There will be no GAZETTE on 15 April - we take our Easter break next week. The next issue appears on 22 April. Due to the Sports Centre opening on Bank Holiday Monday (20th) the office will be closed during the afternoon - but otherwise it is a normal working day for us, so don't hesitate to ring in the morning or early evening. We are sorry that pressure on space this week has meant some reports being shorter than we intended.
• ... to David Festing, 22 and a Varley on his mother's side, newly commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 5th Battalion of the Queen's Regiment, C Company (Cinque Ports Volunteers). Anyone with an interest in Rye history will know why we are so particularly pleased to record this! David has been in the Territorials for 23 years and has been working for some time to gain his commission; he is studying general engineering at Hastings College, but spends at least one evening a week and two weekends a month based at Bulverhythe, C Company's depot. Potential recruits - 173 to 30 - can contact David at 11 High Street, Rye, or ring the depot's daytime phone number, Hastings 426254. Incidentally, the mess is searching for a Sussex Regiment or Cinque Ports Volunteers bugle or trumpet for its collection; can anyone locate one for them?
• ... to Constable 4643 Masters - Brian Masters of Pottingfield Road. Brian had always wanted to be a policeman and now, at 20, he has been accepted for the Ministry of Defence Police and will be based, to begin with, at Woolwich Arsenal. He was one of 600 chosen from 11,000 who answered the single annual advertisement and took part in a gruelling 11-week course in Buckinghamshire, which eliminated 20% of the starters along the way. Brian, however, coped with botir the academic and athletic requirements, and his very proud parents watched his paT;sing-out parade last Friday.
• ... to Samantha Vicarey, 18, of Landgate, who covered herself with glory and gave her parents Ken and Mary great pleasure last Tuesday evening, when she received the Student of the Year award from Hastings College's Catering Department. This was for work done in her first year - she has now nearly completed her second and final year, and will soon be looking for a job, preferably one with prospects and not necessarily round here.
• ... to Rye St. John Ambulance Nursing Division, who went to Portslade on Saturday - and brought back six awards, presented by HRH Prince Tomislav of Jugoslavia. Paula Sams and Ann Newman (with Karen Pope as reserve) won the Sir William Gentle Cup and the Frances Denning Shield, and Ann was awarded the Offord Cup for making; as well as individual nursing tests, the team of two had to look aft(.-n a family, including bathing and feeding a baby and washing and dressing its grandmother.
The nursing cadets were also represented in the contests. The Rye team was led by Sally Mitchell (15) with Kirsty Piggott (14), Shelia Crisford (14) and Angela Rebus (133) - reserve Nadine Mitchell (14). They gained 596 points to win the Bessborough Cup, 73 points ahead of runners-up Willingdon. Another Bessborough Cup was gained for the highest team test, and Sally also received the Trott Cup for the highest team leader. Here again, each cadet was set individual nursing tests before the 15-minute first-aid test, coping with a man who had suffered an electric shock and a helper suffering from just natural shock.
Both teams will now go on to compete at Regional level at Tunbridge Wells on 30 May, representing Sussex vs. Kent, Surrey, Guernsey and Jersey. Good luck!
• ... to Glenn and Joanne Thomson, of Plymouth, on the birth of their son Martin on 21 March - a first grandchild for Ian and Beverley Thomson of Pottingfield Road.
AND A VERY HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OUR READERS!
2.
Yet again, we implore elderly readers not to allow into their homes strange dealers offering to buy antiques. Last week we heard a sad story about someone in the town who was paid a pittance for a considerable quantity of goods - but the police couldn't do anything since she had agreed the price and taken the money. Without wishing to recommend individual antique dealers, we would point out that there are a number who have been established in Rye for many years and who regularly deal with local people and therefore have their reputations to consider (in our experience, offers from them are usually higher than the seller had expected!). Or, of course, there is Vidlers' auction room where prices find their own level in a hall packed with buyers, both trade and private. If you must sell to strangers, don't let them in (keep the chain on) until you can contact a relative or neighbour to see fair play; your Neighbourhood Watch representative should be able to help you if necessary.
We ran a similar warning not long ago about con-men "builders" after someone local had been duped over roof repairs. For elderly people particularly, the moral has to be: Never have any financial dealings with anyone you don't know, without someone you trust being present.
There have also been various odd people in the town recently selling things door-to-door or asking for money for unknown charities. In a generous an unsophisticated community like ours, this could be a way of making a quick personal buck by trading on pity; question them before you give, always insist on a receipt beforehand, and if you don't like what you hear ring the police at once (Rye 222112).
There must have been 80 people in the Town Hall on Wednesday evening at the meeting called by the Playgroup committee to discuss its prospects. In the absence of any one from Rother staff, Social Services staff or the RDA, no decisions could be made nor could many questions be answered - and there were questions in plenty. The group have two worries: what will happen if their building (the old Civil Defence hut) becomes untenable during the piling work next door, and what will happen when it finally comes to the end of its life, in perhaps two years' time? The first problem could be solved by the use of a classroom at Freda Gardbam if the need arises - though the helpers clearly suspected that if they abandoned their building, however briefly, it could come to grief ("Oh dear, it fell down..."). The committee said that they had failed to get an answer from anyone to the second question; George Shackleton, to whom this was all news, promised to make enquiries at Rother.
We made enquiries, too. Mr. Bird, of Rother's Technical Services Department, said he had tried to make the position clear to the Playgroup committee, and would try again. At the RDA. Leslie Bulman had good news, only a few days old: the Development Commission have just approved the new RDA work programme, and will offer 25% of the cost of a new building for mixed use on the Ferry Road site. Rother - with or without financial help from Playgroup - will be looking for ways to fund the other 75%; but certainly no-one is expecting Playgroup to provide a building all by themselves. "Mixed use" would of course mean sharing with other groups, who would use the hall mainly in the evenings; but careful planning, said Mr. Bulman, would mean that the problem of clearing everything away between sessions would not be nearly as formidable as it seems at present. This new building, incidentally, would not be competing for trade with Rye's existing halls; he envisages it being booked by various welfare groups which now cannot meet at all for want of suitable premises.
Playgroup therefore needs to continue fund-raising, since a capital sum could either be a contribution to building costs or provide income for increased rent, depending on how things work out. The committee are grateful to those who supported Saturday's coffee morning, which brought in £200. And last week Rother gave the present building and site a very thorough survey, to establish what its condition is before the contractors start at the end of the month.
- 3 - THE RYE GAZETTE, 8 April 1987
This week's planning list contains an entirely new application from the owners of the Harbour Road site (ex-Cornus Properties, currently Montrose). From the outline plan, the company appears to be pulling out entirely from any marina commitment at all; there is an area of water, but this is described simply as "linked lakes" and there is no mention of moorings. However, the agents, a firm of architects in Romsey, tell us that moorings are still part of the project - but in a much simpler form, with no pontoons and no £m lock gate; access to the "linked lakes" would only be across a bar from the river, an hour each side of high tide (as Nature has already arranged at the river mouth). What is clear from the plan is that the housing density has been increased by 25% - 124 houses and flats instead of somewhere under 100. The complex would include shops and chandlery facilities, and an industrial development (as before) on the Alsfords Wharf side of the site. We asked hopefully if these houses might be in the first-time-buye.r price range: yes, said their Mr. Green - and then quoted L40,000 to 260,000! Doubtless Rother will be asking for a good deal more detail about the maritime side before the plan is considered seriously; at present, on paper anyway, it sounds like a middle-price housing estate which happens to be built round a pond where people could keep their boats.
Other local plans include, for the Old Bakery in Mint Court, a conservatory, new window replacing a door, and double timber gates; and for 21 Mill Road an extension to the garage to provide a domestic workshop.
Segas were still being over-optimistic when they forecast that excavations would be finished in The Mint by last weekend (already a week behind schedule); on Monday there was a great big hole outside Barclays which meant that even the regular emergency three-point turn using West Street was unworkable! Ralph Olesen has now been told that they really should be finished in The Mint by the end of this week; they then move into West Street, going all the way up to the churchyard, pursued after a decent interval by Mr. Olesen's cobbling team. It is very improbable, he says, that Segas can really be gone entirely by Easter, as their original leaflet promised.
Work has started on the new street lighting; a Trader's Passage resident mourned to us that her nice new cobbles were being dug up again, but Mr. Olesen says this particular problem was allowed for. Something we hadn't heard about at all was excavation by Southern Water, currently installing water-meters for all hotels and guest-houses; but they tell us the job is almost finished, so obviously they have managed things very neatly. Next they move on to the pubs and clubs; we implored them to consider the sanity of the Mint traders, and to leave doing the Standard for a week or two, at least...!
There has been some surprise in the town that the rebuilding of part of Tower Forge is in a different brick from the original. Eric Le Fevre, the project's architect, tells us that 12 samples of brick were laid before the Planning Officer. The old ones would have once have been bright yellow, but years of smoke and repairs had mellowed them to a weathered appearance impossible to reproduce exactly (they were not in a condition to be re-used). The Tonbridge hand-made Pastone brick (very expensive, says Eric!) was chosen as having a lot of variety with a fair amount of yellow in it; he assures us that local taste would have been outraged if they had managed to find an exact match for the original bricks in their original state.
A tidal surge ten days ago briefly stranded 60 Sailing Club members and guests enjoying the Fitting-Out Supper in the Rye Harbour clubhouse on 28 March - but the depth of water in the car-park did not justify calling out the lifeboat! (The Harbourmaster tells us that pressure in the North Sea sent the tide several feet higher than expected; it was lucky, he adds, that it wasn't at the top of springs.) The Club has a full sailing season ahead for cruisers and dinghies, and instruction classes for Mirror dinghies start on 2 July (evenings). For further information, ring Gordon Moorey.
4.
In order to find cv space for all 19 candidates in the Town Council election we have asked them all the same basic questions - and can only apologise to those whose fuller information we have had to cut back so brutally.
Rye & District Ratepayers Association is supporting Mrs. Bromley, Mr. Chapman, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Shackleton and Mr. Starkey. The Hotel & Caterers Association is supporting Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Dellar and Mr. Parry. The Labour Party is supporting Mr. Champion, Mr. Fortsch and Mrs. Jones. The Alliance Party is supporting Mr. Rowe. This leaves Mr. Breeds, Mrs. Camier, Mr. Ciccone, Mrs. Kirkham, Mr. Le Fevre, Mrs. Oliver and Mr. Wiseman standing as strictly independent candidates, as far as we know.
AGNES BENNETT has lived in Rye for 18 years and is standing for Council primas a householder. She and her husband Norman have three children at school in the town, and she has done her PTA committee stint. For eight years. Mrs. Sennett has run the Half House guest-house in Military Road, and is therefore, naturally enough, interested in the town's tourist potential.
ROGER BREEDS has lived in Rye all his life. He is Clerk of Works for a firm of self-build housing consultants, and lives in St. Margaret's Terrace. He joined the Council in 1976 (Mayor 1984/6, Speaker of the Cinque Ports 1985/6), and plays an active part in various local groups, particularly maritime-oriented ones. He is also a candidate for Rother Council.
GERALDINE BROMLEY came to Rye in 1970, and has run Little Orchard in West Street as a guest-house for the past five years. She joined the Town Council in 1979, and her prime interest has been the Recreation & Tourism Committee. She is a founder member of the Conservation Society, and is also a member of the Friends of Rye Art Gallery and the Museum Association.
JOAN GAMIER came to Rye in 1951. She and Bert live above their shop, Camiers Motorcycles in Wish Ward, which they run with their son Michael. Joan had always been a British Legion member, but five years ago started to pull the Women's Section out of hibernation into its present flourishing state; earlier, she used to run the Rye Youth Club.
BRIAN CHAMPION lives in The Link, and is a Rother groundsman working in Rye. He is a Thomas Peacocke School governor, and a member of the Anti-Apartheid Movement and Greenpeace. He feels that politics do not play a major part in Town Council affairs, but would not wish to conceal his Labour Party affiliations. He is still campaigning for a fire-escape for The Link.
BRIAN CHAPMAN (Ringo) came top in the June 1985 by-election. As one of Rye's dustmen, he encounters most of the electorate in the course of his job. A local man, he lives in Udimore Road, and is currently on 19 committees. A founder member and past chairman of the Community Centre (and largely responsible for its new footpath), he also helps with the Monday youth club there.
JOHN CICCONE, of Love Lane, was elected to the Town Council in December 1985. He has known the town since childhood, lived here since 1972, and is the proprietor of the Spar shop in Cinque Ports Street. For many years a Rotarian and member of the Chamber of Trade, he is now also the chairman of the Rye Promo-on Group - and a national director of Spar.
RON DELLAR has run Western House in Winchelsea Road as a guest-house for the past eight years. His two sons are pupils at Thomas Peacocke School. He is the new chairman of the Hotel & Caterers Association; in its booklet, he describes himself as an artist/antique dealer. He was a parish councillor in his previous village, before moving to Rye nine years ago.
GERRY FORTSCH, of The Link, was born in Robertsbridge and has lived in Rye for 11 years; his wife works at the hospital. He works at Dungeness, and in his spare time runs the "Hippo" band; he is standing as a Labour candidate, but also as a householder - he fought the last two by-elections, coming third and eond - and is also a candidate for Rother next month.
(continued...)
5.
(continued)
OSMA JONES is a retired infant teacher, and lives in North Salts. She has been here since the 1970s, and joined the Town Council in 1983, representing it on the Rother District Association of Parish and Town Councils, and on Rye Festival Committee; she is also on the East Sussex Executive Committee of Local Councils. Mrs. Jones is one of the candidates for Pother Council.
JO KIRKHAM has been on the Council since 1971 (Mayor 1979/82); she initiated the formation of RCVS, and was instrumental in getting Neighbourbeod Watch started up here. Vice-chairman of the Museum Association, she is deeply interested in Rye and Cinque Ports history. She is a member of Ryesingers; has three children; and now teaches full-time at Thomas Peacocke School.
ERIC LE FEVRE has practised as an architect in Rye for 25 years, and has been on the Town Council for eight. He represents the town as a Thomas Peacocke School governor, is chairman of the Museum Association, a Trustee of the Nautic Museums Trust, and a RCVS committee member. He and his wife now live in Church Square; their two children were at Thomas Peacocke School.
MONICA OLIVER, our present Mayor, joined the Town Council in 1975,. She has always been connected with a large number of organisations in Rye, and her commitments have expanded even more during the first year of her Mayoralty. Dick's job brought them to Rye in 1948, and until she retired Mrs. Oliver worked as a home help in the town. They live in Lea Avenue.
(Many people will be sorry that TERRY OSBORNE, who might have been a candidate, has decided not to stand.)
FRANK PALMER, the present Deputy Mayor, comes from a Rye family. When he retired from training police cadets, he and his wife came to live on The Strand, and he joined the Council in 1983. He is a committee member of both the Conservation Society and the Museum Association, and is keenly interested in the town' history as well as what the future holds for its residents.
MALCOLM PARRY and his wife have had a guest-house in Peasmarsh for the past three years; his prime interest in Rye is in its tourist future. However, he is also Captain of the St. Mary's bell-tower, and for the past two years has supervised not only the Thursday evening ringing sessions but also the school group on Wednesday afternoons.
FRANCIS ROWE was born in Rye. He lives in Pottingfield Road, and was brought up to work in farming. He was a keen Bonfire Society member, and much regrets that this is now in abeyance; but instead he has given his time to the cemun-ity in another way and now helps with the newly-revived Scout Troop.
GEORGE SHACKLETON, dispenser at Boots, came to Rye in 1951 and lives in Udimore Road. He joined the Town Council in 1975, and Rother in 1979, and is the only person now serving on both Councils simultaneously - a useful link, he finds. He has the interests of ratepayers very much at heart, and his favourite Bexhill committee is undoubtedly Policy & Resources, which deals with the money.
DUNCAN STARKEY came to live in Military Road in 1968, and until his recent retirement was a teacher in Ashford. For many years he was secretary of the Rye Conservation Society and is still a keep supporter of the group, and of the Ratepayers Association and the Museum Association. He has been a member of the Town Council since 1975.
ED WISEMAN has been in Rye for nearly 20 years; he and his family live in Winchelsea Road, and he is a teacher at Thomas Peacocke School. Before he joined the Town Council in 1983, he had made his mark on the town as a leading light in the campaign which eventually saved the railway, and still keeps a wary eye on transport problems.
(There are six candidates, as far as we know, for Rother; one Independent, one Conservative, one Alliance and three Labour. Full details on 22 April; there will also be literature through our letter-boxes, no doubt.)
6.
• As it happens, both the last two Thomas Peacocke School plays have been based on Greek myths. But this year's rock musical, "Ulysses", comes as a complete contrast to Shaw's "Pygmalion". Apart from anything else, staff as well as pupils this year have been involved at all levels (a sign of the times is the credits entry "Transport home for cast", listing seven staff members who have helped to overcome the late-bus problems). The big Upper School stage was extended even further by a sectional apron stage (now a prized and permanent possession), and some very high-tech sound equipment was on hire.
The story is the traditional Odyssey - the adventures of Ulysses on his laborious voyage home after the fall of Troy. The programme describes it as a panto- mime; most local primary-school children had been to the dress rehearsal, free - but the two-year-old behind us had a delicious giggle! Overseeing the proceedings, literally (from a scaffold tower high above the stage), was Zeus (Jochem van Ast), the God-Father in a "godfather" hat and overcoat. Ulysses was Mark Curry, more of a rather bossy subaltern than the wise and wily king of the legend (his grown-up son Telemachus was left out entirely); Penelope was a part to make the most of Beth Hall's lovely voice. Various encounters along the way were reminiscent of the delights offered by Cynthia Payne: Circe (Julia Smith) had a particularly choice establishment, and the Sirens were invitingly slinky. The hippy Lotus Eaters contrasted strongly with the bloodthirsty climax of the Cyclops episode (the three Sid-Vicious-type Cyclops were definitely one of the high spots of the evening - and we loved the sheep, borrowed from Lower School). Ulysses' crewmen were well-assorted characters and managed their fold-up galley with admirable seamanship. Jo Breeds as Hermes brought the evening's first touch of comedy, and the final archery contest was pure slapstick, a wicked pastiche of a television quiz game. Props and costumes were simple but effective, the lighting was splendid; there was lots of scenery both on stage and in the body of the hall - some of it concealing the musicians, seven of them crammed into the smallest orchestra hole-in-corner it is possible to imagine! The play was directed by Chris Rose, with Lois Benton as musical director and Margaret Marshall in charge of choreography.
Two of the cast appear on ITV tonight in a very different context: Mark Curry and Roheise McGrath will be on Blockbusters at 5.15 (unless the plans have been changed again - the recording was before Christmas).
• This is the season for House Competitions: Dance at Lower School, Speech and Drama at Upper. As always, Rotary have been generous with their sponsorship. The Upper School Speech Competition was won by School House, with Sanders not far behind; Meryon won the Drama. At Lower School Meryon also did well, winning the House Dance Shield, and eight other awards went to individuals or groups of dancers. The Speech Competition finals which followed included four teams from 2.6, all girls - and one first-year team of boys, who came second with a talk on "The America's Cup"; winners were Natasha Wilson and her two team-mates ("Fashion since the 1950s").
• After four years as Assistant Housemistress at Leasam House, Julia Thomas is moving to fresh fields (at 15 Baffins Road, Copnor, Portsmouth, to be exact). She is going to be a home help organiser for West Sussex Social Services. Everyone associated with the TPS boarding house laments her departure, but feels Leasam has been extremely lucky to have her for four years. She leaves the house in good hands (especially in the kitchen department - the buffet lunch prepared there for a small farewell party would have been a cause for pride even by Warrender standards!), and recent redecoration has transformed the elegant music room, common-room, library and dining room, as well as dormitories. There are 56 boarders at present, roughly half-and-half boys and girls.
Now Leasam needs a new Assistant Housemistress: full time, starting after Easter if possible, and living in a self-contained flat with a superb view across the town to the sea. Apply to Richard Wright on the phone, or write to him at Leasam House, Leasam Lane, Rye.
7.
A new addition to Rye's choice of first-class guest houses opened on 1 April. Playden Cottage, in Military Road, has been divided by Sheelagh Fox and her family into family living quarters and a separate wing for guests. A long sitting-room opens onto the garden (and so, at first-floor level, does a small writing-room facing towards the quiet cliff), and the dining-room is cheerful with blue-and-white china. The two double rooms and big single, each with its own shower, have country-style decor but every mod. con. as well. Sheelagh has made a point of working with local firms: Burnhams did the conversion and redecoration, but there is also Rye pottery, Mike Hodgson's pine beds, Huffs' yew chests... Less than a mile out of the town, Playden Cottage is quiet without being remote - but not too quiet to offer barbecue facilities to guests who would like a DIY evening meal looking out across the wide Marsh. The house is said to have been Benson's Grebe; Lucia would certainly have cast an approving eye over the present arrangements, and we feel sure that the Fox family's guests will do the same.
• BR's Easter arrangements mean that our line will have its usual two-hourly winter Sunday service on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. It seems a pity, with Easter so late, that they can't run the hourly summer-Sunday service on this holiday line - but there it is. However, Rye can expect more visitors than usual this Saturday (11th) since there is cheap travel for Network Card holders - who can, of course, travel as early as they like on a Saturday.
• Rye Police accepted a football challenge from Leasam Old Boys on Sunday - and beat them seven-nil!
• Best wishes to Neil Wetherall, of the Social Services Patch Office, who is going to a similar job in a larger patch - the Hampden Park area of Eastbourne. His last day here will be 10 April. He took over the Rye patch in May 1982 and moved into the new Rye office in August 1983. His successor Derek Carter starts here in May.
• Six Regency mahogany dining chairs fetched £3,600 at Vidlers' sale on Friday; an oval snap-top dining table of the same period brought in £1,900; three water-colours of game-birds by Ralston Gudgeon sold for £640; and those who felt sorry for the inlaid oak cabinet which lay in pieces under the stairs will be glad to know that someone loved it enough to pay £700 for it!
• Twice in her Thomas Peacocke School days Laura Denny went to France on an exchange visit under the school's long-established scheme. Each time she stayed with the family of a charming French girl, Frederique, and the Denny family have since visited the French household. Now Frederique, 20, would like a summer- holiday job in England; she is a non-smoker, speaks moderate English, can drive a car, and is used to small children. Janet Denny will be glad to put a prospective employer in touch with Frederique, or give more information.
• Long notice of an unusual pleasure for Saturday evening, 2 May: the Travellers theatre group will be giving an entertainment entitled "Dearly Beloved" - a mainly light-hearted look at married and unmarried love. More nearer the time.
• (Outside our area, but people keep asking us) The massive excavation under way in Udimore is for a new underground reservoir built by Southern Water - apparently to supply Winchelsea.
• Two vehicles were stolen in Rye recently: an £8,000 Toyota from the railway car park, found next day in Ashford having been set on fire; and a blue Ford Escort van, NKT 989R, taken from Bridge Place. £265-worth of radio equipment was stolen from a fishing-boat moored near the Harbour at the end of March.
• In the 44 years of the local Muscular Dystrophy Group's existence, well over £1,500 has been raised and sent to HQ. Now the Branch has disbanded, but Mrs. Gill Wood of Tower Forge House has agreed to continue as the local representative and contact for anyone seeking information about the work of the Group.
Blood donor sessions, Baptist Hall, 2 to 4, 5 to 7.45
Coin Club, "The Coins of the East India Company" (Ken Wiggins),
FEC, 7.30
CSRF coffee morning, general discussion, FEC, 11
Rye & District Ratepayers Association AGM (speaker, Ralph
Olesen of ESCC Highways - see below), TH, 7
Mencap sale, everything 20p, Saltings, 10.30 to 12
Segas sale of cookers, etc., CC, all day (GAZETTE no. 219)
Scouts jumble sale, Scout Hut, 1.30
Rye Methodist Choir, "The Cross of Christ", Methodist Ch., 7.30
East Sussex Chorale, etc., "St. John Passion", St. Mary's,
7.30 (tickets from £2, EMBS and door)
Police Buffet Dance, Pontins, 8 to 11 (tickets £5, Police Stn.)
Traditional jazz with Jim Clarke Quintet, Ypres, 8 Monday Club 21st birthday party - many happy returns!
Thrift Shop, handing-in only, Red Cross, 10 to 12
Landgate WI, members' meeting, CC, 10.30
Community Lunch Group (George Cumming on MSS), Clinic, 1 Local History Group, business meeting, Library, 7.30
Thrift Shop, Red Cross, 10 to 4 (and Friday and Saturday) WI Market (instead of Good Friday - no coffee), CC, 10
Friends of Greyfriars, ploughman's lunch, etc., CC, 12 to 2
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve work party, meet at information centre at 10 or later at Ternery Pool, bring garden tools and lunch (and Saturday, ditto)
Old Scholars Association AGM, Mermaid, evening
FRAG film show (all welcome, entry El), Studio, 7.30
Greenpeace band, Green for Love, Ypres, 8
Cancer Relief coffee morning (raffle, stalls), Red Cross, 10 (not 9 as inadvertently advertised!)
Sports Centre official opening, The Grove, 3
• Visitors are welcome to the AGM of the Ratepayers Association on Friday (1C' ) when after the business of the meeting Ralph Olesen of ESCC's Bexhill offic. will be talking about "Maintenance Problems in an Ancient Town" - something he must know rather a lot about, by now! It should be a most interesting evening, and might even bring in some new members for this group which keeps a careful eye on the town.
• Rye Police are looking urgently for a full-time temporary traffic warden for Camber, from May to September (they had someone lined up who has had to drop out). Pay is £490 a month, uniform is provided, and applicants must be over 19. For further information contact Mr. Brooker on Bexhill 213630 (or ask at Rye Police Station).
• Peter Ewart and his wife Lynn have now moved from Staple in Kent to Hawkhurst, Kent enquiries for and correspondence about either of Peter's books should be addressed there. He adds that supplies of "A Poor Man's Rye" are running very low, and "Let's Be Men" is in effect sold out.
THE RYE GAZETTE is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office, published by Mrs. Mary Owen, 2 Cyprus Place, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7DR (0797 222303), and printed by Cinque Ports Stationers of Rye. Deadline is Monday afternoon for Wednesday's delivery; the paper costs subscribers 30p weekly, and spare copies may be available from Cyprus Place. (Copyright Mary Owen 1987)