Readers whose copies are not ticked should leave £3.30 in cash at 2 Cyprus Place by Saturday at the latest if they want to receive the next issue (2 July). We would also remind readers that there will be no spares at Squirrels after this week; a very few will be available from Cyprus Place on Wednesday afternoons and first thing Thursdays only. New pick-up points have been kindly offered by John Ciccone at Spar and Marjorie Rust at Crafty; please let us know if you want to change present arrangements or become a regular subscriber.
Paula Sams, now 18 and a member of the adult division of St. John Ambulance Brigade, continues to bring credit to Rye. Recently she won a Home Nursing competition at Eastbourne for which every division in Sussex was eligible to enter (not all of them did). County Vice-President Josepha Aubrey-Smith must have had special pleasure in presenting the John Royle Cup to a local girl. Paula gained 59 out of a possible 60 points - congratulations!
A snarl-up at British Rail's Waterloo press office meant that neither the GAZETTE nor the News Group - nor, we gather, quite a few other papers - got advance information about a very good buy last Saturday, arranged to launch the new-style Network SouthEast: anywhere in its area for £3! We are sorry about this - the single poster in the Rye booking-hall will have been missed by those who don't travel regularly. Anyway, the offer was a fantastic success, David Woodhouse at Ashford tells us - the normal service on our line was swamped, and they had to couple a diesel locomotive to an electric train they had spare at Ashford so as to provide extra services to Hastings. This ran more or less continuously back and forth, using the line to its full capacity of three trains each way each hour - which accounts for the unexpected brown train seen on the line.
Everything was working nicely until the brown train left Hastings at 15.20 and then broke down exhausted somewhere between Three Oaks and Doleham. The crew had to put warning detonators on the line before finding a phone; Hastings acted very smartly, sending off at 15.45 a three-coach train which happened to be spare, to push the failed one on to Ashford. Unfortunately, something to do with compression in the brakes meant that the second train also failed... Meanwhile, into Rye came the 16.08 7-coach train crammed with passengers heading for Hastings, while the opposite platform was packed with people waiting to go back to Ashford. It was, we heard, a memorable sight! Eventually Ashford managed to rustle up enough buses to clear the Rye passengers and also to transport the people who would normally have travelled by the trains due to cross here at 17.08; and at 17.45 an Ashford locomotive hauled back in disgrace both culprits from Doleham, so that the stranded train at Rye could complete its journey. (The whole story could almost have come out of "Henry the Green Engine"!)
Despite all this, says David Woodhouse, it was really nice to see our line being fully used (for most of the day, anyway); and the Waterloo press office told us, when we rang to complain about the lack of advance information, that they are thinking of making a similar offer later in the year and will make sure that everyone knows in good time.
The RAFA give long notice that they are holding a wine-and-cheese party in the Town Hall on Saturday, 12 September; this is a fund-raising event intended to replace the Wings Week flag-day. The RAFA's south-eastern region extends from Hampshire to Essex and includes the Thames Valley and the whole of London. In 1985 and 1986, only one local authority in the whole of that region refused them a flag-day - not a very enviable distinction for Rother!
2.
Mr. Stuart Ditcher, whose sudden death in hospital at the age of 88 we reported last week, had cared devotedly for his invalid and near-helpless wife Nellie for the past seven years. Always cheerful and disregarding his own disabilities, he was an inspiration to their many friends. Mr. Ditcher's parents came from North Kent and kept first the pub in the High Street called the Oak, and then had the Pipemakers' Arms; he lived all his life in Rye except during WWI. He joined the army at 16 as a drummer, and then served in France as a stretcher-bearer until he was wounded. After the war he went into the Post Office service and worked his way up to a senior position in the Rye sorting office. He started doing deliveries on a bike, progressed to a motor-cycle and then to a van; during WW2 he was on special duties taking secret material down to the guns stationed on the Marsh - for which he was, his niece thinks, given an award. Mr. Ditcher was a founder member of the Rye British Legion, and both the Legion and the Post Office were represented at the funeral last Friday. Miss Beryl Ditcher, the daughter of his brother, tells us that Mr. Ditcher was very much a thinking man, with a lively interest in national affairs; he read a lot, and was a keen gardener. He and his wife celebrated their Golden Wedding a year ago. Mrs. Dticher is now in the Tusker Nursing Home (Pine Avenue, The Ridge, Hastings) where she would be very pleased to see visitors. The whole family is most grateful to the Matron and staff at Rye Hospital for their loving care of Mr. Ditcher in the last few days of his life, and donations in his memory may be sent to the hospital's League of Friends c/o the Manager of Lloyds Bank, Rye.
Rotary have kindly offered to give the town another seat, and have asked the Town Council to choose a site. Several readers have sent "claims" in to the GAZETTE, which we are happy to pass on. Mrs. French tells us that there always used to be two seats on the river side of the Tillingham Avenue footpath (beyond the houses); these were removed several years ago and never replaced despite requests to Rother - on the grounds, apparently, that if they were put back they would only be chucked in the river again. She says that if one of the fixed- type seats, or better still two, could be installed, this would not arise - and people using the pleasant riverside walk could sit down half-way along again.
A Military Road resident suggests that people walking home to North Salts and the houses in front might welcome a seat. The obvious site is in front of the Bethel Chapel - perhaps its elders would be willing to allow this, if one was offered? And finally, several people have suggested one in front of the Post Office, now that the ledge under the old window has gone.
After the British Legion parade on 8 June, people have been saying how good it would be to have a band in Rye again. Some 15 years ago the St. John Ambulance Brigade started training some of their boys - but that attempt fizzled out, though they still have the instruments. There is of course an excellent orchestra at Thomas Peacocke School, some of whose local members might be interested in joining a Town Band - in fact, we are told that it is not finding the instrumentalists that is the difficulty, it is finding a bandmaster with time to give to such an enterprise. Would some group - perhaps St. John? - consider calling together all those who might be interested, to see what could be worked out? And as a matter of interest, what happened, and when, to the old Rye Town Band?
Rye Coin Club has just published its autumn programme, which includes talks on related subjects on one Thursday evening each month from October to May at the FE Centre. Members bring to the meetings their latest acquisitions, and also cuttings referring to their shared hobby. There is plenty of opportunity for discussion, and a library from which specialist books can be borrowed. Those interested should contact the Hon. Sec., Mr. C.W. Banks, or talk to Bill Webb of Ashenden Avenue.
3 THE RYE GAZETTE, 25 June 1986
The Kurrein Gallery in Lion Street was closed for a few days last week: Freddie and Ella Kurrein were celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary. They could have had a family event, with their four children and the grandchildren coming to congratulate them; instead, the Kurreins decided to go on a little trip to mark the occasion. On the Tuesday, they booked a return ticket; at 9.30 on Thursday morning, they left Heathrow for Texas – by Concorde! Arriving at Waco Airport after a 6 ½-hour flight, they found the plane was booked as the centre of attraction at the local air show; she didn't simply touch down, but proceeded to show-off something remarkable, waggling her wings, almost landing and then zooming up again - a display which doubtless impressed the Texans but rather startled the only-just-forwarned passengers! They finally emerged onto a red carpet and a temperature of 92o, and a real Texan welcome (the State celebrates its 150th anniversary this year). Then the Kurreins hired a car for a couple of days, and drove to San Antonio to see the Alamo and the other sights; they left Waco again on Concorde early on Sunday morning, and were back in Peasmarsh by midnight...
(What will they find left to do for their Golden Wedding - a weekend on the moon, perhaps?)
When we went along to see how the Jobcentre visit to Rye last week was getting along, it was a little disconcerting to find the Vice-Chairman of Rother District Council sitting behind one of the desks! Roy Pulford of Northiam is the Rother Councillor for Camber, Iden, Playden, Rye Foreign and East Guide-ford (and the husband of Mrs. Pulford, manager of EMBS); he is also involved with one of the assorted Manpower Services Commission schemes in our area, and it was wearing this hat that he was upstairs at the Community Centre.
Mr. Pulford told us about two schemes. They are looking for people who have been unemployed for some time and who would like to work a 22i-hour, £50-plus job caring for a couple of hours each day for one or two confused elderly people while the regular carers take time off (probably one in the morning and a different one in the afternoon, so transport of some kind would be needed if possible). These "family supporters" would be working in the Rye area, and the job is largely sociable, keeping the patient amused and interested much as another member of the family might do from time to time. Training would be given. Another proposal is for environmental (outdoor) work in the Rye area; a charge hand is needed to lead a small team, and ideas for suitable projects for the team would be welcomed. Contact Mr. Pulford at Wellington Square, Hastings, for more details.
The Jobcentre representative had a sheaf of slips in front of her. There was one for the Lower School secretary's job, which will be vacant at the end of term - ring the school (Rye 222545) for details and an application form. A full-time miller/turner is needed urgently by Gardner Engineering at Hatleys in Harbour Road (GAZETTE no. 166): £3.50 an hour, some experience necessary, and an older person would gladly be considered - indeed, a pensioner wanting part-time work would not be ruled out. Graham Kendal, Jobcentre manager, told us on Monday that the response to the new venture had been almost entirely from "signers-on", quite a few of whom had been pointed in useful directions, and the Jobcentre will be represented again in three months' time, though there was not enough interest to make it a monthly visit at present.
The application forms for the summer play-scheme are now available from the Social Services office in Cinque Ports Street. Parents will appreciate that Julia Thomas and her helpers need a certain amount of detail about each child: swimming ability, allergies, travel sickness, etc., plus the name of the family doctor and parental authority for any emergency medical treatment which might be needed. Forms must be returned to the office by 10 July, so that the organisers can match up supply and demand before the two-week scheme starts, based at Thomas Peacocke Upper School, at the beginning of the school holidays.
4.
Pursuing complaints about the one-way Post Office inner door, we wrote to the building's architects, Hubbard Ford Partnership at Hove. In reply, Donald Ashdown points out that a two-way door creates a specific danger, and "it is not unusual for wheelchair users to manipulate outward opening doors, and in this instance it is likely that the majority will be accompanied". (Very probably - but what about mums with pushchairs and toddlers, and office staff with parcels?)
Bill Swallow, the Post Office's Regional PRO at Brighton, writes:
"Our position is very straightforward: the Post Office likes to do all it reasonably can for the disabled when modernising existing buildings. That is why we did away with the old step and built a gradual slope up from the pavement. I should add that the decision to build an entrance ramp was taken at the very outset - indeed this was the sole reason for us relocating the entrance door.
"As far as the door that opens outwards is concerned, we had to weight up the pros and cons and come to a balanced decision. The fact is that doors that open both ways are twice as hazardous as ones that open one way. Imagine an elderly person about to push the door to leave the office when a parcel-carrying customer bursts through in the opposite direction. One way doors are safer, and as any customer who enters the building later has to leave it, it probably makes little difference which way the door opens. We chose outwards to avoid the door getting in the way of our customers as they leave the counter service area."
Mr. Swallow doesn't mention the reason for opening outwards which Hastings gave us, that it was safer in an emergency - but it is not the fact that the door opens outwards rather than inwards which is causing the complaints. It is very heavy, and there is no indication to strangers which way it opens; but the main complaint is that it could have been safely designed (surely?) to open both ways. For twenty years the town managed very happily in the old Post Office with a pair of two-way doors, and we don't remember OAPs being mown down in swathes by frantic parcel-senders; was anyone ever knocked down? Rye is a polite place, and in general the OAPs hold the doors open for the parcel-senders, and indeed vice-versa - though it may, of course, be different in Brighton... But it begins to look, alas, as if we are stuck with the present door now.
A thief had a very unrewarding evening down in Rock Channel last Wednesday. He (she?) shifted but failed to remove the safe from Jempsons; he loaded 9 lorry tyres on to one of the vans from Bourne's next door, and left them there; he attacked the door of the double-glazing firm in the new industrial units with an axe, failed to break in, and finally broke one of the windows and stole a screwdriver and a pair of pliers!
The previous weekend, someone did rather better down at the Western Car Park at Camber. On Saturday afternoon there were three thefts from cars there - as well as cash, a large number of assorted charge cards and other papers, cheque books and driving licences were taken. Two days later a Danish girl who left her possessions on the beach lost a quantity of similar personal papers.
On 10 June a burglar who broke into a New Winchelsea Road house stole family jewellery, a Seiko watch and a man's sheepskin jacket, valued together at over £500. This was one which Neighbourhood Watch should have prevented, with better luck: the neighbour who heard a suspicious noise didn't dial 999 immediately but rang the son of the elderly occupants instead - by the time he called the police, the thieves had gone. Nobody noticed them breaking in through the front door; and it was the day when the owners pay a regular weekly visit to Hastings (though the thieves may not have known this). Better-quality locks and bolts, with longer screws attaching them to the door, would have helped too, the owners' daughter-in-law told us sadly. We pass on the assorted lessons, with regret.
5.
From 6 to 13 July ESCC is conducting a campaign called "Help Clean Up East Sussex". It isn't clear what ESCC itself is actually doing, apart from the initial launch somewhere over in the far west when the chairman of its Conservation & Countryside Sub-Committee "appealed to parish councils, voluntary organisations, clubs, Chambers of Commerce and people generally to work together to achieve a real improvement". If anyone in the town is thinking of making a special effort for Clean-Up Week, the GAZETTE would be glad to hear about it. In the meantime, we have two suggestions.
The press release for the campaign includes a map of the "household waste sites" (tips) in East Sussex. The two nearest to Rye are at Mountfield, north of Battle, and Pebsham, well on the way to Bexhill - which is doubtless why half the local bluebell woods and river-banks are littered with old mattresses. In Lydd, when the local tip was closed, the Council placed a skip in the town for people to dump such things; it is, we are told, well used. If there was one in Rye, suggests a reader from one of the villages often afflicted with old mattresses, there might be an end to the surreptitious evening trips out into the countryside with curiously-laden cars. The obvious site would be the Council depot in Cyprus Place. Rother will collect awkward items (call at the Council Office for details) - but of course a charge is made. (But Rother does very well with bottle-banks: there are 12 in our District, and only Brighton with 14 beats this; as for can-bins, Brighton and Eastbourne have 4, Rother and Wealden 3 - one, of course, on Strand Quay - and the list shows none at all in Hastings, Hove or Lewes!)
The other litter problem which we have been hearing about again lately emanates from the burger-van taking up residence in the Goods Yard car park (with BR's permission) on Friday and Saturday evenings - mainly, we assume, for the benefit of Oasis patrons? The permission from BR is contingent on the proprietor making sure that no litter is left. Until recently, the van had scarlet paper napkins, and we complained some time ago about the way these were scattered over the north side of the town. BR then had a word with the proprietor, and he now uses white napkins - which look less like crushed guts on a wet pavement, but are also widely scattered around, and the Goods Yard on Sunday was a real disgrace to the town, and particularly to British Rail. The Oasis provides food for its customers; if the litter nuisance from the van continues, do we have to have him here again next year?
The Mayor and her husband were among the audience at the AGM of Rye Conservation Society on Friday evening at the Town Hall. Though hardly a packed meeting, it was reasonably well attended, and there was an impressively long list of members who had taken the trouble to send in their apologies for absence. They included Duncan Starkey, who has not been well lately; chairman Alan Crick paid an appreciative tribute to Mr. Starkey's work on the committee over the past 14 years, and looked forward to seeing him back before long.
Working through the very comprehensive Annual Report, Mr. Crick mentioned that the pollution problem in the Rother was now considered to be over, and the SWA were beginning to restock with fish. There was a discussion about the "glacial" progress of the bypass plans; the chosen "green" route for Winchelsea was not Popular with ESCC, said Councillor Robert Bromley, and William Cooke pointed out that it was a waste of the best bit of road between Rye and Hastings!
The Society's financial position was reported as satisfactory, thanks largely to a donation of £250 from London Weekend Television and V4-5 from the National Gardens Scheme local opening; the present assets total just under £1,500. The officers and committee (except for Mr. Starkey) were re-elected en bloc. The audience then listened to a talk by Peter Parish, who is chairman of the Federation of Sussex Amenity Societies, on some of the problems he had encountered.
This year the Conservation Society is taking part in Rye Festival, with a display at the Town Hall - details nearer the time.
6.
• Sue Jameson's mezzotints at the Easton Rooms (the show runs until 14 July) will give much pleasure. The art of the mezzotint is explained in detail in a helpful notice on the wall; but even for those not interested in the process of producing the pictures, they themselves are dramatic enough to be interesting without being overwhelming. To say that Sue Jameson is much concerned with pattern in her work might give the impression that she is an abstract artist; she is not, but her pictures have a deliberate balance which your reporter found most satisfying. She is emphatic in the way she uses light - shafting down the centre of a group of tall trees, or splitting the sky during a Lakeland thunderstorm, or quietly reflecting a moorland landscape in the water at its foot; and there is one picture of a lakeside tree where the lighting gives an almost mystical effect. These really should be seen.
In the Craft Gallery Margaret Walty shows a selection of silver jewellery, as well as some of her small delicate watercolours, some of them illustrations for children's books. There are also lithographs by Neil Bassant, and in the upstairs gallery Martin Ware shows etchings which are, we were told by an expert, particularly well printed - though not always easy to understand.
• Mr. and Mrs. Gard, the owners of Present Company (ex-quarter Belle) in Lion Street, are to be congratulated on its extremely elegant exterior after suech a long period of building work. Mrs. Gard, who comes from Vienna, has imported some Austrian goods for the shop - crafts and toys, as well as beautiful fine wool cloaks and thick woollen jackets. Other items which may appeal to local shoppers are pewter mugs, etc., some of which are copies of those brought up from the "Mary Rose", even down to the original owner's initials; a selection of handsomely presented games for grown-ups (we liked the 3-D maze worked by swivelling knobs); Cross pens (though Mr. Gard decided not to stock the solid gold pen-and-pencil set costing - did he really say? - £1,800!) and other desk goods, including a display of the latest status symbol, Filofax diaries. There is also a choice of gifts and toys of a type already very familiar to High Street shoppers, but undoubtedly popular with visitors to the town.
• "Can we congratulate you on your smart new shop next week?" we asked Rayner on Wednesday? They looked thoughtfully at the bare concrete floor; since the carpet was due to go down yesterday, it was agreed that we could risk it. The shopfitters seem to have found a lot of extra space from somewhere, and the walls are now lined with scarlet-trimmed racks of frames and fitted mirrors, set off by the shades-of-honey decor, matching chairs and receptionist's desk. Whether or not the carpet did go down on time, it all looks extremely handsome at the top of The Mint, however bad your eyesight may be when you go in!
Friends visiting Rye at the weekend were most impressed at the way all the shops looked, they told us, so very smartly painted up - and they come from a part of Hampshire which itself is not exactly a depressed area!
• The current planning list has three Rye applications: for a front porch at 18 Cadborough Cliff; for a new shopfront to be inserted at 79 High Street (amended plan); and for change of use of the ground floor of 10 High Street into a shop. (This is the house recently sold prior to auction, adjoining Adams and at present opening onto the lane to the Old Coach House.) Mr. Spearing, of Goudhurst, writes that his wife wishes to sell antique jewellery in the first of the three ground-floor rooms, and his son militaria in the second, with other stalls rented out to similar businesses; the third room could also be used if Rother were willing, though he would be prepared to settle for two. The entrance to the shop would be from the High Street, with the side door being used only by the family. Nothing is said in the application about a fascia board or other advertising - the present High Street frontage has just a rather imposing doorway and a single domestic-type window.
(The GAZETTE is always glad to give a free write-up to any new business in the town, and to record business changes, if those concerned will gist in touch with the Editor.)
7.
• We notice with regret that the brambles are once again growing enthusiastically on the parapet of the Old Grammar School. Stronger measures - perhaps just stronger weedkiller - would seem to be needed. The owner, Clive Bennett of Peasmarsh, sent builders up to deal with last year's growth after we wrote about the problem in GAZETTE no. 168, but the roots must have gone deeper than they realised - in which case it seems possible that the parapet could be at risk, unless they can be finally killed off?
• The committee elected at the Rye Council for Voluntary Service AGM has been without a chairman for some weeks; they are all busy people and no-one felt able to take on the job. Now the Mayor, already the Council's ex-officio President, has nobly taken on the chairmanship as well until someone else is Prepared to replace her - which is not to imply that Mrs. Oliver herself is not a busy person! Adrian Perry continues as treasurer; Jean Bull-Marshall is secretary; Vickie Piper is vice-chairman; other members are Ray Fooks, Neil Weatherall, Ringo Chapman, Eric Le Fevre, Eileen Jenkin, Pat Ciccone, Barbara Wild and Jo Kirkham. (See what we mean about people who are already busy?)
• The FRAG summer party at the Art Gallery has a change of date; not 12 July now, but 25 July. This is the evening before Graham Clarke's private view at ,the Easton Rooms; he can't be there on the Saturday, so is keen to get involved in the party the day before and "threatens to bring his accordion" (his phrase!). Details will go out to Friends along with the exhibition cards.
• If anyone knows of a stray tabby cat, a light-coloured 9-year-old female with white feet and front answering to "Tabby", Mrs. Goddard of 32 Cadborough Cliff would be very glad to hear of her pet's whereabouts. Tabby went missing on Sunday night ten days ago, when she didn't come in at bed-time, and Mrs. Goddard is very worried about her.
• Bowls: Rye lost at home to Local Government Association on 18 June, and to Benenden on 21 June; rain stopped play on Sunday after 15 ends in the match against Sidley Nartlets, and Rye won the shortened game.
• Two raffle prizes are unclaimed after the Bowls Club coffee morning at the Town Hall on 14 June - the winning tickets are 232 (beige) and 68 (pink). If you still have either, contact the Club's new Captain, David Manktelow.
• Rye Cubs were at the Rainbow Weekend at Broadstone Warren, but on the Saturday - the Mayoral visit - GAZETTE no.182 - was on the Sunday. 25 local Cubs and Leaders joined 15 from Hastings to make up a coachload.
We were told off sharply last week by a reader with anti-nuclear views for even mentioning Ken Warren's Dungeness press release after saying that we would not get involved in nuclear matters; doubtless we would, she said, be equally ready to mention any material we might get from Friends of the Earth and Dash?
In this assumption, the lady was quite wrong. Rye's Member of Parliament (whatever party he, or indeed she, might represent at any given time) is the town's elected representative to the seat of government. Therefore, any material sent to us by our MP deserves, at the very least, the courtesy of a mention in the GAZETTE, as long as it refers to matters of local concern. The position at Dungeness is of local concern (but not purely local, which is why we didn't give up five pages last week to Mr. Warren's press release).
However, the Editor would like to point out that what goes into the GAZETTE is entirely her decision, and attempts to twist her arm are doomed to failure (though gentler approaches have been known to succeed in border-line cases). Those who don't like the way we run the paper have a simple solution. Incidentally, by Monday evening no-one at all had asked to borrow the press release - so perhaps there is rather less local concern over the matter than might be supposed!
TPS closed (GCSE in-service staff training - and on Friday) Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve coffee morning, George Hotel, 10 to 12 (see below)
Catholic Church coffee morning, CC, 10 to 12
Mencap/Hill House School coffee morning, TH, 10 to 12 (for Mental Handicap Week, GAZETTE no. 182)
Craft Market, FEC, 11 to 5
St. John Ambulance Brigade, Strawberry Fair, Conduit Hill HQ, 2 to 5 (strawberries and cream teas, stalls, etc.)
Methodist Church Choir concert, Methodist Church, 7.30 (GAZETTE no. 180 - tickets £1.25 from Adams include light supper)
Methodist Junior Church Anniversary Service, 11
Blackheath Opera, "Tales of Hoffman", CC, afternoon
Concert by choirs from Hastings and West Germany, St. Mary's, 7.30 (details of both musical events were in GAZETTE no. 181)
WRVS Lunch Club, CC, 12.30
Norwegian band concert, Mermaid car-park, 12 (see below)
Hearing Circle coffee morning, Red Cross, 10.30
Flower Festival coffee morning, etc., St. Mary's, 10.30 (at the War Memorial end of the churchyard if fine)
• Welcome home, after a whole month in hospital, to Joan Stanton of Military Road. Being still rather frail, Mrs. Stanton can't possibly write to all the friends who sent her cards and flowers - but she would like to thank them for their kindness, which made a big difference to her stay.
• There will be plenty of stalls at the FRHNR coffee morning at the George tomorrow; as well as the usual bring-and-buy and cakes, there will be a tombola, children's clothes, plants and (we hope) some of the attractive souvenirs which the Friends have recently commissioned, including mugs with a Nature Reserve design by Robert Greenhalf.
• Playing in the courtyard at the back of the Mermaid on Tuesday at noon will be the Flatdal Skule Korps Band from Norway, who are staying at Pontins for a week and asked David Cranston to find somewhere in the town where they could display their skill - and, we are sure, give much pleasure to listeners.
• Thomas Peacocke School orchestra will be playing at the Greyfriars League of Friends Strawberry Tea in Winchelsea on Saturday afternoon.
• The RNLI holds its house-to-house collection during the week beginning 7 July, with a flag-day on 12 July.
• The Church Square flat in which lain Finlayson wrote his book about the writers of Romney Marsh is now available for a new tenant. It sleeps three (two bed- rooms), and is entirely self-contained, with its own telephone and front door; being on the second floor, it has superb views over the river estuary and then Marsh. Mrs. Le Fevre would like to let it for several months at a time certainly not less than four weeks.
• The Thrift Shop has for sale two identical size-14 bridesmaids' dresses in cream muslin with tucking and lace - surely at £7.60 each a good buy for a bride with an eye to economy; next opening will be 17 July.
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 inclusion are always welcome – deadline Monday afternoon (Tuesday 9 am at latest and only for real emergencies). The GAZETTE costs 30p weekly and is delivered to subscribers and pick-up points on Wednesday; a few spare copies and back numbers may be available from Cyprus Place. (Copyright Mary Owen 1986)