Southwold Railway Station
 

The Southwold-to-Halesworth Railway began operations in 1879 at the corner of Blyth Road. It was finally closed in 1929. During the years of its operation the station yard became the base for a number of complementary businesses, notably relating to coal provision. There seem to have been at least three coal merchants here in the first decade of the twentieth century.

1896
Frederick William Hansford - Station Master (K1896)

Charles Newby - Coal Dealer (K1896). Charles Newby has recently been landlord of the beerhouse, The White Horse, at No 19 High Street.

1903
Frederick Jeffries - Coal Merchants. (SN1903, K1908)

Thomas Moy - Coal Merchant. (K1908) Thomas Moy also owns the fleet of 15 goods wagons that run on the narrow-gauge track.

J S Sterry & Co Ltd - Coal Merchants. Kelly's Directory gives the address as 'Station Wharf' (K1908)

Charles Fitzhugh - Station Master and apartments owner. Fitzhugh lives at No 23 Station Road (K1908)

Albert William Robinson - Auctioneer, Valuer, Surveyor, Estate Agent. Kelly's gives his address as 'Station Chambers'. (K1908)
 

1916
Harry Clark - Station Master (K1916)

Thomas Moy - Coal Merchant. Thomas Moy also owns the fleet of 15 goods wagons that run on the narrow-gauge track. His Foreman is George Bumstead of No 25 High Street.

Frederick Jeffries - Coal Merchants (K1916)
 

1924
Harry Clark - Station Master (K1924) The Railway closes in 1929.

Thomas Moy - Coal Merchant. (K1924)

Lowestoft Coaling Co Ltd - Coal Merchant
 

1933
Thomas Moy - Coal Merchant. (K1933, 1937). In about 1937 Thomas Moy moves his business to No 1 High Street.

W H Smith & Son - Newsagent and tobacconist. (K1933). Although the railway has closed, W H Smith retain a small shop in the station building, later moving to No 1 Station Road.

First Southwold Boy Scouts HQ - use the old station building.

First Southwold Boy Scouts HQ - use the old Station building until 1950.
 


 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
   

Do you have any memories or records about this address? Can you correct any of our information or fill in any of our blanks? If so, please email Barry Tolfree
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SOURCES:
BSD - Bernard Segrave-Daly
BCS = Bygones & Characters of Southwold by Barrett Jenkins
C = Census
CP = Cinema Programme 1958
CSP = Coronation Souvenir Programme 1953
G = Gales Trade Directory
GRO = General Register Office
K = Kelly's Directory
LM = Local memory
M = James Maggs' Southwold Diary 1818-1876
MCG = Methodist Church Guide 1930
NA = National Archives
PP = Pantomime Programme 1933
PLR = Petrol Licence Records
POD = Post Office Directory
PPP = Pier Pavilion Programme 1924, 1926
RCE = Rotary Club Exhibition 1969
SCM = Southwold Catholic Magazine 1923
SCTG = Southwold Corporation Tourist Guide
SER = Southwold Electoral Register
SFP = Southwold Scouts Fete Programme 1947
SG = Southwold Guide
SGCH = Southwold Golf Club Handbook
SLHR = Southwold Local History Recorder 1980s 1990s (Mrs R. McDermot)
SMHS = Southwold Museum & Historical Society
SN = Southwold & Neighbourhood 1903
SPM = Southwold Parish Magazine 1895 -1954
SR = Southwold Recorder 1927, 1932, 1934, 1935
SRB = Southwold Rate Book
SRT = Southwold Railway Timetable 1915
SSAS = Southwold Sea Angling Society Handbook 1909
SST = Southwold Summer Theatre Programmes
SSW = Southwold Shopping Week Programme, June/July 1922
STG = Southwold Town Guide 1930
SVL = Southwold Visitors List 1907, 1930
SVCP = Southwold Victory Celebration Programme 1946
SWCG = Southwold Wesleyan Church Guide
TTR = 'The Town Revisited' - Portraits of Southwold by Stephen Wolfenden 2000
TTT = ''To The Town' - Portraits of Southwold by Stephen Wolfenden 1988
W = White’s History, Gazetteer and Directory of Suffolk 1874
 
Note on dates
Unless otherwise stated, dates given do not indicate the years in which the business started or finished but those for which there is firm evidence that it was trading at this address. Sources in brackets; key at bottom of page.



Looking down Blyth Road from Station Road.. The Railway Station was on the right on the site now occupied by the modern single-storey police stathion and the houses beyjond.


Southwold Railway Station in about 1900.
Southwold Museum P1295.
For more pictures, click here to visit the Southwold Museum Railway page


An advertisement which appeared in the Southwold Railway Timetable in 1910


One of the removable metal plates used on Thomas Moy's coal wagons during their trips to collect consignments of coal from Newstead Colliery in Nottinghamshire. Because of the narrow gauge of Southwold Railway, the cargo and the identification plates would have to be transferred between wagons at Halesworth. The reference to GER (Great Eastern Railway) indicates that this plate predates 1923 when GER was subsumed by LNER (London and North Eastern Railway).

Photo kindly supplied by David Baker in whose possession this plate now is.

Click the image to enlarge


Parcel rates adverised in the Timetable of 1910
Click the image to enlarge


Recruits leaving for war from Southwold Station in September 1914, being seen off by wives and girl friends. The Station Hotel (Now called 'The Blyth' ) can be seen in the background.
Picture reproduced from the late Barrett Jenkins book 'Reminiscences of Southwold during the two World Wars', by kind permission of the author's daughter, Ann Thornton.
Click the picture to enlarge.