The Railway Line from Tivetshall to Beccles

In this change to the previously published presentation, this talk will refer to the railway which used to run through Harleston on the way to Beccles. This is not merely a history lesson; it contains childhood memories of the line when trains still ran. Joseph Mason will list all the stations along the line with stories attached.  This image shows the line which used to run from Bungay towards Harleston until 1960.

Member Katharine Quarmby is also coming along to launch her book – ‘The Low Road’ (Unbound, 2023), which is based on the tragic and true story of Harleston resident, Mary Tyrrell, who was staked through the heart after death in 1813 and is buried at Lush Bush.

Local Norfolk superstitions and the days when the Witch-finder General came to Shotford Bridge to duck local women are woven into the book, with mentions of Redenhall church, the Swan Inn, the Magpie and the old workhouse, which stood on Jay's Green. Mary’s daughter, Ann, survived and Katharine tells her story, which she traced through local and national archives, all the way to Botany Bay and beyond.

Katharine is donating the sales of 50 copies of her book to three Harleston groups - the Waveney Foodbank, St Mary’s Church in Redenhall, and the Historical Society itself. The hardback books will be on sale for the discounted price of £15 at the meeting.  Katharine will be happy to answer questions about the book, which she discussed at a previous meeting. We can take payments in both cash and by card.