SUBSCRIPTIONS - a final reminder. If your copy is not ticked once (for a quarterly payment) or twice (half-yearly payment) or marked S.O. with a tick (for standing order), and you want to receive the 1 October issue, your subscription should reach 2 Cyprus Place by Friday of this week: £3.60 (in CASH, please) for 12 weeks to 17 December, or f,7.20 (cash or cheque) for 24 weeks to 25 March 1987.
Those renewing late should calculate the amount according to the remaining number of Wednesdays in the period, since we are unlikely to have any back numbers available.
On Friday, just before they went home for the weekend, the supermarket contractors prepared a little surprise for Rye. People who had parked their cars in the Goods Yard on their way to work came back at five to find it apparently barricaded off by high padlocked gates: the Ferry Road entrance is now closed. In fact, the workmen had taken down part of the fencing between the Goods Yard and Station Approach, so there was a way out - but nothing to say so. On Friday evening bemused Oasis patrons found nowhere to park, and it was the Oasis who put up the most helpful of the five notices which adorned the ex-entrance on Monday morning. As well as the original Rother sign indicating the Gibbet Marsh park for use when the Goods Yard was full, and the yellow AA "Diversion" notice dating from the Gasworks closure and pointing the same way, the gate bore a large red sign simply saying "Caution Keep Out" presumably put there by the contractors; a BR "Car Park" sign with a small arrow pointing to Bannisters Corner; and a flapping sheet of paper bearing the words "This car park is not closed, it is accessible via Station entrance" - the only one which was really any use.
We broke the news to Peter Bridges, Rother's car-park supremo, on Monday afternoon. It was his first day back from leave; the contractors had not, as far as he knew, forewarned his department of the closure. (They had not forewarned British Rail either, according to its staff when they were complained at by cross customers.) "Leave it with me" said Mr. Bridges, and went off to set up a Tuesday-morning site meeting for representatives from his staff, ESCC Highways and British Rail. It is to be hoped that something will be sorted out by the time the Thursday market shoppers drive down Udimore Road... (The footpath along the railway line remains open as usual.)
In July 1985, when BR proposed to close off the Ferry Road entrance and route all car park traffic via Station Approach (GAZETTE no. 140) there were objections from the police, Rother, ESCC and the Town Council, and the plan was dropped. This time the closure is only temporary - for how long? - and mercifully comes at the end of the tourist season; but to close this long-established entrance with no notice at all seems, to put it mildly, thoughtless.
Apart from erecting fortifications, the contractors were mostly working last week on the old Ellis Bros yard and the Crown Field area. A vast machine was brought in via Ferry Road (with some difficulty) on Friday morning, and on Monday it was at work drilling for the foundations. The drill was going down some 8 or 9 metres and - surprise, surprise (but not to those who have followed the saga of the Magdala House site) - was bringing up wet grey mud... The railway car park beside the Market is now almost cleared, with just a couple of concrete relics of the coal-yard still remaining.
Peter Bridges had hoped to find on his desk a report about the Gasworks car-park soil samples. There was nothing. It is now ten weeks since the car park was closed and soil samples taken; why is the testing taking so long? Is it that the Gas Board aren't worried... or that they are?
2.
Mr. Henry Parsons, BEM, formerly of Cyprus Place, died in hospital on 16 September aged 86; he left Rye for a nursing home in Hastings last December, and was taken seriously ill at the beginning of this month. Mr. Parsons, who for many years shared a household with his late brother Harold, and who leaves a sister (Mrs. Bessie Underdown, in Greyfriars) and brother Toby, of Marley Road, spent most of his life as a Rye fisherman, working at one time on the steam trawlers. Those who heard him in a "Down Your Way" broadcast in 1983 will not forget the amazing story of hid exploits in the summer of 1940. Having gone over, with other Rye boats, to take troops off the Dunkirk beaches, he then - being a bachelor - volunteered to give Admiral Ramsey any help he could. He first went across to France to leave radio equipment for a resistance fighter named Michel; and when Michel reported invasion preparations for 11/12 August, the Navy sent Mr. Parsons over again on 10 August with a cargo of explosive charges timed to go off 24 hours later. These he laid among the oil storage tanks beside the beaches near Boulogne - he heard the German troops, already packed into invasion barges, but never saw them nor they him. Back off Dungeness the following afternoon, he heard the tanks blow up and saw the smoke (he heard long afterwards about the horrific casualties among the German troops as the burning oil flowed into the river). There was, of course, no invasion... For this - and, quite possibly, subsequent cross-Channel trips of the same kind - Mr. Parsons received the British Empire Medal from the hands of King George VI after the war, and Churchill described him as "the maddest bloody man there was in England ... anything we asked of him he went and done" (as Mr. Parsons recalled the conversation in his beautiful Sussex accent nearly forty years later). The closing music he chose for the broadcast was "Rule Britannia" - because the troops had sung it on the Dover beaches in the course of one of these exploits; will it perhaps be played again at the crematorium service at Hastings, tomorrow at 2.30?
Mr. Ernie Bourn, of New Winchelsea Road, died on 18 September; he had not been in good health for some time. He was 82. He was born in Tower Street, the son of William Bourn, a Rye fireman for 50 years and a skilled bricklayer in the employ of Burnhams who did a great deal of work on St. Mary's. Ernie Bourn carried on the family tradition of loving and careful craftsmanship; he was apprenticed to the upholstery business with Delves in Lion Street (working, as it happens, for Mr. Morris, uncle of the girl who was to become Mrs. Bourn). During WW2 he was a charge-hand at Rochester, working on the interior of the flying-boats there; he returned to Rye to set up his own business, first in Market Road and then in Wish Street until he retired in 1969. Mr. Bourn was a founder member of Rye Harbour Sailing Club, a Freemason, and a very keen gardener; he and his wife Ivy were married in St. Mary's 58 years ago, and five years later moved to the house in New Winchelsea Road (then one of only four or five) where they lived ever since. They have a son and daughter and five grand-children. "A real Rye man", deeply fond of the town and proud of his family's contribution to it, Mr. Bourn leaves many friends here. The funeral service at St. Mary's at 1.0 on Friday (26th) will be followed by cremation at Hastings. Donations in Mr. Bourn's memory, instead of flowers, may be sent to the RNLI c/o Branch Secretary Mrs. Joan Parkes, 0ckman Cottage, East Street, Rye.
Mrs. Kathleen Woolley, of South Undercliff, died on 15 September. She was 87, and had been in poor health. Mrs. Woolley was born a Piggott, one of a Rye family of 15 children; not all lived to grow up, and the only survivor is now her younger brother George in Peasmarsh, though she also leaves a large number of nieces and nephews. Before her marriage, Mrs. Woolley worked at Tower House for another large family, that of George Ellis - prominent in Rye affairs then and later. Her husband, "little Joe Woolley", who died some 30 years ago, is still remembered as the proprietor of a greengrocery business delivering by handcart to houses in the town.
Mrs. Winifred Coppard of Udimore Road died in hospital on 22 September after a brief illness; she was 80. Born in Peasmarsh, she came to live in Rye when she married. She is survived by her husband and two sons.
3 THE RYE GAZETTE, 24 September 1986
... for Nicole Broadhurst of Church Square and Nicholas Taylor, who were married at St. Mary's on Saturday - the first of two weddings on a really beautiful afternoon. Nicole's dress was a crinoline of cream satin overlaid with lace, with a long tulle veil; her bridesmaids, two of her own friends and two children, wore green-and-white striped dresses with head-dresses and flower balls in yellow and white. Lesley Brownbill was the soloist during the signing of the register. Photographs were taken outside the church after the service, as usual; the youngest bridesmaid, a very determined four-year-old, insisted on sitting on the bride's knee throughout the session! The reception was at the George Hotel, and the couple decided to keep their honeymoon destination to themselves. They will be living in Teddington; Nicholas is a civil engineer, and Nicole has a job with a secretarial recruitment firm.
The second wedding was that of Christopher Sands of Hawkhurst and Janice King, daughter of Mrs. Eileen King of Kings Avenue and the late Mr. Bill King. Janice was given away by her cousin David Johnson, who came back to Rye from Scotland for the wedding; she wore a dress of embroidered white organza, with long sleeves and a high ruffled neckline, and her posy of pink and white flowers matched her headdress. Her two bridesmaids wore pink-spotted and ribboned islin dresses - the younger, aged 5 with a mass of blonde curls, was her cousin Sally White, and the elder was a cousin of the bridegroom's. The reception was at the Saltings Hotel; the honeymoon includes a trip to Jersey in a programme of touring. Christopher, who trained as a landscape gardener, now works for Unigate at Northiam; Janice is well known to many Rye shoppers, since she works at Pilkingtons and was previously at Millers.
We were very sorry to miss the Rye WI Group's Autumn Produce Show at the FEC on 13 September; they had, Betty Cramp tells us, a most successful afternoon, despite the rain and the absence of Beckley WI from the event, and they welcomed many visitors who had come to Rye on BR's Network Day - one from as far away as Portsmouth: Results:
Trug of vegetables: Iden 111 points, Playden 110, Rye 106.
Silver Challenge Cup for trug, fruit, eggs and herbs: Playden 315 (5 gold stars), Iden 260 (3 gold stars), Rye 159, Landgate 18.
Silver Rose Bowl for all cooking except preserves: Playden 585 (5 gold stars), Rye 419 (5 gold stars), Iden 2684, Peasmarsh 265 (1 gold star), Landgate 139 (1 gold star)
Flower Cup: Playden 366 (4 gold stars), Iden 178 (2 gold stars), Rye 111, Peasmarsh 54, Landgate 38 (1 gold star), Rye Harbour 17.
Ada Banister Cup for Preserves: Iden 1424, Rye and Playden 132 each.
Silver Cup for Co-operative Table ("a farmhouse tea"): Rye 207, Playden 198, Peasmarsh 192, Iden 1881.
Particular congratulations to Playden WI, whose year this obviously was!
Most people must be aware of the proposal to move the radiotherapy unit for cancer treatment from Pembury to Maidstone. On the grounds of unnecessary expense and public inconvenience, there has been a great deal of protest. But no-one locally has felt strongly enough to call a public meeting here, and we suspect that Rye people don't much care either way - on grounds of convenience, anyway, Maidstone is rather easier for us to reach. This was also the view of the Town Council who discussed the matter some months ago. However, for the benefit of readers who do feel strongly, we give notice of a public meeting called by the Community Health Council on Tuesday, 7 October, at 7.30 at Manor Barn in Bexhill. Of course, if anyone does decide to hold a meeting here, we will be glad to give it full publicity.
4.
From Monday, 6 October, the winter closure arrangements for Rye Police Station come into force. Between 10 pm and 6 am, all phone calls to the police station or from the phone outside the door will be automatically routed to Bexhill (now the base for the Rother Sub-Division which includes Rye - see GAZETTE no. 179). Day or night, in emergency don't ring the police station but dial 999; the call goes through to Lewes and is radioed to the nearest police unit, who can then race direct to you. Although the police station will normally be shut at night, the local police do of course have keys should there be a problem which calls for it to be opened up.
Probably not many grandfathers will be sitting glued to BBC1's "Playschool" tomorrow morning at 10.30; but among them will be Mr. Sydney Clutterbuck of Udimore Road, whose ballerina grand-daughter Nicola Katrak will be the dancer in the programme.
Nicola's father, who died some ten years ago when she was still a child, came from Pakistan, and her eastern ancestry is evident in the photographs of a very beautiful girl. Perhaps the graceful movements of the East have also contributed to her successful career as a dancer with the Sadlers Wells Ballet; although only in her mid-twenties, she already dances leading roles, and an appearance ou Playschool is certainly not the summit of her ambition!
As it happens, both Nicola and her younger sister and their mother (Mr. Clutter-buck's daughter) will be seen on television ten days later, when BBC1 visits their beautiful house near Alton at 10 am on Sunday, 5 October. A proud grandfather wasn't giving too much away in advance, but viewers may certainly hope to see Nicola dancing in the course of the programme.
When Nicola was a small child, Mr. Clutterbuck and his late wife had a house on the beach at Camber; on family visits, the little girl would go out on the sand and dance there all by herself. People who remember the talented child will like to know that she has gone on to do so well.
The only Rye application this week has unusual interest. Basically an outline proposal for the erection of a house with garage and parking space on part of the land which goes with 18 Military Road, it is in fact a preservation attempt. When the distinguished architect Sir Reginald Blomfield built Point Hill for his own family in the early part of the century, he landscaped the cliff below his home and set out a formal garden at the bottom beside Military Road. It contained a gazebo and two linked ponds, both now listed "buildings"; Christopher McGrath, acting for Sir Reginald's grandson in this application, tells us he has never had to deal with a listed pond before: Over the years the garden disintegrated into a tangle of undergrowth - the gazebo remains, but Mr. McGrath had quite a job hacking his way through to find the ponds. If permission is given, the hope is that the garden can be restored to its original appearance, with the new house justifying the operation.
A reader pointed out to us recently that the brief details given in the weekly planning lists and the displayed notices do not always make clear the full implications of a proposal. Speaking from experience, she suggests that anyone reading about an application which could conceivably affect their own property or area would do well to look at the detailed plans available in the Council Offices.
The Movie Society (subscription £2.50, under-18s £1) meets monthly, normally at the FEC on a Friday at 7.30. The season starts on 3 October - "Welcome Back - Bring a Film" says the programme. The popular "At Home to Friends" evening (by invitation) is on 5 December.
On 10 December the New Sussex Opera will be presenting "Amahl and the Night Visitors" at St. Mary's at 8; more details later.
5.
Inspector Legg of Rye Police has two parking problems on his mind, and would much rather not have to take official action if they can be solved amicably. Residents in Watchbell Street have written to him to complain about cars parking there, both on the town side of the street and on the pavements of the cliff side, particularly at the end by the Lookout. If the pavement is blocked, pedestrians have to go round the obstruction over the cobbles, which is a nuisance and a possible danger; but much more serious is the position about access for the ambulance or fire-engine. There have been times recently when it would not have been possible for either of them to get down the street (without damaging cars illegally parked in it) and Inspector Legg is particularly worried about this. There have been a number of prosecutions for such parking in the course of the summer; people living in the street, or who work elsewhere in the town and use it as a daytime car park, or worshippers at St. Anthony's, all risk a court appearance if they don't park thoughtfully - "Can a fire engine, can an ambulance get through if I leave my car here?" they should ask themselves, Inspector Legg urges.
The other section of road which concerns our Inspector seems to have no name, though it is loosely referred to as Rock Channel - the road from the foot of the Wipers steps alongside the Salts down to Lochin Marine and the start of Rock Channel proper. This belongs to the SWA, and they have recently had the yellow lines renewed - double on the Rother Ironworks side, single beside the Salts. During the day Lochin and the other firms down there have been having trouble getting deliveries because cars are parked illegally on the single line. Boats get bigger, lorries get bigger, and there is sometimes just not room for legitimate road-users to get past. Hitherto the police have not bothered much about this stretch of road, but from now on they are going to, and those who don't respect the yellow lines may find themselves in trouble.
• Under the Rye Museum Association imprint, the Museum's Hon. Curator Geoffrey Bagley has written and illustrated, using his own photographs and paintings, a conveniently-sized account of the villages and outlying parts of the Marsh.
"A Picture Guide to Romney Marsh and Adjoining Levels" shows, in black-and-white, usual and unusual views of our neighbour to the east. A clear map indicates the villages (and also the large areas with no villages at all). Skulls and sheep, power lines and porches, the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway and a pair of Siberian tigers at Port Lympne - all enhance, in Mr. Bagley's skilled hands, the more often seen views of church, canal and lighthouse. His interpretation of the Marsh is a wide one, and Rye has a handsome five-page entry; as well as a useful preface and the captions to the pictures, each village (listed alphabetically from Appledore to Winchelsea) earns a short historical note in our Curator's individual style. The book, price £2.95, is obtainable from the Museum until the end of October and from Martello.• Kenneth Clark's booklet, "The Historical Background to Rye", contains six pages of close text and a very helpful bibliography. Mr. Clark's interest in the history of the town is well-known, and his summary of its story from mediaeval times to the present day will be of use to students and visitors alike.
• Pamela Oldfield's novel "The Gooding Girl" was published a year ago; it is a very enjoyable fishing-community family saga with a clearly identifiable local setting. Mrs. Oldfield, who now lives at Appledore, was here as a girl and a pupil at Rye Grammar School. Next month, she tells us, "The Gooding Girl" is coming out in paperback, price £2.75. But she hardly draws breath between books; October also sees the publication of her new hardback "The Stationmaster's Daughter" set against a background of the Tenterden railway. She has just spent two months in America checking the details for the next book, about the Californian gold-rush; and the one she is currently working on is a story which involves the Titanic - a lovely excuse, she says, for a trip on the QE2, the nearest she can get to the original ship (and, we hope, safer!).
6.
1986 sees the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the Rye & District Hotel & Caterers Association - the "Hotcats", Ernest Thompson tells us they call themselves: On Monday last week members of the Hotcats and the staff of the Tourist Information Office enjoyed a birthday lunch at The Dutch House in Udimore Road - Tanya de Vlam's final act of hospitality before she started taking down the curtains and packing away the china preparatory to her departure. Tanya provided-and prepared the food, the Hotcats brought the wine - and everyone had a lovely time. (Don't forget, incidentally, Tanya's moving- out sale this coming weekend - GAZETTE no. 193.)
The Association has about sixty members, plus some associates not in the hotel or catering business who nonetheless like to advertise in its brochure. This comes out every year, with the delightful Derek Bridgwater drawing as its cover picture, and an introduction and map as well as a large number of advertisements, usually with pictures, for members' establishments giving all the essential details. 30,000 copies are printed and distributed - last year they sold out early - and go all over the world; Mr. Thompson, the Association's treasurer, says it is not uncommon for him to get bookings over the transatlantic phone because the callers have seen the brochure - and doubtless other businesses find the same.
The Hotel & Caterers Association, together with the Chamber of Trade and the Town Council, are represented on the new Rye Promotion Group, whose object is to encourage tourism and general trade in the town; Rother's Tourism Officer David Blake, and RDA Field Officer Leslie Bulman, usually attend the six-weekly meetings. Last month the Group decided that Rye ought to be included in the colourful leaflet produced by ESCC listing the county's top tourist attractions - of which half-a-million copies are distributed each year. Less than a fortnight before the £1,300 payment for the 1987 space was due, Mr. Thompson sent or delivered circulars to 300 local businesses, asking for donations of between £20 and £50 towards the cost. The group was disappointed that 255 of those businesses failed to respond, but the contributions from a noble 45 have meant that the ad will appear, and there is a possibility of the outstanding £150 coming from the RDA. Since those who did contribute will have benefited their fellow-traders as well as themselves, Mr. Thompson suggests we should print the list by way of a thank-you (and in no special order):
Cinque Ports Stationers, Durrant House, Adams of Rye, Longs, Little Orchard House, Jeake's House, Old Forge, Phipps & Co, Serendipity, Casa Conti, Lloyds Bank, R & S Paine, Vidler & Co, Natwest Bank, Bennetts, Paine's Car Hire, Iden Kennels, Flushing Inn, Cinque Ports Pottery, Pilkingtons, The Corner House, Rye Art Gallery, The Old Vicarage (Church Square), George Hotel, Winter's Dairies, Spring Cottage, Spar, Aviemore, Rye Tandoori, Skinners, The Tuck Shoppe, Merrythought, Flackley Ash Hotel, Simon the Pieman, Mary Lestocq, Davies & Seeley, Dawes Prentice & Herington, Iden Pottery, Rye Model Laundry, Maison Fleur, Rye Goldsmiths, Oak Cottage, the Elizabethan, Rye Fish Bar, and the Landgate Bistro.
Division I - Prebble Cup: The Granary Club
Division II - Newman Cup: British Legion Men
Team Knockout - Horner Shield: The Granary Club
Team Two-Ball Foursomes - Rye Putting League Cup: Winter's Dairies
Lowest individual scores in League gamest
Ladies, Miss J. Woolley (41); Men, Paul Sargent (37)
Best average in League games - Chamber of Commerce Cup: Paul Sargent (42.58)
Most improved Junior - Norman Hutchings Trophy: Sam Tollett
Final League Tables: Division I - Granary Club (106), RAFA (74), Winters Dairies (65), Rye Fire Brigade (58), Iden Putting Club (57); Division II Royal British Legion Men (74), RBL Mixed (59),> RBL Ladies 'B' (49), RBL
Ladies 'A' (3.-).
Individual Knockout winner : Ladies, Mrs. S. Sutton; Men, Mr. S. Doyle.
7.
• The WRVS, unlike most organisations which help other people, are not allowed to fund-raise on their own account. Last year, when Mrs. PIayford of Pottingfield Road discovered this, she held a very successful coffee morning in support of the WRVS, and on Saturday from 10.30 she is holding "open house" again. There will be stalls selling cakes, books, crafts, a raffle (and jumble if the weather stays fine) and a particularly desirable doll waiting for someone to guess its name.
• Rye Lions had two lovely days for their Charity Shop last weekend, with quantities of household goods, clothes and bric-a-brac going in and out of the CC all the time, and the Lions and their ladies, in distinctive yellow sweaters, working a very long weekend. This invaluable event is much appreciated in the town - both by those with surplus furniture and those who are in need of some; the Lions were most generous in collecting and delivering, some of the leftovers will be added to the stock of a jumble sale at Westfield, and just one truckful had to be dumped. The event raised £500 to add to the total amount which the Lions feed back into good causes at home and away.
• Anne Hamilton at River Books in Lion Street has been quite astonished at the number of pairs of spectacles handed in for third-world recycling; she is `taking them over to the Help the Aged depot at Ashford early next week, so any more should reach her by this weekend. The total catch runs well into three figures - we shall have the exact number later.
• Landgate WI members enjoyed a talk by Nick Mills on his job as a vet, illustrated by tales of some of his more challenging clients - llamas in Rye and budgies in prisons Members' children had greatly enjoyed the August picnic on the Salts, and four members were thanked for the St. Mary's Flower Festival arrangement. The Institute holds a coffee morning on Thursday of next week (2 October) at 10.30 at the Red Cross HQ.
• Rye Dance Centre has been given new dates for its Showbiz III presentation, booked in at Thomas Peacocke Upper School for the end of November by Miss Haviland back in May. When she returned from holiday recently, she was surprised to find a letter from the caretaker offering her Friday and Saturday, 5 and 6 December, instead. Although the December dates are not convenient for some of her 150- plus performers, Miss Haviland says stoically that doubtless they will be glad of the extra week as the time draws near. But she did book in May, we said to the Bursar? It seems that the organiser of the East Sussex Table Tennis Championships had booked for 29 and 30 November at the end of last year; there ad been, Mr. Smith said diplomatically, an administrative error.
• The local RAFA Branch would very much like to know the exact location of a plane which crashed somewhere on the Rye side of Winchelsea Station during the war with its Polish pilot in it. The recent exhumation of the body of a pilot at Udimore was among the last to be legal - legislation now forbids any further work of this kind if human remains are thought to be in the plane. But the RAFA would be glad to care for the site of the crash. The pilot was said to have been a Roman Catholic, and Catholic services have been held there from time to time, though not recently. Can anyone show Gordon Stanbridge or any other RAFA member the precise spot?
• The police station press book shows a minimal amount of trouble in the town recently. The total Rye entries over a fortnight record the theft of two outsize umbrellas from the Pipemakers Arms beer-garden on 5 September, the loss of a handbag at the Oasis the following night, and two wing-mirrors stolen from a lorry parked in Udimore Road on 7/8 September. Touch wood...!
• Some of our subscribers are so enthusiastic that, having made out a standing order in March, they are now sending us in a second subscription by cash or cheque. As soon as we get the list of standing orders paid into the bank on 30 September, we will check these double subscriptions and refund the money with the next issue. If your copy is marked S.O. by your name, we think you have paid!
Thursday, 25th Jobcentre representatives at the Community Centre (also Friday) - see poster at CC and GAZETTE no. 191.
Friday, 26th Coffee morning for Arthritis & Rheumatism Council, Red Cross, 10.30
Saturday, 27th Coffee morning for WRVS, 67 Pottingfield Road, 10.30 (see p. 7)
Boot Sale, TPS Upper School, 9 to 2 (see GAZETTE no. 193)
Craft Market, FEC, 11 to 5
Thomas Peacocke School Michaelmas Fair, Lower School (Ferry Road), 2 to 5 (GAZETTE no. 193)
Lifeboat dedication ceremony, Rye Harbour, 5
Methodist Church Harvest Festival weekend: church open 10 to 6 (and Sunday) for visitors to view Harvest display
Sunday, 28th Methodist Church Harvest Festival Service, 11
Monday, 29th WRVS Lunch Club, CC, 12.30
Methodist Church Harvest Supper, 7.30 (tickets £1.50 adults, £l children, from Adams of Rye)
Tuesday, 30th Local History Group AGM (to meet Miss Bellem, new Museum Curator for Rother Council), Library, 7.30
Wednesday, 1st Hearing Circle coffee morning, Red Cross, 10.30 to 12
• Congratulations to Zena (nee Batcheler) and Andrew Gaunt on the birth of their son Robert Peter on 11 September - a brother for Trevor, and a second grandson and fifth grandchild for Mr. and Mrs. Peter Batcheler of 14 Cooper Road.
• Congratulations, too, to Mrs. Barbara Lloyd of East Street, now a very proud great-grandmother to Jacob (Knight).
• The NSPCC house-to-house collection (they use the envelope system) takes place from 4 to 11 October. Anne Wood would be most grateful for offers from those willing to help - she is particularly short of collectors for the Tilling Green Estate, if anyone there could spare a few hours.
• Playgroups, etc., who could make use of old wallpaper books should call in at the Decorator's Warehouse in Cinque Ports Street, where some are going begging.
• Advance notice of the blood donor session at the Baptist Hall on Thursday, 2nd, from 2 to 4 and 5 to 7.45; the literature implores donors to recruit friends to come along too.
• Ken Warren, MP, holds a surgery at the Council Offices, also on Thursday, 2nd (GAZETTE no. 193) from 3 to 4; appointments bookable in advance from Hastings 423110 (Conservative Association office).
• BR apologise for noisy engineering work "near Rye Station" on Monday night next week; will it, we wonder, be that spectacular grinding machine again? If so, it is really worth getting out of bed for - particularly since it is the nearest Rye is likely to get to fireworks this year (Bonfire Night on 4 October, as readers should have noticed, is off).
• Apologies to a few subscribers who have been marginally overcharged on postage, since the Post Office has now postponed the starting date for the new rate; when it does actually start, we will reimburse you the difference in stamps.
• The Town Diary shows the evenings of 4, 5 and 6 December becoming over-subscribed and those planning events would do well to avoid them.
THE RYE GAZETTE is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office, published by sirs. Mary Owen, 2 Cyprus Place, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7DR (0797 222303), and printed by Cinque Ports Stationers of Rye. News items for inclusion are always welcome - deadline Monday afternoon. The GAZETTE costs 30p weekly and is delivered to subscribers and pick-up points on Wednesday. A very few spare copies and back numbers may be available at Cyprus Place. (copyright Mary Owen 1986)