LOCAL HISTORY GROUP MEMBERS - apologies for last week's diary entry: the next meeting is not tonight, but on Tuesday, 28 July (time, place and speaker as given last week)
On Friday the town will be welcoming the Queen Mother, who is paying a visit to the Sports Centre. The school grounds will be open to the public , but only via the main gates in Love Lane; the Lower School entrance, and the Sports Centre footpath gate, will be closed. People are asked to keep to the areas which are being sectioned off by the police, for safety reasons: the helicopter, which came on a trial run last week, is to land in the Upper School field, so that Her Majesty can walk from it to the Centre. She is due to arrive at 3.30, and is expected to stay about three-quarters of an hour.
Until now, there has been no vehicle access to the Centre - as we reported some time ago, there was a problem when the ambulance was needed. But last week work was proceeding very rapidly to widen the footpath under the windows of the Vlth Form/Library block, so that a car can now get right up to the door even when the playing-field lies wet. The unintentional wildlife sanctuary which was flourishing on the rough ground round the building was also being cleared; it will be interesting to see what it contains by Friday. Our Lord Warden has sharp eyes and is unlikely to be fooled by instant lawn or potted plastic plants - so perhaps there will be real plants, to give the Centre a permanent reminder of the Royal visit?
Ian, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Watson of Bankside, was married at St. Mary's on Saturday a week ago (4 July) to Caryn Hollands of Hastings. Caryn wore a white lace crinoline dress, and her five bridesmaids were in pink with lace overskirts - all managing their hooped hemlines with great skill. Two of Caryn's friends were her chief bridesmaids, and the three younger girls were Ian's nieces Tracey, Sandra and Julie, the daughters of Trevor and Sylvia Muckle of St. Leonards. The reception was at the George Hotel, with the cake made by Caryn's mother. The couple are spending a three-week dream honeymoon - a wedding present - in Canada and Hawaii; they will be returning to live in Ninfield, since Ian works in Brighton and Caryn is still at the office in Hastings where they first met.
Debbie Clayton and Russell Sherwood, both of Pottingfield Road, were the happy pair at St. Mary's on Saturday last. Debbie's dress was of heavy white embroidered satin; she had two bridesmaids, her sister Nicola and Russell's 6-year-old niece Kara Pennington, both wearing cerise shot taffeta. Russell's best man was Richard White from Broad Oak. Russell and Debbie will be living in Camber, and it was their new vicar, the Rev. Mike Havill, who took the service. The reception was at the Community Centre, with catering by the Bakers from Icklesham. Russell has a job with British Rail at Ashford, and Debbie works at the Standard in the Mint; the honeymoon is in the New Forest.
Also on Saturday, at Playden Church, Jean Simmons of Hastings was married to Alan Dickinson of Le Fevre Wood & Royle and the Local History Group. Both bride and bridesmaid looked ravishing, Jean in cream silk with a tucked bodice and very full skirt, and Alan's sister Rosemary in pale aquamarine taffeta; the bridegroom and his best man (Peter Greenhalf) were elegant in grey toppers and morning coats. The marriage was celebrated by the Rev. John Bannister, whose pupil Alan had been at Playden School; Barbara Dickinson, as bridegroom's mother, gave up her normal place on the organ bench to Nigel Spooner. The reception was at the Flackley Ash Hotel. After a short honeymoon in the west of England, Alan and Jean will be getting to work on their home in Rope Walk theirs, after a nail-biting delay, just in time!
2.
Mr. Frank Barrett, who died very suddenly at his home in Fair Meadow on 7 July, will be greatly missed in the town. Mr. Barrett had been the local branch secretary of the Arthritis & Rheumatism Council for some four years a most successful secretary and also treasurer, sharing the group's administration with his wife Winifred. Mr. Barrett was also one of the Town Model operators, and the Mayor pays tribute to him as a very kind, thoughtful and gentle person, extremely conscientious and a great loss to the Council staff.
Mr. Barrett was 71, and suffered from asthma. He and his wife came here some years ago, when he retired from a job in computers with ICL, and they had made a great many friends in Rye. The funeral takes place on Monday (20th) at 12.30 at Hastings Crematorium.
Mrs. Joy Band and the Lifeboat Committee are very appreciative of the kindness of Lawrie's friends, who have contributed £490 to the Rye Harbour Lifeboat Station in his memory.
Every time it looks as if things are improving in Station Approach, a new horror appears. Last week, as we reported, the tarmac was due to be laid on Monday and Tuesday, but the machine broke down. So did they wait until the following week? Of course not - they did it on Wednesday and Thursday! Station Approach was closed entirely on Wednesday and intermittently on Thursday, so that not even the car-park staff knew whether the entrance was open or not. On Wednesday a rather embarrassed queue for (we assumed) the loos turned out to be people waiting for the buses, which came in from the wrong end of the railway car-park, turned round (with difficulty) at the top and went out again down Rope Walk. On Thursday, when the car-park was too full to allow this, the buses came in through the Ferry Road entrance (still normally closed) and picked up their passengers from the footpath there. At the Cinque Ports Street end on Thursday it was a real nightmare; people were nipping across the entrance and emerging from the market, dodging the big machines and risking the soles of their shoes on the hot tarmac. As far as we know, no-one was hurt, but it must have been a near thing sometimes.
On Friday, everything was quiet again. But on Monday, a contractor's lorry engaged in finishing off the surfacing of the Cattle Market entrance was blocking half the bottle-neck. Obviously this couldn't be helped; but on the Post Office side the curb was lined with motorbikes belonging to a group of youths who had chosen the wide swathe of new pavement as a gathering-place and there was very little room indeed for coaches trying to turn in. The sooner ESCC can put double yellow lines there, the better for everyone.
On Sunday there were, at last, litter-bins in the railway car-park - three, along the far side. Not enough, we said to Mr. Catt. No indeed, he replied; these weren't from Ashford, but he had found them in the store at Rye and had put them up himself, and they had filled up with amazing speed. So far as Ashford knows, we still haven't got any (unless they arrived this week) - the Acting Area Passenger Manager, Mr. James, told us in a letter dated 3 June that "I have arranged for a supply of litter bins to be forwarded to Rye, and these should appear in the car park shortly". We wonder what BR means by shortly, since Mr. Catt needs five more for his car-park and there are still none in the bus layby.
Welcome to the new Assistant Housemistress at Leasam House, Diana Byrne from Hove, who started work there at the beginning of the month. But Leasam are now short of a cook. Their late lamented one left when her husband's job moved away, and they are very anxious to find someone for the start of next term. The job is properly called cook-supervisor, with responsibility for menus and orders - hours (term-time only) 1 to 6, Mondays to Fridays, longer on Saturdays and Sundays, and the five-day week always includes weekends. They would like someone local; own transport is essential. Apply in person, or ring as soon as possible.
3.
(front page story, but too late for the front page)
Last Wednesday there was a presentation by the DoT to the members of the Royal Fine Arts Commission on the proposed "improvement" for Rye and the alternatives (GAZETTE no. 230). Yesterday morning the Commission issued a press release:
"Speaking at the Royal Fine Arts Commission in St. James's Square, the Chairman, the Rt. Hon. Norman St. John-Stevas, said that the Commission believes that the new proposal for the Rye bypass constitutes a serious threat to the town. Under the new scheme the road would follow the existing railway line. It would bisect the town and run between two Conservation Areas.
"Mr. St. John-Stevas said that Rye is a town of exceptional quality and major historical interest. He added that the Commission is astonished that such an outstanding town should not have a proper bypass."
Howzat: Of course a copy goes to the DoT, and doubtless to the Rother and County Planning Officers, who were present at the meeting. It is really encouraging to know that there is such powerful support for the local view.
At the Town Council's Open Meeting Ken Warren, sitting thoughtfully making notes until he spoke at the end, was clearly not pleased with either the route or the manner of its presentation. He tells us:
"The Minister, Mr. Peter Bottomley, is not at all happy with the extremely strong letter I wrote to him following the public meeting at which his staff spoke. However, I feel that he could hardly expect otherwise and I am looking forward to a meeting with him when I can reinforce what I wrote with definition of my criticisms, as he appears to doubt the validity of some of them."
The Commission's view will doubtless help Mr. Warren in his dealings with the Minister, and we hope he will let us know what happens at that meeting.
The closing date for objections to this, now at the "preferred route" stage, is early in August. Logically, everyone who is against the Rye route must also be against the Winchelsea one which takes the traffic neatly to the start of our proposed throughway. If you feel you can bear to write another letter to the Department, please make the effort; it should be headed "Winchelsea Bypass (A259)" (or words to that effect) and addressed to
The Department of Transport (Room 411)
South East Regional Office,
Federated House, London Road,
DORKING, Surrey, RH4 1BR.
Other grounds for objection are agricultural (the difficulty of running a farm with a trunk road going through the middle), and the waste of a perfectly good existing stretch of road between Icklesham and Winchelsea by taking the new road off only just outside Icklesham instead of closer to Winchelsea.
3,600 children will be vaccinated against polio as a result of a delightful social occasion on Point Hill: the £600 raised will pay for the vaccine. 240 people visited the six gardens opened to the public in aid of the Rotary Polio-Plus Appeal, and a large number of teas were served - thanks to the ladies of Inner Wheel - in brilliant sunshine on Derek and Jennie Bayntun's big lawn. Rotary are most grateful to the owners of the gardens - the other five were chez Mr. and Mrs. Howlett, Brig. and Mrs. Gore, Mr. and Mrs. Bazalgette, the Rev. and Mrs. Brian Soper, and Mr. and Mrs. Graham Barker; and also to Mr. Barker of Saltcote Place for the parking arrangements. A number of other people helped in various ways to make the afternoon such a success. The occasion was a delight for gardeners, who saw sheltered oases away from the cliff and wide views from the edge of it - and a quite surprising number of kitchen gardens tucked away among the flowers:
4.
A week ago last Saturday two Rye Sea Cadets, both aged 14 (Martin Phillips of Rock Channel and Barry Stunt of Cadborough Cliff) went down to Portsmouth to compete in the Mirror Class of the Cadets Southern Area Regatta. Martin had entered for the first time last year, with a different partner, and had come fifth in two of his three races. This year he and Barry brought home the Mirror Trophy, which means they will be competing in September in the Sea Cadets National Finals, also at Portsmouth, representing the Southern Area.
Last year's Area winners in the Mirror Class also came from Rye; they have now moved up into the Bosun Class, and Peter Bishop was unable to sail with his regular partner, Anthony Gray (who was ill), so he borrowed someone from another unit and came in 10th.
The Rye Sea Cadet Unit is tiny, only 12 boys, and yet they achieve this remarkable success in sailing competitions. Last year they brought home ten of the twelve awards given in the National Finals. Can they do it again this year?
The Summer Exhibition at the FE Centre included a large number (all four room') of attractive and lively displays, both static and moving, of what has been achieved by students at Adult Education classes during the year. Alas, we could only pay a flying visit to it (admiring particularly the machine embroidery), but there was a great deal to see and to tempt students into enrolling for next season's classes when the time comes, early in September. Particular mention should go to the Scottish dancers, performing gamely in full kit despite the sweltering heat.
Down at Freda Gardham, the Fun Day drew plenty of visitors. The amount of money raised had not been worked out as we went to print, but all the events were well supported and the outdoor swimming pool was very popular during the afternoon. This pool, built when Freda Gardham was the Secondary Modern School, is now administered by the FE Centre, where Anne Swaine will be pleased to take bookings for it at a very reasonable charge. In the holidays, when TPS is not using it, it is frequently available for hire - and so is the large hut (with cooking facilities) beside it when a Field Studies group is not using it; there is plenty of space for tents, too, all inside the enclosure. The pool has its own changing rooms, and it is possible to reach it by car by pre-arrangement. Rye used to have a Swimming Club, but there was no support from parents and the vital trained life-savers were difficult to find, so it folded; perhaps the people who talk about needing a pool in Rye might like to try using the one wo have got, this summer?
St. John Ambulance Brigade County Vice-President, Miss Josepha Aubrey-Smith of Iden, was among a County party of five who came over to conduct the Annual Inspection of the Nursing Cadet Division last Friday. 33 cadets, looking extremely smart in grey cotton uniforms and white nurses' caps, were on parade. Because it was so hot, the parade was in two instalments: the inspection first, then the visitors went to look at the cadets' work before everyone reassembled for the enrolment of eight Nursing Cadets: Sophie Blattman, Claire Beamish, Celia Stunt, Sarah Booth, Helen Robus, Rachael Thomas, Tina Burns and Joanne Weeks. A number of certificates were presented, and the Attendance Cup went jointly to Sally Mitchell and Nadine Mitchell (not related) who had both only missed one meeting; the Junior Attendance Cup went to Natasha Mitchell. Kirsty Piggott was awarded the trophy for the cadet who had made most progress. County Staff Officer Mrs. A. Almond, who had come over from Lewes, congratulated Mrs. Marilyn Mitchell and her officers on a most successful Division, and thanked the parents for their support, and admired the Cadets' appearance and performance. On view were the three silver cups brought back from the recent County competition - and also 33 pottery mugs bearing the St. John emblem to mark the centenary year, one for each cadet with the compliments of the County.
5.
• A morning Garden Party from 10 am on Thursday week (23rd) sees the launch of Mencap's new and trail-blazing Horticultural Project. Rae Festing has kindly lent her lovely garden at 11 High Street for the occasion; there will be coffee and tea with home-made cakes, etc. (and a stall or two as well, since there is under-cover space). Although the planning application for the Mencap project has not yet gone through, the local committee have reason to hope that there will be no objections to the scheme. The land has been offered by the County Council near the Greyfriars old people's home in Winchelsea, and the group will need to lay on water, build a small toilet block for the trainees' use, and put up a polythene tunnel greenhouse as well as a storage shed for tools, etc. They are to form a limited company called - in view of the site - Friary Gardeners; they hope to have ten trainees, all local and all mentally handicapped, if they can find sponsors for them. Everything will be organically grown, so they will have a "farm shop" with a difference - the only source of organic produce near Rye as far as they know. They very much hope to get started before the summer ends, so that they can begin preparing the ground for a full season next year. But money is needed now for the building work, etc., before they can start looking for sponsors for individual trainees. We shall, of course, be following this project's development; meanwhile, please support them on the 23rd.
• An unusual attraction is booked in for the first two Sunday afternoons of the school holidays (26 July and 2 August). Rye & District Council of Churches is arranging community hymn-singing in the Gun Garden, starting at 3 (if wet, in St. Mary's) accompanied by the Salvation Army Band. Joint sponsors are Adams of Rye, the Central Garage and St. Mary's. This is something which is bound to give much pleasure; do tell your friends and neighbours in good time.
• The very successful formula which Rotary employs for its Country Fayre is basically repeated this year but (thank goodness) much nearer the town, on the Town Council's field beyond the Freda Gardham playing-field. Alan Catt is kindly allowing parking on his field which adjoins the site. The entertainment includes arena events from llam to late in the afternoon, the main attraction being a display by the Invicta Parachute Team. Rob the Clown and his sidekicks will be back, so will Ross the carthorse and various other rides, plus foxhounds and beagles, a brass band, kites, vintage and veteran motor cars and motor cycles on parade, a display of static engines, and lots of other excitements. There will also be 100 trade stands, says the poster. The big day is Sunday, 9 August; admission is 01.50, children 50p, parking free. ("All events subject to weather" notes the poster, mindful of two years ago..!)
The new President of Rotary is Derek Phillips of the Rock Channel boatyard; as it happens, his wife Jean is this year's President of Inner Wheel, though the two jobs don't necessarily go together.
A delightful competition for Thomas Peacocke School pupils (to say nothing of staff) took place on Thursday in the Sports Centre. Seven little machines set off in turn across the smooth floor to cover the greatest distance results varied from 23m (a record set by the offspring of two wire coathangers and an elastic band) to about six inches (by a runner which misguidedly ran backwards thereafter). There should have been some competitors from Lower School, but Bob Beckwith's pre-race trials made the relationship between weight and speed all too clear; and one Upper School entry failed to appear because it was stepped on by the family dog - a St. Bernard! The elegant trophy - one of the Science Department's period-piece wood-and-brass galvanometers - went to Robert Ramsay (3rd Year); his neat little machine ran well, though it was far outclassed by the non-competing entries from Science and CDT staff. And we have just room to mention the English Department's all-female entry - full marks for trying, both to the designer and to her (literally) "fan club"! Perhaps Mr. Praegar, Head of Science, will be encouraged to make this an annual event?
6.
Another attempt is being made to form a group with the aim of "providing ideas and funding for the further enhancement of the town of Rye". Its name has not yet been decided (and it seems to us that its success may well depend on its interpretation of the word "enhancement"). The Hotels & Caterers Association, Chamber of Trade, Festival Committee and FRAG are already members, and the Town Council is among other bodies being invited to join the committee; individuals will also be invited to attend a meeting at the end of September. Chairman of the new group is John Ciccone, treasurer is Norman Bennett, secretary James Menhinick, and there are some interesting ideas for future events about which we hope to hear more later. Those wishing to support the group should contact Mr. Menhinick at 69 North Salts.
This week's Rother planning list contains an application which must be a first ever for the committee: change of use from a fortress to a dwelling! The fortress (last known use, WW2) is the Martello Tower at Rye Harbour, known as the Enchantress. Various organisations, including the Conservation Society, have been concerned about its condition for some time; but this is the first application for using the actual building, as opposed to encroaching on its surroundings. The enterprising applicant is Michael Melvin from South Norwood His plans show a conversion of the tower, using the existing apertures, into four-bedroomed house: kitchen on the ground floor, living room and bathroom above, and four bedrooms at the top, lit by windows in a roof extension under a very shallow dome, so that it would be hardly visible from ground level. Mr. Melvin works for a firm of architects, so he knows what he is taking on, but if he gets both planning permission and the consent of the Secretary of State for the Environment in good time, he hopes to have the tower habitable by Christmas! The entire job will, he expects, take several years to complete, including reinstating the 11m-wide circle of land between tower and wall, plus a further 10m circle outside. He has consulted Rother's planning staff over the application, and he would like to pay tribute both to them and to the owners of the tower, Mr. Watson and Mr. Ball of the Frenchman's Beach caravan site, for the help and encouragement he has received already. If Mr. Melvin gets his various consents, we shall all be watching his progress with keen interest; when he has finished, he intends to live in the tower with his wife and family.
Last week's reference to the Gun Garden armament being melted down for scrap stirred Ken Clark's memories. As a boy, he watched the guns being cut up by men from the Rother Iron Works - the same foundry, though not under the same management, which eventually made their present-day replacements. The Germans, he recalls, had their revenge: deep in the bowels of one captured gun was a deposit of mustard gas, released when the metal was cut open - one of the men working on the job was badly injured and off work for six months. Ken doesn't remember his name - can anyone tell us?
Jim Cleland, of the Radio Sussex tourist tape, rang us to make peace. Our assessment of the tape, in last week's GAZETTE, as an enjoyable and informative guide for a casual visitor with not much knowledge of the town was, in fact, just what he and David Arscott had intended; they had no prepared script, but had simply walked round the town chatting as they went. Although Jim lived here as a boy he doesn't come over much now, because he feels Rye has changed a great deal and he never meets anyone he knows. We tried to convince him that it isn't really that bad, and there are still plenty of real Ryers here - and even the incomers (eg. your editor) are not all gin-swilling weekenders who contribute nothing to the town except their rates! Perhaps he will come over during Rye Festival, for the exhibition at the Town Hall which the Conservation Society and Local History Group are jointly staging? We would like him to know that even those who weren't born here are still proud of our town and its traditions, history and legends, and work hard to preserve it from the depredations of Departments and developers.
7.
• The Gas Works car park was full at 11 am on Thursday, with 73 cars parked and several more hanging around inside waiting for someone to leave. With marked- out parking it might have been possible to squeeze in a few more, but not many. However, there were only 20 cars in the newly-mown Gibbet Marsh park, reflecting the difference between a park you can see from the road and one you can't - some signs are very badly needed here, Rother.
• Keith Cavers (of the EF Benson Society) tells us that two of the four drawings of Rye by Sir Anthony Van Dyck appear in a free exhibition at the British Museum - "Drawing in England" (until 31 August). Two of the drawings are reproduced in Geoffrey Bagley's "The Book of Rye"; those at the British Museum are the other two. One, borrowed from Rotterdam, is a pen drawing of the Ypres Tower from the south-east; the other is a photograph of a drawing of Rye from the north (the original is in New York) which shows almost the identical view to the Daniell print of 1823. Both are reproduced in the £12.50 catalogue.
• ESCC has just published a useful free Bus & Rail Guide leaflet for the county. Each place marked on the map has the numbers of the buses which serve it, and there is also a list of all the local bus services with brief notes on the route (but no timetables). Used in conjunction with Fixtures, this is very helpful. For instance, you want to go to Playden at noon on Saturday? You see from the map that six routes pass through Playden; from the list, you can eliminate some as being no good to you (eg. Thursdays only). You turn to Fixtures, where you will find the timetables in detail, for the rest. This will tell you, of course, that there is no bus to Playden at noon on a Saturday; but that's life!
• Most local residents will have been aware of the unusually large number of motorbikes in the town on Saturday. This was not an onslaught by Hell's Angels, just a shopping expedition. On a hundred-acre field near Lydd Airport, there was an international weekend rally for motor-cyclists for which (the police tell us) 24,000 tickets had been sold in advance, with a further 1,000 or so at the gate; riders with their families came from the Continent on the ferries, and from all over this country. The small local shops couldn't cope, and the leather-clad visitors were in Rye not to create havoc but simply to buy bread and baked beans! Rye Police are pleased to say that there was no trouble at all in police terms; there were some accidents, but everyone was very well behaved. (Camber people, who suffered from a steady stream of motorbikes from early on Friday morning, were glad when the weekend was over.)
• Freda Gardham School received one of 30 £100 cheques awarded in the WH Smith Young Writers Competition 1987, for schools submitting work of the most consistent merit; they won a similar award last year - and each competition has over 30,000 entries! Joanne Goggin, Alexandra East, Edward Thomas, Andrew James and Simon Rice all received certificates for work of a high standard. In the Cadbury's 1987 Poetry Competition, Joe Adams gained a certificate, and Rebecca Martin was in the top five writers (out of 1,200) in the Schools' Poetry Association Young Poet of the Year Competition. Congratulations all round - not forgetting Brian Moses, the staff member primarily concerned with this success.
• The intriguingly-entitled talk which Mr. Mundel gave to Rye WI's July meeting was about Edwardian postcards - the Mr. Hutchings of the title was, it seems, a victim of a 1906 bus crash (they don't make postcards like that now!). The WI's spring guided walks round Rye were so successful that a further three are planned for September; the Summer Fair will be at the Town Hall on 15 August.
• ESCC are offering grants (closing date for applications to County Hall is 28 August) to voluntary organisations which provide social services to people living in the county. Talk to Social Services about it if you think your group may be eligible - they will advise you what to do about it (Rye 226922).
• Strand Quay was a pretty sight on Monday's midday high tide; yachts, local and foreign, were moored two abreast on both sides of the river. Assuming the DoT proposed road would cross roughly where the concrete area begins, we counted 18 moorings in use which would not be available once it was built!
Thrift Shop, Red Cross, 10 to 4 (and Friday and Saturday) Drama Evening, Thomas Peacocke Upper School, 7.30 (see below)
The Queen Mother comes to see the Sports Centre, 3.30 (see front page)
Sussex Brass playing at the Mermaid at 7.15 (change of time from that given last week)
RNLI flag-day (and nothing else at all, apparently!)
Romney Shears International Sheep Shearing Competition and Show, Rye Market, 9.30 to 6 or thereabouts, admission Cl (70 shearers from all over the world are expected)
Sunshine Jazz Band, Ypres, 8
Town Council Planning Committee
Conservative Association coffee morning, 15 Mill Road TPS Parents evening (2nd- into 3rd-year)
Last day of term
"Pass the Cat" (band), Ypres, 8
• Rye Carnival has an extra big draw this year - a prize of £250 for the best local float!
• Welcome back to Rye to Tony and Pauline Meyer, formerly of The Decorator's Warehouse; the call was too strong, and they have just moved back to live here, at Hillyfield off Rye Hill.
• Don't let British Rail raise your hopes with ads for "free weekend car parking for rail customers at most principal Network SouthEast stations outside London". Among the list of exclusions from the scheme are Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford, Hastings and Rye.
• The St. John Ambulance Brigade's Strawberry Fair brought in a profit of £150, an excellent result for such a hot afternoon, doubtless due in part to the enterprising girls who dressed up as strawberries to tempt in the customers!
• Congratulations to this year's winner of the John Williams Memorial sail-training cruise - Lynda Davis, of Leasam House (her home is in Mitcham). Lynda, 18, is just entering the Upper Vlth at Thomas Peacocke School (she is a keen member of the ATC), and Kate Dayson assures us that the cruise date will be fixed to allow her to get her A-levels out of the way first.
• Hilda Nelson-Barrett is proud to announce that the total amount raised from the RNIB street collection in Rye and house-to-house collections in Rye, Winchelsea and Icklesham is £1,014 - many thanks to all the collectors.
• Thursday's "drama evening" at Upper School is actually a performing arts evening, since the entertainment will include dance and music as well as short plays put on by both Upper and Lower School pupils. All are welcome, and admission is free, with a silver collection.
• Police warn people to look out for two young men who tricked a lady of 84 in Peasmarsh out of over £500 worth of jewellery. She came home to find them in her garden; one engaged her in conversation while the other entered the house and stole her property. Both were about 20, of middle height; one was slim with brown hair, the other plump with black hair cut short. If they try the same thing on you, dial 999 or get a neighbour to, at once.
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, Monday afternoon for Wednesday's delivery to subscribers/pick-up points; the paper costs 30p, and spare copies may be available from Cyprus Place. (Copyright Mary Owen 1987)