Welcome to the IDHTS’s website
Last edited 27th March 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.
IDHTS Meetings 2025/2026
The remaining 2026 Spring Season meetings planned are as follows:
Apr 29th: R.A.F. Bawdsey Radar "The Eyes of the Few" Presented by Graham Murchie. The presentation covers a brief history of early radar, the events leading up to the development of a viable system and the establishment of the world’s first operational radar station at Bawdsey. It focuses on the people involved with a very brief mention of the technology. It concludes with a short summary of how Bawdsey was used during and post WWII Image from the Presenter.
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 are always welcome. *The Committee reserves the right to amend the programme due to non-availability of the presenter/s. Please always check our Facebook page for up-to-date details of events.
May 27th: Boat building in Ipswich by Chris Turland-, Chris will give an illustrated presentation charting the history and evolution of shipbuilding in and around Ipswich dock and the many shipyards which flourished there, from the first recorded build in 1295 through to the present day. Image from the Presenter. This is a change to the originally advertised 2026 Programme
We then take our summer break and return for our AGM & the start of our autumn season presentations. This meeting will be on Wednesday September 23rd, 2026. Further details of our autumn 2026 and the Spring 2027 programmes on this page from Mid-August 2026.
*The Committee reserve the right to amend the programme due to non-availability of the presenter/s. Please always check our Facebook page for up-to-date details of events.
