The Hacheston flower show in 1985 had orderly rows roses just about every where.

Helen Brookes from Tanyard Court, Framlington got in touch regarding the Hacheston Rose Festival from EADT July 23. “The ladies in the photograph (Left to Right) are Vera Collingwood, Helen Brookes, Tena Peecock and Hazel Watts. Framlingham Flower Club kindly decorated the church with Notutts roses 1985.

“The Hacheston Rose Festival commenced in 1985 at that time Notcutts had recently purchased Rookery Farm and instead of grain and sugar beet, there were orderly rows of roses, trees and shrubs. The roses were maiden stock, they flowered later in July; this crop rotated annually. In the early days the fields around the church were in use, on one occasion the fields were at Loudham! It was noticed that in the autumn the rose heads were chopped off and were of no use! Contact was made with Notcutts and the company agreed to stage a Festival at the church using all the roses that were required free of charge. The initial committee were mainly members of the Parochial Church Council. “The Festival lapsed in 1987-89 and was restarted with a broader based committee. Several chairpersons guided the committee over the years. The Rose Festival weekends were very busy, lots of friends, families and Notcutts staff helped to make the weekends a success.

“Various flower clubs throughout East Suffolk were invited to decorate the church and many clubs came back more than once!

“Delicious refreshments were served in a marquee in the churchyard; more recently, two Marquees were hired one being used for the craft fair where exhibitors had their stalls. In the churchyard there were stalls for games and other fund raising ideas such as a draw, tombola and bric-a-brac.

Profits of the Festival were divided between the church, Village Hall and the Retinoblastoma Society and other charities

“On several occasions musical concerts and talks took place; at the end of the week-end exhausted helpers trooped into the church for the Rose Festival Harvest Festival.

All good things come to an end in 2007 when the fields reverted to agricultural use. The colourful roses are missed as well as the perfume of roses in the church”.

READER Julia Rackowe emailed in regards to the Bury in Bloom 1988 photo. She said “to see that your Flashback photo in Friday July 20 edition of the paper is of Bury in Bloom people.

“The same edition has this year’s Anglia in Bloom judging of Bury St Edmunds as centre spread. The person in the 1988 photo on the extreme right is Mike Ames, who retired as chair of Bury in Bloom last year. Sadly, Mike couldn’t join us for the judging as he is recovering from a major operation.”

In response to our ‘Sporting Toast’ image, Mick Norris from Tawneys Ride, Bures emailed in to tell us the people pictured in the photo.

“From left to right: Colin Ambrose, club chairman; Derik Davis, first XI manager; Mike Walker, then Colchester United manager; Mick Norris, club secretary; Willie Amos, club president and sponsor from the Eight Bells public house.

“Bures were entertaining Sudbury Town at the opening of the new pavilion that allowed the club to progress to the Essex & Suffolk Border League as all clubs at that level had to have showers. I believe that Sudbury went on to win the game 6-2”.

The Bawdsey Armada Pagent from July 1988 caught Graham Turner’s attention. The Bawdsey resident wrote: “I was very interested in the picture of the Bawdsey School Armada Pageant of July 1988 that appeared in your Flashback section on Tuesday, July 24.

“I was a Parent Governor at the time, probably still the Chairman (I forget when I gave up the chairmanship!).

We had recently recruited Mr Richard Griffiths to be the deputy head and it was his idea to hold the Armada Pageant.

Everyone at the school and many of the parents and friends in the village dressed up in “Armada style costumes”. We started at the village hall and then there was a procession through the village to the school.

At the school there were various events and refreshments etc and a great day was had by everyone.

I had two sons at the school at the time and one of them, James, is pictured in the front row and, in a remarkable coincidence, he was married on July 28 (ie in the same week) at Snape Maltings some 24 years after the picture was taken, when he was 10.

“The names of those that my immediate family and I can recall are from left to right - front row: unknown, James Turner; middle row: unknown, Carol Lewis, Ben Berry, unknown, Emma Walker, unknown, Robert Malster, Robert Wright and Rebecca Malster; back row: Daniel Ling, Richard Griffiths (deputy head), unknown, “Biddy” Sproxton (school secretary & TA), Brian Foster (headmaster).

I am still a Governor of the school (although I haven’t served continuously) and I am delighted to say the school is still thriving and doing exciting things”.

Elizabeth Clarke from Bury St Edmunds spotted family members in the Lawshall Fete July 1985. “I can tell you more about this photo as my family are in it. The girl throwing the hoopla is Rachel Clarke, aged 10, on the right her father Grenville Clarke with six-year-old Rowan Clarke looking on. The event was the All Saints’ Church Fete and Flower Festival. Teas were held in the garden opposite the church where Mary Moore then lived. The church now has a kitchen so we can have the teas in the church. Back left of the photo is Lindsay Elmer and beside her is Jill Carrington. The three children are Rebecca Elmer, Richard Lower and Heidi Byford.

“As Local History Recorder for the village it’s great to see a photo I have never seen before. I am wondering who took the photo and could I through this letter appeal for any other photos of Lawshall that are ‘out there’ that we could add to the Lawshall Archives Group collection?

“We are happy to copy and return any photos or receive them via email with permission to publish them.”

Re: Flashback July 25 - “SILVERWARE” picture - Betty Cocker Award

Margaret Aitken from Pot Kiln Road in Great Cornard wrote in to give us more information about the Betty Cocker Award at Cornard Middle School in July 2000 photograph pictured in the July 25 Anglian. She said: “the Cup was presented to Great Cornard Middle School in memory of Betty Cocker.

“pictured are the local councillor and governor at the Middle School with her family.

The school chose to present it for service to the school and Stacey was the first person to receive it.

In the picture David Porter (headmaster), Stacey, David and Margaret Aitken and Tracy Earle (son-in-law, daughter & granddaughter of Betty)”.

Terry also spotted family faces in the photo, she said ”with regards to the photo, I can tell you that the guy in the glasses and stripe shirt is my cousin David Aitken of Sudbury. Next to him is his wife Margaret Aitken, daughter of Betty Cocker and the young lady presenting the award I’m sure is David and Margaret’s daughter Tracy. The other guy in the white shirt I assume is the headmaster of which I have no name”.

Frank Reed from Snape Road, Sudboure spotted a large photo from July 16 Anglian. He wrote: “ this a photo of the official opening of the Laxfield swimming pool, built by voluntary labour for the use of children during school time and villagers at other times.

“The person standing with a microphone in front of him is Lord Cranbrook who kindly performed the opening ceremony. The only other person I can name is the clergyman standing on the left side. This was the Rev Ronald Marchant, the Vicar who was one of the prime movers in the project and who was always enthusiastic and supportive.”

Editor’s note: An incorrect photograph was published with this letter last week. We are sorry for any confusion caused.