The charm and elegance of Saturday evening's party at the Town Hall in aid of Playden Church was particularly appreciated this year by the 70 guests - many of whom had spent the past few days sawing up fallen trees and economising on candles. Tickets were sold out days ago, and a waiting-list had to be disappointed. Ruth Ingham and her inspired cooks had prepared a generous but delicate buffet, set out with silver candelabra; wine flowed as freely as storm stories; and then the party settled down to enjoy Paddy Aiken's slides of some two dozen Sussex churches, starting with East Guldeford and ending (after a trip to the far end of the county) with Playden. Ernie Burt provided and operated the projector. The slides were presented by Stephen Ingham, giving a commentary which owed much to Sir John Winnifrith; Sir John himself took over the mike when the Playden slides came up and gave a well-deserved tribute to Mr. Ingham, as well as an appeal for hands to dig extra deep in pockets to replace the 500 tiles (at £1 a time now!) blown off the roof last week.
But other churches have problems too. One slide showed the south side of Iden Church - taken, of course, before the storm removed one-third of the new tiles. Nevertheless, a surprised Ann Hamilton was asked to represent St. Anthony's and to receive two £50 cheques for the Catholic Church's restoration fund: one from Playden and one from Iden PCC.
Raffle winners were Sir John Winnifrith (who scooped the pool last year too:), Ken Clark and Alison Cade; generous donors of the prizes were Richard Horner, John Ryan and John Owen. Mr. Ingham expressed his gratitude to the Mayor for the use of the Town Hall; and then we collected our coats, had a final surreptitious nibble at the buffet, and departed into the starlit night after a thoroughly enjoyable evening. £200 profit (not counting the £50 for St. Anthony's) was raised for Playden Church funds by the event.
On Monday we stood with Clifford Bloomfield, ex-SWA, looking at the wet Salts not quite as wet as last Monday, but still largely covered with water from the central path to the ironworks. Clifford knows very well that the Salts should be cleared of water, when everything is working properly, by a main drain running from the loos to the substation beside Duncan Grant's. This is fed by a herring-bone of land-drains, and the whole thing runs out into the river via a pipe on the putting-green side of the path; there is an inspection plate for the junction in the gulley beside the path - but that's under water at the moment. The Fair Salts have their own drain into the river, with their own inspection plate; but they now lie dry (with a big bonfire of branches from the Salts trees building up on the traditional site in the middle). So it seems likely that the trouble lies somewhere in the central drain beside the path, which is failing to clear the areas to each side; could this possibly have been damaged when work was done a couple of years ago to make the putting-green more exciting, asks Clifford?
He recalls that some years ago the junction valve jammed open, allowing salt water from the river onto the Salts to damage the grass. This time there seems to be the opposite trouble. If the valve has jammed shut, the sooner it can be cleared the better are the chances for the unfortunate bowls green.
Local History Group members are embarking on a project to record the ugly duckling among Rye's monuments - the Town Wall, which runs from Landgate to Strand-gate (and arguably beyond) but is only visible from two points, one of which is a car park. Householders and businesses whose premises adjoin or incorporate the Wall will be asked for permission for two or three members of the Group to record and perhaps photograph their section - with the results being stored in the Local History collection at the Library for the benefit of future historians.
2.
The meeting of the Community Health Council on Monday evening at the Town Hall is Rye's one opportunity a year to ask questions and raise matters connected with the NHS in this area. Early in the agenda is an "Open Session for the public" - and the Council really welcomes feedback from people at this remote end of its catchment area. Later on, the Council will consider reports on seven hospitals (including Rye Memorial and Hill House) which have recently been visited by members, a regular part of their work. Mrs. Ruth Ratcliffe, the HHA's Director of Finance, will be speaking about the HHA's finances - cost-cutting proposals accepted by the Authority a fortnight ago include closing three wards at St. Helen's and reorganising surgery arrangements at Bexhill. However, we must all be aware that the future of Rye Hospital is always at risk, and this meeting is Rye's opportunity to convince the CHC that we value it - so do please go to the meeting if you can. (Being a Monday night, the Editor can't - but we hope to have a report about the local matters discussed, in due course.)
Barbara Crocker's exhibition in her eyrie of a studio at West Watch at the top of Trader's Passage remains open until tomorrow, and includes nearly fifty paintings in oils, water-colours and pastel. The artist (Mrs. Whelpton) has drawn on memories and sketches from an enviable amount of travel; she shows delightful sugar-candy buildings in Leningrad, shrouded boats moored in a Maltese bay, scenes recalled from France and Italy, and a big oil containing the very essence of Greece. But she paints nearer home as well, and particularly admired (and sold very early on) was a view of Rye Station painted full-face before the reconstruction of Station Approach began. Nearby hangs a watercolour of the Olde Bell in The Mint, depicted at the height of the tourist season, while several local views under snow reminded her visitors of even harder times to come! Animal-lovers will have enjoyed the study of a very comfy-looking ginger cat - and, anything but relaxed, five sportive Maltese goats.
In GAZETTE no. 241 we noted with pleasure that, a year after deregulation, the timetables for Fuggles and Autopoint buses as well as those of H & D were at last in place in Station Approach. Joy was shortlived; when the new winter services were posted a few days later, there appeared to be only H & D buses running from Rye. For the past month, those unprepared beforehand will have had no means of finding the excellent Fuggles' service to Tenterden (leaving Rye at 9.30, 11.30, 13.30, 15.50 and 18.00 and taking 35 minutes along the normal route - Service 312). As far as we could see from the timetables displayed on Saturday, the only wa7 In offer to get to Tenterden was an unusual H & D variant taking more than three-quarters of an hour, going via Peasmarsh and Beckley, and apparently not coming back again! A fellow-traveller pointed out, too, that the boards only advertised one bus on the 301 route (the 10.49) - whereas in fact Autopoint run a large number of buses on this complicated service.
On Monday we rang the Rye bus depot. Mr. Crouch assured us that he had the missing timetables on his desk, but had been much too busy to put them up, what with the Weather. But the timetables changed on 28 September, nearly three weeks before the storm; don't things take a long time...! The solution to what is obviously going to be a perennial problem will doubtless be for Fuggles and Autopoint to put up their own board for their own timetables. In the meantime, H & D and/or British Rail really should do something about litter bins; the old ones vanished with the old posts.
Southern Water have been trying for some time to get the assorted wrecks shifted out of the Harbour area, and they are now down to the last two: a 70' Brixham sailing trawler "Little Old Lady", and a 50' Danish fishing vessel "Malaga". An official notice in last week's Express describes them as "wooden - considered to be unserviceable" (well - yes...) Anyone interested in either craft can get further information from the Harbour office (Rye 225225); offers to purchase should reach Southern Water at Worthing by the end of this week. Failing a purchaser, Southern Water will dispose of the hulks.
THE RYE GAZETTE, 28 October 1987
The smartest accessory in Rye at the moment is the A259 Action Group's brand-new embroidered badge - which should be eagerly sought by collectors of Rye memorabilia, whatever their views on the route: (Stickers, etc., are to follow.) A 21" white circle, with the Group's "Around Rye, not through" slogan in no-nonsense black centred with a dramatic scarlet crossing-out for the straight-line route, the badges cost LI each (40p for Group funds), and just 200 have been ordered as a trial run. They can be obtained from the Editor or from any committee member (postal subscribers can send us 5 13p and 2 18p stamps, and we will include the badge with their next GAZETTE, saving them the postage or the cost of a postal order). Those who don't want to sew the badges on, or who may want to transfer this statement of their protest from one garment to another, may like to experiment with copydex and one of those safety-pin identity badges obtainable from stationers.
Those inspired by Dilys Mayor's poem last week may like to know that there are two forthcoming fundraising events to be held by the Group. On 14 November there is a Grand Jumble Sale at the FE Centre at 2 (carefully not clashing with the PTA one at TPS in the morning). Help will be welcome, both sorting and selling on the day and contributing jumble. The organisers ask that clothes and shoes should be in good condition (I.e. outgrown rather than outworn); bric-a-brac is always welcome and a good money-maker; there will be a cake stall; and the book stall will be based on the residue from the Connollys at Artique. Jumble should be taken to the FEC on the morning of the sale (after 11, please) - or, if this is not possible, it can be left in advance in the Editor's garage (side door across the garden) in bags or boxes and clearly labelled "jumble"!
On Friday, 4 December, the Group have a wine-and-cheese evening at the FE Centre (more details later, but do keep the date); it is a pity that this is the same evening as the Movie Society's social evening (not their Guest Night, which is in February), and we do hope that other organisations will avoid the date.
The Group's newsletter says that "there are many talented and willing people in Rye who are sympathetic to our cause but don't seem to be involved in Rye Action Group. Do you know of any such people? Now is the time to swell our ranks, please invite them to a meeting or one of our events. People are welcome to join even if they don't feel able to take an active part." Enquiries to Bryan Atkins - or just come along; the group's next full meeting is on 10 November at the FE Centre at 7.30.
A bout 300 people turned up at the Lydd Airport open day on Saturday (nth) - not bad, said AM David Blackman, who had been reckoning on not more than 150 or so being able to take time off from mending the roof! Our report in GAZETTE no. 244 was, he said, inaccurate in just one respect: although the new runway would lie NE/SW, the planes would turn left as they crossed the coast and head straight out to sea, not over Rye Bay as we assumed from the map. A report in last week's News quotes an airport spokesman as saying that fuel arrangements were still only being looked at. Ever since 1954, fuel had come by road, and there was also the possibility of extending the railway line (Appledore-Dungeness). If it did come in via the Harbour ("highly unlikely") it would mean barges arriving every three months and being unladen into about 35 tankers - obviously a far cry from 50 a day or even 90 a week as feared by the Lydd Action Group.
However, George Shackleton has asked for the matter to be discussed by Rother, who are due to receive a consultation document from Shepway Council. The Town Council is also pressing Rother to look into the position; they are also making sure Ken Warren knows about it, and have expressed the view that there should be a public enquiry before any irrevocable planning decision is taken. In; general, the town's view seems to be that Rye is not necessarily against the new runway, but feels that it has not been. given enough information to discuss the matter properly. Seen purely as a public relations exercise, the new scheme really has started rather disastrously!
4.
• "Tony was out in the storm chasing the blind in the High Street!" said Alison Conti. We tried to envisage her husband herding the visually handicapped through the hurricane; but in fact he had been pursuing the restaurant's scarlet sunblind up the road. He caught it before it went over the cliff, and it is now back in place unscathed - as is Tony, fortunately for his family and customers...
• Our 11 am recce in the High Street on Friday morning did less than justice to the town's financial institutions. As we said, Lloyds and Natwest were open (Lloyds used the cashpoint money to pay out until enough keyholders arrived to open the safe); but so were the Midland, who must have opened just after we went past (and who decided not to charge customers of other banks for cashing cheques, under the circumstances). Lloyds helped out Barclays, who really were shut. TSB were open for a time; Woolwich and Anglia remained closed, but EMBS was in business - thanks, Mrs. Pulford, says, to Jean Cloute who struggled in from Peasmarsh. So it was by no means as bad as it looked, and we apologise to the maligned Midland and EMBS - and congratulate all the staff, most of whom had to come from well outside the town under what must have been considerable difficulties.
• Several Rye shopkeepers are justifiably annoyed about a report in the Sussex Express, quoting a Town Councillor, that they were profiteering over candles. There are candles and candles. The standard short white kitchen variety cost less than 5p each the Spar price is 58p for a box of 12. But many Rye shops sell decorative candles, intended as much for show as for use, coloured and often elaborately made; they come either in pairs, or singly for the expensive long-burning types. The shop price reflects the normal commercial mark-up on the maker's price, and they are not intended for everyday use.
Steve and Janet Denny (Tower Forge, The Apothecary's Shop and Penny Royal) were well stocked with coloured candles, and reduced their price by 17%, from 60p to 50p a pair. Serendipity's price, also for a coloured pair, was 55p. (Mr. Patel at the Corner Shop had to pay dear on Sunday for those he went to Surrey to seek, but only added a normal mark-up to cover his petrol - and sold torch batteries at the same price he paid for them.) But fancy candles at around 25p each is not profiteering!
If Councillor Fortsch is able to prove his assertion that the going price for candles "in some places" was 38p to 50p each, he should do so. But he should make it clear what type of candle he is talking about.
• Had the Red Cross been called upon for help, we asked Hilary Bolton? Half her roof, on the way out to Camber, had been blown off, so she was thankful to answer "no"; but the Rye Centre had received offers of help if it was needed, from larger Centres elsewhere in the county. Even Brighton, with dreadful problems of its own, offered a field kitchen if Rye needed one.
One elderly lady on the outskirts of the Centre's area was said to need a visit, so Hilary contacted her local representative: "No trouble" came the answer, "I'm just going to Kent to have a bath, so I'll look in on her!". Staplecross Post Office Stores had its freezer full of meat, and asked its Red Cross member, Mrs. Jo Gammon, if she could find a home for it; after some research, she took it all over to Hill House, which also prepares Rye Hospital meals - so that, a least, wasn't wasted. (In fact frozen food was being ferried around extensively from one private freezer to another, depending on who had electricity; whether it will ever get sorted out at the end remains to be seen...)
• The Cronshaws have been living over the Fish Shop in the Mint, having sold their Camber house in favour of one on Cadborough Cliff . They finally moved up the hill on the 15th - Mrs. Cronshaw says she picked the day at random. Early next morning, the window in The Mint immediately over the place where Tracy's bed had been blew in, and covered the empty floor with sharp splinters of broken glass.
(continued...)
5.
(continued)
• Power and telephones are only gradually being restored to some of the outlying areas round Rye, and those of us in the town begin to realise how lucky we have been. Less lucky, of course, were Mr. and Mrs. Vicarey at the Freezer Centre, who lost virtually the entire stock of their shop; they even had to save the packaging, to satisfy the requirements of the insurance company. Ken bought 80 plastic dustbin-liners to put the melting food in; when the job was done, he had six left. He and Mary were much helped by the messages of sympathy from their customers and friends, which were a big boost to their morale.
• Rother had two trucks in action last Monday, removing the contents of defrosting commercial freezers - and issuing receipts for insurance purposes; so shoppers can be assured that everything in shop freezers has arrived since the power cut. It was all taken to the tip - and put at the bottom of a very deep hole and hastily covered up very thoroughly. Rother's staff, indoor and outdoor, were magnificent, says Peter Bridges at Battle. They were on duty all over the weekend both at Battle and Bexhill to deal with emergencies, and repair work on Rother's 4,000 council houses started on the day of the storm.
• Ralph Olesen's ESCC Highways team faced a mammoth task on Friday to get the roads clear, and a letter of thanks is to go to him from the Town Council for the speed with which the work was done. Kent County Council was still wrestling with a problem on Saturday morning on Underhill, on the way to Wittersham, when people bound for Tenterden had to make a long detour - with Fuggiest bus among them. We are glad to add z\that the recent repairs to the surface-water drain in South Undercliff have been most successful, coping with the storm water with no trouble at all (GAZETTE no. 240).
• One casualty was a Winchelsea landmark - the St. Leonard's windmill, only renovated by the National Trust quite recently, which now lies pathetically on its side. Rye's mill, too, came off worse than we had thought. When it was rebuilt after the fire in the 1930s, the sails were fitted with a bearing so that they could be turned for maintenance, but by the time Mr. Collins repainted a couple of years ago, this had seized up and couldn't be moved. However, it moved very suddenly on Friday morning, when the 4-ton structure dropped about twelve inches, smashing up the bearing and held only by the metal brake... The noise was awful, and Mr. Collins evacuated his frightened guests into the dining-room at the far end of the building (no-one actually sleeps in the mill itself). Four unnerved Americans said plaintively "Does it often blow like this here?", and he couldn't resist replying that this was just a little sea breeze by Rye standards! A new bearing has now been fitted and the sails were hauled back into place by a huge crane standing in the guest-house car park. A spar (weighing about 5cwt) had broken off in a gale a month or so ago, and there was also damage to the roof of the mill buildings; "but we're on top of it now" said Mr. Collins cheerfully on Monday.
• Parts of the town had no television even after the electricity came on, owing to damage to the Udimore Road booster station. Aerials fitted in the last three years or so in Ferry Road and across the railway mainly face that way; older ones are angled to Dover or Heathfield and were not affected.
• Several people who learnt arithmetic the hard way, in pre-calculator days, have been amused to notice how the Weather brought out the worst in modern maths teaching: the young can't do mental arithmetic any more! It seems that some (not all) younger shop assistants had terrible trouble working out change or aiding up a number of purchases - for them, this was a job that had always been done by the electric (and useless) till.
• And finally, a big thank-you from the GAZETTE to Bernie, Pauline and Marian at Cinque Ports Stationers. Just when they thought they had got rid of the GAZETTE on Tuesdays, now that it is printed at New Romney, they suddenly found they hadn't last week: New Romney's electricity, which had been on on Monday, packed up again on Tuesday morning, and the Rye copier had to do the lot again! Thanks, too, to "Man of Rye" in Landgate, last week's deputy pick-up point for the paper while the Freezer Centre was closed for mopping-up.
6.
Since we had five separate notes in our file from the Multiple Sclerosis Society, we do hope we have co-ordinated them accurately! It seems clear that George Cumming ran his first marathon (26 September) in 41 hours, just over his target figure so he "fined" himself £10 for the cause. He completed the Guildford marathon on 11 October within the specified time, and on Sunday he ran the Lydd half-marathon (cycling there and back) in 3 hours 40 minutes. Winners in the various draws connected with the triple challenge were Philip Bourn of Udimore Road, "Kim" of the Plough Inn, &evin Spandley of Ninfield, and Elsie Batehup of Beckley.
Lower School children who took part in the sponsored read last summer to raise £340 for the branch saw their purchase recently. Kath Elworthy came to the school to demonstrate the Oswestry Standing Frame, rather like a light-weight lectern but designed to help patients who are normally wheelchair-bound to stand upright as a means of exercise (it is not a walking-frame). Mrs. Elworthy who has been in a wheelchair for five years, has been having first go with the frame, which is to be passed round among Branch members for a month or so each. A brass plate on the front of the frame records who gave it.
Finally, the Branch has produced a charming Advent Calendar, once again designed by Eileen Jenkins of Fishmarket Road. Impressive in size (16i" x 13"), it comer with its own envelope for posting, and costs £1. Stockists include Adams, Horrells, the Hope Anchor, Cadborough Stores, Williams Bros., the Freezer Centre, Barry Rivers, or from 22 Ferry Road. The full-colour front gives an impression of Rye, and there are small seasonal drawings in the 25 opening windows (we cheated by peeping in advance). This would make a most valued Christmas "card" for a family with small children - or, of course, someone who lived here as a small child. Last year's production sold out entirely, so don't leave it too late.
More news of the Bragg twins (GAZETTE no. 243), who are likely to become big names in the showjumping world. Their mother, Mrs. Harmer, who works in Rye Wholefoods, tells us that Sonya was riding at Wembley in the Norwich Union Grade C National Championship (none of which was shown on television at all); Sonya rated equal ninth, which was not bad at all for a first try.
Sonya and Susan became keen on showjumping when they came to live in Iden seven years ago and joined the Romney Marsh Pony Club; for some time they were members of the Club's showjumping team. But lots of girls are keen on showjumping, and Mrs. Harmer was not very hopeful when she took them over to David and Marion Mould's stables at Lindfield, simply for an assessment. Imagine their excitement when David Mould gave both girls not only a glowing assessment but also the very unusual offer of training at the stables; they would, he said, become top professionals without a doubt.
The twins have now been with the Moulds since they left Thomas Peacocke 18 months ago, and there is keen rivalry between them. They have just been sponsored by a direct-mail advertising company, Mastermail, for E40,000 this year with the promise of more in 1988 - and they ride the Moulds' horses, says Mrs. Harmer thankfully. As for inherited talent, it must go back a long way; two of their great-grandfathers worked with horses, but since then no-one has taken the slightest interest in riding, said Mrs. Harmer - until now!
This week's list includes a proposal to refurbish the Tower in the garden of Little Orchard in West Street. When completed, the tower would consist of four one-room storeys topped by a plain tiled pyramid roof (no dormers), and would provide the guest-house with a further three bedrooms, one in the tower and two more in a brick extension at its foot. Total height, excluding the weathercock, would be 15m - and the top-floor sitting-room would have a super view! No new windows would be set into the tower; but neighbours should perhaps have a look at the plans for themselves, at the Council Offices. The other application this week is for a bungalow in the garden of the Old Coach House in Leasam Lane.
7.
• Two shops on Banister's Corner are taking part in a dress show at Icklesham Memorial Hall at 7.30 tomorrow evening (in aid of its Extension Fund). Tina Popple at Young Ideas will be dressing six young models - and we do wish her the very best of luck: --and, at a more manageable level, Dress Sense will be showing garments both from Rye and from the sister shop, Stock Exchange in Bexhill. (Wouldn't it be nice to have a dress show in Rye again - either elegantly at the George, or trendily at Upper School? Both types have been much enjoyed in recent years.)
• A casualty of the storm was the AGM of Thomas Peacocke School PTA - "lost" last Wednesday primarily because with the school closed, notes could not be sent home to parents. The new date is Tuesday of next week - but there will still be a problem with notes, since the half-term week extends over Monday with an in-service staff training day. So it would be appreciated if you could spread the word to TPS parents of your acquaintance - the meeting will be at Upper School, though not in the hall.
• Rye Council of Churches has great hopes for a big audience for the film "Jesus", to be shown in the town on Saturday, 7 November. The afternoon performance is at the Baptist Church, at 2.30; in the evening the 7.30 show will be at the Community Centre (instead of the unroofed Upper School hall). Tickets El, from River Books or Landgate Stores, or at the door. The press release says the film "has already been seen by far more people than any other film ever made ... researched by 200 scholars"; it is a dramatisation of the life of Christ according to St. Luke, and was filmed in Israel over five years, with Brian Deacon of the Royal Shakespeare Company in the title part.
• The official launch of the Rye Art Centre Appeal takes place at the Stormont Studio on Saturday evening, 7 November; guest of honour will be the new (woman) director-designate of the Victoria & Albert Museum. Refreshments will be provided, and Patric Dickinson will read his poetry and Graham Clarke testify to the value of the gallery to the working artist (knowing Graham, this is likely to be lighter relief than it sounds...).
Jeffery Waters asks us to convey the thanks of the management and staff of Winter's Dairies to all their customers and friends for the help and encouragement they received during the recent bad weather and power failure. Milk floats are powered by batteries which need electricity to charge them, and it is only thanks to Francis Hadfield of Rye Model Laundry, Anne Lingard of Rope Walk Antiques, Jim Stafford of White Lodge Service Station, George Beeton of Rother Cabs, Mick and John Mills, and Dave Piggott and Bob Wall - all of whom lent vehicles - that there were any deliveries at all. On the fateful Friday two milkmen started out early but had to return because conditions were so dangerous; but although the delivery was late it was a full service and not "patchy" as reported elsewhere. "The Dunkirk spirit is still with us; long may it continue" adds Jeffery. (Customers were grateful, too; New En land Lane house-holders found their milk had been carried up the steps from Military Road when fallen trees completely blocked the lane.)
Vidler & Co's October sale didn't produce any of the startlingly high prices which we have recorded recently, but was a nice standard something-for-everyone event. Highest price was £420 for a Sheraton-style sideboard. A Regency-style dining table went for £220, and 8 ditto chairs for £240. The antique oak long-case clock by Thomas Beeching of Rye fetched £350. Snap-top tea-tables went for £225 and £230, chests of drawers for £240, £200 and £150, side-tables for £380, £260 and £190. An Edwardian wardrobe fetched £260, a walnut bookcase- cabinet £370 - and doubtless the original purchaser of a toilet basin and chamber-pot would be fascinated to hear that they sold second-hand for over a hundred guineas! Modern lots included a large lounge suite (£160), a 20" colour tv with teletext (£240), a 1972 Encyclopaedia Britannica (£105), and an oak bookcase with glazed doors (£290). The pretty gilt-framed wall mirror brought in £240, the chandelier £110.
Folk and Blues Night, "cavorting and capering, music by local musicians", Stormont Studio, 8 (admission L2 at the door)
National Trust talk, "Venice and Venetian Art" (Mrs. G. Julius), CC, 2.30
TPS closed (in-service training) - term resumes on Tuesday. Camera Club, "Photography as a hobby" (Colin Page), FEC, 7.30 Community Health Council meeting, TH, 7.30 (see page 2)
Guide Dogs for the Blind meeting, with a 30-minute film; speaker Tony Castleton, with other guide-dog owners present. TH, 7.30
TPS PTA AGM (postponed from 21 October), Upper School, 7.30 FRAG talk, Basil Dowling on Hardy's philosophical poems, Stormont Studio, 8
Hearing Circle, BRCS, 10.30
Cancer Relief coffee morning, FEC, 10 (the group is in sore need of new committee members and would be delighted to meet anyone able to help in this way).
• Tomorrow is the tenth anniversary of the death of Dr. Trevor Parkes, always remembered in Rye with love and gratitude.
• Results (rather briefly, with apologies!): NSPCC house-to-house collection in Rye and the villages early this month, 21,450; RAF Association Wings Week Appeal (flag-day, house-to-house and church collection, in September), 1,145; A259 Action Group coffee morning in Ashenden Avenue, £21; and RNLI coffee morning at the FEC on Saturday, £363. Both RAFA and RNLI figures are very considerably up on last year.
• The Town Council's A259 Sub-Committee will be meeting at the Town Hall on Thursday, 12 November, at 7; people who want to know what the latest position is, as far as the Town Clerk can ascertain it, may like to come and listen.
• Betty Cramp of Ashenden Avenue is collecting strips of used raffle tickets. She saves them for a RAFA member in Hastings who in turn sells them to fairs for use in labelling sideshow prizes, etc; he is raising money for some kind of life-saving equipment. What a remarkable example of recycling!
• As usual, Freda Gardham School did well in the Hastings 1066 Children's Poetry Competition held recently. Congratulations to Rebecca Martin, who came second in the Primary class, and to Stephen Rich who came fourth among the Infants. Nine other FG pupils had their poems highly commended.
• Rother's Policy & Resources Committee last Wednesday approved the Planning Officer's recommendation for the more elaborate of the two plans for the Heritage Centre. (And the demolition contractors on the Alsfords site had a small goldmine of old peg tiles on the roof of the cottage in the corner, which they were removing hastily at the weekend - before someone else did...)
• Cinque Ports Stationers now have a fax (facsimile) machine in the shop. This amazing box of electronics will transmit any information on paper in a matter of minutes to any other office in the world suitably equipped to receive it. Price varies according,to distance and the amount of material to be sent; the staff at the shop will be glad to give details (Rye 224428).
• Finally, we hope very much that the sprayer of yellow paint on Dawes Prentice & Herington's nice black door will suffer a horrible retribution before long!
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 through Cinque Ports Stationers of Rye. Deadline is Monday morning for each Wednesday's delivery; subscribers pay on the basis of 40p an issue, and some spare copies are available at 45p from Young Ideas in Cinque Ports Street.(Copyright Mary Owen 1987)