The Community Centre was full of happy Rye faces on Saturday at mid-day, when the family and friends of John and Phyllis Smith of Ferry Road met to congratulate the couple on their Ruby Wedding. The Smiths were married at Christ Church, Blacklands, Hastings, on 26 June 1948 - and the wedding album (black-and-white photographs, of course, in those days) was on show on Saturday to prove it. So were all three bridesmaids (bride's sister, bridegroom's sister, and a then-small niece) and best man Les Holmes of The Grove - and, of course, the Smiths' two sons and daughters-in-law, two grand-daughters and a grandson.
John Smith left Rye Grammar School in 1932 and started work for the Borough Council in 1936. (As a former rate-collector, he knows exactly where all the old-style Terraces and Buildings and Places were, now mostly merged into ordinary street numbers - and we do wish he would write it down!) He became Town Clerk in 1966, moving over to work for Rother in the Rye office when the Borough Council became just a parish council in 1974. Before and since his retirement he has given up much of his time to Thomas Peacocke School, as a Governor, Foundation Governor and leading spirit in the Old Scholars Association. Kent-born Phyllis, on the other hand, has found her career in the crafts side of the WI movement not just at local level, where her work is always a highlight of the annual show - but also nationally as a judge and demonstrator. But despite these commitments, the Smiths find the time to travel, by train when possible, and have just come back from a trip to Russia. It was a real pleasure to their friends to wish them many more happy years together; it was also a pleasure to enjoy the superb buffet prepared by the Rye WI members with Margaret Owen in charge, and the cake which Mrs. Smith made and Sheila Dee iced to a miracle of perfection. (What will Rye be looking like, we wonder, when the Smiths celebrate their Golden Wedding in 1998?)
At the Harbour of Rye Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, two points of general rather than purely Harbour interest were discussed. John Collard's proposal to provide floating moorings by building lock gates at the entrance to Rock Channel had been put to Southern Water, who declined to consider it so close to privatisation. Now John Alsford, the Committee's chairman, has generously commissioned a survey by consultant engineers into the feasibility of the idea; he reported on this at the meeting, and we grieve to say that - in financial terms anyway - it is just not on: there is no possible balance between cost and likely income. This applies to a greater or lesser degree to proposals for "locking" Strand Quay, Rock Channel or the main river. However, Mr. Collard feels that the proposals should not be entirely dismissed; financial considerations, he says, are not everything.
Also discussed were the planning applications from ARC and Ennemix (GAZETTE no. 270). Very briefly, if both these plans went ahead the Harbour's income would be enormously increased; but the traffic to and from the proposed wharfs would mean that the river was likely to be closed to normal shipping for most of the three hours or so over each high tide during which it is navigable; So Southern Water would have the money to pay for improvements to the Harbour - but neither fishing boats nor pleasure craft would reap the benefit...
On Radio Sussex on Thursday, Sheila Barton put out a desperate plea for more drivers and mates for Meals-on-Wheels; several helpers have had to drop out, and with holidays coming up she is going to have real problems working out a rota unless she has more volunteers. It would be nice, she said, if younger people (men or women) could spare just a couple of hours two days a month, which is all she asks; meals are collected from the FEC at 11.30, and helpers can be away by 1.0. Ring Mrs. Barton on 223114 - or contact any WRVS member, or the office in the FEC.
2.
... to Caroline Bell and Paul Kelly, both of Rye, who were married on Saturday at St. Mary's. Caroline was attended by a grown-up friend, a page and a small bridesmaid (Gemma Barker) in pink and white. The reception was at the George Hotel, the honeymoon is being spent in the Isle of Wight, and the couple have bought a house in North Salts. Paul is in business spraying commercial vehicles, working mainly in Ashford.
... to Debbie and Steve Derbyshire on the birth of their daughter Laura Jane on 22 June, a sister for Ian James and the first grand-daughter for Janet and Ray Wood of Cooper Road.
... to the new Warden of Devonport House, Mrs. Anne Morris. For the past five years Mrs. Morris has been on the staff of another SHAA house, Ardath in Bexhill (where, as it happens, Rye's ex-Warden is now working). Mrs. Morris and her husband Lionel have a married daughter in St. Leonards. She starts her new job on 1 July.
It is very suitable that members of the Bonfire Boys should have made themselves responsible for the beacon at the top of Cadborough Hill, which will be lit on Armada Night and will be visible as far as Ashford and the East Cliff at Hastings at least. Jimper Sutton took charge of the project, helped by Robert Booth; Hugh Sutton has painted a Rye shield to decorate the iron basket, which will be added nearer the time; the Town Council has paid for the materials and the welding (around £150, Jimper told us); and Harry Hooker of Rye Cranes (6 Eagle Road, Rye 223846) generously transported the beacon on its tall pole and dropped it into the deep concrete base on Cadborough Farm land, by kind permission of the Hacking family. There it will stay, and perhaps be used again for other jollifications; Jimper wondered about planning permission, but reckons it counts either as street furniture or agricultural equipment (hay-rack for giraffes...)! If it hadn't been for so much generosity in time and transport the beacon would have cost more than the Town Council and the Armada group could possibly have afforded - so many thanks to Jimper and the rest, from all those who will be there soon after 10 pm on 19 July to see it lit.
• "What are you going to sell?" we asked John Easter (ex-Corner Shop in Market Road) when we heard he and Mr. and Mrs. Elcombe were in partnership in the new business on Banister's Corner. Virtually everything, he said - "anything we can buy cheap we will sell". When the ex-Banisters shop reopened as Rye Discount on Thursday, there was certainly an excellent range of goods, with some splendid bargains and a particularly good choice of household linens and ready-made curtains - and it was really nice to see the whitewash off the windows again so soon.
• Knitters will welcome the display of wools in the Market Road window of Mr. Patel's Corner Shop; The Black Sheep is now the retail outlet for Corkwood Knitwear, but the Market Road window will still be used to show sweaters and a selection of the wools stocked in the shop in The Mint. Ladies put out by the closure of the Wool Shop in Cinque Ports Street, please note.
• Presto is due to change its name again in October; the enterprising young Rye manager Ian Duffy tells us that under an administrative reshuffle of the group's stores it will then be known as Lowcost - though he intends to maintain the much-improved reputation the store has built up in the High Street recently.
• In the papers for Rother's full Council meeting on Monday appears an item which until now has been considered only in closed session by the Staff & General Purposes Committee. "The Committee received and considered a report upon negotiations, following an offer from Mr. David Sharp, lessee of 55 The Mint, Rye, to purchase the freehold. The Chief Executive explained the urgency of dealing with this item and the Committee determined to resolve the matter. RESOLVED: that the Chief Executive and Clerk be authorised to conclude negotiations for the sale to Mr. Sharp of the freehold of 55 The Mint, Rye, for a sum not less than that quoted in his report."
- 3 - THE RYE GAZETTE, 29 June 1988
(Readers who pass on their GAZETTE may wish to photocopy these four pages first, since they might come in useful later on.)
Rye Police Station in Cinque Ports Street is open 24 hours a day during the summer, and closed from 10pm to 6am during the winter. Phone, Rye 222112; calls on this number go through to Bexhill police station when ours is closed.
For personal callers, the first approach is to the duty officer at the desk, who can usually help you or pass you on to someone who can. However, Inspector Peters or Inspector Legg is usually available if you need to take something further; if neither Inspector is there, a Sergeant will be in charge. There is an interview room for confidential discussions. Letters addressed simply to "The Inspector" will reach whoever is on duty, if you prefer to put it in writing.
999 phone calls - which can be made from the box beside the door when the police station is closed - go straight through to Lewes, who can then alert the fire and/or ambulance services as well as pointing in your direction the nearest available police officer or squad car. It is vital that when making a 999 call you should be prepared to give clear directions about the site of the emergency, as well as its nature.
The Hastings Health Authority meets mid-monthly at St. Anne's House on The Ridge, Hastings (almost inamessible by public transport for a 10am meeting for those starting from Rye). Meetings are open to the public, and the papers are sent to the Library in advance of each meeting. Joan Yates and Dr. Roger Thomas are the two Rye-based members of the Authority (though not specifically representing Rye's interests). The HHA's General Manager is Alan Martindale, whose office is at St. Anne's House. Most HHA business has no special relevance to Rye, though of course policies for the whole District affect us too. But a study of each month's agenda could well alert local people to further developments at Rye Hospital or Hill House, or even the Clinic - all HHA-managed establishments.
(We reported in GAZETTE no. 268 Dr. Thomas's very helpful exposition, to the Community Lunch Group, of the structure and duties of the Health Authority.)
The Family Practitioner Committee (6 North Street, Lewes - 0273 476262) is the body which deals specifically with doctors in general practice. If you want to change your doctor and cannot do so amicably, or have some complaint about a local practice, these are the people to contact. Administrator is Leon Screene.
The Community Health Council exists to mediate between the NHS and the NHS user. The secretary is Patricia Marston (St. Helen's Hospital, Frederick Road, Hastings - Hastings 433221), and local representatives are Constance Owen of Playden (Iden 444), Bruce Palmer of Camber (Rye 225316) and Roy Pulford of Northiam (Northiam 3212). Any of them will be glad to advise over NHS problems or give information about the many caring organisations; the CHC will also, if necessary, take up individual cases or communal complaints with the HHA or FPC.
Meetings of full Council and Committees are announced in advance on the notice-board in the downstairs courtyard of the Town Hall. Members of the public are entitled to attend any of these meetings, and the Council is always pleased to see them. Only at the start of full Council meetings does the general public have a right to speak, having given notice to the Town Clerk in writing two days beforehand - but this rule is relaxed when the matter is one of obvious urgency. The Town Clerk, Mrs. Lesley Scammell, is normally in her office at the Town Hall on Monday, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 am, closing for a lunch-break - phone Rye 223902 if you want to be sure before coming in to see her. The Town Council's job nowadays is mostly to advise Rother District Council and East Sussex County Council on Rye matters - though it does also have certain property and responsibilities of its own, including the Town Model.
- 4 - THE GAZETTE WHO'S WHO
Rother usually meets in Bexhill, occasionally in Battle. All the agendas and other non-confidential committee and Council papers are available in the Library and the Council Offices in Cinque Ports Street (Rye 222293), at least three working days before the meeting concerned. Mrs. Swaine and her staff in Cinque Ports Street are always willing to answer questions and, if they don't know the answer, make further enquiries from Battle or Bexhill.
The Housing Department (Chief Officer, Mr. Catt) and the Technical and Environmental Services Department (Chief Officer, Mr. Clarke, with Mr. Bird on the structural side and Mr. Bridges dealing with car-parks, litter-bins, etc.) are all based at The Watch Oak at Battle (Battle 3371). The rest of the Council's staff is at the Town Hall, Bexhill (Bexhill 216321); the Clerk and Chief Executive (Mr. Powell) is there, with Mr. Lee as his second-in-command, so is the Treasurer (Mr. Willis). Also at Bexhill, Mr. Robinson is the Chief Planning Officer with Mr. Railings as his deputy; Mr. Scott and Mr. Dudman of the Planning staff are particularly well acquainted with Rye. (See PLANNING, below.) Mr. Hudson, Parks and Recreation Manager (Bexhill 220620) is in charge of the town's public open spaces including the churchyard, the playing-fields and children's playgrounds, the cemetery, and the Sports Centre out of school hours; his deputy is Mr. Roebuck.
Our elected Rother Councillors are George Shackleton and Roger Breeds; there is currently one vacant seat. Mr. Shackleton has recently retired from work, and Mr. Breeds can sometimes be found at home during working hours since his job takes him away at weekends.
Rother is responsible for most of the day-to-day affairs of the town, but not for road maintenance and other Highways matters, nor for any educational services, nor for Social Services - all of which concern the County Council, see page 5. If in doubt, the Council Offices staff will tell you who does what.
Many people only have dealings with Rother as the Planning Authority. The weekly planning lists appear on Tuesday, at the Council Offices and the Library, and the detailed plans to which each application relates are available on request at the Council Offices. The procedure, therefore, is to check the list each week and note down the number of any application which concerns you (either personally or simply as a citizen); armed with the number, you can ask to see the detailed application and then, if you wish, write to the Planning Officer at Bexhill with your comments or objections.
Rother's Planning Committee meets at Bexhill Town Hall on a Thursday towards the end of each month. The agenda includes the Planning Officer's report on each application (but sometimes this is just verbal). Anyone can go to listen to the discussions of the Planning Committee - though, as meetings can run from 2.30pm until well into the evening, it is advisable to check first roughly when the application which interests you is likely to be coming up.
The minutes are produced in draft form (don't start until you get it in writing!) on the following Monday afternoon, and thereafter anyone is entitled to ring Bexhill 216321, ask for "planning for Rye" and give the number of the application in order to discover what the committee's decision was. Applicants themselves do get it in writing - but sometimes it takes a week or more.
The Planning Committee agenda also lists appeals (lodged or decided) and the minor applications which are nowadays decided by the Planning Officer personally under the "delegated" system (applications are marked D on the weekly list and only come before the committee if anyone objects). Time spent studying one of the fat planning agendas just to get used to the layout is time very well spent!
Large planning developments can come under "strategic planning", when they become the responsibility of East Sussex County Council (eg. marina villages) - but Rother still has the final say.
- 5 - THE GAZETTE WHO'S WHO
Contacts here present a far greater problem than those at Rother. ESCC is, of at County Hall, Lewes; 0273 481000 will get you through to its new phone system, though it is possible to dial individuals direct if you know the right number. (But don't do it too often; phone calls to Lewes cost the same John o' Groats!)
ESCC's Information Office is there to help members of the public as well as to deal with press enquiries. The recently-appointed Head of Public Relations is Mrs. Lynn Crawford (John Thompson and Graham Barnett have both left). The press is supposed to deal only with the Information Office, but everyone else can contact the relevant department direct. County Engineer Brian Kermode is in charge of all aspects of HIGHWAY& (and doubtless other things too), but day-to-day highways problems can be dealt with at a less exalted level. At Lewes, Ed Bassford is our contact for road use (eg. bus services); Ken Shaw is the person to complain to (or commend 7177) street lighting. For road maintenance problems, Rye can go much nearer home: Ralph Olesen at Bexhill 220022, and his second-in command Graham Furness, are in charge of local road works, pavements, footpaths, etc. - and can still pass on to County Hall anything they can't help over.
We have had few dealings with the EDUCATION people at Lewes. Queries about schools should anyway start with the Head concerned. Information about adult education classes comes from Mrs. Anne Swaine at the FE Centre (Rye 222317771 Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 to 5). The Careers Service is available in Rye at Thomas Peacocke School and at the FE Centre, at certain times; ring Bexhill 217660 for details. The Library (Rye 223355) is open every day except Tuesday and Sunday, from 10 to 5 (to 7 on Mondays and Fridays); Area Librarian is Brion Purdy, Hastings 420501.
Again, we have had no dealings with SOCIAL SERVICES at Lewes level; but'the local Social Services Patch Office (Rye 226922) is next to Rye Wholefoods in Cinque Ports Street, and Derrick Carter is in charge.
Over the past five years, we have had considerable difficulty in finding out what went on at County Hall, as concerning Rye; it was not possible to ask the Information Office for, say, a report when we didn't know such a report existed. We complained first to John Thompson and then to Lynn Crawford about this, since for years ESCC has had something of a reputation here for sneaky dealings behind
Rye's back, with Rye having no way of finding out what was brewing. Papers for full Council meetings went to Rye Library; but they are virtually useless without the papers relating to the preliminary committees - and committee papers —normally only go to "larger libraries" (of which Rye is not one). However, Mrs. Crawford realises the problems of communication between distant Lewes and the ordinary citizen in Rye, and has now arranged to have all non-confidential committee papers sent here, treating us as a special case. The committees to keep a particularly wary eye on are those concerned with some aspect of planning: Highways, Strategic Planning, Conservation & Countryside, Environment, and Development Control.
The County Councillor for at and some of the surrounding villages is Mrs. Joan Yates, New Winchelsea Road. Robert Bromley, West Street is the County Councillor for Winchelsea and the rest of the villages. Mrs. Yates - unless things changed in May - serves on FSCC's Highways & Transportation, Libraries & Records, and Social Services committees, and on the Property and the Voluntary Organisations sub-committees. Mr. Bromley serves on the Policy & Resources and Environment committees, and on the Strategic Planning, Development Control and Conservation & Countryside sub-committees. (Unless, once again, things altered in May, it does seem that the committee distribution is not arranged as well as it should be in the interests of the town. Of the five planning-oriented committees and sub-committees listed earlier, Mrs. Yates can speak for Rye on one only, while Winchelsea's views can be put to four!)
The next County Council elections are due to take place in May 1989, since the current four-year stint started in 1985.
6 THE GAZETTE WHO'S WHO
First, if there is a real emergency to do with the river or harbour mouth area, you dial 999; these calls can be transferred to the Coastguard as well as to Fire, Police and/or Ambulance, and the Coastguard calls out the lifeboat.
Less urgent matters can often be dealt with locally. George Roberts is in charge of the land drainage depot at Scots Float in Military Road (Rye 223256) and his patch covers a very large area of waterway including the river mouth. He is glad to have people keeping a watchful eye on his rivers, and should be notified at once of any pollution problems (eg. a dead sheep in the water, or dying fish) as well as about flooding risks, or vandalism.
Rye is represented on SW's Harbour of Rye Advisory Committee by John Alsford, Don Bentley, Noel Varley, Derek Phillips, John Collard, John Royle, Joan Yates Roger Breeds and Michael Alford; most people with any sort of Harbour problem will know one of them! Carl Bagwell is the Harbour Master. If there is no- one in the Harbour office (Rye 225225) you are apt to get the answer-machine telling you the wind-speed, which my not be what you want. But Mr. Bagwell is the person to talk to about moorings, and shipping in the river generally.
As for the beaches, their cleanliness and safety are Rother's problem; Southern Water, however, is responsible for the groynes and other sea defences on this low-lying shore.
Enquiries about water-rates are dealt with at SW's Worthing office, where calls on 0345 414515 are charged at local rates (which seems very fair). But if you have trouble with your water supply or your sewage (and the problem lies outside your own property), then you ring Hastings 752233 in office hours, or Brighton (0273) 606766 outside them.
TVS (Vinters Park, Maidstone - 0622 691111) very rarely takes any interest in Rye. Radio Sussex is much more use; they get their hot news from press sources anyway, but for other matters of local interest try the Eastbourne (as opposed to the Brighton) studios - 0323 639359 during office hours. Angela Davies is in charge at Eastbourne - David Arscott has recently moved to Brighton. To advertise an event in the Radio Sussex Diary, send one of the blue forms (from the Council Offices) to the address given on it, ten days in advance; for last-minute cancellations, etc., phone Brighton 680231. The 8.30am programme, The 258 Alternative, covers the eastern end of Sussex on medium wave only, 258m; this is a very tight tuning and may mean swivelling your whole set round to get the best reception (or, of course, keeping a spare set permanently tuned to the wavelength on. you've found it).
The Sussex Express (nowadays called the Rye & District Express) is represented here by Karen Brodie, who does her best for us but is subject to the whims of a Lewes sub-editor. Her desk is in the offices of the Express's sister paper the Hastings Observer (Hastings 51351); if she's not there, leave a message and she will ring you back or look in. (If you have to ring Lewes - 0273 480601 - you may have to start by convincing them that Rye really is in their patch.)
The free paper, the News, is usually represented by Eddie Thomson, but if you have an item or a query for them ring Hastings 52811 and ask for whoever's there. Unlike Karen, Eddie is responsible for the whole Battle area too. Alan Jones takes the News photographs, and sometimes covers for the Express as well; events organisers are strongly recommended to have ready for him a typed sheet with details (names in particular) clearly set out, as this can prevent embarrassment all round later!
The Express carries an abbreviated list of planning applications, about ten days after the list is issued by Rother (which means that time is getting on for making objections). Conservation Area applications are advertised separately, also in the Express; the paper also carries announcements of highways proposals (eg. road closures) and applications for drinks licences. Public announcements sometimes appear in the News, and very occasionally in Friday Ad; these two are free, the Library takes the Express.
7.
The GAZETTE began life in Rye Festival Week, 1982. The intention was to provide a weekly diary for Rye events and write up little local news items in which the Express and News took no interest. The initial four pages grew immediately to six, and to eight by the following June when we started printing in-house rather than in Hastings - saving the rail fare but making the Editor's life extremely tense when the copier went wrong! Cinque Ports Stationers arrived in the nick of time and took over the printing at the end of 1985; from a first print run of 75 copies (only 57 subscribers, but we took a chance) in September 1982, we were producing 480 copies a week when the A259 plans went public last summer. We have never liked to think too much about what the actual readership of the paper is, here and abroad; the high cover price (rising from (3p to 40p over five years) has meant that copies are passed from hand to hand many times and often end up with friends and relatives overseas.
The GAZETTE dealt with hot-news stories when there were any (not very often in our sedate little town). We reported births, weddings and deaths; we went to all sorts of meetings, issued pleas for all sorts of help, and were particularly happy to write up success stories from a wide age-range (from poetry-prize winners at Freda Gardham to 100th birthday parties). We aired public problems, but tried to avoid private ones except when they really did concern the town in general and not always then; there are times when discretion is desirable!
Reviews of books by local authors or about Rye have been a regular feature, as well as reports of local art exhibitions and plays. "Rye as it was" was a running headline in the paper's early days, a much-enjoyed series dealing with aspects of the town mainly at the turn of the century; as pressure on space began to shrink our own series, we were relieved to find Jo Kirkham's Thomas Peacocke School booklets, and Ken Clark's articles in the Express, taking over the job.
Pressure on space came increasingly from planning reports. Since we started, Rye has seen a quite unprecedented amount of development - plus of course the still unresolved DoT proposals for the A259. Before long it was obvious that we needed to list all planning applications which concerned the town, and to report the Planning Committee's eventual decisions on them. Some of these proposals led to vociferous (and often successful) protests from the town; we were pleased when a GAZETTE report was responsible for alerting people to an unacceptable threat by a developer, as happened not infrequently.
The paper has not only campaigned about planning matters; we have complained loudly from time to time about action (or lack of it) on all sorts of issues in the public sector, and occasionally in the private one too.
We have never taken advertisements. But we have always been glad to write up new businesses, or the new owners of old ones, because in a town the size of Rye business changes are news in themselves. (And, just to clarify a point, we have never been offered inducements, financial or otherwise, to write up a particular shop or service - no such luck! The only perks have been various invitations to social events, and the occasional review copy or free ticket.)
The GAZETTE has aimed at providing a basically up-beat and mildly humorous commentary on the town's affairs each week. No-one is taking over in July, though there is talk of a successor in the autumn. Those interested in helping should contact the Library, which is prepared to act as co-ordinator, and prospective subscribers should simply keep an eye on the ads in Fixtures.
Eddie Thomson's native Largs has a population of 10,000, and the local paper prints 7,000 copies - many of them posted away! When the printing ceased to be done in Largs, the paper sometimes arrived late. On those days queues formed at the paper-shop, demanding "Whaur's the wee paper?" and peering suspiciously into odd corners in case the newsagent had tucked away copies for his favoured customers... That is what a local paper should be; it is what the GAZETTE has tried to be, and we are proud to think that - to a certain extent anyway - we have succeeded.
8.
Logically, this page should be the last in this bumper final issue of the paper. But the last two pages have always been "News in Brief" and the Bulletin Board, and so they are this week. However, having written the GAZETTE'S obituary overleaf, I am now just Mary Owen and no longer "we"; and as Mary Owen I would like to thank all of you who have helped me over the past six years with the planning, preparation, production and distribution of the paper. I have had some really lovely letters and cards from readers, saying how much you have enjoyed the paper; and though I am sure you must have felt like it, not one person has reproached me seriously for abandoning you all and departing to Shropshire to be a good granny at last. This is not to say I don't feel guilty - I do; but quite apart from the lure of the grandchildren, the responsibility of writing, producing and distributing the paper has grown vastly, along with its readership. In six years I have been lucky enough never to get 'flu on a Monday, never to break my wrist. Either would have put the paper out of circulation. I am now 60, and really enjoying the possibilities of a Senior Citizen's railcard - but age has penalties as well as pleasures, and one can tempt Providence too far!
I would particularly like to thank local organisations for their most thoughtfully chosen farewell presents. Thank you to the Conservation Society and the Local History Group for a joint gift (quite literally two-headed) - a Wally Cole pot I had admired for months; thank you to the Action Group for a charming framed drawing of Rye by John Breeds; thank you to the RAF Association for a very special spoon; and thank you to the Chamber of Trade for the Rye Pottery figure of the Friar on his mule - he could equally well be Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael (fictional), whose Abbey (genuine) is being excavated at the end of my new garden.
Shrewsbury is a town very like Rye, but considerably scaled up. There is a central Conservation Area, rising steeply from the banks of the Severn which almost but not quite encircles it; and my new house is just beside the English Bridge, facing across the river to the historic county town. It is a six-room 1850s terrace cottage with a small garden at the back and unlimited free parking a few minutes' walk away; to be honest, the spare bedroom will not be luxurious by adult standards, but I very much hope that friends passing through the town will allow me to offer them lunch - the condition being that they arrive primed with all the latest Rye news!
I have already joined the Civic Society and the Friends of Shrewsbury's Museums, and it seems probable that one or both will find a use for the services of a typist with time on her hands. When I started the GAZETTE, I knew nothing at all about local government, planning procedures, etc., and had to learn as I w t; I expect to put this experience to good use in a town which has exactly the save problems as Rye over parking, traffic congestion, unsuitable planning applications - you name it, Shrewsbury's got it too! All except tourists, that is; the streets are filled with genuine shoppers, many from rural mid-Wales and some talking Welsh to each other.
There will definitely be no Shrewsbury Gazette. I have been taking the Shrewsbury Chronicle for nearly six months now, and it is an admirable local paper which deals first with the town's affairs and then with those of the encircling villages. Unbelievably, it not only prints obituary notices and accounts of funerals but also lists all the mourners (I look forward to finding out how it knows); it also regularly lists all the local divorces - with reasons!
I shall be back in Rye for Armada Day, and from time to time thereafter to see my friends and keep an eye on the various forms of Them who rule our destiny. My new address is: [redacted]
(Will friends please make a note of this before passing on their copies?) If I can be any help on a Rye topic, don't hesitate to ring me; but most of the fruits of my experience are concentrated into this week's WHO'S WHO pages (3 to 6), my final legacy to you all.
9.
• Planning: alterations are proposed for Flushing House in Market Street, to doors, windows and internal layout - and also (which sounds intriguing) "exploratory demolition of wall cladding"! Details are submitted for three houses in the scrapyard, following outline permission granted last year; and Nigel Bassett of Ashburnham Road, Hastings, asks to use part of the Gluepot in Ferry Road as medical consulting-rooms for a registered osteopath.
• With the GAZETTE, Win Allen is losing one of her sources of old scholars' news for the OSA Bulletin. So will people please make an extra effort to tell her what they or their children or friends are doing - weddings, new babies, new jobs, successes great and small? She is also looking for a sub-editor from among the under-40s to keep her in touch with younger ex-pupils. Contact Miss Allen at Udimore Road, Rye.
• By the time you read this, Derek Young from Barnsley will almost certainly have heard from his best man of forty years ago. Mrs. Gill of The Old Brickyard read last week's GAZETTE and promptly rang Mrs. Sewett (nee Menzies) - who has promised to get in touch with her brother. John Menzies lives in Cheshire now, so he should have no difficulty in getting to Barnsley for next month's party.
• Mr. and Mrs. Beatty at No-Vens (selling mainly clothes) are looking for a mature shop assistant, experience preferred, for three days a week including Saturdays. Phone first, please.
• The St. John Nursing Cadets are hoping to raise £800 by the end of the year for new-style uniforms. They are most grateful to the Police Social Club for a £50 donation, and a coffee morning on 23 July is the start of a series of fund-raising events leading up to the Christmas coffee morning.
• Joanna Le Fevre is seeking a long-term tenant (for up to a year, starting in September) for her Church Square flat; second floor, self-contained, it has two bedrooms and wonderful views towards the sea. Ring Mrs. Le Fevre.
• At the AGM of the Rye A259 Action Group, the committee was strengthened by the addition of three new members - Shelagh Fox, Peter Dyce and Ann Lingard - all of whom have already been very helpful to the group. Chris Waters succeeds Zeta Dowdeswell as treasurer. Chairman Ken Clark tells us that there are no new developments about the route, and it is not possible to say whether our "preferred route" will be announced before the Winchelsea public enquiry, or vice versa. The Group is to hold a 50:50 Auction some time in the autumn.
• Two of the town's much-respected businessmen are now commemorated by seats in the High Street. Several years ago Rotary put one facing up Lion Street which bears the name of bookseller Gilbert Fabes, and this is always popular with visitors; now the Town Council has given it a neighbour, in memory of former councillor and dairyman Bernard Waters.
• Highways at Bexhill will be carrying out "kerbing footway works" in Tillingham Avenue some time during the three months starting on 8 August, and this will mean temporarily closing the road to traffic. If anyone is (eg) moving house and needs to know exactly when the road is likely to close, we suggest they contact Mr. Brooke on Bexhill 220022 now.
• Bill and Marylin Waters, on holiday in Germany, enjoyed meeting fellow holidaymaker Wally Field - who, many many years ago, used to live in Rye and went out with Bill's great-aunt Winnie Axell!
• The latest book in the Thomas Peacocke School local history series (pink cover, £1.99, from Salon 54, Adams of Rye and Anthony Neville) contains the Rye WI 1953 "Memories of my Town", and the recollections of Eileen Bennett and Theresa Hodgson - both stalwart WI members who were born in Rye and have lived here ever since. Now senior citizens, they have clear and detailed memories of the town when they were young. This book needs no recommendation from us, it will certainly sell itself to those who like to think back to the old days, or who just want to know what life was like then. Good luck to this series, which will be returning after the school holidays with new members in the research group.
Friday, lst Vidler & Co's monthly auction sale, 10
Ken Warren, MP - surgery at Council offices, 3 to 3.50 (but by appointment only, Hastings 423110)
Conservation Society AGM (speaker, the Rt. Hon. Lord.,Deedes of Aldington, PC, MC, DL - Bill Deedes of the Daily Telegraph), Town Hall, 7.30
Saturday, 2nd Coffee morning for St. Michael's Hospice, stalls, raffle - Pottingfield Road (Mrs. Playford), 10.30
Stowmarket Concert Band (leader, David Wood), St. Mary's, 7.30 - admission £1.50, senior citizens 75p.
ATC Barn Dance, with Catsfield Steamers, Upper School, 7.30 to 11.45 (tickets £3 including refreshments, students £2, TPS)
Sunday, 3rd Stowmarket Concert Band (morning service), St. Mary's, 10.30
Monday, 4th Blood donor session, Baptist Hall, 2 to 4, 5 to 7.45
Wednesday, 6th BRCS Hearing Circle, Red Cross, 10.30
Coffee morning for Flower Festival, St. Mary's churchyard, 10.30
Friday, 8th Final date for Rother by-election nominations
CSRF meeting, FEC, 2.30 (note changed time, also applies in August)
Saturday, 9th Catholic Church coffee morning, FEC, 10.30
Conservative Association, stalls and strawberry tea, 11 High Street, 2.30
Monday, 11th Thomas Peacocke School closed (in-service staff training)
Wednesday, 13th ARC coffee morning, 2 Fair Meadow (Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell), 10.30 Rye WI, "My experiences as a pub landlady" Mrs. Edwards, FEC, 7
Red Cross Bring-Only coffee morning (china and glass required for County-level sale later), 11 High Street
Garden party for MSS, Pottingfield Road (Mrs. Twine), 10
ARMADA DAY (watch for posters); Elizabethan Banquet, CC, tickets £10 from Serendipity now available.
Thrift Shop (handing-in only), Red Cross, 10 to 12 Landgate WI garden meeting (Elderslie, Leasam Lane), 10.30
Crime Prevention Panel, Police Station, 7.30 Local History Group, Visit to Bexhill Museum
Thrift Shop, Red Cross, 10 to 4 (and Friday and Saturday)
Last day of term
Coffee morning, St. John Nursing Cadets, Conduit Hill HQ
Coffee morning, Bowls Club, Pavilion, 10
NSPCC Summer Fair, FEC, 10.30 to 3.30
Fire Brigade Boot Fair, Jempsons (Winchelsea Road), 10 to 4 - pitch enquiries to Dave Catt
AUGUST: Carnival, 6th; Rotary Boot Fair, 13th, and Country Fair, 14th; Rye WI Summer Fair, 13th; St. Mary's Flower Festival, 27th to 29th; Raft Race, 28th. Rye Society of Artists, 6th to 3rd; Tuesday Painters 24th to 3rd.
This is the last issue of THE RYE GAZETTE. It has been published by Mrs. Mary Owen of 2 Cyprus Place, Rye (0797 222303); future correspondence to Coleham Head, Shrewsbury. Printers, Cinque Ports Stationers of Rye; spares from Young Ideas, 7 Cinque Ports Street. Some back numbers are available from Rye Library, whose complete set may be used for photocopying; other sets are at Hastings Library, the County Records Office, and (eventually) the British Newspaper Library at Colindale. The title belongs to Mary Owen and is not available for any other paper. (Copyright Mary Owen 1988)