We have had to leave out of this week's paper, for reasons of space, a report of the recent ward opening at Hill House, and also the annual report of the Community Centre following their recent AGM; we are very sorry and will include both next week. Also next week, the prizewinning Hawaiian holidaymakers!
Paula Sams, 15, of Bankside, has brought credit on herself, Rye St. John's and the town at a recent St. John Ambulance competition. Paula, a nursing cadet sergeant, represented Rye at Barcombe, near Lewes, on 13 November in the Sussex St. John First Aid Individual Competition. She won the County Staff Cup by coming first in the Eastern Area, and then went on to the all-Sussex final. Here she tied for first place with the representative from Eastbourne, sharing the Windham Trophy; it is thought to be the first time that this award has come to Rye. Paula's "accident" fell off a ladder, broke his leg and bruised an arm; doubtless she would have dealt equally competently with any other emergency.
Those watching the recent Remembrance Sunday parade will have noticed the remarkably long line of grey-caped St. John Ambulance nursing cadets. Divisional Superintendent Mrs. Marilyn Mitchell now has 42 cadets aged from 8 to 16, with a waiting list. She is helped by two Division Officers, Miss Carol Quinton and Mrs. Mandy Martin, with help over nursing from SEN Mrs. Farthing and from Miss Pulford. The nursing cadets obviously learn exceedingly useful skills. They also do all their own fund-raising or the equivalent - Paula's mother is currently busy making a supply of the grey capes, since these have been discontinued as standard issue at national level - and they hope for plenty of support at their coffee morning on Saturday, when there will be refreshments, cakes, a raffle and Christmassy things to buy at the St. John Centre on Conduit Hill from 10.0.
Father Christmas has told the Rye Chamber of Trade that he would like to pay his usual visit to the town on Saturday, 11 December; he adds that he is particularly busy this year, so the Chamber has provided the fastest possible transport for him... He will arrive at the George Hotel around 3 p.m., when the Christmas lights will be switched on and the traditional balloons distributed.
Rye's traders spend £500 annually on the lights which give such a festive appearance to most of the town's shopping streets; just replacing bulbs each year can cost up to £200, and the electricity bill mops up the rest. Labour - as anyone who has been about in the town on recent evenings will know - has come free.
Mrs. Diane James of Rye Harbour, who arranges the summer Raft Races, proudly presented a cheque for £580 to Miss Wendy Hannaford, NSPCC Area Organiser, at a social evening at the Harbour's William the Conqueror on Saturday; and there will be a bit more to come from the raffle, etc.. Branch Secretary Mrs. Anne Wood had a busy day, since Saturday also saw a coffee morning in Winchelsea which raised £370 for the same good cause, arranged by Mrs. Marguerite Fuller at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Jempson. The NSPCC has also received £68 from its Bonfire Night boxes. All this money goes straight off to HQ apart from a very small balance in hand, since the charity is desperately short of money. Anne Wood says that her committee members are not being allowed to relax, despite this very successful run of fund-raising; there is a Christmas coffee morning at Rye's FE Centre next Wednesday (8 December) at which they hope to see all their regular friends and supporters and perhaps some new faces as well.
2.
We do our best to publish brief obituaries of Rye residents and former residents, as we think that in such a small community such notices are of interest, now that they are seldom included elsewhere. It is sometimes very difficult to assemble material for such obituaries without pestering bereaved families, which of course we are loath to do. A recent notice has caused offence to members of the deceased's family, who nevertheless do not wish us to publish a formal apology; but we are naturally very sorry and will try to do better. However, if people would be so kind as to get in touch with the GAZETTE and let us know what we should put, we would very much appreciate it.
Mr. John Phillips, aged 53, died very suddenly at his Pottingfield Road home on 22 November from a heart attack. Mr. Phillips worked at Dungeness Power Station and was a keen snooker player at the British Legion Club. Mrs. Phillips, Dilly to her friends, is most grateful for all the help and support she has received from friends, workmates and neighbours in her sad and sudden loss.
Mr. Maurice Thorp, 68, a familiar figure to people in the Cinque Ports Street area, died in hospital on 21 November. His death is the second in Devonport House in recent weeks. He leaves three daughters and six grandchildren. The family came to Rye in 1964, when Mr. Thorp was in partnership with his son-in-law in Monks & Thorp, the Cinque Ports Street butchers. He lived in the flat above the shop until his move in the spring to Devonport House, where he will be much missed by the residents, as well as by fellow whist players in the town.
Mr. George Pope, of New Road, died on 22 November aged 73, after being in poor health for some time. Mr. Pope, who lived with his daughter and grand-daughter, also leaves a son and two grand-daughters in Hastings. For some years he had worked as a bricklayer for the late Mr. Henry Wood; in his younger days he used to play football for Rye.
At Thursday's meeting of Rother Planning Committee the following decisions were taken - or not taken - on Rye applications, some of which we have already mentioned:
Refusals went to Tuckers Restaurant in The Mint (various requests for longer hours, music, etc.), and to the plans for the Grist Mill on the Strand (GAZETTE no.8 - the objection was primarily to the erection of a garage on the waste ground at the end). Mr. and Mrs. Jenkinson received permission for an extension at the back of their High Street premises. Three applications were deferred - the matter of the colour of Mr. Apps's greengrocer's shop, residential permission for the Wool Store (GAZETTE no.11), and a small second-floor extension to the Saltings Hotel.
The Connors' application (GAZETTE no.10) to open a cafe in Golden's shop has been referred to the full Council, since one member of the Committee objected - this is a safeguard normally used to protect small villages from having unsuitable developments foisted on them by a majority decision of the Committee. It is clear from the agenda that the Planning Officer raised no objection, and the Conservation Society merely warned against excessive ice-cream advertising. The full Council meets towards the end of December.
(By the way, the Planning Officer reminds us that members of the public are always welcome to attend, though not of course to speak at, any Committee or Council meeting, whether or not they have a personal interest in a subject due to be discussed.)
At Rye Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, Rother's Enforcement Officer brought a case against a Mr. Webb, of London, who has built a shed in one of the fields along the Rye Harbour Road for which planning permission was not only not sought but also quite clearly would never be given. He refused to take it down, tried moving it within the field, but has nonetheless been fined £250; the Planning Officer tells us that prosecutions will continue to be brought as long as the shed remains. Planning permission for development of any kind, even a weekend caravan, along that strip of land is apparently out of the question; Mr. Powell says that with caravans, the difficulty is finding anyone at home on whom to serve the enforcement notice!
THE RYE GAZETTE, 1.12.82 - page 3
The Peacocke sings
After last week's two evenings of drama at Thomas Peacocke School, this week was the turn of the music side. On Thursday, St. Mary's was the setting for a concert by more than 70 musicians and a dance presentation, under the direction of Lois Benton and Margaret Marshall respectively. Among items by the choir was Handel's anthem "Zadok the Priest", written for the coronation of George II. It is interesting to reflect that at that coronation James Lamb, then Mayor of Rye, was one of the canopy-bearers and must have heard the anthem's first performance; and the new king's father George I had been personally present in St. Mary's as godfather to James Lamb's baby son, born on the stormy January night when the royal transport was driven ashore at Camber in 1726! Back in 1982, Nigel Spooner, new to the school's chemistry staff, was at the organ; Peter Allington conducted the two orchestral items, and there were solos for flute and violin. The choir sang carols written for the annual Nationwide competition by Joanna Simpkins, Karen Walker and Rowena Wilson, and with the wind band performed "Close thine Eyes", words by Charles I and music arranged by Miss Benton's brother. The Dance Club presented two group items and a tap dance, and Amanda Briggs's play "Waiting for the Down Train" received its repeat performance - both groups coped well with the church's restricted stage facilities, always a bit of a problem to those used to the large Upper School stage.
On Friday, Digby Fairweather and Stan Barker capped an afternoon's workshop at the school with a very enjoyable evening of jazz. The school hall is not perhaps the ideal place for this type of music, but the players were undeterred; they had the first half to themselves, with an unexpected bonus in the elegant form of smoky-voiced Liz Lincoln who sang three old favourites. The second half involved the new Thomas Peacocke Jazz Band, who led off with a TP blues number containing improvisations by seven soloists arising out of the afternoon's session. Four flutes and a clarinet played Stan Barker's piece "Jane", and "Emily" had Michael Townsend's saxophone solo and David Dee on the trombone. Benedict Lovell played a flute duet "Lady be Good" with Digby Fairweather, and the evening ended with Stan Barker's "As You Like It" with the full band. We look forward to next time.
It seems unlikely that the staff will ever again want to mount four such different events within ten days, with Christmas only three weeks away; but it was certainly a splendid demonstration of what the school can do out of hours. Our apologies to Jason Lamb of the fifth year: we did not realise that he had composed the music to one of the dances the previous week. Incidentally, the splendid copper charger then used to collect some £80 for the John Corbett Memorial Fund was the fiery first object made at the metalwork shop at Rye Grammar School; it was presented to the then Headmaster, Mr. Jacobs, and has just come back to the school as a gift from his widow, along with a copper bowl made at the same time. Does anyone know who actually made them, or was it a corporate effort?
For several years now Rye Library has housed a photocopier, much used and offering unbeatable value, but somewhat limited in scope. To remedy this, Rye Print & Publicity (ex Fagin's, opposite Banisters the Ironmongers) has just installed a dry-powder photocopier with a wide range of talents. It can cope with work up to 10" x 14" (B4 size, unfortunately not quite large enough for the GAZETTE); it can print on coloured paper, or your own stationery, or adhesive labels, or card - and of course on both sides of the paper if required. The firm also offers silk-screen printing on more or less any material, not only fabric, and they have a good-range of business stationery as well as undertaking all kinds of printing work. They very much doubt if their combination of speed and economy can be bettered anywhere in the Rye area. Photocopying can be done while you wait, 9.50 to 5.0 except on Tuesdays when they close at 1.0. For a long time Rye has needed a service of this kind, and the GAZETTE wishes Geoff and Ro every success in their new venture.
We would also mention that until Christmas they will be selling, without taking a commission, the car gift packs produced by Rye Young Enterprise (see story overleaf).
THE RYE GAZETTE 1.12.82 - page 4
Apprentice business
The GAZETTE went to see another company chairman last week. Marc Chapman currently heads the 17-strong board of directors of R.Y.E., a new concern whose order books for its first product are already full until the end of the year. Marc, along with accountant Tracy Kirkham, secretary Julie Moug, production manager Richard Fry, sales manager Paul Farley and personnel manager Andrew Maylam will lose his job and go back to the shop floor in February, when a new management team will take over - for R.Y.E. stands for Rye Young Enterprise, and it rents, for two hours a week, the woodwork shop at Thomas Peacocke School.
This is the second year that Lower Sixth pupils at Thomas Peacocke have run such a business - the Young Enterprise scheme is a national organisation intended to show its members in a small but very practical way how industry works. Last year's group, Peacocke Enterprises, made wooden key-holders. R.Y.E.'s wood-and-canvas magazine rack kits, designed by Marc and Stephen Pearse, have attracted so much interest that deposits for them flowed in and meant that the company did not need to seek anything like the £100 of shareholders' money which is its top limit. The group is now working flat out to complete before Christmas the 55 £2.95 kits already ordered, and have embarked on a second product, this time something to give them experience in packaging and marketing rather than basic production: a car gift pack - various useful motoring accessories in a Christmas stocking (the Mars Bar people helped them out here), selling at a helpful £1.95. The pack will be on sale direct from R.Y.E. on Thursdays from 4 to 6 at the school, or from Fagin’s (now Rye Print and Publicity), or from Farley’s Garage in Peasmarsh. The firm is also producing - primarily as a means of using up the scrap wood from the magazine racks, British Industry please note! - a kit-form triple candlestick, which will sell complete with three candles for 75p and will be unveiled at tonight's Parents Evening.
They plan to produce one or two more "limited editions" as well as continuing with the popular magazine rack after Christmas. But in any case the company has to go into voluntary liquidation in May, when it will hope to pay a dividend to its shareholders - or, of course, explain to them why it can't, if production schedules should fall behind or something go badly wrong.
The evening the GAZETTE called, the atmosphere on the shop floor was busy but relaxed; this particular group are old friends who have come up the school together. All 17 directors do their share of the work, and industrial relations are obviously excellent; as one of the team said, you don't need a union when all the workers are on the board. They can turn for advice to adults outside the school who are willing to give the young company the benefit of their wider experience (and of course parents have their uses) - among this year's Advisers are Richard Popple, Adrian Perry, Dr. Wali Jeelani and Brian Tuck, all members of Rotary who are sponsoring the scheme.
Young Enterprise issues a management manual dealing with every aspect of running a simple business, with a timetable covering the company's nine-month lifespan; but the ultimate management decisions are taken by the board members, and the GAZETTE hopes to be able to report in May on the conclusion of a very successful and rewarding venture.
Take your partners
A rather special dance is planned for Friday, 17 December, by the Friends of Rye Art Gallery, to mark the start of Christmas festivities, The ballroom at the George Hotel will quiver to the music of that popular band from Headcorn, Dr. Jazz and his Men, and the tickets include not only first-rate music but also light refreshments and, so the organisers intend, an atmosphere of sparkling elegance: "Wear your best clothes" is the message. Dancing begins at 9 p.m., there is a bar extension, and the raffle, with some very generous prizes from local businesses, will be drawn at midnight. Tickets £5 each from the Easton Rooms in the High Street.
5.
In brief (because there is so much happening this week)
All young people, particularly teenagers, are invited to the FE Centre on Thursday evenings in December, when from 6.30 to 8.30 there will be a coffee bar and other refreshments, music and games as part of a live Christian programme. This week John Pyke talks about hang-gliding, and the organisers promise that the atmosphere will certainly not be a traditionally "religious" one. They also point out that everything is free - you can come with empty pockets and still enjoy yourself. (They need a few more helpers and would be glad to see volunteers tomorrow.)
Members of St. Anthony's Church are giving a party on Thursday, 9 December, in the Methodist Hall at 7.0, in the course of which will be shown a video film of the Pope's visits to Canterbury and Cardiff. Anybody who would like to come is cordially invited.
A very enjoyable exhibition on the theme of Fairground, Funfair and Circus enlivens the Easton Rooms till the end of the month. Listing all the exhibitors would take too much of this issue's congested space, but Kitty French's batik hangings are particularly striking, and on Saturday morning visitors were playing happily with traditional swinging toys. Much admired too were some delightful painted wooden vehicles obviously intended for the nurseries of the idle rich. The gallery has managed to secure a further small supply of W.G. Breese's wooden bowls; Graham Fuller has jewellery on show; and there is a wide selection of work by many of the gallery's regular exhibitors.
Friends of Freda Gardham School were delighted with the response to their coffee morning on Monday, when more than 200 people abandoned their washing and came to New Road, to chat and admire the children's work. Visitors were greeted with a colourful display of cards and decorations in the lobby, and went on to look at a second-year project which included a large-scale map of Rye and an attractive panorama of the town and quay. A first-year study of volcanoes included a large model, fortunately not working! Quite apart from the £173 raised, the organisers hope that this is the start of a better liaison between the school and non-parents in the town, and they hope to continue this into next year.
Enthusiastic lunchers at the Community Centre on Tuesday raised £130 for the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council - ploughman's lunches and stalls were arranged by the Rye Branch. Best wishes from his many friends in the town go to the hard- working Branch Secretary, Alex Buchan of Udimore Road; though far from well he insisted on attending, but we all hope to see him back to his normal energetic self before long.
We are sorry to hear that Mrs. Amy Leggett, of Tower Street, is at present in St. Helen's. Mrs. Leggett, who won't mind us saying that she is 86, is a very keen member of the Red Cross Over-60s Club, who will be glad to see her home again. Her daughter Mrs. Joan Yates has had many enquiries after Mrs. Leggett's health, and reports that if all goes well her mother will be able to spend Christmas with her family in New Winchelsea Road, though she is unlikely to be able to return to Tower Street for a while yet.
Welcome to Ted and Liz Duffield, who have just taken over the management of the Ship Inn, part of the Mermaid Hotel group. The Duffield’s come originally from Halifax, to join the quite considerable number of northerners on the Rye scene. Liz is a housecraft teacher, recently working in a semi-secure remand centre at Tonbridge; Ted is an ex-policeman. We hope they will enjoy life down the Strand.
Also from up north, Manchester this time, are Michael and Ann Kaufman, new owners of the Elizabethan Restaurant in Cinque Ports Street. Michael was for many years chef at a 3-star hotel in St. Ives - in many ways rather like Rye - and although he is not planning sensational changes at the Elizabethan for the present, he is intending to take more advantage of the restaurant's full licence. His previous job meant plenty of catering for functions, and he hopes to continue this in Rye, specially for local people; at the moment, there is lots of redecorating to do.
The NHS has recently sent round a notice helpfully drawing attention to the existence of an emergency dental clinic on Sunday mornings from 9 to 11.30 ("phone before leaving home"). Although our own dentists aren't allowed to say so, we feel that in an emergency they would be rather more use; the NHS clinic is in Newhaven!
6.
Thursday, 2nd Christian Lunch Club, Capt. John Smith of the Church Army, CC, 12 Museum Association party (members and guests), Town Hall, 7
Friday, 3rd Vidler & Co.'s monthly auction sale, 10
RNLI party, Skinners (Bryans), 6 to 8 - all welcome (GAZETTE no.12)
Rye Movie Society Guest Evening, FEC, 7.30 (invitation only)
Rye Majorettes, Christmas show, CC, 7.30 (GAZETTE no.11)
Papa Joe's film: "Roadie", Pizzeria, 9
Saturday, 4th Playden Church Christmas Market, FEC, 10
Women's British Legion coffee morning, Red Cross, 10 (see below)
St. John nursing cadets coffee morning, St. John Centre, 10 (p.1) Coffee morning, St. Anthony's, Church Square, 10.30 (GAZETTE no.10)
Winchelsea Floral Group Christmas Fair, competitions, George, 10-4 Greyfriars Christmas Bazaar, Winchelsea, 2 to 4
National Trust members' party, CC, 6.30 to 9
Sunday, 5th Joint service with Rye, N.Y., St. Mary's, 10.30
Tuesday, 7th FRAG talk "Prisons and Prisoners", Lord Longford, Town Hall, 8
Wednesday, 8th NSPCC Christmas coffee morning, FEC, 10 to 12
Wine-and-cheese and auction for Rye Hospital, Town Hall, from 7
From only two days' selling instead of their usual three, Rye Lions raised £400 at their charity shop at the Red Cross Centre last week; raffle winner was Mrs.Pankhurst of Udimore Road. The Lions would like to thank all those who contributed items to their quite remarkable collection of furniture, kitchen equipment, books, clothes and bric-a-brac.
The recent Singalong at the Community Centre raised £80 for Cancer Relief.
Among the stalls at the Women's British Legion coffee morning on Saturday - to be opened by the Mayor and Mayoress - will be one selling work made by disabled men at the BL village near Maidstone; profits from the stall will of course go directly back to the makers.
On Monday the WRVS lunch club served almost 90 full traditional Christmas dinners in the Community Centre, particularly welcoming two visitors from Greyfriars.
Rye Scouts and Cubs made a gratifying £350 at Saturday's Christmas Fair at the FEC.
The Globe Inn's car treasure hunt on Saturday was much enjoyed despite the fog - 16 cars entered, and the champagne winners were, very appropriately, Lydd Fire Station. £81 was raised for firemen's charities, and the event is likely to be repeated next year.
Mr. and Mrs. Conner tell us that there is absolutely no truth in the rumour that the Fish Shop in The Mint is closed or closing, and they will be pleased to see customers at the usual times - not Mondays during the winter.
Our enquiry for bookbinders has produced three practitioners so far - with their permission we will publish the list shortly for the benefit of other readers.
If anyone short of Christmas money has a bundle of old postcards stuffed away at the back of a drawer and doing no good to anybody, John Bartholomew of Udimore Road and now also of The Mint Arcade would be pleased to look at them - some are now collector's pieces and he will be glad to make offers for suitable cards. Ring Rye 2542, or call at 71 The Mint.
Roberts Farm at Iden holds an apple sale until 20 December - money-off offers on 30-lb boxes of Crispin, Golden Delicious and small Coxes.
THE RYE GAZETTE is registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. It is published by Mrs. Mary Owen at 94 Udimore Road, Rye (Rye 2303), who is always glad to receive news items for inclusion. Normal deadline is Monday afternoon, though minor alterations can be made not later than 9 a.m. on Tuesday. The GAZETTE costs 20p a week, and is normally delivered to subscribers on Wednesday.
Photocopied by Sussex Secretarial Services, 11 Claremont, Hastings (942 2633).