Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...

in the

East Suffolk district East Suffolk is a local government district in Suffolk, England, which was established on 1 April 2019, following the merger of the existing Suffolk Coastal and Waveney districts. At the 2011 census, the two districts had a combined population o ...

Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...

, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the most easterly UK settlement, it is north-east of London, north-east of

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...

and south-east of

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

, and the main town in its district. The estimated population in the built-up area exceeds 70,000. Its development grew with the

fishing industry The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products. It is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization as including ...

and as a

seaside resort A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the Germ ...

with wide sandy beaches. As fishing declined, oil and gas exploitation in the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...

in the 1960s took over. While these too have declined, Lowestoft is becoming a regional centre of the

renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...

industry.

History

Some of the earliest signs of settlement in Britain have been found here. Flint tools discovered in the

Pakefield Pakefield is a suburb of the town of Lowestoft in the north of the English county of Suffolk. It is located around south of the centre of the town. In 1931 the parish had a population of 1774. Pakefield has boundaries with Carlton Colville and ...

cliffs of south Lowestoft in 2005 allow human habitation of the area to be traced back 700,000 years.S. Parfitt et al. (2006
'700,000 years old: found in Pakefield'
, ''British Archaeology'', January/February 2006. Retrieved 24 December 2008. Habitation occurred in the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

Bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

and

Iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...

ages and in the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

and

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

times. Several finds have been made at a Saxon cemetery at Bloodmoor Hill in south Lowestoft.Cambridge Archaeological Uni
A Roman and Saxon settlement at Bloodmoor Hill, Pakefield, Lowestoft
. Retrieved 28 November 2009.'Human influences'
, ''Waveney District landscape character assessment'' pp. 27–29, Waveney District Council, April 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2011. The place name derives from a Norse personal name, ''Hlothver'', and ''toft'', an

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...

word for homestead.A. D. Mills (1998), ''A Dictionary of English Place-names'', 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 227. It has been spelt historically as ''Lothnwistoft'', ''Lothuwistoft'', ''Lestoffe'', ''Laistoe'', ''Loystoft'' and ''Laystoft''. The 1086

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

gives Lothuwistoft village some 16 households in three families, with ten smallholders and three slaves.Freeman E & J (2009) ''Old Lowestoft'', Stanlake publishing, p. 3.Lowestoft
, Domesday Map. Retrieved 20 April 2011. The manor formed part of the king's holding in the Hundred of Lothingland, worth about four

geld Geld may refer to: * Gelding, equine castration * Danegeld Danegeld (; "Danish tax", literally "Dane yield" or tribute) was a tax raised to pay tribute or protection money to the Viking raiders to save a land from being ravaged. It was call ...

in tax income.Lowestoft
Domesday Book online. Retrieved 20 April 2011. Roger Bigod was the tenant in chief. The lost village of

Akethorpe Akethorpe, or Akethorp, was an English village thought to have been located in what is now part of the Suffolk town of Lowestoft.Akethorpe
, Domesday Map. Retrieved 21 April 2011. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

, Lowestoft became an important fishing town that came to challenge its neighbour,

Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...

.Lowestoft
Poppyland Publishing. Retrieved 21 April 2011. The trade, particularly for

herring Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae. Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, i ...

, continued as the town's main identity into the 20th century. The naval

Battle of Lowestoft The Battle of Lowestoft took place on during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. A fleet of more than a hundred ships of the United Provinces commanded by Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer, Lord Obdam attacked an English fleet of equal size comm ...

in June 1665 was the first in the

Second Anglo-Dutch War The Second Anglo-Dutch War or the Second Dutch War (4 March 1665 – 31 July 1667; nl, Tweede Engelse Oorlog "Second English War") was a conflict between England and the Dutch Republic partly for control over the seas and trade routes, whe ...

. Held off the coast, it was a victory for the English.Battle of Lowestoft: notes
, National Maritime Museum. Retrieved 21 April 2011.

Lowestoft Porcelain Factory The Lowestoft Porcelain Factory was a soft-paste porcelain factory on Crown Street (then Bell Lane) in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, which was active from 1757 to 1802. It mostly produced "useful wares" such as pots, teapots, and jugs, with sh ...

, in 1757–1802, was in production for longer than any English

soft-paste porcelain Soft-paste porcelain (sometimes simply "soft paste", or "artificial porcelain") is a type of ceramic material in pottery, usually accepted as a type of porcelain. It is weaker than "true" hard-paste porcelain, and does not require either the hig ...

manufacturer other than

Royal Worcester Royal Worcester is a porcelain brand based in Worcester, England. It was established in 1751 and is believed to be the oldest or second oldest remaining English porcelain brand still in existence today, although this is disputed by Royal Crown De ...

and

Royal Crown Derby The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company is the oldest or second oldest remaining English porcelain manufacturer, based in Derby, England (disputed by Royal Worcester, who claim 1751 as their year of establishment). The company, particularly known ...

, producing domestic pots, teapots and jugs.Lowestoft
, ''Eastern Daily Press'', 14 April 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2011. It stood on the site of an existing pottery or brick kiln, and used later as a brewery and malt kiln. Most of its remaining buildings were demolished in 1955.

Sir Samuel Morton Peto's arrival in 19th-century Lowestoft brought a change in the town's fortunes, including its fishing industry. To help stimulate this, Peto was given the task of building a line for the Lowestoft Railway and Harbour Company, connecting with Reedham and the city of Norwich.Port of Lowestoft
, Lowestoft Maritime Museum, February 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011. This had a profound impact on the town's industrial development – its fishing fleets could sell to markets further inland, and other industries such as engineering gained from increased trade with the continent. Peto's railway enabled Lowestoft to become a flourishing seaside holiday resort; much of Peto's seaside resort in south Lowestoft still exists, including the

Grade II listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

Kirkley Cliff and Wellington Esplanade terraces. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Lowestoft was bombarded by the German Navy on 24 April 1916 in conjunction with the

Easter Rising The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...

. The port was a major naval base during the war, including for armed trawlers such as '' Ethel & Millie'' and ''

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

'' used to combat

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...

actions in the North Sea such as that of 15 August 1917. In

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

the town was heavily bombed by the

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

for its engineering industry and role as a naval base.Prime target for bombers
''Lowestoft Journal'', 27 May 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2011.James Hoseason Obituary
''The Guardian'', 17 July 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2011. It is sometimes placed among the UK's most heavily bombed towns per head of population. The

Royal Naval Patrol Service The Royal Naval Patrol Service (RNPS) was a branch of the Royal Navy active during both the First and Second World Wars. The RNPS operated many small auxiliary vessels such as naval trawlers for anti-submarine and minesweeping operations to pro ...

was mobilised in August 1939, mainly by trawlermen and fishermen of the

Royal Naval Reserve The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) is one of the two volunteer reserve forces of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Together with the Royal Marines Reserve, they form the Maritime Reserve. The present RNR was formed by merging the original Ro ...

. Its depot, ''HMS Europa'', was also known locally as the ''Sparrow's Nest''.Naval War Memorial, Lowestoft
British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 April 2011.

Governance

Lowestoft is the major settlement in the East Suffolk district. It lost its status as a

municipal borough Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002. Broadly similar structures existed in S ...

in 1974, but retained a ceremonial mayor elected annually by its district councillors and acting as

charter trustees In England and Wales, charter trustees are set up to maintain the continuity of a town charter or city charter after a district with the status of a borough or city has been abolished, until such time as a parish council is established. Duties are ...

until 2017.Mayor of Lowestoft
, Waveney District Council. Retrieved 30 April 2011. Suffolk County Council is the county authority. A

of Lowestoft was created on 1 April 2017, governed by Lowestoft Town Council, which elects a town mayor annually. The town is part of the Waveney parliamentary constituency, represented at Westminster by the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

Peter Aldous Peter James Guy AldousPeter Aldous - Declaration of In ...

. Former MPs include

Bob Blizzard Robert John Blizzard (31 May 1950 – 5 May 2022) was a British Labour politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Suffolk constituency of Waveney from 1997 until 2010. Early life Bob Blizzard was born on 31 May 1950 in Bury ...

, David Porter and

Jim Prior James Michael Leathes Prior, Baron Prior, (11 October 1927 – 12 December 2016) was a British Conservative Party politician. A Member of Parliament from 1959 to 1987, he represented the Suffolk constituency of Lowestoft until 1983 and then ...

, a cabinet minister and

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...

in the Thatcher governments. Prior also represented the earlier constituency of Lowestoft. For European Union elections, Lowestoft lay in the East of England constituency. Before 1 April 2019, Lowestoft as part of

Waveney District Council Waveney may refer to: * River Waveney, a river that forms the boundary between Suffolk and Norfolk, England * Waveney District, a local government district in Suffolk, England * Waveney (UK Parliament constituency) * Waveney class lifeboat, a class ...

was divided into ten electoral wards, with

Carlton Colville Carlton Colville is a civil parish and suburb of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk. It is south-west of the centre of the town, in the East Suffolk (district), East Suffolk district. The area lies along the A146 road, A146 Lowestoft to ...

treated as a separate electoral area. Harbour,

Kirkley Kirkley is a district within the town of Lowestoft in the East Suffolk district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located south of the centre of Lowestoft and the town's harbour and Lake Lothing. Kirkley was originally an independent vill ...

, Normanston,

, St Margarets and Whitton wards elected three councillors each, and Carlton, Gunton and Corton, Oulton and Oulton Broad wards two.Lowestoft ward map
, Waveney District Council. Retrieved 6 May 2011. Of the 48 council seats in the district, 26 represented wards within Lowestoft and 3 Carlton Colville. In 2010 the council changed to a system of all seats being elected every four years.Changing to Whole Council Elections – Explanatory Document
, Waveney District Council, 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2011. On 1 April 2019, governance arrangements for Lowestoft changed with the merger of Waveney and Suffolk Coastal District Councils to form a new district council of East Suffolk. Elections were held on 2 May 2019 for the six new Lowestoft wards. The seats, 14 in all, are allocated to Carlton and Whitton (2), Gunton and St. Margarets (2), Harbour and Normanston (3), Kirkley and Pakefield (3), Lothingland (1), and Oulton Broad (3). There are also changes to wards adjacent to Lowestoft.East Suffolk District Council elections 2019
. Retrieved 26 March 2019. After the inaugural 2019 East Suffolk District Council election of 2 May, eight of the 14 Lowestoft seats over the six new wards went to the Conservatives and six to Labour. On Suffolk County Council, Lowestoft and its district are represented by eight councillors, split equally between four divisions: Gunton, Lowestoft South, Oulton and Pakefield.County council elections
, Waveney District Council. Retrieved 6 May 2012. For county council elections, held every four years, Pakefield division includes Carlton Colville. After the 2017 election, seven of Lowestoft's county councillors represented the Conservatives and one Labour. In 2018, one Conservative councillor left the party and became an Independent.
"Lowestoft Journal", 5 May 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2019
"Lowestoft Journal", 1 August 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2019.

Geography

Lowestoft, the Extreme points of the United Kingdom, easternmost town in the United Kingdom, lies on the

coast. The town is divided by Lake Lothing, which forms the inner part of

Lowestoft Harbour Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the most easterly UK settlement, it is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and so ...

and gives access via

Oulton Broad Oulton Broad refers to both the lake and the suburb of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk. The suburb is located west of the centre of Lowestoft. It became a civil parish in 2017. It had an estimated population of 10,338 at the 2011 ...

and

Oulton Dyke Oulton Dyke is a freshwater stretch of water in the Norfolk Broads, located in Suffolk within the United Kingdom. The dyke connects Oulton Broad near Lowestoft to the River Waveney by means of a confluence near the village of Burgh St Peter. Oul ...

to the

River Waveney The River Waveney is a river which forms the boundary between Suffolk and Norfolk, England, for much of its length within The Broads. The "ey" part of the name means "river" thus the name is tautological. Course The source of the River Wavene ...

and

the Broads The Broads (known for marketing purposes as The Broads National Park) is a network of mostly navigable rivers and lakes in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Although the terms "Norfolk Broads" and "Suffolk Broads" are correctly use ...

. The northern half is on the island of

Lothingland Lothingland is an area in the English county, English counties of Suffolk and Norfolk on the North Sea coast. It is bound by the River Yare and Breydon Water to the north, the River Waveney to the west and Oulton Broad to the south, and includes t ...

. Lowestoft is mainly low-lying, with hilly areas in the north and high points of 20–30 metres (66–98 ft) above sea level.'Physical influences and ecological context'
, ''Waveney District landscape character assessment'' pp. 15–21, Waveney District Council, April 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2011. The rock beneath is crag-sand with overlying sand and glacial

till image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...

deposits with gravel, with the crag exposed at coastal cliffs such as

's. Areas around Lake Lothing feature alluvium silt; some marshland remains west of Oulton Broad. The sandy beaches south of the harbour have Blue Flag status.Lowestoft north of Claremont Pier
, Blue Flag. Retrieved 10 April 2011.Lowestoft south of Claremont Pier
, Blue Flag. Retrieved 10 April 2011. To the north of the harbour is an area of old sand dunes known as the Denes, along with more beaches and

Ness Point Ness Point, also known as Lowestoft Ness, is the most easterly point of England, Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the British Isles. It is located in Lowestoft in the East Suffolk district of the county of Suffolk. The site is located to th ...

, the easternmost point of the UK. Lowestoft has been subject to periodic flooding, notably in January 1953, when a North Sea swell driven by low pressure and an extreme high tide swept away many earlier sea defences and deluged most of the southern town.1953 floods – What areas were affected?
BBC Suffolk, 2003. Retrieved 21 April 2011. Heavy rain caused flash flooding in the town in September 2006.Homes under water in flash floods
Fierce storms force mass evacuations in England , BBC News Website, 15 September 2006. Retrieved 21 April 2011. In December 2013, a

storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...

caused severe flooding of Lowestoft and its suburbs.Fierce storms force mass evacuations in England
BBC News Website. Retrieved 30 January 2014.Lowestoft flooded
ITV news. Retrieved 30 January 2014. Lowestoft is among the UK's driest areas: annual rainfall averages under 600 mm distributed fairly evenly through the year.
, Met Office. Retrieved 10 April 2011. Mean daily summer temperatures peak at 21°C in August, when the town averages over 200 hours of sunshine, while in winter minima average 2°C. Marked snowfall is rare. Sea fog and cool onshore breezes can affect the town.

Demography

Lowestoft is Suffolk's second largest town after

, with an estimated population of 58,560 in 2010.Economic statistics and data – an overview of Waveney
Waveney District Council. Retrieved 14 August 2013.Profiles of Ipswich, Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds
, Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 10 April 2011. Including the suburban areas of Oulton and

, which are part of the wider urban area, brought the estimated population of the built-up area to 73,755 in 2018 from 68,850 at the 2001 census. The town contains business and residential areas, with a main shopping centre just to the north of Lake Lothing. Its wider urban area includes the suburbs of Carlton Colville, Gunton, Pakefield, Oulton and Oulton Broad and the district of

. Associated outlying villages include Blundeston, Corton,

Gisleham Gisleham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Suffolk. It is on the edge of Lowestoft, around south-west of the town centre. The parish is in the East Suffolk district, situated between Carlton Colville and Kessingland. Th ...

Kessingland Kessingland is a village and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located around south of Lowestoft on the east coast of the United Kingdom. It is of interest to archaeologists as Palaeolithic and Ne ...

and

Somerleyton Somerleyton is a village and former civil parish in the north of the English county of Suffolk. It is north-west of Lowestoft and south-west of Great Yarmouth in the East Suffolk district. The village is closely associated with Somerleyto ...

. About 10 per cent of the area population at the 2001 census was aged 75 or over and 20 per cent under 16. In general the population of several wards is slightly skewed towards the elderly. The population is mainly classed as "white", with minority ethnicities making up 1.4 per cent, compared with 8.7 per cent nationally.Gunton electoral division profile
, Suffolk County Council, September 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2011.Pakefield electoral division profile
, Suffolk County Council, September 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2011.Oulton electoral division profile
, Suffolk County Council, September 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2011.Lowestoft south electoral division profile
, Suffolk County Council, September 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2011.Waveney district profile
, Suffolk County Council, April 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.D. Gardener and H. Connelly (2005
Who are the "other" ethnic groups?
,

Office for National Statistics The Office for National Statistics (ONS; cy, Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol) is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the UK Parliament. Overview The ONS is responsible for th ...

. Retrieved 22 June 2008. At the 2001 census there were 27,777 households, giving an average household size of 2.40. In total 8,430 (30 per cent) were classified as one-person households, while 26 per cent included children aged 15 or under. The proportion of households without a private car was 29 per cent, whilst 22 per cent had two or more. In housing tenure, 72 per cent of homes were owner-occupied.

Economy

Originally based on fishing and engineering, the economy of Lowestoft has declined over the years.'East Coast Inshore Fishing Fleet'
''Hansard'', 14 October 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011. Although the tourism sector has grown, the major employers in the town are the wholesale and retail sector, with 18 per cent of employment. Service industries, including health, social care and education are significant employers, while manufacturing employs about 10 per cent of the workforce. Employment can vary seasonally due to the importance of tourism to the economy. In early 2011, around 10 per cent of the working population of the town claimed Jobseekers Allowance.

Traditional industries

Trawler Mincarlo, Lowestoft, 13th June 2009 (17)

Until the mid-1960s, fishing was seen as Lowestoft's main industry, although from the 1930s the percentage so employed directly and in trades associated with fishing was actually only about 10 per cent. Fleets of

drifter A drifter is a vagrant who moves from place to place without a fixed home or employment. Drifter(s) or The Drifter(s) may also refer to: Films and television Films * ''The Drifter'' (1917 film), an American film directed by Fred Kelsey * ''Th ...

s and trawlers caught fish such as

cod Cod is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly not call ...

and

plaice Plaice is a common name for a group of flatfish that comprises four species: the European, American, Alaskan and scale-eye plaice. Commercially, the most important plaice is the European. The principal commercial flatfish in Europe, it is al ...

. Catches have diminished since the 1960sFish stocks dwindle
BBC Nation on film. Retrieved 21 April 2011. and although 100 boats remained by the 1980s, there are now only a few small boats operating out of Lowestoft, with no large trawlers.Fears for Suffolk fishing industry
BBC news website, 27 December 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2011.Madslien.J (2008
Fishermen fight for brighter future
BBC news website, 30 June 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2011. By 2011 just three traders remained at the town's fish market, which is under threat of closure due to redevelopment of the

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

.Fears for future of Lowestoft fish market
BBC news website, 11 March 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.End of an era beckons for Lowestoft fish market
''Eastern Daily Press'', 29 March 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011. The

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) is an executive agency of the United Kingdom government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It carries out a wide range of research, advisory, consulta ...

(CEFAS), a large fisheries research centre that is a part of

Defra DEFRA may refer to: * Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, United States law * Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, United Kingdom government department {{Disambiguation ...

, is still located in Lowestoft. Other major traditional employers included

Eastern Coach Works Eastern Coach WorksCompanies House extract company no 318856
...

and engineering and shipbuilding companies clustered around the harbour. These included the

Brooke Marine Brooke Marine (also known as J.W. Brooke & Co. and Brooke Yachts) was a Lowestoft-based shipbuilding firm.Brook ...

and

Richards Richards may refer to: *Richards (surname) In places: * Richards, New South Wales, Australia * Richards, Missouri, United States * Richards, Texas, United States In other uses: * Richards (lunar crater) Richards is a small lunar impact crate ...

shipbuilding companies, which together employed over a thousand men but went out of business in the 1990s, and the Norwich-based engineering company Boulton and Paul.Timber factory closure announced
BBC news website, 3 December 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2011. Some shipbuilding and repair still goes on at the harbour.'Oldest' steamship gets £2m refit
BBC news website, 28 June 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2011.New start for grand old lady
BBC Suffolk, 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2011.

Modern economy

Major local employers include

Birds Eye Birds Eye is an American international brand of frozen foods owned by Conagra Brands in the United States, by Nomad Foods in Europe, and Simplot in Australia. The former Birds Eye Company Ltd., originally named "Birdseye Seafood, Inc." had be ...

frozen foods, with 700 workers.Farmers hit as Birds Eye, Lowestoft loses peas contract
BBC news website, 4 February 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.East Anglian pea farmers sign frozen food deal
BBC news website, 5 October 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011. This has been located in the town for over 60 years.Jobs safe at Birds Eye factory
BBC news website, 7 November 2003. Retrieved 21 April 2011. The food-processing company Wessex Foods closed its Lowestoft plant in 2010 after a fire destroyed the factory and it failed to find alternative premises.Staff at fire-hit burger factory in Lowestoft lose jobs
BBC news website, 29 October 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011. Several other employers have shed labour in recent years. The

Sanyo , stylized as SANYO, is a Japanese electronics company and formerly a member of the Fortune Global 500, ''Fortune'' Global 500 whose headquarters was located in Moriguchi, Osaka, Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo had over 230 subsidiari ...

plant in the town closed down in 2009 with a loss of 60 jobs,Sanyo to shut down monitor plant
BBC news website, 1 December 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2011. having once employed 800.Sanyo TV monitor factory site in Lowestoft up for sale
BBC news website, 17 March 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011. The timber company

Jeld-Wen JELD-WEN is an American company with its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company operates more than 120 manufacturing facilities in 19 countries. JELD-WEN designs, produces and distributes interior and exterior doors, wood, vinyl a ...

closed its factory in the town in 2010. From the mid-1960s to the late 1990s, the oil and gas industry provided significant employment in the area.Offshore industry timeline
Great Yarmouth Council. Retrieved 21 April 2011. For many years the

Shell Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses ** Thin-shell structure Science Biology * Seashell, a hard o ...

Southern Operations base on the north shore of

was town's largest employer. A decision to close the Shell base was finally made in 2003.Talks over Shell shutdown
BBC news website, 3 April 2003. Retrieved 14 June 2009. Oil and gas is still a major industry.Great Yarmouth and Waveney March 2010
''Shaping Norfolk's Future'', March 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.International acclaim for innovation in oil and gas
, Great Yarmouth marketing initiative, 17 May 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
associated British Ports, 11 May 2000. Retrieved 21 April 2011. The town has made efforts to develop as a centre for

in the east of England.Lowestoft transport strategy
, Suffolk County Council, 29 June 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2013.Plan for £6m green energy centre
BBC news website, 25 March 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2011. The non-profit Orbis Energy centre has been set up to draw business in the green-energy sector and features

solar thermal heating Solar thermal energy (STE) is a form of energy and a technology for harnessing solar energy to generate thermal energy for use in industry, and in the residential and commercial sectors. Solar thermal collectors are classified by the United Sta ...

.Meeting on green energy in East
BBC news website, 26 February 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2011.Low carbon work boosted by £80m
BBC news website, 26 December 2007. Retrieved 2011-04-21.Orbis Energy
Suffolk works. Retrieved 30 April 2011.OrbisEnergy Website
Retrieved 20 May 2009. In April 2009, Associated British Ports announced that the harbour is to become the operations centre for the 500 MW Greater Gabbard wind farm, which when completed will be the world's largest Offshore wind power, offshore windfarm. The turbines will be located off the Suffolk coast and the Outer Harbour will be used to house the necessary operational support facilities. Other developments in the renewable energy sector include a prototype Tidal power, tidal energy generator being produced by local company 4NRGSuffolk firm's wave energy machine gets backing
BBC news website, 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-21. and wave power systems developed by Trident Energy.Wave power machine tested on land
BBC news website, 10 November 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011. Rainbow Saver Anglia Credit Union, a savings and loans co-operative established in 1999 and operating throughout East Anglia, is based in the town. Hoseasons (now part of Awaze), a specialist in self-catering UK holidays, is also a large employment provider.

Retailing

The town centre is the main shopping area in Waveney district.Retail and Leisure Study: Summary
, Waveney District Council, 2006. Retrieved 21 April 2011. The retail chain Marks & Spencer has a store. Chadds independent department store was founded in 1907, and after nearly 100 years trading in the High Street, was taken over in 2004 by the

-based Palmers group.Lowestoft
Palmers Department Store. Retrieved 30 April 2011.How we're keeping our independents
''Eastern Daily Press'', 17 January 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2011. Specialist shopping areas, branded as The Historic High Street and the Triangle Market Place, have been developed on the northern edge of the centre. Several retail parks have appeared, the largest being North Quay Retail Park in Peto Way.

Tourism

Lowestoft is a traditional

, first developed as a bathing site in the 1760s. The coast has been called the "The Sunrise Coast, Sunrise Coast". The town's main beaches are south of the harbour, where two piers, the Claremont Pier, Claremont and South piers, provide tourist facilities, and the East Point Pavilion the tourist information service.Suffolk's beaches: Lowestoft
BBC Suffolk. Retrieved 21 April 2011 The beach south of the Claremont Pier is a Blue Flag beach.Blue Flag awards given to 55 beaches in England
BBC news website, 22 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-22. Lifeguard facilities are provided during the summer and water sports take place along the coast. Tourism is a significant aspect of the town's economy. The town features two major attractions, the first being Pleasurewood Hills Theme Park, situated on the northern edge of the town,Wipeout
BBC Suffolk, 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2011. while the second is the Africa Alive! wildlife park, situated in the south at

. The town maintains a holiday park at

, operated by Pontins, and a small caravan site near its northern beach. The natural attractions of the The Broads, Broads and the

on the west edge of the town, also attract visitors and been the site for boat trips and water sports events, with companies such as Hoseasons operating hire boats from

. Between 1996 and 2012, the town hosted a major air show during the summer, dubbed the Lowestoft Airshow. A major attraction, the two-day event took place in August, and featuring a wide range of aircraft including the Red Arrows, a Avro Lancaster, Lancaster bomber, Supermarine Spitfire, Spitfires and an Avro Vulcan.Lowestoft air festival
BBC Suffolk, 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2011. From 2004, it was run by Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival Ltd, a non-profit company, but suffered financial difficulties. In 2010, the event made a loss of £40,000 and raised concerns over its sustainability,Lowestoft Air Festival sponsor appeal goes nationwide
''Lowestoft Journal'' 25 February 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2011.Lowestoft air show in fund-raising drive
''Norwich Evening News'' 26 January 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2011. whereupon further financial difficulties coupled with bad weather and low visitor numbers made the 2012 airshow the last before it was discontinued.Lowestoft Air Festival cancelled for 2013
BBC news website, 25 July 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2013.Lowestoft Air Show to end after cash blow
ITV Anglia, 25 July 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2013.Lowestoft Air Festival will "definitely" not take place again
BBC news website, 14 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014. Near the town centre is Lowestoft Maritime Museum, open from late April to late October, which has exhibits of maritime artefacts, an extensive collection of ship models and medals, marine art, fishing and the fishing industry, activities with the Royal Navy in WWII, and shipwrights' and coopers' tools. Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth at night

Redevelopment

Lowestoft is among the more socially deprived areas in Suffolk, with

the county's most deprived ward, ranking 173rd most deprived in England out of 32,486. The area attracted European Union redevelopment funding. The Waveney Sunrise Scheme invested £14.7 million, funding transport improvements and tourist facilities such as fountains on Royal Plain, as stimulants.Fountain fun
BBC Suffolk, 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
, Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 21 April 2011. Regeneration company 1st East, which focused on the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth areas, closed in 2011.Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft regeneration firm 1st East shuts
BBC news website, 27 January 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011. Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Enterprise Zone was announced in 2011 and launched in April 2012.Dickson A (2012
Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft enterprise zone interest from around the world
, ''Eastern Daily Press'', 12 January 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2015. The zone, developed by New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, has six redevelopment sites across Lowestoft and

. The bid for the zone in 2011 envisaged creating 13,500 jobs by 2036.Dickson.A (2011
Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft enterprise zone given the green light
, ''Eastern Daily Press'', 17 August 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011. It involved the Norfolk and Suffolk Energy Alliance and focused on developing the energy sector initially using tax incentives, simplified planning regulations and the provision of improved broadband internet services. The sites in Lowestoft are Mobbs Way, Riverside Road and South Lowestoft Industrial Estate. Associated British Ports, the operator of the Port of Lowestoft, published their Lowestoft Masterplan, which aims to regenerate the harbour and take advantage of renewable energy, including the new Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) on the former SLP land at the outer harbour amongst other proejcts. The harbour is a focus of redevelopment proposals for Lowestoft through the Lake Lothing and Outer Harbour Area Action Plan, submitted in February 2011.An introduction to the Area Action Plan for Central Lowestoft
, Waveney District Council. Retrieved 30 April 2011. The plan focuses on the redevelopment of Brownfield land, brownfield sites in and around the harbour area to create jobs, particularly in the renewable energy and retailing sectors.What is the Area Action Plan?
, Waveney District Council. Retrieved 30 April 2011.Mace. H (2010
Vision for future of Lowestoft harbour
''Eastern Daily Press'', 14 October 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2011.

Culture and community

The town has three theatres: the Marina Theatre, Marina, the Players (Lowestoft) and The Seagull (theatre), The Seagull. The 800-seat Marina, operated as a charitable trust, was restored and refurbished in 2012 and its cinema upgraded to digital in 2013. A small four-screen cinema, the independently owned East Coast Cinema, underwent modest refurbishment in late 2011 to upgrade facilities and allow 3D films to be shown. BBC Radio Suffolk broadcasts to the area from its studios in

. The local weekly paper is the ''Lowestoft Journal'', which is part of the Archant group. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has played regularly at the Marina Theatre since 2005. Lowestoft Museum, which holds a collection of Lowestoft Porcelain and artifacts describing the town's history, is in Nicholas Everett Park in

. There are some small museums in Sparrow's Nest Park in the north of the town, including the Lowestoft War Memorial Museum, the Lowestoft Maritime Museum, Maritime Museum and the Royal Naval Patrol Service Museum. The Heritage Workshop Centre is also located there.'Memories of beach village in Lowestoft'
''Lowestoft Journal'', 11 February 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011. The Mincarlo (trawler), ''Mincarlo'', the last surviving fishing trawler, sidewinder trawler of the Lowestoft fishing fleet, can be visited at Lowestoft Harbour. The East Anglia Transport Museum holds a collection of buses, trams and trolleybuses in

Lowestoft retains several narrow lanes with steps running steeply seawards, known locally as "scores". They were used by fishermen and smugglers and now feature in an annual charity race.Lowestoft Scores Race
East Anglia's Children's Hospices, 2 March 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011. The borough church, dedicated to St. Margaret's Church, Lowestoft, St Margaret, is a Grade I listed buildings in Waveney, Grade I listed building.St Margaret, Lowestoft
Suffolk Churches site. Retrieved 24 April 2011.Church of St Margaret, Lowestoft
British listed buildings. Retrieved 24 April 2011. In the town centre is Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Lowestoft, Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, a Grade II listed building in the Arts and Crafts style and the most easterly Catholic church in the British Isles. Lowestoft's town-centre library contains a local-history section and a branch of the Suffolk Record Office.Suffolk Record Office, Lowestoft Branch
National Archives. Retrieved 30 April 2011. Lowestoft Hospital closed in 2016. Services are now provided by the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston. The main burial grounds for the town are Lowestoft Cemetery and Kirkley Cemetery. The town is twinned with the town of Plaisir in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France (region), Île-de-France to the west of Paris.

Landmarks

Ness Point

, the Extreme points of the United Kingdom, most easterly location in the United Kingdom, is located in the town close to a 126-metre wind turbine, known locally as Gulliver. At the time it was completed it was the country's tallest.Suffolk's first turbine
BBC Suffolk, 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2011. At the most easterly point is a large compass rose, the ''Euroscope'', set in the ground to give the direction and distance to various cities in Europe.The mess that is Ness
BBC Suffolk, 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2011.

Sparrows Nest

Belle Vue Park (Sparrows Nest) is the site of the

memorial. The central depot for the service was in Lowestoft when it was mobilised in August 1939, on a site known as Sparrow's Nest, adjacent to the memorial. The memorial has the names of the 2,385 members of the service who died in World War II. Prior to this, it was the site of the "North Battery", which stood on the cliff and was constructed in around 1782.It was a four sided bastion set back from the cliff edge, housing four 18-pounder canon, with a guardhouse and magazine to the rear. All traces are now gone, minus two cannons with are now mounted around the memorial.

Lighthouse

Lowestoft Lighthouse, built in 1874 to the north of the town centre, stands 16 metres high at 37 metres above sea level, with a range of . It was automated in 1975.Lowestoft
, Trinity House. Retrieved 30 April 2011. It is the United Kingdom's most easterly lighthouse. The first two lighthouses in Lowestoft were built in 1609 on the foreshore and candlelit, to warn of the dangerous sandbanks around the coast. These were the first constructed by Trinity House. The Low Light was discontinued in 1706 after sea encroachment, but re-established in 1730 in a form that could be easily moved in response to further changes to the Stamford Channel and shoreline. It was discontinued in August 1923. The High Light tower was rebuilt as the present lighthouse in 1874 with the intention of displaying an electric light, but when opened paraffin oil was used instead; not until 1936 was it electrified. The lighthouse, with two cottages originally for lighthouse keepers, is a Grade II listed building.High Lighthouse Including North Cottage and South Cottage, Waveney
''British Listed Buildings''. Retrieved 23 October 2012.

Lifeboat station

Lowestoft Lifeboat Station, at the mouth of the outer harbour at the South Pier, is one of Britain's oldest, founded in 1801 and open to visitors throughout the year.Lowestoft Lifeboat Station
Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Retrieved 15 March 2014. The lifeboat is ''RNLB Patsy Knight (ON 1312), Patsy Knight'', a Shannon class lifeboat which replaced the Tyne class lifeboat, Tyne class boat ''RNLB Spirit of Lowestoft (ON 1132), Spirit of Lowestoft'' in 2014. A former Lowestoft lifeboat was used during the Dunkirk evacuation of British forces from France in 1940. The South Broads Lifeboat Station, an inland RNLI station, operated at

in 2001–2011.South Broads RNLI lifeboat station to close
Royal National Lifeboat Institution, 14 November 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2014.

Town Hall

Lowestoft Town Hall stands in the High Street. Various forms of local government have met or been based on this site since its establishment as a Town House and Chapel in 1570. In 1698 a new Town House was built, incorporating a 'market cross, corn cross' on the ground floor with the meeting chamber and chapel above. This in turn was replaced by the present building, designed by architect J. L. Clemence in 1857.Town Hall, Lowestoft
British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 30 August 2015. The building houses the town clock and the curfew bell, which dates from 1644 and is rung each evening at 8 p. m. The building is a Listed building, Grade II listed building.The future of Lowestoft Town Hall
, Waveney District Council website, April 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015. In 2012, Waveney District Council announced that it planned to leave the town hall and share Suffolk County Council's offices in Riverside Road. This occurred in 2015.

Transport

Diesel Multiple Units stand at Lowestoft - geograph

Lowestoft railway station, originally Lowestoft Central, is centrally placed within walking distance of the beach and the town centre. It provides services to Ipswich on the East Suffolk Line and to Norwich on the Wherry Line.East Suffolk Line
. Through trains to Liverpool Street railway station, London Liverpool Street were announced in 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2011.The Wherry Lines
Retrieved 9 April 2011. Both lines were originally part of the Great Eastern Railway and are operated by Greater Anglia (train operating company), Greater Anglia. The suburb of Oulton Broad has two stations: Oulton Broad North railway station, Oulton Broad North station lies on the line to Norwich railway station, Norwich, while Oulton Broad South railway station, Oulton Broad South is on the line to . Lowestoft North railway station, originally operated by the Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Railway, closed in 1970 with the Yarmouth–Lowestoft Line, Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth line. The site is now taken by the residential Beeching Drive. Buses in Lowestoft are mainly operated by First Norfolk & Suffolk, with Lowestoft bus station as the hub. They link the town with Norwich and Great Yarmouth and provide services within the town and to surrounding villages. The First Norfolk & Suffolk route X1, Excel X1 route runs a link to Peterborough. National Express Coaches stop in Lowestoft on the London–

route. The main A12 road (Great Britain), A12 road to London passes through Carlton Colville, Pakefield and Kirkley in the southern area of Lowestoft, ending at the town's harbour Bascule Bridge. It connects there to the A47 road, which runs around the centre of town, before exiting along Great Yarmouth Road, crossing the county border into Norfolk. A second road from the town centre, the A1044, links the town to Oulton Broad, via its second road crossing over Lake Lothing, and connects with the A146 road, A146 that runs between Lowestoft, Beccles and Norwich. Both bridges can be raised if vessels need to pass through the harbour and Lake Lothing, though this can cause congestion in the town and routes can become gridlocked.Grant could help cut congestion
BBC news website, 12 September 2007. Retrieved 2011-04-09.Faber Maunsell Limited (2009
A12 Lowestoft study: Lake Lothing third crossing feasibility study
(online). Retrieved 9 April 2011. a Gull Wing Bridge, third crossing of Lowestoft Harbour is under construction. A southern relief road was built to divert traffic from the seafront,Seaside town relief road opened
BBC news website, 27 June 2006. Retrieved 2013-01-26. while a proposed pedestrian and cycle bridge is planned as an alternative crossing alongside the Bascule Bridge.Lowestoft's £6.25m for transport but no third road bridge
BBC Suffolk news website, 13 October 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2013. Lowestoft's cycle network has routes that link areas to the town centre. About 12 per cent of residents cycle to work. The town is seen as "ideally suited" to cycling due to its relatively small size and flat landscape. Suffolk County Council aims to promote cycling by working with employers and schools and by funding a town-centre pedestrian and cycle bridge.

Education

Lowestoft has several primary and high schools, including four 11–16 high schools: Benjamin Britten Academy, Ormiston Denes Academy, East Point Academy and Pakefield High School.A to Z of schools by village/town
Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 9 April 2011. After reorganisation, all eight middle schools in the town closed in 2011 and Pakefield High School opened.
Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 9 April 2011. Post-16 education is provided at Lowestoft Sixth Form College, which opened in September 2011 as part of the reorganisation, and at Lowestoft College, East Coast College (Lowestoft Campus), which offers a range of academic and vocational courses. Lowestoft College, East Coast College (Lowestoft Campus) provides some higher education courses through an affiliation to the University of Suffolk.UCS Lowestoft
, University College Suffolk. Retrieved 30 April 2011. Degrees were initially validated by the University of East Anglia and the University of EssexValidating Universities
, University Campus Suffolk. Retrieved 30 April 2011. but are now validated by the University of Suffolk. The college also has courses in boat building and some to support the offshore and maritime industries that are major employers in the town.Colleges of Further Education
, British Marine Federation. Retrieved 30 April 2011. Other adult education courses are run by the County Council from a base at the town library.An introduction to community learning and skills development
Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 30 April 2011.

Sport and leisure

Lowestoft's sport clubs and facilities include Lowestoft Town F.C., Lowestoft Town Football Club at Crown Meadow and Kirkley & Pakefield F.C., Kirkley & Pakefield Football Club at Walmer Road. Lowestoft Cricket Club plays at the Denes Oval sport ground.Denes Oval sport ground
, Waveney District Council. Retrieved 9 April 2011. Other sport clubs include Waveney Gymnastics clubWaveney Gymnastics Club
Retrieved 9 April 2011. and Rookery Park Golf Club.
. Retrieved 9 April 2011. Lowestoft and Yarmouth rugby football clubalso has its Gunton Park home based in Lowestoft. Founded in 1879, it is one of the oldest rugby union clubs in England. East Coast Hockey Club is the town's field hockey side formed in 2019 as a result of a merger between Lowestoft Railway Hockey Club and Lowestoft Ladies Hockey Club. They play their home matches at East Point Academy. The town's main leisure centre, the Waterlane Leisure Centre, was redeveloped at a cost of £8 million in 2010–2011.Lowestoft leisure centre's £6.5m facelift under way
BBC news website, 27 August 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2011.Lowestoft leisure centre was saved from financial brink
''Eastern Daily Press'', 27 May 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013. Facilities include a gym and climbing wall as well as a 25-metre swimming pool with a movable floor.Waterlane leisure centre
, Sentinel Leisure Trust. Retrieved 9 April 2011. Lowestoft has a number of parks and recreation grounds.Parks and open spaces
, Waveney District Council. Retrieved 9 April 2011. The Broads national park extends to Lowestoft on

. Water activities and boat tours can be taken here. Powerboating, Powerboat racing takes place throughout the summer, mainly on Thursday evenings.Power Boat Racing
Report by Head of Safety Management, Broads Authority, 20 January 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2013. Fixtures are organised by the Lowestoft and Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club and can attract up to 1500 spectators.Oulton Broad speedboat engine thefts leads to race cancellation
BBC Suffolk news website, 21 June 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2013. The Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club has its club house in Port of Lowestoft, Lowestoft harbour.Official Website
Club website. Retrieved 21 June 2013.

Notable people

The Elizabethan pamphleteer Thomas Nashe, a father of modern journalism and a primary source for the literary milieux of William Shakespeare, was born in Lowestoft in 1567. Robert Potter (translator), Robert Potter, poet and translator of Greek drama, was Vicar of Lowestoft until 1804. The 19th-century writer and traveller George Borrow lived at

for many years and wrote most of his books there. Lieutenant General Sir Edwin Alderson also lived at Oulton Broad, on a houseboat, and died in 1927 at the since-demolished Royal Hotel in Lowestoft, where he had been staying for his last month.General's Death – Sir Edwin Alderson's Lowestoft Yachting Associations, ''Lowestoft Journal'', 17 December 1927. Admiral John Ashby (Royal Navy officer), Sir John Ashby, who commanded HMS Royal James (1675), HMS ''Victory'' at the Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue in 1692, grew up in Suffolk and is buried in Lowestoft. A memorial is sited in St Margaret's Church. Admiral Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet, Sir Thomas Allin, a commander at the

on 13 June 1665 was awarded a knighthood on 24 June and appointed an Admiral of the Blue squadron. He lived in a family house in High Street until his victories enabled him to move to a grander country residence, Somerleyton Hall. Vice Admiral James Richard Dacres (1788–1853), James Dacres fought in wars against America in the 19th century and was born in the town. Claud Castleton Victoria Cross, VC of the Australian Army was born in Kirkley and Captain Thomas Crisp Victoria Cross, V.C., Royal Navy officer, was born in the town – one of the town's main roads is named after him. Robert William Hook, coxswain at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, RNLI in Lowestoft from 1853 to 1883 and who has been credited with saving more than 600 lives in his career, with Lowestoft RNLI and with private companies. He was born in Lowestoft, lived and worked there all his life, and is buried in Lowestoft Cemetery. Sir Samuel Morton Peto, bought Somerleyton Hall in 1843 and has one of the town's main roads named after him. He was influential in developing the town's railway links and harbour. Christopher Cockerell, Sir Christopher Cockerell, inventor of the hovercraft, lived at Oulton Broad, and tested craft in

at Fritton Lake. The astronomer Fiammetta Wilson was born in the town in 1864, with a birth name of Helen Francis Worthington. Economist Dennis Robertson (economist), Sir Dennis Holme Robertson was born in Lowestoft in 1890. He was educated on a scholarship at Eton, and read Classics and Economics at Trinity College, Cambridge before teaching at Cambridge University, working closely with John Maynard Keynes, Keynes. The philanthropist Howard Hollingsworth, co-founder of Bourne & Hollingsworth Department Store, visited Lowestoft in 1908 and later bought and renovated the burnt-out Briar Clyffe House and grounds on Gunton Cliff.26 January 2006, "Howard Hollingsworth, Lowestoft's first Freeman" – by Colin Dixon
Lowestoft Archaeological and Local History Society, 26 January 2006. Retrieved 14 July 2013. He became a Lowestoft benefactor, and on the death of his friend Nicholas Everitt, bought his estate at

and gave it to Lowestoft for a public park.Evidences to title to the North Cove Hall Estate
National Archives. Retrieved 14 July 2013. He was made the first Freeman of the Borough of Lowestoft in 1929. Roland Aubrey Leighton, fiancé of Vera Brittain, immortalised in her WW1 autobiography ''Testament of Youth'', lived with his family at Heather Cliff on Gunton Cliff. The composer Benjamin Britten was born in Lowestoft in 1913. He has been called "without a doubt the greatest English classical composer of the last century"Kennedy.M (2002
Makeshift studio listed
''The Guardian'', 17 October 2002. Retrieved 28 March 2011. and "the only person of real celebrity to have emerged from darkest Lowestoft."M. Foreman (2004
Lowestoft's Dark stars
''The Guardian'', 19 February 2004. Retrieved 28 April 2011. The Benjamin Britten High School and a small town shopping centre are named after him. The artist Mark Burrell (born in Lowestoft in 1957) has a studio in the town and often features Lowestoft's landmarks and local people in his paintings. He is a leading member of the North Sea Magical Realists. The children's author and illustrator Michael Foreman (author/illustrator), Michael Foreman, born in 1938, spent his childhood in

, where his mother kept a grocer's shop. He went to Pakefield Primary School, and played on Hilly Green – stories of which are recorded in his book ''War Boy''. The author and illustrator James Mayhew lived in the town and studied at Lowestoft School of Art. Photographer George Davison (photographer), George Davison was also born in Lowestoft. Jayne-Marie Barker, author of the Inspector Allen mysteries, grew up at Oulton Broad and has used Lowestoft as an inspiration for her books.Oulton Broad author to make Lowestoft appearance
''Lowestoft Journal'', 28 September 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2014. Author Mark Dawson (writer), Mark Dawson was born in the town. The comedian and actor Karl Theobald was born in Lowestoft, as were BBC Radio 4 newsreader and television presenter Zeb Soanes and DJ and BBC radio presenter Tim Westwood. Three founder members of The Darkness (band), The Darkness rock band were educated in

; some of their songs feature local landmarks or stories. Lil' Chris featured in Channel 4's ''Rock School'', filmed at Kirkley high school (now East Point Academy) and went on to a musical career. Leanne Mitchell, winner of the first ''The Voice UK'' series, lives in the town.Oulton Broad singer Leanne Mitchell faces final stage fight in BBC One show The Voice
''Lowestoft Journal'', 1 June 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2016. Sports people associated with Lowestoft include the England football captain Terry Butcher, who was educated there, and Peter Wright (darts player), Peter Wright, a Darts World Champion who spent formative years there. Others include former Ipswich Town goalkeeper Laurie Sivell, Norwich City defenders Paul Haylock and Daryl Sutch, former football player and manager Richard Money, New York Mets pitcher Les Rohr and Olympic Games, Olympic Bronze medal-winning middleweight boxer Anthony Ogogo.

Freedom of the Town

The following individuals, military units, organisations and groups have received the Freedom of the City, Freedom of the Town of Lowestoft.

Individuals

*Benjamin Britten : 28 July 1951. (Borough of Lowestoft) *John Wylson: 25 June 2021 *Christopher Brooks: 25 June 2021, formally conferred at a ceremony on 27 November 2021.

Organisations and groups

*Excelsior (smack), The Excelsior: 25 June 2021.

Notes

References

External links

Lowestoft Town CouncilNation on Film – the rise and fall of the fishing industry on England's east coast
BBC website. {{Authority control Lowestoft, Towns in Suffolk Populated coastal places in Suffolk Port cities and towns of the North Sea Seaside resorts in England Benjamin Britten Beaches of Suffolk Civil parishes in Suffolk Waveney District