Welcome to the IDHTS’s website
Last edited 27th September 2026
th March 2026
The IDHTS
Our History:
Robert (Bob) Pratt, a well known local businessman and amateur historian had the idea to form a Society to provide a forum for all those interested in the history of transport. Bob had already been involved in the formation of two local historical organisations, the Suffolk Photographic Survey & the Suffolk Local History Council (both are accessible via Suffolk Local History Council link). Bob assembled a small group of local transport enthusiasts who formed the Ipswich and District Historical Transport Society in 1963 to cover transport by air, road, rail and water.
The initial format of monthly meetings, with the exception of June, July and August, has continued almost unchanged until the present day. The meetings are addressed by invited locally and nationally known speakers.
Visits are also made to local venues of transport interest.
The Ipswich and District Historical Transport Society publishes a quarterly newsletter 'Transport Matters' (ISSN 0306 0187), this publication includes accounts of lectures given and articles on transport subjects.
The Society meets at the Ipswich Citadel, Salvation Army, 558 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich IP4 4PH at 7.30 p.m. (doors open from 7.00). Free car parking available & refreshments. Entrance fee £2.50. (Non-members £4.00) Non-members always welcome. http://www.ipswichanddistricthistoricaltransportsociety.co.uk or on the IDHTS Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Ipswichanddistricthistoricalsociety/
The Committee reserve the right to amend the programme due to non-availability of the presenter/s. Please always check our website or Facebook page for up-to-date details of events.
IPSWICH AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL TRANSPORT SOCIETY
Summer 2026
Fears that longstanding future of the Society are in doubt
The Ipswich & District Historical Transport Society (IDHTS) was formed in 1963, we meet on a monthly basis seven times a year with regular presentations to local transport enthusiasts to cover transport by air, road, rail and water subjects. The IDHTS also publishes a quarterly newsletter 'Transport Matters', this publication includes accounts of presentations given and interesting articles on historical transport subjects.
Recently, we have had two committee members (Administrator & Treasurer and Meetings coordinator) who have announced that they intend to resign in the next year. This leaves us with an urgent need to recruit new committee members for these important roles, without new committee members it will be impossible for the society to continue as we currently do, so we would appeal to anyone that may be able to offer their services in any way they feel they can contribute.
Once we have been able to get offers of help, we can go ahead with plans for the rest of 2027/28. It is essential that we recruit for these positions by the late Autumn of this year so the new persons can shadow the current Treasurer/ Administrator and the Meetings coordinator for the remaining part of our 2026/27 season. Then the Society will be able to plan for the following year. The Treasurer/ Administrator posts are currently run as a joint role but could be run as two separate posts. The meetings coordinator will need to be appointed by end of this year in order to be able to organise meetings for 2027/28.
If anyone feels they may be able to help on the committee but would like to talk this through with the Chairman, Sylvia Kerridge, please feel free to contact IDHTS using the details below. For those that are not currently members but might like to join us, please contact us! We must stress that unless we can recruit new committee members, the future of our Historical Transport Society, which was formed 63 years ago, may not be able to continue as we currently operate.
THE FUTURE OF THE SOCIETY DEPENDS ON YOU!
The Chairman’s Sylvia Kerridge, email address is sylviakerridge57@gmail.com or can be contacted 01473 424904 http://www.ipswichanddistricthistoricaltransportsociety.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ipswichanddistricthistoricalsociety.
Autumn IDHTS 2026 Season:
The next IDHTS meeting is on October 28th: The presentation is Sculthorpe Air Base 1951 presented by Ian Brown. This will cover overflights of the Soviet Union in the early year of the Cold War including secrets of the Special Operation ‘JUI-JITSU’ which was more secret than the Manhattan Project, only a handful of people knew the true nature and details of the operation!
Image supplied by the Speaker
Wednesday Nov 25th.
‘Spitfires of the Sea’ Presented by Tim Curtis (local Film Maker) & Guest Author Julie Jones. Renowned TV and Film maker and producer, Tim Curtis, brings us the compelling story of the ‘Spitfires of the Sea’ (Heavily armed High Speed boats) operating out of Felixstowe during World War 2, to counter the German E-Boats, rescue crew and other operations.
Image from the Tim Curtis web site
2027 IDHTS Spring Season:
Wednesday February 24th 2027: The History of the Harwich to the Continent Ferries-presented by Chris Turland.
Chris Will remind us of the times when we could just ride on a train, travel over the sea, and arrive in a foreign train station!
Image from the Harwich history web site
2027 Spring Season:
Wednesday March 31st: Secrets and Spies- How the German Spies lost the Battle of Britian. Presented by Graham Murchie: With increasing interest in the history of World War 2, so many intriguing stories are coming to light now. One is how Nazi Germany's spies failed to discover any worthwhile information about our radar systems.
They even sent a Zeppelin airship to travel up and down the east coast just four weeks before war was declared, to try and find out what the large steel transmitter masts were doing. The talk is a fascinating insight into spies and spying and how so much effort was directed at the radar stations which played such a vital role in the Battle of Britain.
Image supplied by the Speaker
Apr 28th: & *May19th: To Be Confirmed *Variation to usual pattern for the year: May 2027 is Week 3, Not week 4, so as to avoid clashing with Suffolk Show.
