Suffolk Archives wants to hear from communities across the county to help record how Suffolk marked the momentous events of the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III.

Thank you to the 93 councils that provided SALC with information which has been shared with SCC comms team. 

Whether it is programmes from proclamation events, or photographs from a community coming together to watch The Queen’s funeral, these are all an important record of these historic occasions.

Cllr Bobby Bennett, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Equality and Communities, said: “Suffolk Archives holds records of historical moments in our county’s history. The death of a monarch and proclamation of a new sovereign are events most Suffolk residents will not have previously lived through.

“Collecting and preserving records of these events for future generations is so important, and if we don’t receive these from Suffolk residents soon, the information and documents could be lost forever.”

Earlier this year Suffolk Archives collected records from the celebrations for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, adding to the county’s archive of royal events and providing valuable research content for future generations.

Bridget Hanley, Senior Archivist at Suffolk Archives, said: “Suffolk Archives is the county’s memory box and earlier this year we saw many items deposited with us to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

“Now that Queen Elizabeth II’s reign has come to an end, it is important that we gather material about how people from all backgrounds across Suffolk have marked her death, as well as the Proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III. Suffolk’s archives cover more than 900 years of history, and it is essential that through our ‘contemporary collecting’ we continue to add to our collections.”

Suffolk Archives already holds many documents about royal celebrations in the county – including Queen Victoria’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees, the Coronations of Edward VII and George V, as well as Queen Elizabeth II. 

To submit your records and information online visit: The death of Queen Elizabeth II - Suffolk Archives. If you are planning to donate your records in person, please email archives@suffolk.gov.uk or telephone the Bury St Edmunds Branch on 01284 741212 or The Hold in Ipswich on 01473 296666 to make an appointment – so we can ensure an archivist is available to take them in and record your details.

Suffolk County Council is also collating Books of Condolence from across the county, so that these can also be preserved and stored in The Hold. These can either be sent to Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX or dropped at the reception, marked for the attention of Kate Dodd.