The Queen witnessed astonishing advances in technology during her long reign.

Famously, many people’s first experience of watching television came with the Coronation in 1953, as families crowded round the only TV in the street, or perhaps splashed out on their own set.

During her long reign, the Queen saw not only the widespread adoption of television, but also the advent of colour TV, the introduction of mobile phones, the internet and social media. And, of course, the first man on the Moon!

Despite the pace of change, Her Majesty was never left behind. In her mid-90s, she adapted to virtual meetings on Zoom when the Covid pandemic restricted the ability for people to meet in person.

Given her background of keeping pace with technological advances, a five-hour visit by the Queen to Suffolk in November 1975 was particularly appropriate.

She came to Martlesham to officially open the £11m Post Office Research Centre, the iconic building which still stands prominently next to the A12 east of Ipswich.

It was a major coup for Suffolk to secure the research centre, which back then and still today represents the very cutting edge of technology. It is now part of Adastral Park.

The Queen was given a guided tour of the facility, and shown the view from the tower by Clifford Smith, chief executive of the recently-formed Suffolk County Council.

Even the driest of occasions could be lightened by Her Majesty’s famously sharp sense of humour, and such a moment came during her visit to Martlesham.

Former EADT and Ipswich Star photographer David Kindred was covering the Royal visit, and recalls: “The Queen was given some headphones to listen to a recording of herself making the first STD telephone call from Bristol to Edinburgh in 1958. She said ‘Goodness - I sound just like Queen Victoria.”

STD, or subscriber trunk dialling to use its full title, was a major communications breakthrough. It meant members of the public were now able to make long-distance calls without using the operator. The Queen’s call in 1958 was made from Bristol to Edinburgh.

Today, Adastral Park remains an important technology centre, home to BT Research and Innovation, and Innovation Martlesham, a cluster of 150 high-tech companies.

Photo research by David Kindred.