Felixstowe Through Time

Felixstowe owes its existence to the 19th-century fashion for seaside holidays when the gentry and businessmen chose to build their summer residences in the parishes of Walton and Felixstowe. In earlier centuries Walton had been the more significant settlement, with a manor and a castle. Even the later fort guarding the Suffolk side of Harwich harbour was often considered to be part of Essex. When the Dutch landed on the Common in 1667 and were defeated by Land guard Fort's garrison, all England heard of the place and King Charles II himself paid them a visit. Join Mike Rouse on this fascinating visual journey around this popular and colourful town, as he shows us what affect history has had on the area through time. This new collection of photographs, carefully selected by the author, is sure to surprise and delight residents and visitors alike.

Ely-born Michael Rouse specialises in local history books, especially photographic collections, of which he has put together a great number including Ely in Old Postcards and A View in Cambridgeshire. He edited the official guide to the city of Ely for some 20 years, and has written numerous freelance articles for magazines. After some years teaching at Soham Village College, he now does storytelling at Ely Museum and takes photographs for Viva Youth Theatre in Soham. He also acts as a local councillor for Ely.