Rye Harbour lifeboat had its first real night call on Sunday. Just after midnight a distress flare went up, and in visibility of only 200 yards a four-man crew took the boat out, not knowing what to expect. They found "My Rona", a Rye-based trammel-netter which had earlier beached at Camber and floated off again on the tide, lost in the fog. They shepherded her safely back into the river, the whole operation taking just half-an-hour - launch at 00.16, alongside at 00.25 and back at base by 00.45. Mary Lestocq says that although it was not particularly dramatic, the crew now know that the system for a night launch works for real - they can do it, for what could be a more serious emergency.
Our joyful welcome in GAZETTE no. 228 to BR's amended timetable was, alas, much too joyful. Going towards Hastings, things will be better from Monday. But going towards Ashford, for those hoping to spend a day in London, they are disastrous in one important respect. The present 8.20 (London 10.14) is being scrapped in favour of a new 8.36. This should connect with the fast to London which normally leaves at .06 past the hour, to arrive in London at 10.14. But that particular fast leaves Ashford at 9.00 - and the Rye train arrives at 9.02.
So now we are back to a much worse situation than we had before the revised timetable. It will not now be possible for travellers on a day-return or concessionary ticket to arrive in London before 10.40, and in order to do even that we have to leave Rye almost ten minutes earlier than we did last year.
The sequence is this: Leave Rye 8.36, arrive Ashford 9.02 to find the London train has just left. The next one is the 9.22, but this is a slow and is passed at Tonbridge by the next fast - the 9.39, which arrives at Charing Cross at 10.40. So is it quicker to go to London via Hastings for day-out passengers from Monday? We can't tell you - because Passenger Information at Hastings hadn't got a copy of the revised timetable on Tuesday morning!
Despite BR's assurance that they were sending some litter bins for the railway car park, there were none there at the end of last week - only a few dumped cardboard boxes being gratefully used by the tidy-minded, and a lot of rubbish alongside the fences.
On Friday afternoon a group of some 30 Kent and Sussex County Councillors and officials connected with the Rural Development Area paid a brief visit to the Sports Centre, at the end of a tour of the Area. The school caretaker showed them round, Frank Williams of Rother's Planning staff gave a short account of the events which had led to its opening in April - and that was it. We felt ashamed that there had been no-one there from the school or the Centre's management committee, or indeed the Centre's staff, to answer questions and to express the appreciation of the school and the town for this splendid facility. Admittedly it was Rother who paid for it, and ESCC who gave the site; but the RDA had been involved, and there really should have been someone local there to thank them nicely. Because all the third-year pupils were in exams, even the users were a bit thin on the ground at 3.0 - but there was no-one to explainthis to the chap who, not unreasonably, asked how much the school used the Centre?
The party went on to take tea at the Saltings Hotel and to look across at the New Road site - green and sheep-spattered - where its Feasibility Study had suggested that a marina village should be built; we heard unofficially that a firm of developers is anxious to lay out £8m on this. ("Of course they are" said someone from Brixham next day, "but you will find it is no good at all to the town; they import the labour to build it from up north, there are very few permanent jobs, and all the weekenders bring their food with them down from London!" - which is exactly what many Rye people have been saying.)
2.
Mr. Alan Gentry, of Bankside, died very suddenly at his home on Thursday. For the past eight years he had worked as a driver for Jempsons, and his death occurred soon after he got home from his day's work. Mr. Gentry was 52, and leaves a widow and two children. His death at such an early age is the second tragedy of this kind to strike the Estate in a fortnight. The funeral is at Hastings Crematorium tomorrow (Thursday) at 2.30; Mrs. Gentry asks that flowers should not be sent, but their many friends will like to know that donations in her husband's memory may be made to the British Heart Foundation, c/o Ellis Bro::.
At Thursday's Planning meeting, before discussion started on the A259 proposals (see Pages 4/5), the committee made the following decisions on Rye applications (still in draft form, so don't start until you get it from Rather). Old Ship Cottage at Rye Harbour can build a ,garage; Robert Hollands came build a factory unit in Harbour Road; Braxtons can turn 90 High Street into an estate agents; the shop at the very bottom of the Landgate can be merged with the flat above to become a private house; the shipwright's workshop near Duncan Grant's can continue as such; the Coal Yard can be turned into a car park, with a compound for pre-packed coal behind the office building; and Lochin Marine can build their slipway into Rock Channel. The question of the Woolworths fascia has been deferred for an inspection. Permission has also been given, under the delegation system, for alterations including new loos at the Bedford Arms, and a roof window for 63 Military Road. The month's major application - the marina village minus marina in Harbour Road (Montrose Holdings) - was not regarded with favour; it has been deferred for negotiations to reduce the housing element and increase wharfage and industrial development on the site.
This week's list sees an application to replace the slate roof of the Grist Mill with tiles; for a garage and new vehicle access for 40 Military Road; for a rear dormer window replacement for 21 Military Road; and finally an application which may give rise to some local concern. The developers responsible for the houses now nearly completed in Rock Channel are asking for permission to extend the scheme with a further six houses, each with a parking space, on the allotment land. The plan appears to show about a quarter of this land required for the housing (the section at the far end of Shipyard Lane), so we went round to have a look. At least half the area is in cultivation, and although Rother will doubtless be able to offer the tenants allotments elsewhere, we wonder if they will want to move? It will also make a considerable difference to the open view of the South Undercliff houses at that end. This was land made over to Rother in 1974 by the old Rye Borough Council. If it is to be built on, would it not be more properly used (perhaps in co-operation with a Housing Association) for homes for Rye's young couples rather than for yachting weekenders?
On the night of 18/19 June three Rye businesses were broken into. A lament in the press book points out that although someone saw a man climbing the back wall of one, not 300 yards from the police station, no-one thought to tell the police at once. "Perhaps a further reminder may help - if you see anything suspicious, call the police at the time" says the Inspector. The businesses concerned were Top Chic, the Landgate hairdressers, where £48 in cash was stolen; the cleaners in Market Road, who found nothing missing; and Cinque Ports Stationers, who lost an Amstrad computer model PCW 8256, a Sharp electric typewriter PA 3100, and the big Kroy printing machine - plus cash and cheques, total value £1,700. At much the same time Winchelsea Museum was broken into and 19 exhibits stolen - including the metal man-trap! On 21 June the Granary Club was broken into and £575 in cash stolen from the till and gaming machines. There have been various thefts from parked cars, and we heard a story (not in the tress book) that the police were going round the town's gift shops with three sackfuls of stolen goods taken off the young passengers on a French coach!
- 3 THE RYE GAZETTE, 1 July 1987
The Queen Mother is to visit Rye on Friday, 17 July - not (as far as we know) the town itself but simply the Sports Centre. She is due to arrive by helicopter at 3.30 and spend about 45 minutes here. In view of our strictures on today's front page about the RDA visit, we rang school - which is closed on the 17th for in-service training. However, there is no need to worry; we are assured that everything is in hand, and there will be children lining the route and plenty of users actually inside the Centre to show the Queen Mum how pleased we are with this nice new toy.
The first of Saturday's two brides was Tracey Johnstone, who was marrying Simon Winkworth of New Winchelsea Road. When Simon and Tracey were at Thomas Peacocke, she lived in Northiam; while he went into the Royal Engineers, she trained as a nurse at the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford - and two of her friends from those days were her bridesmaids on Saturday. Simon's best man was his eldest brother Richard - and among the guests was a fellow-officer expert in coping with the technical details of dress uniform. Tracey had designed her own dress, choosing a simple style as a contrast to the military splendour - a classic dress in cream slipper-satin with narrow sleeves and a train; the bridesmaids were in ballet-length aquamarine frocks. The service was taken by Canon Maunderell and the Rev. Howard Smith, until recently the Rector of Northiam. The reception was at the George Hotel. The honeymoon has to be deferred until the autumn - Simon, with a year to go of his Civil Engineering degree course at the Royal College of Military Science at Shrivenham, is at present on attachment to a London firm which is not inclined to give him time off to go to Greece!
The afternoon's second wedding was between Lisa Vicarey of Marley Road and Chris Turner of Lea Avenue. Lisa's dress was in white watermarked satin, the overskirt caught up with tiny peach flowers, and a decorative comb held her veil in place. She was attended by three bridesmaids (Donna Stoodley, Bayley Adams and Carol Turner) in peach silk dresses made by Mrs. Barbara Wood, and by three pages (Darren Paine, Steven and Jamie Bull) smart in grey and white with peach bow-ties. The reception was held at Thomas Peacocke School - back to the old days for Lisa and Chris! - and the catering was all done by the families; Lisa particularly wants to thank her aunts Mary and Pauline, and Mrs. Kath Williams who made the three-tier heart-shaped cake, as well as everyone else who helped to make it such a happy day for the newly-weds. They will be living in Marley Road for the present; Lisa works at Hill House, and Chris has a job at Alsfords.
This month's plethora of weddings has highlighted something of a problem at the St. Mary's south door. An hour between weddings is just not enough; it should be, with a 35-minute service, but the photographs take such a long time, and on several occasions lately bride no. 2 has been decanted into the middle of wedding no. l's guests, even if bride no. 1 has actually departed. Even on Saturday, with 1 hours between, Lisa's bridesmaids and pages were waiting in a corner of the churchyard for the earlier guests to leave before they could seek the shelter of the porch - luckily, it was a fine day.
The South London Blood Transfusion Service is worried. Until recently, about a third of those invited to the donor sessions used to turn up. Now this has dropped to about a quarter, and it is not enough. Three Bank Holidays in five weeks didn't help, and now the summer holiday period is upon them. They are particularly glad to see new donors aged between 18 and 60 and in good health, and to welcome back some regular donors who have not attended for the past five occasions on which they have been called.
The Service's next visit to Rye is on Friday week (10 July) from 2 to 4 and 5 to 7.45 - at the Baptist Hall, as usual. Now that the blood-wagon is neatly stowed at the back, in the new car-park, we have urged them to improve the point-of-sale advertising (if that is the phrase); it is all too easy for busy people to forget they are there if there is not a great big sign outside to say so. What they really need, of course, is a banner across the street!
4.
Last Thursday Rother's nearing Committee and a joint meeting of ES CC's Highways and Environment Committees both (separately) considered the A259 proposals. Rye observers at the Lewes meeting were Town Councillor Duncan Starkey, Peter Bayliss of the Action Group, and your reporter; at Bexhill, George Shackleton went over to support Roger Breeds (Roger is a member of the Planning Committee, George is not). Our third Rother Councillor, Frank Dowdeswell, did some very effective lobbying at County level to fend off a complete disaster at Lewes.
First the good news. At Rather, the Planning Officer had recommended that the committee should support the principle of a route along the railway corridor; he suggested relocating the Strand Quay roundabout nearer Winchelsea, and urged the provision of an access under the railway at the station to give access to potential car-parking north of the line. Councillor Breeds and (with permission from the chairman) Councillor Shackleton both spoke, working as a team, and won the support of Jimper Sutton who had earlier seemed to be in favour of the route (Jimper is the councillor for Icklesham/Winchelsea/Rye Harbour). After a discussion lasting well over an hour, right at the end of a long Planning meeting, the 14 members still there voted on a revised resolution suegeste-dby the chairman, Councillor Kentfield of Bexhill, and "It was recommended that the DoT be advised that this Council
(a) does not support the proposed route for improvement of the A259 traffic route at Rye, and
(b) requests the Department to examine in more detail further options, particularly Route-1, to provide a proper bypass for Rye."
Voting was 6-1 in favour, with the other 7 councillors abstaining; the Planning Officer told us he felt members were reluctant to approve a proposal which was so obviously unpopular with the people most concerned. The resolution was confirmed by full Council at Monday evening's meeting. So Rather is now on Rye's side.
The bad news comes from Lewes - and it would have been even worse had it not been for the strenuous efforts of four Liberal County Councillors, Colin Bourner and Paul Smith from Hastings, Anne Moore from Ticehurst and Delia Venables from Lewes itself. The two committees considered the Rye proposals separately from the Winchelses. ones, and the County Planning Officer and County Engineer had jointly produced a long and very thorough report, with maps. The recommendation on the Rye route, as proposed in the report, was that the Council "strongly supports the principle of a route alongside and to the south of the railway as the most appropriate means of meeting traffic and environmental objectives for the town and surrounding area". The authors don't like the Strand Quay proposal (a view, incidentally, shared by the Harbour of Rye Advisory Committee), and they suggest that the entire road runs alongside the railway instead ofvpulling away at Farm Lane. They also don't like the junction at the bottom of Rye Hill, and suggest that it should be not a crossroads but a T-junction, with everything coming down the hill turning either left or right along the trunk road; it was said at the meeting (though we couldn't find it in the report) that County would like to have just one exit into the town from the trunk road (presumably arriving via Station Approach?).
The Lewes meeting had been scheduled to last an hour; in fact it ran for well over two. (Winchelsea readers may like to know that the Council maintained its view on their proposed route - as well as objecting to the Rye end, it wants the new road starting much nearer the motel - and there was very little discussion about that.) But Rye was discussed first, and there was a great deal of discussion about our problems. Robert Bromley is Winchelsea's County Councillor and just happens to live in Rye, so he was quite entitled to put his own personal view as distinct from that of his constituents. He made an admirable speech, going into a lot of detail about the disadvantages of the route from Rye's point of view, and raising a lot of points which have already been raised locally but needed saying to County (we wish we had room for a fuller report).
(continued…)
(...continued)
Councillor Bromley referred to the 1,800-signature petition and the voting at the Town Council's open meeting. He was prepared to accept the DoT figures on current traffic, but was less happy about their forecasting - he said that a lot of traffic now takes the inland route which will undoubtedly use an improved A259 (including himself on his way to Levee). Then, after doing so well for Rye, he astonished us all by saying he was in favour of the route!
Joan Yates, however, is Rye's (Conservative) County Councillor, and had promised publicly to take the views of her constituents to Lewes. She has not, perhaps, put herself out to any great extent to ascertain Rye's views; she was not at the ortinal protest meeting, but neither was she at the Town Council's Open Meeting on 18 June - which Ken Warren thought was important enough to attend - telling the Town Clerk that she already had three meetings that day. (Our enquiries revealed that the Health Authority met at Hastings in the morning, but there was nothing official at all at Lewes on the-afternoon of 18 June; and even if there had been, people are saying, where should our County Councillor's loyalties lie on a matter which will affect Rye for at least the next hundred years?) Mrs. Yates left the Town Council's regular meeting four days later at a very early stage, resenting criticism voiced by one of the Councillors about her absence on the 18th. (More criticism, this time about her vote, was voiced at the Conservation Society AGM at the Town Hall on the 25th; Mrs. Yates sits on its Executive Committee, but had not sent apologies for absence and had Instead attended a promotion event at the Art Gallery.)
Anyway, at the Lewes meeting Mrs. Yates said that she felt the proposed route was the only available one at the moment; she had known since 1958 that it would be chosen; she had seen how nicely these things were managed in Switzerland; and she felt "that the social side is a matter for the people themselves". She clearly that Rye was not attractive enough to draw in visitors who didn't happen to find themselves here anyway - a view not shared by her constituents!
Councillors Borner, Smith, Moore and Venables then did their level best for us. Very well briefed by local Liberals, they recalled what the Hastings through route did to the fishing community of the old town; they recalled how successfully Lewes itself had fought off a through road and how the Department had threatened "This - or nothing" - and had then come back a couple of years later with a bypass. Other Councillors on both sides of the political watershed also spoke, but we felt it was entirely due to the efforts of the stalwart four (and perhaps Robert Bromley) that the proposed resolution was modified. It now reads:
"The County Council welcomes the proposal to improve the A259 at Rye, and gives qualified support for the principle of a route alongside and to the south of the railway - subject to detailed investigation confirming that this will provide the most appropriate means of meeting traffic and environmental objectives for the town and the surrounding area; and in view of the uncertainties in predicting traffic volume they suggest that consideration should be given in rural areas to provide a carriageway wider than 24'."
Later, we asked Mrs. Yates if she would like to say why she voted as she did, and we quote her reply in full:
"I have always considered this proposed route the most straightforward and having taken into account the views of the Rye electorate division as a whole I believe this A259 improvement is one that can benefit the economic and holiday/tourist element, always of great consideration in Rye. I am concerned that a solution for Rye is found and support the route in principle subject to consultation over details. Rye has a unique character which must be preserved. A bypass means Rye becomes a museum-town and left to itself. We must look to the coming century and decide the old and the modern can exist side by side."
So now you know. And if you haven't already written to the DoT, for heaven's sake make sure your letter goes in the post TODAY!
6.
• The posters for an exhibition on 11 July at the FE Centre don't really do justice to what is being planned. It is (as far as we know) the first event of its kind here, and gives an opportunity for those who have been attending the wide range of Adult Education classes in Rye to show their work. The exhibition runs from 10.30 to 4.30, admission is free, and refreshments (not free!) include ploughman's lunches as well as coffee and tea.
It is, of course, easier for the craft classes to show off their handiwork than it is for some of the others; even so, there will be displays from the English and History groups, something lively is expected from the Conversational Spanish, and the Creative Writers are producing a booklet (on sale for 50p) with over 40 pieces of prose and poetry. There will be a pottery demonstration; the upholsterers will have pieces of work at various stages and some of the students will be there to answer questions even if they aren't actually knocking in reels. A double stand will cover Machine Embroidery and Arts of India - here the-tutor is skilled in Eastern traditional work. As for the really energetic, yoga and keep-fit will be illustrated on video, but the intrepid Scottish dancers will be giving half-hour displays from 11 to 11.30, 1.30 to 2, and 2.30 to 3.
• Doubtless the FEC exhibition is primarily a day out for grownups, but Saturday week also offers a day out for children down in New Road. Freda Gardham School PTA is hoping to raise at least £1,500 (E2,000 will probably be needed in the e. ) to ensure that the indoor pool is back in action for next summer - since there is no chance at all of a community pool in the town for some years. Their Fun Day runs from 10 to 4, and includes a boot sale, a bouncing castle, all the usual stalls, a raffle, sports for all ages at a light-hearted level, a karate display and Tim Ruck's model aircraft. The big outdoor pool will be open during the afternoon. Refreshments will be available, and for those who want to bring sandwiches and make a day of it the PTA are arranging a picnic area. There is obviously a tremendous amount of work going into this event; we do hope they have a fine day, with plenty of visitors.
• The third event on the 11th is the Strawberry Fair held by St. John Ambulance on Conduit Hill from 2 to 5. They will be celebrating the Brigade's Centenary Year, and doubtless there will be photographs taken at the big party in Hyde Park - where Michelle Dowdeswell was one of the lucky people spoken to by the Queen!
• The following day (Sunday, 12 July) sees an unusual garden opening. Four gardens on Point Hill (Point Lodge, Rother Cliff, Maryland and The Croft) will be open to the public from 2 to 5, and teas - strawberries and cream - will be on sale at Point Lodge. The great big 'normous teddy who has been circulating among Rotary-owned businesses in the town will be there encouraging visitors to buy raffle tickets for him (the draw will be at the Country Fair on 9 August). This event is being arranged by Rotary, and is to raise funds for the first-ever project in which the whole world-wide Rotary International is joining - a plan to eliminate polio from the world by a massive immunisation programme. The aim is to have every child immunised before Rotary's centenary year, 2005; the programme will cost E250m, and the World Health Organisation is involved, with some Rotarians going out to the Third World to administer the scheme (other immunisations will be given at the same time). The local Rotary branch took a great interest in the late John Beckingham, who was crippled by polio as a boy when the epidemic hit Rye soon after the war, so this project appeals particularly to them; they are being asked to raise E100 for each of their 30 members, and in fact hope to make it a bit more than £3,000 in all over the next few years. This is all over and above their normal fund-raising, Ryers who had friends or relatives crippled when polio hit the town will need no urging to support this event; those who didn't may like to come along simply by way of thanks. (There will be a coffee morning at Winchelsea on 26 July for the same appeal.)
• Finally, just room for advance notice of the Romney Shears International Sheep Shearing and Sheep Show on Sunday 19 July, from 9.30 (finals start at 5.15). This has been transferred to the Cattle Market from Camber - not so rural, but much handier for spectators! Admission £l, bar all day, refreshments.
7.
When, in the autumn of 1985, the kiosk in Station Approach became the rest-room for the bus-drivers, the blank walls were a terrible temptation to artist Richard Horner. He took his pencil and drew a boat. He wasn't too pleased with it, so he added another each side to draw attention away from the first. And another... If it has not been pulled down by the time you read this, the kiosk walls are now decorated with well over 600 little sketches of sailing boats of all kinds, drawn by Richard in his rest periods and standby times over the past 18 months.
He would not, he told us, have presumed to do this to a desirable wall, but knowing that demolition was the eventual fate of the kiosk he felt free, with the amused encouragement of his colleagues, to keep on with this running mural. He tried different kinds of boats, practised until he was happy with a particular type and then moved to something else. A Southdown driver suggested a dhow; by the time he came back the following week there was an Arab fort end a fleet of dhows in the harbour below it! Richard drew from his memories of holiday visits; and, being tall, he took his amazing fleet right up to the ceiling. He drew boats in the back room, boats in the washroom, boats round the furniture. Don't miss the chance to look inside, if you can, before the kiosk comes down; and of course, if you want a room with boats round it, you know who to go to - when he is not driving buses, Richard lives in Military Road.
• Welcome back to Tower Forge Crafts beside the Landgate Arcs, which opened its doors again last week after being closed for rebuilding since the beginning of the year. Although the shop is now smaller, basically only the rebuilt end section, Janet Denny has somehow managed to find room for nearly everything which she sold before. She lays particular emphasis on the sort of household things which are supposed to be bought as presents but often kept because the buyer cast bear to part with them - cushions and rugs, table linen and mats, unusual and pretty kitchen things, and lots and lots of baskets of every shape and size. There is some distinctly creepy pottery, and delicate glass flowers; a whole range (with more to come) of character teddy-bears, and even a teddy-house for them, as well as plenty of other traditional toys including model yachts whose design hasn't changed since pre-war days. There are also cards, and lots of bits and pieces at pocket-money prices - all in a lovely airy room with a view across the Marsh out at the back. Although the building is new, it has kept the feeling of the old one - except for the path to the door, where York stone _slabs have replaced the cobbles for the comfort of shoppers! The shop is open :very day from 9.30 to 5.30.
• The guest of honour at Mary Lestocq's Studio not long ago gratefully accepted the congratulations of his assembled admirers, toyed with a titbit or two and took a soft drink (water, actually), looked thoughtfully at the £100 cheque he had won - and then lay down on the floor and shut his eyes, conscious of a job well done. Humphrey, a bearded collie, is the family pet of the Hatleys of Winchelsea, and his mistress had brought him back to Market Road on a proud day for Mary Lestocq. The portrait which Mary took of Humphrey some months ago has won a Kodak Portrait Award - only a hundred are awarded each year - and on behalf of Kodak Tim Brodrick presented a cheque for £100 to Mrs. Rosemary Batley (since Humphrey happens to have no bank account) and another to Mary. Like all Mary's portraits, Humphrey's involved a few props - and we were fascinated to see inside the studio the unusual assortment of bits and pieces which she keeps to hand, producing a "Mary Special" to match the interests of the sitter - from the baby-size bathtub to the rustic stile (there was even a rope ladder hooked up to the ceiling beams, presumably for elopement pictures!). Mary opened her studio in November 1983, but she has taken photographs since she was a child, rua d as well as studio portraits she goes out and about taking pictures specially commissioned by the postcard trade.
(APOLOGIES to the Conservation Society and FRAG, whose reports were left out this week; they will appear next week, promise!)
Vidler & Co's monthly auction sale, 10
Catholic Church coffee morning, FEC, 10.30 to 12
WEL "Cuppa for Caring"- teas, cake-stall - CC, 2 to 5 Conservative Association strawberry tea (E.2 admission), 11 High Street, 3 to 5
Healing Service. (led by Rev. Ralph Essex), Methodist Church, 4 Rye Harmonic Society concert (see below), St. Mary's, 7.30
Rye WI, "The death of Mr. Hutchings" (Mr. Mundell, who will be bringing a display of postcards by this artist), FEC, 7
• Rye Hospital Fete on 20 June raised over E800 at the FE Centre - much of this from the raffle, always well-supported in advance.
• The WI Group Fair at the FE Centre on 27 June took more than £400, and they were able to send a very useful cheque for £370 to Denman College.
• Trevor Paine, his wife Janet and 18-month-old Richelle will be back from Canada for three weeks from 4 July; they would very much like to see as many of Trevor's friends as possible – ring to check on their movements.
• A local driver asks us to thank Alsfords for the mirror they have put up on their flagstaff at the South Undercliff bend - a great help, she finds.
• Sunday's concert by the Rye Harmonic Society at St. Mary's (admission £1.50, £1 for children) includes the Hastings Youth Symphony Orchestra. Soloist is Lesley Brownbill, accompanied by Mary Densem; Charles Proctor will be at the organ. British and American music is to be performed, and the audience is invited to join in some of the choral items (words on the programmes).
• Sheila Kaye-Smith fans who have not yet joined the newly-formed Society which honours her may like to know of a meeting on Friday this week at the Hastings Reference Library at 7.30 - where there is currently an exhibition about her work. This exhibition is likely to come to Rye Library later in the summer, and when it does, the Society's secretary (Brian Graebe - Hastings 225480) will be including a picture over which he needs help from WW1-vintage Ryers. Details when the time comes. Mr. Graebe is to be found in Artique on Thursdays at present, and will be happy to talk about the Society.
• Two amendments to reports in last week's GAZETTE: Candida Watson has gone to the BBC regional television station at Bristol, not the ITV one; and Paul Chillingworth, whose name appeared in the Cambridge honours degree list last week, is properly described in the Mathematical Tripos Part II section as a Senior Optime (people who get Firsts in Maths are Wranglers!)
• A reader who has patronised the new Ladies in Station Approach was horrified by the litter on the floor - until she looked for the bin to drop her lipstick tissue into, and found there wasn't one. Yes, there is one just outside, but surely...?
• The organisers of the jumble sale at the Community Centre on 25 July in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society will be glad of goods for sale, which can be delivered to the Centre on the Friday morning (24th) or the morning of the sale. If you have something too large to deliver, ring Ringo earlier, to see if collection can be arranged.
• Apologies to everyone whose GAZETTE was not printed at the usual high standard, or was delivered late, last week. Bernie's photocopier died on us on Tuesday, and despite the best efforts of the New Romney branch we only got more than half the paper on Wednesday morning, with folding and labelling to be done before deliveries could start at all.
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 to subscribers. (Copyright Mary Owen 1987)