Grand Henham Steam Rally

The steam rally was first organized by Len Murray and held at Lower Green Farm, Sotterley. Given the numbers of attendees, and with the support of John Rous, 4th Earl of Stradbroke, the event was later moved to Henham Park. The rally is run by the parochial church councils of Wangford-cum-Henham, Uggeshall and Sotherton; the Wangford Community Council and Southwold (Sole Bay) Lions Club. It is usually held in the Henham Park fields,[1] but on five occasions has taken place elsewhere; at Sibton, Brampton, the Norfolk Showground (west of Norwich), Benacre and Trinity Park, Ipswich.[2] There is an entrance fee, and camping in the park is allowed for an additional fee.[1]

The rally is a charity that gives its profits to local organizations.[3] At the 37th rally in September 2012 over £40,000 was raised for local charities.[4] In 2018 profits went to the UK Sepsis Trust, East Anglian Air Ambulance, Wrentham Community First Responders, SERV Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and Southwold Lifeboat Station.[5] In 2019 recipients included Wangford and District Community Council, Southwold (Sole Bay) Lions Club, Parochial Church Councils of Sotherton, Wangford cum Henham and Uggeshall, Lowestoft and Waveney Samaritans, National Trust Dunwich Heath and Beccles and District Guides.[3]

On 9 July 2020 it was reported that Henham Steam Rally Trading Ltd, the company based in Beccles that organized the steam rally had been wound up because it could not afford to pay for an injury incurred in an accident in 2015. Damages of £76,160 were owing to a Colchester man.[6]

Several thousand visitors come to the Grand Henham Steam Rally, which as of 2020 had been run each year for 45 years.[3] Typically there is a bandstand with live music, craft tent and craft stalls, trade stands, food stands and a bar, a vintage fairground, a clown and a Punch and Judy puppet show for children. Displays include steam engines, stationary engines, vintage & classic cars, vintage commercial & military vehicles, tractors and motorcycles.[7]

Tractors at the 2008 Henham Steam Rally

In 2012 there was a parade of steam engines followed by the Southwold and Reydon Corps of Drums, a demonstration of kite flying by Team Spectrum, a parade of vintage and classic cars, and a commercial and military vehicle parade.[4] There was a special pageant, From the sickle to the combine harvester, that told of the evolution of harvesting over the ages.[8] In September 2018 the 44th Grand Henham Steam Rally for the first time let attendees drive a steam engine. Another new display was steam roller barrel rolling.[9] The 2018 rally also included a Dog and Duck Show, where trained sheepdogs herded ducks, and a display of working Shires and Suffolk Punch horses.[5] Other events have included a stunt team display, the Ken Fox motorcycle Wall of Death troupe, horse-drawn carriage rides and a dog agility display.[1]

The 2020 rally was to have included more than 30 full size and miniature traction engines, steam rollers, lorries and cars. There would be working demonstrations of steam power, including threshing, sawing benches, and stone crushing.[10] The organizing committee for the 2020 rally considered cashless payments, wide one-way aisles to make social distancing practical and greater cleaning, but it steadily became obvious that there would be no way to make the event safe for visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] On 3 July 2020 it was decided to cancel the 46th Grand Henham Steam Rally, which was to have been held on 19–20 September 2020, due to government restrictions on large events. The next rally was planned for 18−19 September 2021 at Henham Park.[11]