the years we have had many speakers at our meetings, several of whom have spoken more than once.

The first public meeting of Felixstowe Family History Society

During the twenty one years of Felixstowe Family History Society we have had three different Chairmen. Jack Brookes was our inaugural Chairman and when he stepped down at the A.G.M. in January 1989 the post was taken over by Mike Durrant, who continued until September 1996 when Kenneth Francis took over the reins. When Kenneth decided to relinquish the job at the A.G.M. in September 2004, Mike returned for his second spell as chairman.

Over the twenty one years Felixstowe FHS has organized many events like our Open Days, coach trips to London, our two Conferences, Quiz Evenings and Christmas Dinners. We have also attended many functions and events run by other organisations.

Presentation to Jack Brookes at the February 1989 Meeting
to mark his ‘retirement’

Our conference at the Spa Pavilion
Reproduced with permission of Jack Brookes

‘Darrell Day’ at Languard Fort/Museum
One of the first events attended by Felixstowe F.H.S.
Reproduced with permission of Jack Brookes

‘Medieval Day’ - another event we attended
Reproduced with permission of Jack Brookes

Over the twenty one years there have been many different people who have contributed to the success of Felixstowe FHS whether they have been Committee members or not and without the contribution of them all then the Society would not be what it is today.