The Henham Steam Rally really started some 2 years before we came onto Henham with a small Steam Fair at Lower Green Farm, Sotterley. This event, and one a year later at Brampton, was organised by the late Len Murray. Len was an historic agricultural implement and vehicle enthusiast and at that time held an interesting collection of by-gone items in the barns at Alexander Farm. The two Fairs were well supported ,but took place at sites that were restricted for space, especially parking, and it was realised that a site that would offer a more permanent Show Ground, preferably on grass, should be sought. Another, very important, factor being the need to recruit additional people to help run any future Rally.

The move to High Lodge area in Henham Park came about fortuitously because of the interest of the 4th.Earl of Stradbroke in the problems arising with the needs of the local Churches and Charities to raise more funds. Our first Chairman was Kim Kent, and he was ably assisted by Philip Godsal and Len Murray. Kim was at that time both a Church Warden for Uggeshall Church and Chairman of the Wangford & District Community Council and Len was an active member of the Southwold (Sole Bay) Lions Club and this lead to the 3 organisations agreeing to provide the expertise and help to run the Rally after Lord Stradbroke offered us the use of this part of his estate.

The organisations actively engaged in running the Rally are the Parochial Church Councils of Wangford-cum-Henham, Uggeshall & Sotherton, Wangford Community Council and Southwold (Sole Bay) Lions Club. They are supported by a group of volunteers and organisations who provide many types of help from ground preparation to parking and the many other tasks that ,hopefully, make your visit to the Rally enjoyable.

That the Rally needs more help each year may be gauged from the fact that the 1975 Rally attracted some 205 entries and recent rallies saw over 1200! The visitor numbers have also grown and in a good year we expect to see up to 15,000 people on the ground over the weekend. We will always appreciate offers of help from individuals and organisations to set up and/or work on the days of the Show ~ we are all volunteers and all of the monies raised go to the Organising Group and other charities, etc. If you would like to help, please contact us.

We have had our ups and downs ~ one year we had to move away to Sibton Park near Yoxford and "enjoyed" the wettest two days of the Rally ever! Recent years have been frustrating due firstly to the Fuel Crisis and bad weather in 2000 ~ we were not exactly top of anyone's visiting list when they only had a gallon of fuel in the car ! The 2001 Rally was blighted, as were so many other events, by the Foot & Mouth problems; the Park is normally home to several hundred sheep and cattle and so we had to move a few hundred yards away to Forge Field at Brampton. Not our nice grass Show Ground but a stubble field which was fortunately very large and allowed us to spread the exhibits out and those that came, in spite of poor weather, had an enjoyable time.

2003 saw us on the move yet again as we were unable to use the Henham Estate; this time off to the Royal Norfolk Show Ground, where we held a very successful Rally - it was a pleasure to have roads, lanes and plots already laid out for us to fill! We were not disappointed either with the support that we received from both old and new exhibitors and visitors.

2004, we enjoyed a very successful Rally in Benacre Park on a very beautiful site in spite of some access problems, with record numbers of exhibitors and Stallholders attending.

The 2005 Rally, now back on our old home in Henham Park, was a great success both for the exhibitors and visitors.

The Rally in Henham Park continues to be a great success due to the enthusiastic support of the Exhibitors, Traders and, of course, the Visitors.