There has been very little feedback so far about the bypass article in our last issue (probably because most people are only now coming out of the hibernation into which they retired over Easter). But Sir Brian Batsford, Councillor James Menhinick and Jonathan Jempson are all people whose views should be taken seriously; the fact that they have different views is symptomatic of the problems that Rye will be facing once the D o T finally comes through with our public consultation.
Jonathan Jempson lives in the middle of Winchelsea but runs his very large road-haulage business from the back of South Undercliff. He writes:
"You appear to condemn every possible route for a Rye through- or bypass without making any constructive suggestion as to where else it should go. A Winchelsea bypass is imperative and the preferred route selected will in no way increase the traffic passing through Rye; rather it will reduce considerably the traffic along almost all the dangerous Winchelsea and New Winchelsea Roads to the benefit of nearly all the residents there and it will make no difference at all to the traffic nuisances experienced by virtually all other Rye residents. I do not believe the residents of Rye will ever agree as to where a Rye bypass or through-pass should go, so why waste time with lots more delaying public consultations? Let the D o T get on with their preferred route for Winchelsea which, as they rightly say, still leaves all the options open for Rye (which Rye residents can still spend years arguing about). Lastly you do not mention that the green route was selected by the biggest majority of those concerned as being the most preferable."
In fact, the GAZETTE report did not "condemn every possible route" for Rye; it merely reviewed them, mostly without comment. It was Ken Warren who said that we should not get a southerly route - and as far as we know, this is the one most favoured in the town. Perhaps the next most popular view is that things should be left as they are! Anyway, the Editor would like to make it clear that GAZETTE policy is to oppose any kind of through-way, and to clamour for either a southerly or a northerly route if we have a new route at all.
(Mr. Jempson's reference to "lots more delaying public consultations" is puzzling; re, of course, is still awaiting the official public consultation for our route, out this will be the only one. Possibly he is thinking of public enquiries, which have to be held if landowners affected cannot be placated by the Department. This may not arise for the Winchelsea route, but the D o T will have its work cut out to placate all the affected landowners along a Rye one, whichever they choose.)
As soon as James Menhinick read the report he wrote straight off to Ken Warren saying that he hoped the GAZETTE has misrepresented Mr. Warren's attitude to a through-way. "Any bypass for the town must bypass it" his letter says "either to the north or the south, whichever is the more practicable, and one would expect you as our MP, an engineer and a man of reason to appreciate this crucially important point, fight for your constituents' majority views and not deign, tamely, to accept the bureaucratic diktat of a remote Ministry."
If we did misrepresent Mr. Warren's attitude, we shall be very happy indeed to say so; if not, Councillor Menhinick has fired a telling warning shot in what is likely to be a long, long fight.
Finally, a comment from Sir Brian Batsford on the Winchelsea choice – a comment which he is also making in high places. "I think" he says simply "it may prove to be one of the worst environmental decisions since this government came to power."'
2.
Mrs. Lulu Gramann, formerly of Fishmarket Road, died in a nursing home on 26 March after some years of illness. She was the widow of Heinrich Gramann, the good friend of St. Mary's Church, who died in November; they had lived in Rye since 1974. Mrs. Gramann, who was 78, had been a WRVS member earlier in her life, and was a supporter of Dr. Barnardo's Homes. She is survived by two sons and a daughter. The funeral took place at St. Mary's last Wednesday.
Mr. Lewis Affleck, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, died on 27 March after a long illness. He is survived by a son and daughter and grandchild - and by his widow Nellie, nee Bayley, sister of the late Mrs. Doris Murrell and of Bob Bayley of Cyprus Place. Mr. and Mrs. Affleck met when he was a staff sergeant with the Essex Scottish Canadian Regiment stationed here during WW2; they married later in Canada, but have been back to visit relatives and friends in Rye several times in the years since the war.
Miss Maisie Callender died suddenly on Good Friday at the Jolly Sailor in Hucksteps Row, the home she shared with Mrs. Peter James. She was 81. Miss Callender and her twin sister Joyce (who died in 1978) were for many years district nurses in Woking, having trained at St. Thomas's; on their retirement they joined forces with their close friend Mrs. James and settled in Rye in 1 1. For many years Miss Callender gave unstinting service to Greyfriars, and later to the Association for the Blind; she was the organiser of the St. Mary's Flower Guild for 16 years, and her delightful watercolours gave much pleasure to visitors to the annual exhibitions of the Tuesday Painters club, of which she was a founder member. She was held in real affection by her many friends and acquaintances in Rye, and her unfailing kindness and practical concern for those in need of help will long be remembered. We would like to offer our sympathy to Mrs. James. The funeral has taken place privately, but there will be a memorial service at St. Mary's today week (16th) at noon; donations in Miss Callender's memory may be sent to the Rectory for St. Mary's Church funds.
Miss Ruth Baker, of Fair Meadow, died suddenly at her home on 28 March. Miss Baker, who was 39, had worked as a florist in Hastings.
Mrs. Margaret Bourne of Cyprus Place died in hospital on 29 March; she had been in poor health for some years, but her death was unexpected. A native of Londonderry, Mrs. Bourne met her husband Alec when he was stationed in Northern Ireland just after WW1; they came to Rye when he left the Army in 1928, and had lived in Cyprus Place ever since, celebrating their Diamond Wedding there in August 1984. Mrs. Bourne, who was 79, is survived by her husband - also in hospital, but making good progress - and their son Robert, who with his eldest daughter flaw back from New Zealand when the sad news reached him. The funeral takes place at Hastings Crematorium today (Wednesday) at 3.
Mrs. Harriet Fellows, who died at Greyfriars on 29 March, was 93, and had been living with her daughter Mrs.Barham in New Road after giving up her home on the Estate.
Mr. Danny Crew of Udimore Road died in Rye Hospital on 3 April after a long illness; he was 73, and is survived by his widow and their artist son David. Mr. Crew served in the police force for 30 years, first in Hove and then, from 1958, as one of the sergeants at Rye Police Station, where he was a contemporary of Sgt. Parrack. After he retired in 1970, he joined Pontins as assistant manager in the company's early days at Camber. Until his illness he was a Rotarian, a member of the Boys' Club committee and a driver for the hospital car service. The funeral is at Hastings Crematorium today (Wednesday) at 2.
(The Editor is always most grateful for the help of family and friends in writing obituary notices.)
- 3 - THE RYE GAZETTE, 9 April 1986
Another charming wedding group graced the south door of St. Mary's on Saturday afternoon, with the sun obligingly popping out for exactly the time required. Alyson, daughter of Sister Pursglove of Rye Hospital, was married to Graham Southerden of Ferry Road. Alyson wore an exceedingly pretty lace and tulle dress, with a flowing tulle veil which must have been a hazard to the two small pages (Pilcher cousins of Graham's, aged 4 and 5) who followed her up the aisle. Two grown-up bridesmaids (cousins of Alyson's) looked charming in pink crinoline dresses. The church was not the bride's first call in her wedding-dress; she and her mother had paid a quick visit to Rye Hospital to delight the patients there with the sight of the first bride (presumably?) seen in the hospital for many years. Alyson and her father arrived at the church in an elegant white Rolls Royce, which also took the new Mr. and Mrs. Southerden to the reception at the George Hotel. The honeymoon is being spent touring on the South Coast. Graham works at Spun Concrete, and Alyson has an office job in Hastings; they will be living in Rye.
Mrs. Phyllis Davis, who was injured in an accident in the High Street the week before Easter, is now in Ward 2 of the Royal East Sussex Hospital - out of bed, and surprisingly cheerful (says her mother) considering that her arm is broken in three places, her pelvis in two, and she has three cracked ribs as well. Mrs. Hickman tells us that her daughter has had so many cards and messages - and a really beautiful bouquet from the dustmen, which was greatly appreciated - but she can't reply to any of them because it is her writing arm which is broken. So the family would like to say how very grateful they all are for the kindness and sympathy which have been shown over the past fortnight. Although Mrs. Davis is making good progress, there is no date yet for her to come home; but we all hope it won't be long.
Fortunately there was nothing very dramatic for Rye at the 20 March Planning Committee meeting (left out of our last issue). Mostly the Rye applications were straightforward, and the following were either approved or delegated to the Planning Officer to approve after the statutory time: the refurbishment of Monastery Cot- _ tage; the slight shift of the Sports Centre site (see page 4); the use of railway arches 9 to 14 (temporary until 31.3.89 and with no vehicular access or parking); extensions to 101 Winchelsea Road, 30 New Road, 44 New Road, and the Old School House at Rye Harbour; the new Coastguard garage at the Harbour; the office building for Ryecon in Harbour Road; and garage alterations at Goodfellows, _layden. The application for an extension to 87 Fishmarket Road was deferred for amendments to the design. Jempsons got their permission for occasional use of the Farnborough site for coach and car parking, for one year only and subject to various conditions to be agreed with the Planning Officer; pedestrian access will be via Farm Lane, and no HGVs or trailers will be parked on the site when the car park is in operation. (Decisions on 6 more Rye applications in Part III of the planning agenda were not available when we were making our enquiries.)
Recent planning applications include two from Shades in the High Street: one for a hanging sign projecting over Conduit Hill, the other for a canopy over the door (the milk-churns which at present adorn the entrance are removable and therefore, alas, don't need planning permission; but the canopy, which is already in place, does). Mr. and Mrs. Festing at 11 High Street would like to roof over a small part of the yard behind their house. The new owners of the Gluepot opposite the fire station are seeking permission for a single-storey extension at the back, demolishing the old bakehouse chimney; we asked why, and were told that it is damp and also, says their architect, "a bit of a danger". There is considerable objection, our Rye Harbour correspondent tells us, to a proposal to site 30 extra touring caravans on the Frenchman's Beach site at the foot of the Martello Tower; the owners have already constructed an access road encroaching on the tower's escarpment, presumably in the expectation of getting the permission.
• The Sports Centre met a minor hitch - luckily, before work had started seriously - when a surface-water drain shown on the map in one place turned up in another. This meant that planning permission had to be obtained for a site a few yards further away from the school and well clear of this drain, which doubled as a soakaway into the peat which underlies the clay surface crust. None of the work already done was wasted - though it would have been disastrous if the discovery had been made a few weeks later, because on Thursday more than 130 cubic metres of concrete were poured into the foundation beams, some 20 lorry-loads, working all day and well into the evening - about which the contractors, William Ellis, feel rather guilty and hope the neighbours made allowances. Certainly on Friday it was all setting comfortably, with the weekend ahead.
How deep are the foundations? Not deep at all - if they were, they would go through the clay into the peat below, and this would mean really rather a lot of lorry-loads to fill up the hole! But they are very wide, and steel rods form a 3D network into the centre of the layout. Ellises say the work is coming along nicely. (Fingers crossed!)
• Two visitors to Rye Museum last week were both interested and interesting; a man and a woman, both blind, asked if they could come in and bring their guide dogs. Luckily there were not many people about, so Ruth Ingham and Alma Fabez who were on duty, were able to take the time to show them round and help them to handle the more accessible exhibits. After a drink of water for the guide dogs, the VIPs were escorted down to the Gun Garden to have a feel of the cannon and a breath of sea air, and then Ed Gibson arrived to take them on a tour of the church. As far as anyone remembers, these were the Museum's first blind visitors, and Alma tells us that it was a delight to have them - though it would have been less easy in July or August, when the "minders" have to be very sharp-eyed on their own account with all three rooms full of visitors.
• Rye Old Scholars Association held two events in Rye recently. On 22 March, Leasam House welcomed 180 people who had either been pupils at Leasam House or Saltcote Place, or who had been on the staff of one or other of the school's boarding houses. The event was organised by Roy Forward, ex-Leasam and now living in Avon, to whom fell the gigantic task of contacting all those eligible for invitations. As far as the staff were concerned, only two were not there - and one was Colin Green, who had to send his apologies because his son Nicholas was getting married that same day at the other end of England. Ex-RGS Alan Sinden of the Hope Anchor presided over the bar; Julia Thomas and her helpers produced a splendid buffet; and conversation, the main entertainment of the --evening, was provided lavishly by all present - until well into the small hours.
A fortnight later, on 4 April, the Association held its Annual Reunion at the Mermaid. Leavers from 1974 to 1976 were specially welcome, but it was pleasant to see the number of local ex-pupils who dropped in to say hullo to Mr. Blacker, Mr. and Mrs. Tookey and Mr. White. All four have recently retired from the TPS staff, and presentations were made to them in the course of the evening.
• The Model Exhibition organised by Thomas Peacocke School PTA, postponed from February owing to bad weather, will now take place on Saturday week (19 April) from 2 to 4 at Upper School. We wrote about this at some length on 5 February, and the arrangements are still much the same. Non-competitive exhibitors include the ATC, New Romney Model Engineers, Robertsbridge Aviation, East Sussex Model Engineers, and there will be a display of "old slot machines and armour" (an intriguing combination!) and a military diarama. School children will have had details of the competitive classes, but any adult wanting to exhibit should contact Mrs. Le Roux, Hastings 8.2052.
• The same day sees the first Craft Market of the year (FEC, 11 to 5), a coffee morning at the Clinic for Playgroup funds (10), the Women's British Legion selling roses for St. George's Day, and coffee, at the Town Hall also from 10, and the Scouts jumble sale in the Scout Hut at 1.30 - neatly if coincidentally skimming off the people walking down to see the Model Exhibition at 2!
5.
• Tim Bourne, manager of the Midland Bank, moves on at the end of this week to a two-year posting with the Bank's Group Video Unit at Dorking - an interesting job which will give him a wide view of the bank's activities. We wish Mr. Bourne every success, particularly in view of his interest and help in sorting out the GAZETTE's new subscription system (we have had over 120 standing orders, and only five local people insisted on paying £3.60 by cheque; in June, when all subscriptions due will be quarterly ones, we shall only accept cash payments). The name of the new manager for the Midland has not yet been announced.
• Visitors to Bodiam Castle will see a Rye-built boat in unusual surroundings this summer -a rescue boat for the castle moat. The National Trust knew exactly what they wanted for one of their top attractions, and were delighted to find that it could be built locally; Derek Phillips tells us that the official launch of the 16' timber-built punt was on Monday - though it was clear from a Radio Sussex item that it has already been in use both for standard maintenance work and for rescuing anything from a wallet to a waterlogged sheep. The Phillips family have been building boats in Rock Channel for a very long time, but as far as Derek knows this is the first time they have been asked to provide something suitable for a mediaeval castle!
• Letters should reach the County Engineer, ESCC Highways and Transportation Department, Phoenix Causeway, Lewes, by 18 April from all groups including parish councils which wish to state their views on the transport needs of the area.
• New government regulations about bus services come into operation in October, and already bus companies have been asked to specify which routes they will then want to run; in June, ESCC will be considering which additional routes will justify a subsidy, and it is important that all the facts are available then.
• The press book shows a fairly quiet Easter period for the town as far as the police are concerned. The past fortnight saw the theft of a £75 clock from the shop in Needles Passage; two Ford driving lamps were stolen from Rye Service Station; two office break-ins were not very rewarding for the thieves, with £8.20 taken from Phipps & Co, and £7 from Upper School office. A dinghy trailer worth £130 was stolen from the Sailing Club park; and vandals damaged cars parked over the school holidays in the Upper School car park. Readers might like to look out for Shaw Taylor's next appearance after Coast to Coast (we can't remember which day is his); he is likely to be reporting a story of local (but not strictly Rye) interest.
• Rye Ramblers have now brought out five of the proposed ten pamphlets intended for 3ople wanting country walks round Rye, and they have also reported to 14 parish councils on the condition of footpaths. The printing costs of the pamphlets were originally lent by members, but the group has been much helped by a generous grant from New Horizons, an organisation with funds to help groups with more than ten retired members who are doing work of benefit to the community. Rye Ramblers, chairman Sheila Ungar told the AGM recently, was lucky enough to be one of the first beneficiaries of the splendid scheme.
However, they still need to raise money for future publications, and the next fund-raising event will be a coffee morning at the FE Centre on 7 June. "If you like our pamphlets" says Mrs. Ungar, "please support us".
• The Cartophilic Society show at the George Hotel on Good Friday produced some £30 for Scout funds from the door money, and also prompted several generous gifts of collections of cards. These will be auctioned at the Society's sale in Canterbury in September, and Frank Dowdeswell has promised to let us know what the total proceeds for Scout funds are - any further gifts of this kind (even single cards can be valuable) may be left at the Wool Shop.
• The Scouts are most grateful to the George Hotel for the use of the ballroom; to the Cartophilic Society members who lent some £35,000 to £45,000-worth of material for exhibition; to Mrs. Zeta Dowdeswell for lending her collection of "silks" and to Pat Waring and John Bartholomew for the loan of extremely interesting local postcards. Other people were grateful, too, when they discovered what their childhood hoards of cards are worth nowadays!
6.
• People who feel strongly, one way or the other, about the new Sunday trading proposals should write to Ken Warren at the House of Commons to put their case, rather than simply signing petitions which never carry so much weight as individual letters. It is significant to note that a report to Rother's Environmental Health Committee last night recommended enforcement action against the Spar shop in Battle (John H. Webb). Rother had received two written complaints about illegal trading there on Sundays, dealing in general groceries and video rental. Mr. Webb had been warned in November, but at a visit on 2 March one of Rother's officers was able to purchase goods not officially allowed to be sold on a Sunday. The report concludes "A prosecution at this stage would serve to demonstrate to any interested party that the Council is enforcing the Act".
• Locally, legal action so far has been confined to the big multiples such as B & at Hastings. The smaller shops, unlike these giants, would find it hard to fight a case or pay the fines. If the Sunday trading laws remain in their present form, with the proposed alterations failing to get through Parliament, Rother will naturally enough feel obliged to act on all complaints they receive - that is, if a successful test case against Webbs doesn't frighten everyone else into closing anyway. Is this what Rye wants? Ken Warren can only represent the views of his Rye constituents, shoppers and shopkeepers alike, if he knows what they are. If we don't tell him, we can hardly complain later; and he has a surgery here on Friday (see back page)...
Rye Chamber of Trade is not expressing an official view. This sounded a bit weak-kneed, for a town so dependent on the tourist trade, so we made further enquiries. It seems that the National Chamber of Trade has urged all its members very strongly to oppose the new Bill; the Rye Chamber felt that it could not conscientiously do this, so after much discussion the decision was taken to abstain rather than to challenge the National Chamber with a vote in favour of the Bill.
• A new shop with every chance of doing well opened at Easter in the little building sandwiched between Banisters the ironmongers and the Crown pub. Jenny Lee of Rye is calling it Prospects, and she is selling nearly-new clothes on a commission basis. (We asked about her size-range; it is limitless, depending on what she has in stock, and when we called there were several size-24 skirts.) Prospects is open from 9.30 to 5 (Tuesdays will depend on how it goes), and Jenny will be very pleased to see both sellers and buyers now and also a little later on when she will have opened up the room at the back, doubling the selling area. The success of the Red Cross Thrift Shop once a month must prove that there is a market in Rye for nearly-new clothes; it will certainly be useful for people at work to be able to sell them at a more convenient time than mid-morning on' Wednesdays
• Welcome to the new proprietors of Maison Fleur, who have taken over the business from Sylvia and Dennis Gunning. Rob and Christine Scott live in Dymchurch - very convenient for Mrs. Scott to run the Rye shop, while Mr. Scott remains in charge of their original business in Folkestone.
• Just too late for the 1986 British Tourist Authority Commended Guide (GAZETTE no. 170), Robert and Geraldine Bromley of Little Orchard House have heard that they have been awarded the coveted ETA plaque. The new list of seven commendations includes just two guest-houses; the other is in Wales. The Bromleys are members of the Wolsey Lodge consortium which promotes superior accommodation for overseas visitors, and Little Orchard is also featured in several other guides for both overseas and British visitors. The pretty brochure reminds prospective guests that Rye has charms all the year round - it was, of course, written before this ghastly spring ...
• Foremans in Cyprus Place are taking part in a competition from which the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association will benefit. Entry forms are available at the shop, which sells merchandise for owners of domestic pets and horses, as well as garden supplies.
7.
• The fines amnesty at Rye Library goes on until Saturday, and has been very successful. Ten books have been returned which were borrowed before the beginning of this year, and a good many more 1986 borrowings which would normally have incurred a heavy fine by now. But the star performers were three books shamefacedly returned via the anonymous box in the foyer - which were borrowed in 1981, and were therefore five years overdue!
• Terry and Sally Osborne were very proud of both their children recently: Mark ran 13 miles in the Hastings half-marathon pulling a stoutish man in a wheelchair and raising £500 for the Lifeguards' funds - and the same week, Rachel came second in the Hastings College hairdressing competition! Other Rye students who have done very well at Hastings College lately are Stephen Oliver (Segas Trophy for the cookery diploma student most likely to succeed); Andrew Denny (Muffin Club Award for the student most likely to make an outstanding contribution to the culinary arts); and Carol Chillingworth (G A Baker Award for the most outstanding student of practical food and beverage service). All are ex-TPS pupils.
• 23 members of the WRVS were at the AGM at the Saltings Hotel on 19 March, when Mrs. Barton was welcomed back from hospital. Summarising the year's work, Mrs. Barton said they had served 4,075 meals-on-wheels in Rye. This is the tenth year that they have been sending paperbacks (which can be left in the box in the Library foyer) to troops in Northern Ireland. The success of the Lunch Club had led to thoughts of holding it fortnightly, but the final decision was that it should continue to be a monthly pleasure.
• Market Road will be closed to through traffic for a week from 28 April, for the benefit of the Gas Board who need to dig it up; there will be access for vehicles from above or below, depending on the point where work is taking place at the time. The major part of the Gas Board's work in the High Street was finished before Easter, thanks to good liaison with local residents; but they still have to make two excavations there to disconnect the old gas main, and there are some service pipes yet to be laid from the main to customers' properties which, thank goodness, do not mean major disruption for the town.
• The National Trust outing planned for 23 July - to Chatham Dockyard and Stonacre - has been moved on two days, to Friday, 25th. The coach-hire people weren't a bit surprised; other bookings had also been shifted from the 23rd - which is, of course, the date of the Royal Wedding. The arrangements for the trip are exactly as before, just two days later. It costs £6.50, and bookings must be finalised with Alma Fabes before 24 May. She has notified the change of date to those who have already booked; we report it here for the benefit of members who are still thinking about it.
• Profits from the Ryesingers Spring Concert in the Methodist Church on Saturday evening are being divided between Catherine Collison and Rebekah Smith, the two TPS pupils who are hoping to go on the National Youth Choir transatlantic tour in the summer if they can raise £600 each for the fare. Rebekah is a member of Ryesingers, and both girls are pupils of the choir's conductor, Lesley Brownbill; they will be singing the solos in Vivaldi's "Gloria" which is part of Saturday evening's programme. Admission is £1 at the door.
• ESCC Social Services Department has just introduced a new system making it possible for social services clients to look at their own personal records. It is not, of course, quite as simple as it sounds, and we have had a long press release for which we just haven't room; but Rye people who may want to inspect their records should start by calling at the Rye Patch Office to discuss the procedure.
• On almost the last Lunchdate programme, last Wednesday, DC John Wall of Rye Police was heard talking to Candida Watson of Radio Sussex about the Rye Riverwatch scheme. Both the GAZETTE and Radio Sussex reported on this when it started at the end of November, but the Sussex Express has now been kind enough to provide 700 stickers for the use of local boat-owners; designed by the paper's staff, these say "Rye River Watch" in a lifebelt frame - with the words "sponsored by the Sussex Express" floating, perhaps a little disconcertingly, below!
Thursday, 10th Rye Coin Club, FEC, 7.30
Friday, 11th CSRF: Stanley Ford shows slides of the Thirties, FEC, 11
Ken Warren, MP - surgery at Council Offices (see below)
Museum Association AGM (followed by Geoffrey Bagley's slides of Romney Marsh), TH, 7.30
"The Weaker Vessel" (play), CC, 7.30 (GAZETTE no. 171)
Spring Ball in aid of Mencap (cabaret, buffet, bar - tickets £5 from Queen's Head), TPS Upper School, 8 to 1
Saturday, 12th "The Weaker Vessel", CC, 2.30 and 7.30
Ryesingers Spring Concert, Methodist Church, 7.30 (see page 7)
Monday, 14th Rye Town Council committee meetings, TH (see board for times)
Tuesday, 15th St. Mary's Annual Parochial Church Meeting, TH, 7.30
Wednesday, 16th Thrift Shop (handing-in only), Red Cross, 10.30 to 12.30 Community Lunch Group (Lynda Pembleton, Rye Hospital), Clinic, 12.30 for 1
Landgate WI (Peter Farrow on Jewellery), CC, 10.30
• Congratulations to Enid (nee Wall) and Brian Mitchell, of Cadborough Cliff, who celebrated their Silver Wedding last month with a party at Lower School for between two and three hundred people - "We both come from large families" said Mrs. Mitchell. In fact, both come from large Rye families, and were married in St. Mary's on 11 March 1961; they have three sons - Shaun, Nicholas and Richard, and it was Shaun (on the staff of the Mermaid) who made the cake.
• Ken Warren, MP, is holding a surgery in Rye on Friday afternoon; sorry we couldn't give longer notice, but we heard too late for the pre-Easter issue. Appointments should be made through the Hastings Conservative Association office, Hastings 423110.
• The Cancer Relief coffee morning on Easter Monday raised £146.
• We have been asked to give long notice of the next Attic Sale at the Community Centre, on Sunday, 4 May, from 10 to 1. Stalls cost from £2.50, and should be booked as soon as possible.
• Rye Harbour Road will be closed for about an hour from 7.15 tomorrow morning (Thursday) while the makings of the new footbridge over the Brede are being unloaded by crane.
• Rye Police are looking for a temporary traffic warden to work in Camber from May to September. For further details apply to the Police Station (Rye 222112).
• Much to the grief of the ESCORT team at Lewes, the new 30-seater midibus for the County Rider routes didn't appear on Monday as expected; the suppliers had failed to supply on time. They are apparently running about three weeks late (the suppliers, not the buses!) so everyone hopes that the new bus will be in operation by the end of the month.
• On 19 March, Rye Ladies' Circle entertained 55 members and guests from other Circles at Eastbourne, Hastings, Battle and New Romney to dinner at the George Hotel followed by a demonstration of beauty care by Geni Abrams of the Tao Clinic at Kimber's. Local guests included the members of Inner Wheel, and the wives of Rye Lions - there appears to be no specific organisation for Lionesses!
• The MSS stall at the Thomas Peacocke Easter Fair raised £131.
THE RYE GAZETTE is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office, published by Mrs. Mary Owen, 2 Cyprus Place, Rye, TN31 7DR (0797 222303), and printed by Cinque Ports Stationers of Rye. News items for incZusion are always welcome – deadline Monday afternoon (Tuesday 9 am at latest and only for real emergencies). The GAZETTE costs 30D weekly and is delivered to subscribers and pick-up points on Wednesday. A few spare copies are available from Squirrels, 9-13 Cinque Ports Street (not on Thursdays, however), and back numbers from Cyprus Place. (Copyright Mary Owen 1986)