THE RYE GAZETTE
Issue no. 15
15 December 1982
Four nights running...
The variety show put on by Rye Players last week amply justified the
decision to go ahead with the production despite various hiccups. David
Tucker-Williams again compered the show, filling in the gaps with the
obligatory songs and jokes and keeping the audience on the giggle.
Barbara Dickinson was at the piano throughout the evening. Lighting was
in the efficient hands of Mark Osborne, and Mary Summerfield was
wardrobe mistress; she also produced, with help from Rosemary Axworthy
(choreographer), Roger Axworthy and Yvonne Cotterell, and the cast swung
through a programme of songs and dances, ballet and recitations to
please all tastes. Many of the Rye Players "regulars" took part - Jim
and Caroline Simpson, Tony Thompson, Janice Reeve, Pam Peters and Jane
Jenkinson among the singers; Frank Mann's genius for comic recitation
was allowed to flower, and Joan Parkes impressed the audience very much
by reciting the whole of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" to a hushed
house.
Fiona Yelland's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" was an unusual
pleasure. It was particularly good to see some new faces among the
chorus - some rather younger than their elegant appearance led one to
suppose. Your reporter was only able to attend the dress rehearsal and
therefore missed out on the intimate atmosphere generated by audience
participation "on the night", but the Peppers ballroom is obviously well
suited to a show of this kind.
Thomas Peacocke Lower School's production of "Cinderella" was very
much enjoyed by a good audience on both nights. Claire Willett made an enchanting
Cinders, with Sarah Scambler as her Prince and Mark Curry as Buttons.
Lucy Scrutton was a particularly distinguished Baroness Hardup, with
Neil Tucker as her husband. As always in this pantomime, the stars are
the Ugly Sisters, and here John Bickle and Andrew Colegrave excelled,
hilariously in trouble with the female anatomy. Becket McGrath and
Barnaby Dellar also did well as the broker's men and bar attendants. The
16-strong cast was supported by a large group of dancers and village
girls. Director was Mr. Bob Beckwith, producers Miss Frances Paintin and
Mr. Ron Dipper. As usual, staff from both Lower and Upper School gave up
their time to help behind the scenes, with assistance from the parents;
perhaps this is the place to recall the work done for Lower School
costumes over the last few years by Mrs. Linda Stonely, who is leaving
next term for the happiest of reasons.
Freda Gardham School's "Christmas All Sorts" included for the first
time a film made by a friend of the school, Mike Iles, assisted by Brian
Moses and Valerie Mountford and featuring children from their classes;
we saw the group visiting various parts of the town, including the mouth
of the harbour and the top of the church, and heard their reactions to
living in Rye. First and third year pupils took part in "The Twelve Days
of Christmas", ingeniously acted, with the prettiest milkmaids and the
most unnerving cow ever seen! Second-year children presented "Amahl and
the Night Visitors" with great charm, while the third years offered a
dance drama they had devised themselves about an alien invasion (we
think). Fourth years recited "The Night Before Christmas" to great
dramatic effect. Choir, recorders, guitarists and percussion group added
up to a most successful evening, presented before a packed house on a
night offering five other entertainments elsewhere.
Brede Players' production of Sheila Kaye-Smith's "The Child Born at
the Plough" in Brede Church drew audiences from a wider area than the
local setting of the play. Written in what must, fifty years ago, have
been a very advanced idiom (and rarely if ever performed since) the play
combines ancient and modern in a confusing though very satisfying
presentation of the Nativity story. A simple but ingenious set, careful
lighting, an angel choir high above the heads of the audience, splendid
sound effects (with a close relationship to those of the Rye Model),
specially written music and a large cast of local people of all ages -
it all amounted to what Canon Peter Harvey (who played St. Thomas of
Canterbury) rightly described as an act of worship. Producer was
Margaret Drewery, and though we have no room for more names, perhaps
just a mention of the children who took part.
2.
Invalids
Welcome back to Ken Clark of Eagle Road, home after some weeks in
hospital. John Green of Udimore Road has left Charing Cross Hospital and
is now convalescing in the elegant and formerly royal surroundings of
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight; he hopes to be home by Christmas.
Miss Winnie Warren, who broke her arm during a Norfolk holiday, will be
at River House, Buxton, Lamas, near Norwich, for Christmas. Best wishes
to Mrs. Jack Mathews of Leasam, at present in St. Helen's, and to Mrs.
Frank Clark of Winchelsea Road, who is in the RESH.
It depends what you mean by...
Our reference last week to the scarcity of banquets in Rye, in
connection with the Saltings open day, maligned our local caterers.
Apparently in the catering trade a banquet is any rather special
dinner, not necessarily involving Royalty, gold plate or the Lord Mayor
of London - and of course our local hotels and restaurants have plenty
of these, some of them for groups coming from quite a distance.
Sorry!
Planning news
Problems over the lookout at the end of Watchbell Street, referred to
in GAZETTE no.6, were given extensive coverage in last week's News, and
we do not propose to discuss them again here; but a sad effect of the
subsidence appears in a planning application this week asking for
permission to demolish the watch tower in the garden of Bellmount, next
door to the lookout, together with part of the garden wall. The tower
was built at the turn of the century, and is therefore not old by Rye
standards, but it will be missed - though obviously a dangerous
structure of that size and in that position cannot be allowed to remain.
We do hope that the trouble stops there, both for the sake of the owners
concerned and for that of the town generally.
It is not often that there is an application for in-filling within
the Conservation Area, a somewhat congested part of the town already.
But the proprietors of Durrant House are asking for permission to build
a pair of semi-detached houses (with garage and parking space) on land
between 26 and 28, Fishmarket Road - the bottom of the Durrant House
garden.
Rother Council is applying to itself for permission to erect an
extension to a house in Marley Road, to provide two bedrooms and a
bathroom for two disabled members of the family who live there.
An application which may well prove controversial is from Ian Addy of
Strand Coach - works, just beyond St. Margaret's Terrace. He wants to
demolish the three lock-up garages between his workshop and the road,
and to replace them with a storage tank for liquid propane gas
surrounded by chain-link fencing 1.8m high.
We are told that due to the deferring of their planning application
to use Goldens as a tea-room, the Conners have now lost their chance to
buy the shop, which has gone elsewhere. We hope we can soon tell you
what it is destined to become - there is always the possibility that it
will house yet another antique shop...
Rye WI AGM
Rye W.I. members looked back on an enjoyable and interesting year on
Wednesday. A new Committee was elected, with Mrs. Eileen Bennett as President
again, Mrs. Teresa Hodgson as Secretary and Mrs. Jean Freeman as Treasurer. New members
are very much needed if the Institute is to survive, and anyone interested should
contact any WI member who will be pleased to take them along to a
meeting to see what it’s like without any pressure to join - it is
definitely not "all jam and Jerusalem". A wide number of interests are
catered for and the 1983 programme promises a busy, happy and enjoyable
series of talks, lectures and outings. The WI meets at the FE Centre on
the second Wednesday in each month.
Less Library?
Rumours about cuts in the County Library service sent us to see
Brenda Marshall, the assistant in charge of Rye Library. She says that
there are indeed proposals which would seriously curtail the service,
but she hopes that there will be an opportunity for staff at individual
libraries to suggest alterations in hours, etc., which would best suit
their particular clients. Miss Marshall hopes to be able to tell us more
in the middle of January, when some decisions will have been made.
THE RYE GAZETTE 15.12.82 - page 3
Many thanks
The 1983 Town Diary wall-chart has been offered a permanent and
accessible home in the Spar grocery shop (opposite the Post Office) over
the till beside the window, clearly visible from outside. We are most grateful to John Ciccone
for this, and the chart with bookings so far will go up shortly. As
before, it will have colour-coded spots for the different types of event
(though we shall not attempt to include the villages this time) and is
intended as a warning-off system for already busy days; more detailed
information is kept at the GAZETTE office (see back page). We do
appreciate the Community Centre's hospitality since the Sussex Express
office was closed, but a site close to the Diary's original home does
seem to be more convenient.
Something to do
Mrs. Juxon Barton tells us that the latest tragedy in Northern
Ireland, which has led to our troops there being confined to barracks,
has also led to the WRVS doubling its efforts to send out means of
filling their leisure time. Our readers will know that for some time
paperbacks (not hardbacks) have been welcomed at the WRVS office in the
FE Centre, but they would also like general-interest magazines such as
Readers Digest, Punch, Country Life, Private Eye, etc., and the Sunday
colour supplements; also hobbies magazines like Amateur Photographer,
gardening and DIY papers, the various motorbike publications and
anything else that readers can spare.
Lydd Camp, through which the books are sent, can also make
arrangements to send out jigsaw puzzles, board games and playing cards
of all kinds (complete, please!), so all we have to do is clear out the
family games we no longer play, the puzzles we don't have time for and
the magazines that clutter up the space under the stairs - we don't need
them, the soldiers in Northern Ireland do. All contributions can be left
at' the WRVS office - or ring them (Rye 3362) if you have delivery
problems.
We found Miss Doris Chatterton on Monday busy packing up the weekend
consignment of books. She says that the WRVS are not allowed to appeal
for so much as a ball of string for themselves; but we are telling you
that they would be glad of string, parcel tape and wrapping paper
(sheets 36" x 24" or more) and it doesn't matter how second-hand it is
as long-as it will hold together. Perhaps our readers who have goods
regularly delivered by mail-order could help here? Some of the shops
already hand over the paper used to wrap goods delivered to them.
Millinery class?
Something really out of the ordinary is offered as a start for the
under-14s: a paper-hat-making session on Tuesday, the FE Centre. Kitty
French is the millinery instructress, so the hats are sure to be in the
haute couture class, and she guarantees they will also be wearable.
Students are asked to bring their own scissors and either a stapler or
needle and cotton. The event is in aid of the Rye Art Gallery, and
admission costs £1.
New shops for Christmas
Mr, and Mrs. Kelvin Care have recently doubled the size of their
Cinque Ports Street shop selling camping equipment and tough clothing -
though redecorating will have to wait till after Christmas. Dewhursts, the High Street butchers, have
also been re-shopfitted (if that is the word); the familiar farm animal tiles
have disappeared, but the animals remain on a smaller scale. Somehow sales continued
throughout!
Bring ‘em back please!
Rye Red Cross are still short of a good deal of medical loan
equipment lent out bythem (theoretically for three months at most) and not returned. All
Red Cross material is clearly labelled as theirs, and since these things
are very expensive to replace they really would like them back for
reissue, and will be most grateful to anyone who can help them over
this. The Centre is always glad to be offered medical equipment in good
condition from homes, where it is no longer required - anything from
Wheelchairs (which now cost around £200) to walking-sticks will be much
appreciated.
An apology –
- this time from our photocopiers, whose machine took a dislike to
pages 2 and 5; it seemed just about legible, and there was no time for a
re-run, but we are sorry.
THE RYE GAZETTE, 15.12,82, page 4
Look twice at £20
A reminder that there are still £20 forged notes around; a very
respected Rye shopkeeper showed us one the other day, which was not noticed until the
bank rejected it.
He feels it is quite possible for these notes, once they are in
circulation in the area, to be passed quite innocently by local people not addicted to
forgery, and therefore all such notes, even when offered by old and valued customers, should
be checked for the tell-tale metal strip - which even the latest thing in
photocopiers cannot yet manage to incorporate!
Any spare journalists?
Every six weeks the talking newspaper for the blind, published weekly
in Hastings, issues a "country edition" intended primarily for blind
subscribers in Rye and the villages. The newspaper is, of course, on
tape, and has a team reading extracts from the various local papers
(including sometimes, we hope, the GAZETTE), and the editor, producer
and presenter of the country edition is Mrs. Sheelagh Fox of Military
Road; her husband Teddy deals with the recording. Mrs. Fox now does a
full week as sales manager at the Rye branch of Skinners, and with her
two daughters living at home she finds she simply has not got the time
to give to the newspaper. She has been the editor for nearly five years,
and now hopes to find a replacement, as otherwise she fears that the
country edition will simply merge into the general Hastings editions - a
move which would be much lamented by the local blind "readers". Mrs. Fox
herself, had plenty of experience in local radio abroad before she
started working for the talking newspaper, but this is not essential,
and she would be very glad to hear from anyone who might be interested
in taking over this most worth-while job (Rye 2234).
Little houses
Spin-off from last week's coffee morning at St, Anthony's: there seem
to be quite a few dolls' house enthusiasts around. It is extremely
difficult to transport these delightful grown-up toys, but it might be
fun to have, next year, a series of viewing mornings (daylight being
best) in each other's houses, with perhaps coffee and a donation to,
say, the NSPCC? Anyone interested please get in touch with Rachel
Sarrieddine (44a The Mint) or Mary Owen (Rye 2303) after Christmas.
Incidentally, Rachel tells us that she and Geraldine Bromley
were the “committee” which ran that extremely successful event;
they had, of course, helpers, but they did all the organisation. She
also says that Thursday evening, 8 December is a date to book into your,
1983 diaries now! Details rather nearer the time…
Letting down the hair
On Tuesday afternoon members of Thomas Peacocke's VIth form abandoned
their lofty intellectual pretensions and presented their juniors - and a
good many of their seniors, sneaking in at the back – with that
traditional entertainment, the Sixth Form Concert. The sketches were
almost without exception influenced by television, so they had an
instant appeal for the audience - the school jokes went down well even
with their victims, and unlikely people in improbable situations were
all part of the fun. For those at the back, mikes would have meant that
all the jokes got through, though no mikes were needed for the
very professional pop group who blasted the afternoon's calm - were we
at the start of another Beatles? We particularly liked the Hi-de-Hi
sketch, the Mata Hari character, and the chap in the balding "wig"
reading out assembly notices; but it was all good fun, and an
entertaining footnote to the term's more serious drama.
Christmas appeal
Rye and District Lions hope that many readers will listen and respond
to the BBC tv Christmas appeal on Sunday, 19 December, at 6.35 pm, when
David Jacobs will speak about the Lions International Blood Research
Appeal for work on haemophilia, leukaemia and sickle cell disease. Blood
can, as the Lions point out, play cruel tricks on people: it may refuse
to clot, or the white cells may suddenly multiply, or the red cells will
stick together preventing the circulation of oxygen, and there are still
few real cures for these disorders. The aim is to raise £400,000 for the
Blood Research Unit at King's College Hospital, London. The appeal
address will of course be given after the programme, but local donations
can be handed in to 3 Military. Road.
5.
Meet the Press
In response to numerous enquiries, we would like readers to know that
the Rye correspondent for the Sussex Express is Mrs. Rozel Poole, of 49 New Road
(no phone). The Express reporter for our area (plus Battle, plus all the villages
round both towns) is still Georgette Thurston for whom messages may be
left if she is out - which is frequently - at the new Hastings Observer
office (Hastings 51351). Editorial phone number for the East Sussex News
is Hastings 52811, and the reporter is usually Ruth Bailey. Photographer
for the News, and often for the Express as well, is Alan Jones, Camber
448. Ads: News, Hastings 52555; Express, Lewes 6222. Please, oh
please, get in touch with them all direct and not through the
GAZETTE!
St. Anthony gives a party
Members of St. Anthony's parish would like to thank all those friends
who braved the wettest and windiest night of the year so far to make the
party on 9 December such an enjoyable affair. About sixty people
gathered in the Methodist Church for the evening, which included the
showing of parts of the video film of the Pope's visit to this country
in the summer. Special thanks are due to the Rev. John Pyke and his
congregation, to Canon David Maundrell, to the Rev. Ian Pidoux and to
Mr. Maurice Ellwood, and to all who provided the refreshments.
Damp but not dampened
The evening shop-opening for the elderly and disabled last Thursday
again struck bad weather this year, but Mr. Wren of Woolworths tells us
that almost 100 people took advantage of the offer. The refreshments prepared by his staff
members were much enjoyed, quite apart from the actual shopping, and he had managed to
persuade the trade representatives who call on him to produce 43 prizes
for a free raffle. Helpers included the Rye Lions, who dealt with
transport using the Thomas Peacocke minibuses; the Red Cross, who lent
wheelchairs; and five St. John Ambulance cadets. Parties came from
Icklesham, Westfield, Northiam and Peasmarsh, as well as from
Greyfriars, Badger Gate, Devonport House and the Monday Club; there were
also individual shoppers, and many old friendships were renewed over a
cuppa. The oldest guest, Mr. Wren thinks -was a lady of 91.
Because of the heavy rain, not a great many of the elderly people
ventured along the High Street to the other shops taking part. We were
talking about this to Mrs. Cherry, the new (since September) manageress
of Boots in Rye and as far as she knows the only manageress in the
company's south-eastern "territory"; she tells us that her branch can
also get for local customers any goods seen in larger branches and not
normally stocked in Rye. Incidentally, Rye branch of Boots recently
produced the highest percentage increase over last year's trading
figures of all the small branches (and they don't come much smaller than
ours) in the "territory", which reaches as far north as London and west
to Brighton - congratulations!
Who was Mary Stanford?
When we asked this question a few weeks ago, Michael Alford told us
that she was a member of a family living somewhere near Hyde Park, and
the Harbour lifeboat was given in her memory - she died in about 1910.
He also said he had read of another boat named after her, so we pursued
the matter with the RNLI. They say that there were indeed two boats
named Mary Stanford, the Rye one and another, launched in 1930, at
Ballycotten in what was then called the Irish Free State; the latter was
a motor lifeboat, costing £11,000 and paid for out of a legacy from the
late Mr. J.F. Stanford of London. What is really puzzling is that RNLI
records show that date of the Stanford legacy as 1881: it would be
interesting to know the terms of the will, and why the lifeboats (the
Harbour's Mary Stanford was launched in 1920) were bought so long after
the bequest. Did J.F. Stanford leave a life interest in the money to his
wife Mary, who then outlived him by 30 years? Would the Ballycotton boat
have been bought if the Rye one had not foundered two years earlier? We
will gladly publish any further information on this intriguing subject.
Long service
Weslake & Co. held their annual dinner-dance at the George Hotel
on Friday. An excellent meal was followed by dancing to the Ted Crouch
Band. Highlight of the evening was the presentation, made by Mrs. Mary
Weslake, of two golf clubs to Mr. Bill Swaine of Fishmarket Road, who
has just completed 25 years with the company.
Bulletin board
The week's events
Thursday, 16th Red Cross Thrift Shop (also Friday and
Saturday), 10 to 4
Thomas Peacocke Upper School carol concert, 7.30
Friday, 17th Last WI Market till March, Community Centre,
10
FRAG party (members and their friends), Gallery, 7
FRAG dance (a few tickets still available at Easton Rooms, returns
at the door), George Hotel, 9 to 1
Papa Joe's film: "Escape from New York", Pizzeria, 9 (no film
shows on 24 or 31 December)
Saturday, 18th Last Craft Market till April, FE Centre,
10
Country and Western dance, Thomas Peacocke, 8
Monday, 20th School holidays begin (back to school, Tuesday 4
January)
Tuesday, 21st Paper-hat-making session, FEC, 10 to 1 (see page 3)
Christmas services and carols
Friday, 17th - Freda Gardham School carol service, St. Mary's,
10.30.
Sunday, 19th - all six parishes in the Rye Group hold carol services
(E. Guldeford 2.30, Rye Harbour and Iden 3, Camber 6 and Rye and Playden 6.30), while at
the Baptist Church at 6.30 there is a service of carols by
candle-light.
Tuesday, 21st - the Methodist Church has carols with the choir at
7.30.
Christmas Eve - midnight eucharist at St. Mary's, 11.30 (also Camber
at 11.15 and Playden at 11.30); midnight mass at St. Anthony's with carols and blessing of
the crib at 11.30.
Christmas Day - holy communion at St. Mary's and mass at St.
Anthony's, both at 8 and
noon; all members of all Churches join in a united service at St.
Mary's at 10.30, when the preacher will be Father Maurice. The villages of
course have their own Christmas morning services.
Sunday, 26th (in Rye) - St. Mary's has holy communion at 8 and family
communion at 10.30;
St. Anthony's has mass at 8 and 10.45; services as usual at the
Baptist Church at 11 and 6.30; 11 a.m. service only at the Methodist Church; and a
Christmas Service at 3 at the United Reform Church.
•As usual, Rye's elderly and disabled people are being well catered
for with parties and entertainments over Christmas. We hope to include in next week's
GAZETTE a round-up of all the jollifications, and will be glad if organisations
can let us have the details by Monday at latest. So far we have only
covered the WRVS 1unch.
•Another Christmas present suggestion: the Rye Town tie, in navy blue
with the seal of Rye –£3.50 from the Town Clerk or Town Sergeant.
•Coffee morning for the NSPCC at the Community Centre last Wednesday
raised £265. (We hope to have the result of the Rye Hospital auction next week.)
•Advance notice: Ryesingers are presenting "The Pirates of Penzance"
in the Community Centre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 27-29 January;
those who have enjoyed their previous productions will want to note the
dates in their diaries. There is a further chance to see the show at
Beckley on Saturday, 5 February.
•The Tower Launderette will be open as usual until Christmas Eve,
when it will close at 6 instead of 8, and remain closed until Tuesday,
28th; it will reopen on the Tuesday from 8 to 8, up to and including New
Year's Day (Saturday). The arrangements thereafter are a little
complicated, and patrons are recommended to check, diary in hand, with
the notice now displayed at the launderette.
THE RYE GAZETTE. is registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. It
is published by Mrs. Mary Owen at 94 Udimore Road, Rye (Rye 2303), who is always
glad to receive news items for inclusion. The GAZETTE costs 20p a week and is
normally delivered to subscribers on Wednesday (there will be no issue on 29
December).
Photocopied by Sussex Secretarial Services, 11 Claremont, Hastings
(942 2633).