Lord's Granary, Ipswich, 1927
Lord's Crossway and Saleroom, 2004The photograph above (taken from the Ipswich Society Newsletter, Issue 154) provides a fine comparison. The gathering marks the award by the Society to owners Stuart and Gina Cooper, architect Anthony Rossi and builder John Hogg of an Award of Distinction for "Refurbishment of the Saleroom and Crossway" on 12 November, 2003. The major structural repairs were started by the Coopers over twenty years ago to resue the redundant buildings from decay. Ipswich Borough Council and its Conservation Officer, Bob Kindred, have asisted in bringing parts of the site into useful, rate-generating activity. The west side of the site has been converted into office spaces and an art gallery (The John Russell Gallery in Wherry Lane). English Heritage grants aided the long and extensive restoration of the bildings shown here and planning permission was obtained in 2003 to create a restaurant in the Grade II listed east warehouse. A partner or independant developer is now sought by the Coopers to take the project forward.
We know that John Cobbold - a very famous local name because of the dominance of the Tolly Cobbold brewery on Cliff Quay - once lived in the Isaac Lord house. The evidence for this is the fire-damaged water pump (above) which stands in the courtyard through the entry, against the Saleroom wall. While this is hardly a public area (yet) it is of interest: 'J.C., 1802' (just visible above the tap in the close-up to the right). Around 1900, Isaac Lord bought the buildings and traded in corn and coal until fairly recently, leaving his name prominently painted on several walls to be read by us today.