1960

Charles Westrup, Ron Allen, Tim Woodward and Brian Bell meet at Eastern Counties Farmers, Hadleigh Road, Ipswich, to discuss the idea of starting a farm machinery club. That October, the first meeting of East Suffolk Farm Machinery Club is held at the Cock & Pye in Ipswich. The following month the club’s first speaker was R C G Flatman of British Sugar on Modern Cultivations. Charles Westrup was Chairman.

1961 

Winter meetings held at The Cock & Pye, Upper Brook St, Ipswich. Forty nine members paid the 5/- (25p) subscription. A crop sprayer demonstration is held on the Suffolk Showground, with manufacturers including Allman, Dorman, Ransomes and Vigzol

1962

The first meeting of the new Halesworth centre takes place on October 16th at The Angel Hotel, with Donald Steed as the first speaker. Ipswich centre meetings move to the Haven Hotel, Felixstowe Road. Visits include the ECF mill at Ipswich and the Ford factory at Dagenham. The first ‘Schemer of the Year’ competition takes place.

1963

A club visit to Ransomes includes a tour of the combine harvester production line. Halesworth centre wins the inter-county quiz versus West Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Norfolk and Hertfordshire clubs. R Desborough, J Rackham and M Thirkettle represented ESFMC. Farm safety demonstration in July on the requirements of the new regulations at Bridge Farm, Wickham Market. Visit to Braiseworth Hall Farms

1964

Farm visits to Dotterell Hall, Balsham, Cambridge and William Kerr at Letheringham. Factory visit to Perkins at Peterborough. Safety quiz versus YFC and NFU, with Ted Moult as question master.

1965

Inter-club quiz at the Haven Hotel. Inter-county quiz with Cambridgeshire Machinery Club

Visits to Sudbournbe Hall Farms and to Ford at Basildon. Some winter meetings held at the Railway Hotel in Ipswich.

1966

Ipswich meetings held at the Royal George. Visits to Sizewell, Ransomes, Ipswich Sugar factory, L Bannister Ringshall Hall Farms. Inter club quiz with Mildenhall. Massey Ferguson mobile school performs a combine harvester course at Witnesham.

1967

William Kerr becomes first club president. Chairman is Bob Riches. Annual subscription is seven shillings sixpence. The Ipswich centre disbanded, but new ones are founded at Debenham Cherry Tree and Woodbridge Kings Head. The first Power in Action is held, with 35 tractors working on 80 acres, and total equipment valued at about £60,000. Visits include Willisham Hall Farm. Some activities cancelled due to Foot & Mouth outbreak.

1968

The second Power in Action takes place at Otley. Visits to Ford at Boreham and Basildon and to Ransomes at Ipswich. Farm visits to Valley Farm Henham, G P Woodward, Old Newton and Sizewell Power station. 

1969 

William Kerr presents a cup for inter-club competition – first winner is Debenham. A straw and stubble demonstration takes place at Otley. Visits to Ransomes and to the East Anglian Daily Times at Ipswich

1970

County chairman is Gerald Kiddy from Wissett. Visit to Massey Ferguson at Coventry - coach fare £1.00. Annual dinner takes place at Debenham Cherry Tree, where the speaker is Hugh Barrett. Summer visits to Stanaway Farm, Otley, D Black & Sons, Bacton, and Stramit Boards at Stowmarket. Nigel Webster wins the tractor handling competitions at the Suffolk Show and the Royal Show. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz and the Kerr Cup

1971 

Subscription raised to 50p. Visit to Howard Rotavator Co at West Horndon. Annual dinner takes place at Melton Grange, where the speaker is John Richman of Ransomes. The Club collection of vintage ploughs is taken to Otley College for Power in Action. Summer visits include Helmingham Estates and to the farm of Mr Abel at Linstead. Debenham wins the inter-club quiz.

1972 

Martin Slater becomes county chairman. The annual dinner takes place at Melton Grange. Factory visits include the New Holland factory at Aylesbury, while farm visits include John Hitchcock at Ringshall, Bill Kemball at Wantisden Hall, and John Hill Farms at Sotherton. SFMC hosts the British National Ploughing Match at Power in Action over two days. Woodbridge wins the inter-club quiz

1973 

Annual dinner takes place at Melton Grange, where the guest speaker is David Pearson of Ford Motor Co’s Tractor Operations. Mick Thirkettle wins the Schemer of the Year tankard. Hubert Durrant wins a competition for tractor drivers at the 1973 Fisons Spreaders in Action event. SFMC holds tractor performance tests, with each entrant ploughing two separate acres. Ford is the winner on the day prior to Power in Action. In October, Woodbridge centre moves to the Bull. Summer visits include Wm Kerr Farms at Letheringham and W Bloomfield, Shingle Hall, Brampton. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

1974

Wilfrid Bloomfield becomes county chairman. Visits include Debach Mushrooms, Potters Farm Machinery at Wickham Market, Mendlesham Maltings and Ipswich beet factory. Farm visits include Tuckwells at Worlingworth, Frostenden Hall and E P Clarke Farms. Visits are also made to Bentwaters, Easton Farm Park and to Gt Yarmouth for a theatre trip. The club holds its first ploughing and furrow drawing match at Easton Farm Park. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1975 

Annual dinner takes place at Felixstowe, where John Austin of Claas UK is guest speaker. Ken Miller arranges trip on the Broads and on to Gt Yarmouth for a show on the pier. Visits to East Anglian Daily Times, Howard Harvestore, LSA at Newbourne and G Self at Henley. Power in Action takes place in autumn. A coach trip is organised to the Royal Smithfield Show. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1976 

Bob Riches becomes county chairman. Subscription increases to £1.00. Annual dinner takes place at Felixstowe, with Richard Hickson as guest speaker. Farm visits include Cedars Farm at Alderton, Wrentham Growers and Chapel Farm, Gipping. Sixteen members enjoy a whisky tasting evening at Debenham Cherry Tree. The SFMC ploughing and drawing match is held at Brockford. Power in Action again takes place. Visits include the ICI paint factory at Stowmarket. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

1977 

Annual dinner takes place at Felixstowe, where guest speaker is Alex Colquhoun of John Deere. Visits include to E Barker at Westhorpe, L Bannister, Greene King brewery, Martlesham Police HQ, Felixstowe docks and Sizewell power station, plus a day trip to the Ford tractor plant at Basildon. K Holland wins the Club ploughing match. Power in Action includes demonstrations of tramline equipment. In October, 60 people attend a trial meeting at Ixworth and Woolpit, which is then established as the fourth centre. In November the Club becomes Suffolk Farm Machinery Club. Woolpit win the inter-club quiz.

1978 

Laurence Payne becomes county chairman. Annual dinner takes place at Felixstowe, where the guest speaker is John Westrope of Massey Ferguson. Farm visits include D Black & Sons at Bacton and M Mitchell, Henham. The 12th Power in Action takes place at T Chaplin’s Hall Farm and Pauls & Whites Hill Farm, Akenham, with a ploughing and forage harvesting event and the national debut of Ford’s FW 30 tractor. Visits include Howard at Halesworth, Barclay Motors at Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich postal sorting office, Munton and Fison, and Ipswich sugar beet factory, plus day visits to International Harvester at Doncaster and to Massey Ferguson at Coventry. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1979

Annual dinner takes place at Felixstowe, where guest speaker is David Pearson of the tractor division of Ford Motor Co. An inter-club competition takes place at the Jim Russell skid pan at Snetterton, where Debenham are the winners. Nine members stay with Dutch farmer members of a farm study group as an exchange visit. A day trip to Perkins at Peterborough takes place. Farm visits include Boundary Farm at Ilketshall, Grange Farm at Kesgrave and Hall Farm at Akenham. Other visits include Greene King Brewery, the East Anglian Daily Times and Ransomes & Rapier. Power in Action at Otley includes balers, bale handling and ploughs. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1980 

Rodney Pryke becomes county chairman. The annual dinner takes place at Felixstowe, where the guest speaker is John Paton-Phillip, principal of Chadacre College. The 14th Power in Action includes ploughs, straw handling machinery, subsoilers, ICI direct drilling and an ADAS-arranged display of mechanical handling equipment. Offchurch Tractors demonstrates a 325hp Steiger tractor priced at £48,000. Visits include Bury St Edmunds sugar beet factory. Halesworth centre, which has returned to the Angel hotel for its meetings, wins the inter-club quiz.

1981

Subscriptions are increased to £11.50. A 21st anniversary dinner takes place at the Limes, Needham Market. Charles Westrip is elected President. Richard Hickson is guest speaker, followed by entertainment. Dutch farmers visit Suffolk and stay with club members. Visits include the East Anglian Daily Times and Manns at Saxham. Power in Action features include fertiliser spreaders, crop sprayers and direct drills. Ken Holland, representing the Club, reaches final plough off at the British National Ploughing Match in October. Woolpit becomes the Bury St Edmunds Centre and meets at Everards Hotel. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

1982

Richard Hickson becomes club president and Ken Holland county chairman. Subscriptions are now £12.00. The annual dinner takes place at the Limes in Needham Market, and is followed by a magician. A new Schemer of the Year trophy is won by John Massey, Chillesford, for his grain moistener. Visits include Manns of Sazxham and Pauls Maltings in Ipswich. The 16th Power in Action takes place, as does the club ploughing match, held this year at Bacton. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1983

The annual dinner takes place at The Limes, Needham Market, where the guest speaker is Mike Holliday of Dalgety Engineers. Visits include the Colmans factory at Norwich. Seventeen members compete in the club ploughing match at Old Newton. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1984

John Howlett becomes county chairman. The annual dinner takes place at the Chateau Briand, Halesworth. In June the club visits the Ford training centre at Boreham and the company’s Basildon tractor plant. There is an autumn demonstration of farm workshop equipment, arranged with ADAS. The club ploughing match takes place at Old Newton. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

1985

The annual dinner takes place at the Everards Hotel, Bury St Edmunds. Power in Action demonstration plots show off the latest ploughs, cultivator/drills and discs. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1986

Bob Riches becomes club president, with David Baldwin taking the county chairman position. The annual dinner is held at the Westerfield House Hotel, where guest speaker is Richard Seabrook. Visits include Pearsons at Boston, importers of Grimme potato harvesting machinery. Power in Action takes place. Ken Holland wins the open class at the club ploughing match and Ken Hutchinson wins the reversible class. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

1987

The annual dinner takes place at the Limes, Needham Market. Plot demonstrations at the 18th Power in Action include ploughs, subsoilers and cultivator drills. Visits include the Ford car factory at Dagenham and the Duxford Air Museum. Bury St Edmunds club moves its meeting venue to Thurston Grange. The club holds its first ‘technical day’ at Otley College. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

1988

Jim Rochead becomes county chairman. Annual subscription rises to £3.00. The annual dinner takes place at the Chateau Briand, Halesworth, where the guest speaker is police dog handler John Goudy. Visits include Bury St Edmunds sugar beet factory. A ‘technical day’ again takes place at Otley. Visits include E P Clarke Farms, Bedingfield, and M Skipper, Kirby Kane. Power in Action is not held this year as the event becomes biennial. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

1989

This year’s technical day takes place at Chadacre. Venue for the annual dinner is Thurston Grange, where the guest speaker is Jack Haylock. The club ploughing match takes place at White Hall, Old Newton. William Kerr, the first club president, passes away. A day visit to Massey Ferguson and to Dowdeswell takes place. Farm visits include E Barker, Westhorpe, and Lord Cranworth at Grundisburgh. Bury St Edmunds meetings move to the Flying Fortress. Subscription remains at £3. The 19th Power in Action takes place. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

1990

John Howlett becomes county chairman. The annual dinner takes place at Felixstowe, where guest speaker is Robin Whatling. This year’s technical day takes place at Otley. Factory visits include JCB at Rocester, while farm visits include Mickfield Hall. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

1991

The annual dinner takes place at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where the guest speaker is Chris Opperman. The 20th Power in Action takes place, as does another technical day at Otley. Visits include the Case IH factory at Doncaster. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

1992

The annual dinner takes place at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where the guest speaker is Rex Garrod. A technical day takes place at Manns of Saxham. A three-day trip to Germany takes place, with visits including the Case IH tractor factory at Neuss, a dairy farm and an open-cast coal mine. UK visits include the Sanderson telehandler and forklift factory in Lincolnshire. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1993 

Rodney Pryke becomes county chairman. Visits include the Lamma show and Qualube at Lincoln. A technical day takes place at Stanhay, Exning. The Cedars at Stowmarket hosts the annual dinner, where guest speaker is Sam Jackson. A three-day overseas visit includes Ford New Holland in Belgium and Vicon in Holland. In the UK, day visits include Britool and Dowdeswell, while farm visits are made to Eric Barker, Westhorpe and Bill Kemball at Wantisden Hall. The 21st Power in Action takes place. SFMC members visit the autumn sugar beet demonstration in Lincolnshire. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

1994

The annual dinner takes place at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where guest speaker is Mark Grimwade. A technical day takes place at L E Tuckwell. A day visit is made to the Railway Museum at York, while a three-day trip to takes place to Holland, with visits including the Lely factory, a flower auction, John Pollem’s collection in Friesland, a farm museum and boat trip. A day trip is made to John Deere at Langar, while farm visits include William Hamilton at Little Stonham and Nickersons Seeds at Woolpit. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

1995 

The annual dinner is hosted by the Cedars at Stowmarket, where guest speaker is Roger Clarke. A technical day takes place at TNS Melton. Trips include the SED construction show at Milton Keynes and a three-day overseas tour to Germany, where visits are made to Claas, an open cast coal mine site and the Accord factory. The summer event is hosted by Roger Desborough at Wenhaston. Farm visits include John Grimsey, Orford, and J W Roberts, Barrow Hall. Day trips take place to Massey Ferguson at Coventry and Standen at Ely. Wilfrid Bloomfield passes away in August. The 22nd Power in Action takes place. Visits include Bury St Edmunds sugar beet factory. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

1996

John Forrest becomes club president. The annual dinner takes place at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where the guest speaker is Chris Bushby. A technical day takes place at Manns of Saxham. Day trips include the ford and Fordson 500 event at Newark, the New Holland tractor plant at Basildon and parts complex at Thurrock, plus the SED construction show at Milton Keynes, while there is also a four-day trip to Holland, with visits including a flower auction, Keukenhof, farms and sightseeing tours. Farm visits include Crows Hall, Debenham and Rushbrook Farms. The summer competition takes place at Rodney Pryke’s farm at Swilland. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

1997

John Foster becomes county chairman. Day trips include the Lamma show, the Simba International factory at Sleaford, JCB at Rocester, David Brown field day at Huddersfield and the Greene King Brewery, Bury St Edmunds, while evening visits include Dowdeswell at Harleston and Claas UK at Saxham. Farm visits include Bartlow Estates and John Forrest at Stonham Aspal. The annual dinner takes place at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where guest speaker is Barry Mortimer. Rodney Pryke hosts the inter-club summer event at Swilland. The 23rd Power in Action takes place. Debenham club meetings move to the Red Lion after 30 years at the Cherry Tree. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

1998

John Forrest and John Foster continue in their respective roles as president and chairman. Club visits include the LAMMA show at Newark. The annual dinner takes place at The Cedars, Stowmarket, where the speaker is Rex Garrod. There is a five-day visit to Holland and day trips to Case IH at Doncaster and Claas Teleporters at Saxham. Farm visits include Alan Fairs, Home Farm, Heveningham. The summer competition is hosted by Hugh Reeve at Walsham le Willows. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

1999 

Day visits include a trip to LAMMA, to SED and to Caterpillar’s Leicester factory. A technical day is held at Otley College. The annual dinner takes place at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where the speaker is Stephen Bayfield. The Top Schemer prize is won by Brian Waters. A four-day visit to the SIMA show, Paris, takes place, with 41 members and friends. Farm visits include Peter Bayman at Wickhambrook and Robert Rous at Dennington. The 24th Power in Action is held. On November 1, SFMC celebrates its 40th anniversary. Debenham win the annual inter-club quiz.

2000

Day visits include trips to the SED, LAMMA and to John Deere at Langar, while a technical day focuses on JCB, Landquip and Lemken. The annual dinner is held at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where guest speaker is Bruce Dawson. The Top Schemer prize is won by Tim Fogden. Forty two people attend a five-day trip to Holland, with visits to Lely, Keukenhof, Delft and Lelystad. Farm visits are hosted by John Harrison and Roger Leggett. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz.

2001

Chris Creasy becomes county chairman, with John Forrest continuing as president. Stewart Cousins is appointed treasurer. A technical day is held at Otley College, with subjects including Lely and Case IH CVT tractors. The annual dinner is held at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where guest speaker is Chris Opperman. Top Schemer prize is awarded to Robert Foster. March meetings and summer farm visits are cancelled due to the outbreak of Foot & Mouth disease. Thirty-eight people attend a five-day trip to Holland and Belgium trip in early May, with visits including the John Deere sprayer factory, a cucumber grower and a vegetable auction, plus a brewery and a canal trip in Bruges. Day trips include a visit to Knight Farm Machinery, and there is a visit to the Ipswich Transport Museum. The summer competition is hosted by Roger Desborough at Wenhaston. Power in Action is cancelled due to the Foot & Mouth outbreak and late sown crops after a very wet spring. Debenham win the inter-club quiz.

2002

Thirty-five people visit LAMMA courtesy of the SFMC-organised coach. Other visits include the New Holland combine and forage harvester factory at Zedelgem in Belgium. George Botwright passes away. The annual dinner takes place at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where the speaker is David Copp, on the subject of patents. Thirty-six people attend the SFMC trip to Holland, where visits are made to the Veenhuis machinery factory, Geithoorn, Kinderdijk and the Batavia yard at Lelystad. Farm visits are hosted by Bill Kemball and Rushmere Estates, while day trips include JCB at Rocester. The summer competition is hosted by Rodney Pryke at Swilland. The inter-club quiz is won by Debenham.

2003 

Bill Kemball is elected club vice-president, with John Forrest, Chris Creasy and Stewart Cousins remaining in their respective roles of president, chairman and treasurer. Forty-three members attend the club visit to LAMMA, while 38 partake in the club visit to Germany, which includes a tour of the Claas combine factory and overnight stops in Holland. Day trips include the McCormick tractor factory at Doncaster and the Bateman sprayer plant in Devon. The 25th Power in Action takes place. Farm visits include Manor Farm at Elmsett and Hyde Parker Farms at Long Melford. The summer competition is hosted by Hugh Reeve at Walsham le Willows. Debenham win the inter-club quiz.

2004

Trevor Johnson becomes club chairman. Thirty-eight members and friends attend the club trip to the LAMMA Show. The annual dinner is again hosted by the Cedars at Stowmarket, where guest speaker is Geoff Barrett of Lely. A six-day trip to Holland takes place, with visits including Zandvoort, the Agrifac sugar beet harvester factory, Texel. Orchid House and the Zuider Zee museum. Forty-four members take part in a visit to Felixstowe Docks. Farm visits include Kerr Farms and Engine Farm at Prickwillow. The summer competition is hosted by Hugh Reeve at Walsham le Willows. Debenham win the inter-club quiz

2005

Forty-eight members and friends attend the club visit to the LAMMA show. The annual dinner again takes place at the Cedars, Stowmarket. A seven-day trip to the Karlsruhe area of Germany takes in John Deere at Mannheim and a tour of the Black Forest. Farm visits are made to John Grimsey at Hawstead Place Farm and to Roger Desborough’s vintage collection. Day visits include the Perkins engine factory at Peterborough. The summer competition takes place at Stanaway Farm, Otley, and the 26th Power in Action is hosted at the same venue. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

2006 

Forty-nine members visit the LAMMA show. The annual dinner is held at the Cedars, Stowmarket, where the guest speaker is Tim Reeves. A seven-day tour takes place to Germany, via Holland, with hosts including Lemken and visits including the Black Forest and a boat trip on Lake Constanz. Back home, farm visits include Home Farm at Nacton and Park Farm, Shimpling. UK day visits include a Lincolnshire trip to the premises of Grimme UK and Robert Crawford. The summer competition is hosted by Roger Desborough at Wenhaston. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz.

2007 

Roger Desborough becomes club chairman. Forty-seven members and friends visit the LAMMA show. The Cedars again hosts the annual dinner, where the guest speaker is Doug Potts. John Thurlow retires as vice president. A seven-day trip to France and Germany takes in the towns of Metz, Huffingen and Rheims. Visits are made to the Claas baler factory at Saulgau and to various farms, and there is a guided Black Forest tour plus a visit to a farm on the Western Front. Back home, day trips include the SED at Corby and farm visits to Mike Hollingsworth and Frederick Hiam. A day trip visits John Deere at Langar. Hugh Reeve hosts the summer competition at Walsham le Willows. The 27th Power in Action takes place at Alpheton.

2008

Thirty-two members and friends attend the SFMC trip to LAMMA. Fred Cable, Radio Suffolk’s rural correspondent, was the guest speaker at the annual dinner. Club president John Forrest dies suddenly in April. A seven-day trip to Holland and Belgium includes a visit to New Holland at Zedelgem, Rotterdam harbour tour, Brussels tour and visits to Bruges, Ghent, Dordrecht and farms on the Dutch polders. Thirty-five members visit the New Holland tractor plant at Basildon and the Museum of Power in Essex. Farm visits include Rougham Estate and Priory Farm, Wrentham. Robert and John Foster host the summer competition at Badingham. Woodbridge win the inter-club quiz

2009

Doug Potts becomes club president, with Roger Desborough remaining as chairman. Forty members and friends visit the LAMMA Show. The Cedars at Stowmarket once again plays host to the annual dinner. A seven-day trip takes place to Belgium and Germany, with 37 members and friends staying at Valkenburg and visits to the Vicon baler factory. SES Vanderhave sugar beet seed plant, a vineyard and winery, the Eifel hills, Monchau and Maastricht. UK visits include Witham Oil & Paints, the Lincolnshire Museum of Rural Life, Helmingham Estate and Jeff Claydon’s farm at Wickhambrook. Trevor Johnson hosts the summer competition at Thornbush Farm, Bramford. Power in Action, held in conjunction with Farmers Guide, returned to Long Melford.

2010

Ken Hutchinson becomes club chairman. The annual dinner at the Cedars, Stowmarket, marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the club. Thirty-seven people take part in a seven-day trip to Holland, based in Eindhoven and taking in visits to the Challenger TerraGator factory, the Vervaet Palace of Het Loo and the Michael Geldof tractor collection. UK visits include Bunns at Great Yarmouth, Hammond Land Rover, Hemcore at Halesworth and Camgrain. Farm visits include Robert Rous at Dennington. Roger Desborough hosts the summer competition at Wenhaston. An anniversary supper at the Cedars includes invited guests from the farm machinery trade. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

2011

The Debenham centre moves to the Highwayman at Creeting St Mary. Nigel Merriam is the guest speaker at the annual dinner. A seven-day trip to France is attended by 25 people, staying at Rouen and visiting the Massey Ferguson factory at Beauvais, Gregoire Besson, the Palace of Versailles and the Normandy coast. In the UK, farm visits are made to Charlie Brown at Fornham and William Wrinch at Ewarton. A day visit is made to the Ron Knight collection and to Knight Farm Machinery. Hugh Reeve hosts the summer competition at Walsham le Willows. Power in Action is held at Denham Estate Farms near Barrow. Bury St Edmunds win the inter-club quiz.

2012 

The annual trip to LAMMA is again well-attended. Guy Smith is guest speaker at the annual dinner at the Cedars, Stowmarket. A seven-day trip to Ireland includes four nights in Killarney and a visit to Hi-Spec Engineering, plus a guided tour of the Ring of Kerry, a carriage ride, lake cruise and a visit to Michael Hooey’s tractor collection. A day trip visits the Rackham tractor collection and the English Whisky Distillery at Roudham. Farm visits are made to Mike Porter at Walpole and the Barker family at Westhorpe. Robert and John Foster host the summer competition at Badingham. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz

2013 

John Foster becomes club chairman. The last trip to the old LAMMA show site at Newark is well-attended. David Lawrence is guest speaker at the annual dinner. Halesworth centre meetings move to The Angel Hotel. A seven-day trip to France and Germany includes four nights at Karlsruhe and overnight stops at Metz, with visits to Krone at Saverne, John Deere at Mannheim and Deutz-Fahr at Lauingen. Day visits include New Holland at Basildon and the Kelvedon Hatch nuclear bunker. Members also visit Mark Peacock at Stradbroke. Trevor Johnson hosts the summer competition at Bramford. Power in Action is held at Little Bradley near Haverhill

2014

Timing of the inter-club quiz is moved from December to January, and this year the event is won by Bury St Edmunds. Members visit the LAMMA Show at the new Peterborough venue. Peter Hollingsworth is guest speaker at the annual dinner. A seven-day tour to Germany takes in visits to Amazone, Claas and Grimme. In the UK, day visits include JCB at Rocester, while local visits include Blacks at Bacton and Debach Museum. The summer competition is held at Ridings Farm Walsham le Willows, and is won by Bury St Edmunds.

2015

James Forrest becomes club president. The inter-club quiz, held at Stowmarket, is won by Halesworth. James Forrest is guest speaker at the annual dinner. Day trips include the Vaderstad UK headquarters at Sleaford. A seven-day trip to Holland takes in visits to the factories of Lely, Peecon and Tulip, a strawberry farm and a collection of 160 old Lanz tractors. Summer evening visits are made to Jeff Claydon at Wickhambrook and Andrew Mayhew at Woolverstone. The summer competition, hosted by Roger Desborough at Wenhaston, is won by Halesworth. Power in Action is held at Great Thurlow, near Haverhill.

2016

Thirty-one members visit the LAMMA show at Peterborough. The annual quiz, held at held at Stowmarket, is won by Debenham. The annual dinner at the Cedars, Stowmarket, has John Thurlow as its guest speaker. Ten members visit the Zetor tractor factory in the Czech Republic.

2017

Trevor Johnson hosts the summer competition at Bramford. East Anglian Daily Times agricultural editor Sarah Chambers is guest speaker at the club’s annual dinner at Stowmarket. Halesworth win the inter-club quiz. Farm visits are hosted by James Forrest and by Bartlow Estate, while factory visits include Richard Western at Framlingham.