Stowmarket photographs provide an insight into town's past
Today, we are taking a nostalgic look back at Stowmarket's past with these photographs from the 20th century.
Until the Edwardian era, Stowmarket was largely geared towards agriculture, although it had always been a centre of explosives manufacture.
This activity accelerated during World War One, but when the war ended the manufacture of explosives was discontinued and the factory site was taken over by Nobel Chemical Finishes Ltd.
Stowmarket's main shopping area remained unaltered until the 1950s.
The Way We Were, a publication by Suffolk News' sister paper the Bury Free Press from around 1990, said: "A street of private shopkeepers fell victim to modern commercial development and within a couple of decades Ipswich Street assumed a new character."
The A45 (now A14) was opened in 1975 and the same year saw the dismantling of the parish church spire, which had become dangerous.
Over the decades the town also lost its two cattle markets.
Here, Station Road can be seen in the 1920s – you might notice the church (complete with spire) in the background.
This view of Bury Street was photographed in the 1920s.
The Fox Hotel can be seen in this picture of Ipswich Street taken during Edwardian times.
The Fox is now a shopping precinct.
Here, you can see an Edwardian view of Crowe Street.
The buildings pictures here are now long gone.
This is a view looking across the Market Place, taken in Edwardian times.
This picture shows members of Stowmarket Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, which was formed in 1922, in costume for a 1955 production of Maria Marten or the Murder in the Red Barn.
Look at the faces of Stowmarket Scouts photographed during the 1950s.
And finally, this photograph shows a 1950s outing of staff, families and friends from W A Turner Ltd, of Bond Street.
The firm was known for making 'Stowmarket Sausages', which were marketed nationwide and often appeared on the menus of leading hotels.
- Do you have any old photographs of Stowmarket? We would love to see them. Email news@buryfreepress.co.uk