Editing Ipswich (section)

===19th and 20th centuries===
[[File:1810 Ransome & Son - painting - outdoor ten pin bowling.jpg|thumb|A ''circa'' 1810 painting of outdoor bowling near Ransome & Son Foundry, an early embodiment of Ipswich's longtime agricultural equipment maker [[Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies]]]]

In 1824 Dr [[George Birkbeck]], with support from several local businessmen, founded one of the first [[Mechanics' Institutes]], which survives to this day as the independent Ipswich Institute reading room and library.<ref>[http://ipswichinstitute.org.uk/ Ipswich Institute reading room and library]</ref> The building is located at 15 Tavern Street.

In the mid-19th century [[coprolite]] (fossilised animal dung) was discovered; the material was mined and then dissolved in [[acid]], the resulting mixture forming the basis of [[Fisons]] fertiliser business.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fisons at the root of modern agriculture |url=http://www.yara.com/en/about/history/stories/fisons_inter.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060520151251/http://www.yara.com/en/about/history/stories/fisons_inter.html |archive-date=20 May 2006 |access-date=17 June 2007}}</ref>

The [[Tolly Cobbold]] brewery, built in the 18th century and rebuilt in 1894–96, is one of the finest [[Victorian era|Victorian]] [[brewery|breweries]] in the UK. There was a Cobbold brewery in the town from 1746 until 2002 when [[Ridley's Brewery|Ridley's Breweries]] took Tolly Cobbold over.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tolly Cobbold Heritage |url=http://www.harwich.net/tolly/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060424044119/http://www.harwich.net/tolly/ |archive-date=24 April 2006 |access-date=18 June 2006}}</ref> [[Felix Thornley Cobbold]] presented [[Christchurch Mansion]] to the town in 1896. Smaller breweries include St Jude's Brewery, situated in an 18th-century [[coach-house]] near the town centre.

Ipswich was subject to bombing by German [[Zeppelin]]s during [[World War I]] but the greatest damage by far occurred during the German bombing raids of [[World War II]]. The area in and around the docks was especially devastated. Eighty civilians died by enemy action in the Ipswich county borough area during the latter war.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CWGC Cemetery Report, Ipswich County Borough civilian war dead |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/4005036/IPSWICH,%20COUNTY%20BOROUGH |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416181508/http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/4005036/IPSWICH,%20COUNTY%20BOROUGH |archive-date=16 April 2015 |access-date=16 April 2015}}</ref> The last bombs to fall on Ipswich landed on Seymour Road at 2{{nbsp}}a.m. on 2 March 1945, killing nine people and destroying six houses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 February 2016 |title=Ransomes & Rapier WW1 & WW2 Memorials, Bourne Park Ipswich |url=http://www.ipswichwarmemorial.co.uk/ransomes-bourne-park/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220182457/http://www.ipswichwarmemorial.co.uk/ransomes-bourne-park/ |archive-date=20 December 2016 |access-date=12 December 2016 |website=Ipswich War Memorial}}</ref>

The [[Willis Building (Ipswich)|Willis Building]] is a glass-clad building owned by [[Willis Group Holdings|Willis]]. Designed by [[Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank|Norman Foster]], the building dates from 1974, when it was known as the Willis Faber & Dumas building. It became the youngest grade I [[listed building]] in Britain in 1991, being at the time one of only two listed buildings to be less than thirty years old.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 1995 |title=Pioneering Management Guidelines for Modern Listed Buildings |url=http://ihbc.org.uk/context_archive/47/williscarroon.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071104011711/http://ihbc.org.uk/context_archive/47/williscarroon.htm |archive-date=4 November 2007 |access-date=26 October 2007 |publisher=Context }}</ref>

In September 1993, Ipswich and [[Arras]], Nord Pas-de-Calais, France, became twin towns, and a square in the new Buttermarket development was named Arras Square to mark the relationship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ipswich – Arras |url=http://www.ipswich.gov.uk/Partnerships/Ipswich+-+Arras.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080330213916/http://www.ipswich.gov.uk/Partnerships/Ipswich%2B-%2BArras.htm |archive-date=30 March 2008 |access-date=6 May 2008 |publisher=Ipswich Borough Council }}</ref>

Ipswich formerly had a [[Ipswich Airport|municipal airport]] to the south-east of the town, which was opened in 1929 by the [[Ipswich Corporation]]. The airport was controversially closed in 1996. The site was redeveloped for housing as the Ravenswood estate.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ipswich Airport History |url=http://www.ipswichairport.info/history.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929021103/http://www.ipswichairport.info/history.html |archive-date=29 September 2011 |access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref>