Author Archives: Tom Bright

The Reading Room will be closed on Tuesday 3rd November 2024 until approximately 2.30pm.

The Reading Room’s flag was flown on Friday 7th October in recognition of the 244th anniversary of Captain Rayley’s birth. The building of the Reading Room, which opened on 2nd June 1864, was funded at a cost of £546.40 by Mrs Frances Rayley in memory of her husband Captain Rayley RN who died in May 1863. Captain Rayley was a wealthy man who lived for part of his later life in Southwold on the corner …

The Reading Room’s membership has spread over the years from local Southwold fishermen to people from all walks of life who live locally and further afield, including four overseas members. One of these overseas members, Tom Walker who lives in the USA, recently paid a visit to the Reading Room whilst staying in Southwold. His links to the town, and the Reading Room, are that his great great grandfather, a merchant seaman, married a Southwold …

In celebration of International Talk Like a Pirate Day on 19th September, a pirate flag was flown at the Reading Room. For more information on International Talk Like a Pirate Day, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day  

Following refurbishment, the flagpole outside Southwold Sailors’ Reading Room is to be rededicated by the Rector of Southwold, Reverend Russ Gant, at 6.00pm on Saturday 8th June 2024. The flagpole is a memorial dedicated to Captain David W. Simpson MBE who was the master of the merchant ship S. S. Empire Merlin which was torpedoed by a U-boat and sank to the west of the Outer Hebrides on 25th August 1940. There was only one …

The Reading Room held its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 29th May. During the meeting, the presentation of  the Wass Cup took place. The Wass Cup is awarded annually to a person whom the committee members believe has shown exceptional commitment to the Reading Room during the previous year. The winner this year was Jane Burton who was presented with the Wass Cup by the Reading Room’s Chairman, Graham Denny.

The project to replace the rotten tabernacle concluded this week with the reinstallation of the flagpole with it being attached to the new tabernacle. At the same time, the newly refurbished sign on the side of the building was  put back in place. If you think the flagpole looks taller than it was before is was removed for work on the tabernacle, you are correct. In the past the flagpole was not extended to its …

The next stage of the reinstallation of the flagpole project was been completed this week with the tabernacle being fixed to its base. This is now ready for the flagpole to be attached to it in the coming weeks.

The Reading Room has received the donation of an armchair from Keith McLean in memory of his wife Andrea Mayu Houser. The Trustees would like to thank Mr McLean for his generous donation.

The reinforced concrete base for the tabernacle has now been poured and is currently curing. Once cured, the bolts which will secure the tabernacle will be drilled and bonded into the base.