Shotley Gate, Suffolk

The Gates to 'Hell'

I remember Shotley Gate 1954/55. I wish I could erase it from my memory. 12 months of sheer Hell at the infamous Ganges. I enjoyed my Naval Service and I did well, but Ganges almost defeated me. I danced a jig when they demolished the place!
JW

Family History

My ancestors owned this public house in the late 18th century. Prior to this they were tenants of the Duke of Bristol and the head of the household was the ferryman. He was mentioned in a letter to the Duke from a disgruntled customer claimed that his attitude was unbecoming!
We have visited the area many times during my search for my ancestors.

HMS Ganges

Until the mid '70s Shotley Gate was the home of HMS Ganges, a Royal Navy training establishment. As 15 year old boys under training in 1964 we were allowed to visit the Post Office (see photograph in this collection) to draw money out of our Post Office savings books - usually to buy food of some sort as Ganges food was so bad!! The Bristol Arms was out of bounds to us boys but I did finally get a drink there about 30 years later.

Suffolk Living Memories

To the right is a destroyer of the Reserve Fleet; in the centre is the Naval Dry Dock; and to the left is the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry. The landing stage and boats were part of the Naval Training Establishment HMS Ganges. Originally this was a training ship, but it became land based from 1905 until 1976. During this time over 150,000 naval ratings were trained at Shotley.

Ipswich Photographic Memories

The Deanery Tower 1922 When the Deanery Tower was built in the latter part of the 15th cen- tury by Suffolk’s Archdeacon, William Pykenham, it was supposed that it would be the gateway to a palace. But Pykenham’s death put paid to further building. It is nevertheless a fine exam- ple of 15th-century brickwork.

Ipswich Photographic Memories

It is three years after the First World War, and a packet of ten Wills cigarettes can be bought in this tobacconists for 3d (three old pence). The newspapers are full of the news of the impending strike by the miners. Prime Minister Lloyd George had strikes by the miners, railwaymen and many others broken by troops and the use of emergency powers.