Any deficiencies in the content or the delivery of this week's GAZETTE are probably due to the fact that the Editor has not entirely recovered from flu. If we have left out your news, please remind us so that it can go in next week.
Rye will see a change of Mayor in May, when Councillor Monica Oliver will succeed Councillor Breeds in office. Mrs. Oliver, our present Deputy Mayor, came to Rye in 1948, and was a home-help before she retired; she and her husband live in Lea Avenue, and she is a grandmother. The decision was taken at the Town Council meeting on Monday evening, and we have not yet had the opportunity to speak to Mrs. Oliver about what she particularly hopes to achieve during her-Mayoralty, but she has been associated over the years with a wide range of activities in the town. She is already the Council's representative on the Board of Trustees of Rye Art Gallery.
he new Deputy Mayor will be Councillor Frank Palmer, of The Strand - who was also chosen as the Council's representative on the Sports Centre management committee. An ex-police instructor in outdoor activities, with local family connections, he is clearly well-suited for this and will be able to give Rother rather more help than they might have expected to find in our community.
Roger Breeds has been an extremely popular, generous and efficient Mayor for the past two years, giving up a great deal of his time to the job and arranging his working hours to fit in with even quite minor events at which his presence - and that of his Mayoress, Amy - was so much appreciated locally. A sailing man, he was a fortunate choice as this year's Speaker of the Cinque Ports - a job which he will continue to hold for a few weeks after our Mayoring Day, until the official hand-over date comes round. Rye's turn for this office comes again in 1992; we must make sure we find them someone equally good then.
What is happening about the supermarket?
Back in the summer, it seemed that we were almost there: work was due to start, readers will remember, in September on the car park beside the market, with the CBs moving into the main Goods Yard site in the New Year. We even knew who the tenants were likely to be, and they in turn were getting organised in their country retreat. There was a delay to clarify the arrangements for access to the cattle market, but this was tidied up in November.
Then it all went cold.
At the end of January, the News published a non-committal statement from BR's Property Board, but by then there were various rumours in the town - "the proposed Waitrose at Tenterden had frightened off the developers - the bypass was going to go that way - the money had run out..." We are very happy to say that none of these rumours was true. The only thing that is hanging up the start of the work is the fact that BR's Property Board appears to be incapable of extracting its corporate finger to make a few remaining minor decisions.
We have written to the Regional Press Officer at Waterloo asking if she can pass on our enquiry to someone in the Property Board who is able to say what is happening. It may be that nobody there knows what is happening - which would of course account for the delay... But we hope for a statement of some kind, with a little more meat on it than the one offered to the News. In the mean- time, we can assure readers that as far as the developers are concerned, the starting date is entirely in the hands of British Rail - their JCBs are waiting with their engines warmed up, ready to move in even before the ink is dry on the final agreements. The trouble seems to be that British Rail is-still looking for its pens
2.
Mrs. Eileen Mason, until recently of South Ridge, Gungarden, died in a nursing home on 3 March after a long illness. She and her husband Eric are forever commemorated in Rye by the naming of Mason Field and Mason Road on the Tilling Green Estate; they gave this land to the Borough in the 1940s, and work began immediately after the war on the building of the large Council estate there - with Mason Field reserved for playing-space. In Iden, where they farmed after their marriage in 1921, the Masons were generous benefactors to the village, carrying on a tradition started by Mr. Mason's father who made a habit of presenting playing-fields to villages all over the country. When Park Farm was given up in favour of a move to Rye, Mr. Mason had become very frail, and Mrs. Mason was never able to do as much in the town as doubtless she would have liked, but she was much loved by her friends and neighbours and always had a pleasant word for every acquaintance. She is survived by her two daughters, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren - for whom she had printed, in 1981, a little book full of those family reminiscences so often lost for ever when an older person dies. The funeral takes place at Iden Church today at 1.30.
Mrs. Eileen Manktelow, of South Undercliff, died in hospital on 9 March after three years of illness following a stroke; she was 67. She had given many years of service to the St. John Ambulance Brigade, working on the ambulance in the days when when the Brigade was in sole charge. After the 1968 transfer to the NHS, she became a driver for the Hospital Car Service, a job in which she continued until her stroke. She had also been a keen member of Rye Harbour WI. Mrs. Manktelow leaves her husband George, her daughter and three sons, eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The funeral takes place tomorrow (13th) at 3.30 at Hastings Crematorium.
We have received an enquiry which is likely to defeat the memory of our very oldest inhabitants, since it takes us back into the 1880s; what we are really looking for this time is descendants. John Dibley of Ringmer is related to Rye's last police superintendent before the 1889 amalgamation with the East Sussex Constabulary. He was Superintendent James Bourne, and his PC no. 1 was William Henry Henley and PC no. 2 Albert E. Wilkinson - replaced in 1885 by John Siberry. Mr. Dibley is researching this area of Rye's history, and is looking for a photograph of James Bourne in office (the only one he has was taken after retirement), and also for any information about the other three - records, photographs, mementoes, etc.
The town still has Bournes, Henleys and Wilkinsons, of course, though we don't know any Siberrys - but female descendants could have changed name several times in the three generations since the 1880s. Anyone who can help should write to John D. Dibley, OBE, 34 Sadlers Way, Ringmer, near Lewes, BN8 5HG (he doesn't give a phone number). We hope very much that we shall be able to report in the GAZETTE on the final result of his researches.
A well-attended meeting last Tuesday, with encouragement at both local and national level and inspiring speakers from HQ, saw the inauguration of the Rye Branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Four members turned up in wheelchairs. Among those present were the Mayor and Mayoress and Canon David Maundrell.
The following committee was appointed: Mr. George Cumming (chairman), Mrs. Patricia Fletcher (secretary), Mr. Roy Fletcher (treasurer), Miss Melanie Cumming (minutes secretary), Mrs. Kath Elworthy, Mrs. Joan Hester, Mrs. Marjorie Twine, Miss Eileen Jenkin and Councillor Ringo Chapman.
The Branch will have its base at 3 Market Road (Rye 223172). In April the chairman will be running in the London Marathon in aid of the Society - details about sponsorship will be given nearer the time.
- 3 - THE RYE GAZETTE, 12 March 1986
The current planning list has two applications for large-scale building development in our area - both, at this stage, in outline only. There is also an application, the second recently, for a new house in the Old Brickyard.
Mr. Peter Chantry of the Tollgate Garage is seeking permission for a group of 16 small traditional-type houses in three terraces on the site of the garage and its outbuildings. Each house who contain two flats, 1- or 2-bedroomed, and the whole development is intended as sheltered housing for the elderly. There would be an entrance from Harbour Road, with the A259 access closed off. Slightly startled by the suggested disappearance of one of the town's garages (to say nothing of its flourishing built-in shopping centre) we rang Mr. Chantry about this interesting scheme. He tells us that, like so much else, it depends on the bypass route. A garage on a busy road is one thing, a garage on one from which a new bypass has removed most of the traffic is another, and the wise owner therefore thinks in plenty of time about a new use for the site. Mr. Chantry assures us that we shall not be seeing the closure of the Tollgate in the near future - indeed, not under any circumstances for the next 3i years, the period which his agreement with Shell still has to run. But if he gets planning consent, and if the bypass route does look like taking away the traffic which at present runs past the garage, then we might see sheltered housing on the corner f Harbour Road. Certainly there is a shortage of this kind of private accommodation in the town, though the Council has already subdivided a few of the Tilling Green houses into flats for older people.
Right at the other end of the town - strictly speaking, in Playden - Mr. Kenneth Hadfield is applying to build eleven detached houses on the field at the back of his home, Saltcote. No details of the type of house are given, but one would be on a single plot fronting on to the main road next door to Saltcote, while the others are shown spread around the field behind, with a new access from New England Lane to serve the whole development. The application includes alterations to Saltcote itself, slightly reducing its size.
The three Rye applications left over from the regular planning meeting were all approved at the follow-up meeting a few days later (Tower Forge, Rye Tandoori and 53 Ferry Road). Because of the imminence of Easter and the summer trade, the work on Tower Forge will not now be done until next winter.
Two Thomas Peacocke School pupils have just heard that they have been given places for September on the very'choosy preparatory course for music at Lewes - a course which is virtually certain to lead to a place at one of the national schools of music later.
Jo Shephard of Winchelsea Beach takes her As this summer, but her Lewes place doesn't depend on them. She will be specialising in the piano, but also plays the oboe and the cor anglais, and used to study the violin; she sings in the school choir too, but is an instrumentalist at heart. She is just at the start of her career as a musician, with her first professional engagement (yes, we do mean paid) at the White Rock on Good Friday, when she will be playing the oboe in a performance of Verdi's Requiem; she takes her cor anglais to Brighton this weekend to play with the orchestra for Tippett's "A Child of our Time" and has a total of nine engagements within four weeks. Her mother Marian tells us that music runs in her own family, though not in Peter's; it has certainly blossomed in a very fortunate way for Jo.
Jane Bowler has also inherited her musical talent from her mother; she is the daughter of Bob and Sheila Bowler of Fair Meadow, and is well known locally as a cellist and a member of the St. Mary's choir. She will be studying for her A-levels at Lewes, where a two-year course lies ahead of her, and hopes to go on to the Royal Academy of Music in London and then find a job in an orchestra - a longstanding ambition which seems likely to be achieved on present showing.
4.
Last Friday, 2274 Squadron ATC Thomas Peacocke School held their Presentation Evening in the Upper School Hall. The evening was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress and other friends of the Squadron. This is the only one in the Sussex Wing to be attached to a school, and also the first one to have girl cadets. It now has three commissioned officers and seven civilian instructors.
The Presentations, made by Sq/Ldr Holdstock of Sussex Wing, were as follows:
John Larkin Cup - for overall excellence, loyal service and achievement to Cpl F Roscoe.
Headmaster's Cup, for shooting, to Cdt A Hunt.
Peter Mitchell .303 Cup, for shooting, to F/Sgt E Donald
Parents Cup, for shooting, to Sgt S Hunt.
Junior Cadet Cup, for all-round excellence, to Cpl D Ivimy.
Autumn Shield, for shooting, to Sgt M Fairhall (who also won two other trophies for shooting, the Bell .22 and the Bell Aggregate awards).
Bell Trophy, for the highest total scored at Bisley in the Inter-Services rifle shooting, to (G)F/Sgt E McDonald.
Gibb Cup, for the best all-round younger cadet, to Cdt(G) N James.
Endeavour Shield, for honesty and loyalty by a cadet who has not obtained any other award, to Cdt(G) S Marston.
Consistentem Tropheum, for the most consistent shooting at Bisley, to (G)F/Sgt E McDonald.
Thompson Cup, for the best 1st Class Cadet or below, to Cpl M Ide.
Jean Kemp kindly sent us this report, and as she says, it is very encouraging that the Bell Trophy went to one of the girl cadets, Beth McDonald, for her performance at Bisley. It seems clear that girl cadets James and Marston are also making their mark in the Squadron.
After the presentations, parents, staff and cadets enjoyed a social chat over refreshments.
Cadet Samantha Fellows was chosen from Sussex Wing recently to go with ten other cadets from all over England on an ATC ski-ing course at RAF OAC Grantown-on-Spey. They were in Scotland from 19 to 26 January, and Samantha found it a most enjoyable experience.
Rother Council is organising the local stage of this poster competition for the Southern Home Safety Council. Although all schools, state and private, in the area are being informed, they would still like some press publicity at this early stage - perhaps to inspire a little prodding from parents?
Age-groups (as at 16 May 1986) are up-to-and-including-11, and 12-to-16, and Rother is offering a £25 prize to the local finalist in each class, with winning entries going on to the national finals later in the year.
Posters must not be bigger than A2 size (twice an opened-out GAZETTE), and should relate to safety at home or in the garden (not road safety, for a change). We use the word poster loosely; "poster or artwork" is what they actually specify, but in either case it "must indicate a clear safety message".
The information for schools includes the entry details, and a list of suggestions of the kind of accident which the competition aims to prevent, by making pupils more aware of the risks. Presumably illustrations of what to do, what not to do, or just an elegant piece of lettering would all be eligible. If your child's art teacher seems unaware of the competition, contact Mr. Bird at Battle 3371.
5.
The Friends of Rye Art Gallery held their AGM at the Town Hall on Tuesday and heard a very satisfactory report on the finances of the Easton Rooms, which is managed by one of the FRAG subcommitees. In 1985, gross sales amounted to £44,341 (1984, £31,159), which meant an income from commission and other minor sources of £17,661 (1984, £12,023). Expenses were down by almost £2,000, so there was a net profit of £4,045, as against just £596 in 1984. Out of this, the Gallery account has contributed towards the running expenses hitherto paid by the Friends, has repaid a FRAG loan, and still has cash in hand.
Reporting on this, Eric Money expressed his gratitude to the various people who help to run the gallery, not forgetting his wife Martha; she now wants to take less part in this, so the Friends have appointed Eric as the gallery's manager. There were 17,500 visitors last year.
The FRAG chairman, Tim Bishop, devoted some time to setting out the latest developments in the management structure of the Rye Art Gallery - but as his report is to be circulated to members, we need not deal with it here. Other reports indicated a disappointing attendance at the regular monthly lectures, which as from April will be taking place in the Gallery again; if by the end of this season, in June, the attendance has not picked up, there are likely to be no talks text winter.
Fund-raising has been played down recently owing to uncertainty about the future of the Easton Rooms, but now this is relatively assured the committee will be opening a local appeal in the autumn, followed by a national one in 1987. The group would like to see more members (334 at present), particularly young ones; forms are obtainable at the Easton Rooms. The new committee consists of Tim Bishop, Wally Cole, Dax Copp, Barbara Fearon, Joe Holden, David Maundrell and Tony Sandeman.
When the RAFA and Mencap were both refused Rye flag-days for a second year running (GAZETTE no. 167) we wrote to Rother's Chief Executive asking if he or the chairman of the committee concerned would care to set out the guidelines used in determining who does and doesn't get flag-days.
Mr. Powell would not care to. He says "The allocation of permits is a most difficult task, particularly having regard to the number of applications received (there were 100 this year) and also to the fact that each application is made for a worthy cause. The Sub-Committee considered all the applications most carefully and sympathetically and was satisfied that in its attempt to balance the frequency of collections with the needs of the charities, the allocation of collections fairly reflects the varied interests of all the applications. As to specific applications, it would be wrong to try and set out the merits of each one and as is the case on these occasions, many are often disappointed."
This doesn't really explain the Rye decisions, does it? The list only shows 21 applications for Rye, and of these 7 have no local support group here. Of the nine groups which did get Rye flag-days, seven are having one for at least the third year running (we don't have a list for earlier years) - while Mencap, whose local brinch was set up specifically because they wanted to be able to help local mentally handicapped people, is turned down again. If the local work of an organisation doesn't happen to be known to the Councillor for that town, he or she presumably votes it down; perhaps lobbying is what is required? Maybe the Town Council's views should be taken into account? (Maybe there just ought to be a fairer system...)
Our earlier report inadvertently left out the dates which were allocated for Rye street collections. These are:
Red Cross 10 May MSS 26 July
Alexandra Rose 21 June ARC 6 September
RNLI 12 July Sea Cadets 13 September
Guide Dogs 19 July Bonfire Night 4 October
Poppy Day 8 November.
6.
This list shows events booked in since the main 1986 list was printed in GAZETTE no. 162; it too is intended simply as a bookings diary at this stage, and the two should be studied together. Fuller details of each event will appear in due course. Regular meetings of those groups which, like the WI, normally offer their members a talk or demonstration are not recorded here but will appear on the back page of the GAZETTE for the week concerned.
| Saturday, 5th | Methodist Church jumble sale, 2 |
| Friday, 11th | Mencap Spring Ball, TPS, 8 |
| Museum Association AGM, TH, 7.30 | |
| Saturday, 12th | Ryesingers Spring Concert, Methodist Church, 7.30 |
| Tuesday, 15th | St. Mary's Annual Church Meeting, TH, 7.30 |
| Saturday, 19th | WBL sell roses (and coffee), TH, 10 |
| Wednesday, 23rd | St. George's Day coffee morning, Day Centre, Baptist Hall, 10.30 |
| Friday, 25th | Rye Ratepayers Association AGM, TH, 7 |
| Saturday, 26th | Community Centre coffee morning, 10 |
| Jumble sale for new footpath, CC, afternoon |
| Thursday, 1st | RCVS AGM, TH, 7.30 |
| Thursday, 15th | WBL Whist Drive, Red Cross, 7 |
| Thursday, 22nd | Methodist Church Gift Day, 10 |
| Saturday, 24th | Playden WI May Fair, FEC, 10 |
| Friday, 20th | Rye Conservation Society AGM, TH, 7.30 |
| Saturday, 21st | Harmonic Society/Stowmarket Band concert, St. Mary's, 7.30 |
| Saturday, 28th | Catholic Church coffee morning, CC, 10 |
| Methodist Church Choir concert, 7.30 | |
| Saturday, 24th | Bad Kreuznach Choir concert, St. Mary's, 7.30 |
| Saturday, 12th | Rye Hospital League of Friends Summer Fair, FEC, morning |
| Saturday, 28th | Methodist Church Summer Sale, 10 |
| Saturday, 12th | WBL Sale, Red Cross, 10 |
| Wednesday, 10th | Salvation Army Band concert, St. Mary's, 7.30 |
| Saturday, 13th | WI Group Home Economics Show, FEC, afternoon (for public) |
| Friday, 19th | Museum Association talk, Ralph Wood, FEC, 7.30 |
| Monday, 29th | Methodist Church Harvest Supper, Methodist Hall, 7.30 |
| Saturday, 16th | Museum Association talk, Michael Tweedie, FEC, 7.30 |
| Friday, 21st | Museum Association talk, Alma Fabes, FEC, 7.30 |
| Saturday, 29th | WBL Christmas Fair, Red Cross, 10 |
| Monday, 15th | Carols with Methodist Church Choir, 7.30 |
7.
The Ladies Circle consists of some (8 at present) wives of Round Tablers - the others often have commitments to young families which make them unable to share in its regular events. However, this small group has raised, over a couple of years, the £281 required to purchase a sonic aid - a gadget to enable mothers as well as midwives to listen to a foetal heart. At Durrant House last month this was presented to the Director of Nursing Services at the Buchanan Hospital though it is intended for use in the Rye area, at present by community midwife Molly Galpin.
Rye Scouts are not holding Bob-a-Job week this year, for reasons dictated by higher authority. But they still have to pay their capitation fee to HQ, and are also saving up for a minibus, and are therefore holding a Sponsored Knit from 31 March to 5 April (not, we assume, continuously!) The boys themselves will be knitting, but there aren't a great many of them; if you would like to help, contact the Wool Shop in Cinque Ports Street for details. The squares will be made into blankets for Rye Hospital and Mencap.
Councillor Brian Chapman was on Radio Sussex recently, talking about his job and duties as Councillor - and his nickname, which dates back to his days on a building site. He was known to play the drums; he had BEATLES blazoned across his jacket; Ringo Starr was the Beatles drummer, so... It certainly stuck; at the June by-election, some voters had to seek guidance on which of the formally-listed candidates was their friendly dustman Ringo!
We would respectfully remind readers that all subscriptions expire at the end of the month. There will be no GAZETTE on 2 April; issue no. 172 will appear at the start of the new half-year on 9 April.
Readers will remember that we are now adopting a more streamlined approach to `subscriptions. A fortnight ago we gave full details of the new standing-order payment scheme, and your copy this week has the mandate form inside (we have spares); it will be a big help if half-yearly payers feel that they can use it. At present, the only financial gain is lOp on the overall annual subscription, but it will save everyone a lot of trouble.
For those who prefer to make a special payment each time, the present rates are:For 12 weeks from 9 April to 25 June £3.60 For 23 weeks from 9 April to 14 September (2 weeks off in August) £6.90 quarterly subscribers are asked to pay cash if at all possible (but not, of course, if you have to post it. All cash subscriptions should be in an envelope with (a) the amount, (b) your name, and (c) your delivery address clearly given. If we deliver to you direct, we can collect the envelope from you (leave a note saying "Ring" on your letter-box); or it can be left at 2 Cyprus Place - but not with your pick-up point, please.
Our seven kind pick-up points are Cadborough Stores, Hazel's, Squirrels, the Freezer Centre, Penny Royal, the bar of the George, and the Tuck Shoppe. Of these, only Squirrels has spare copies for casual sale, and these are frequently sold out by Thursday morning. Now that our printing is done for us, we restrict our order to what we know we can sell; if you want to be sure of a copy, you must either subscribe or come to a sharing arrangement with someone who does.
All receipts for those not paying by standing order will go out on 9 April. Standing-order payers who need a receipt for business purposes are very welcome to one if they will note this on their mandate forms.
We formally repeat here the understanding on which subscriptions are now taken: that if the GAZETTE should suddenly and permanently cease publication, for whatever reason, all outstanding subscription money will go to the RNLI.
The week's events
Thomas Peacocke School play, "Pygmalion", Upper School, 7.30 (also Friday, Saturday - tickets from Penny Royal or Martello)
Rye WI Market reopens, CC, 10
Natural History Society AGM, FEC, 7.30
Rye WI coffee morning, Red Cross, 10
Winchelsea & District Floral Group jumble sale, FEC, 10.30 National Trust talk, "Herstmonceaux Castle and Gardens" by its head gardener Mr. Ellwood, CC, 2.30
Monday, 17th Camera Club, "Members Judge", FEC, 7.30
Tuesday, 18th Freda Gardham School Easter coffee morning, FG, 10
Arthritis & Rheumatism Council Ploughman's Lunch, CC, 12 to 2
Wednesday, 19th Thrift Shop, handing-in only, Red Cross, 10.30 to 12.30 Landgate WI, Sgt. Jeffries on crime prevention, CC, 10.30 Community Lunch Group (speaker from Alcoholics Anonymous), Clinic, 1 tb 2
NSPCC Annual Meeting, FEC, 3
WRVS AGM, Saltings, 3
• Congratulations to Christine and Bruce Campbell of Chilham on the birth yesterday morning of their daughter Emily Jane - a first grandchild for Jean Bull-Marshall of Leasam House Farm and the WRVS.
• The coffee morning at Freda Gardham on Tuesday is a replacement for the usual Easter Fair which for some years the PTA has run in conjunction with the annual football and netball tournaments for local primary schools. This year, for reasons all too familiar, the tournaments are off; but the school still needs the money, and the parents hope that friends and relatives will support Tuesday's effort as they have done in previous years.
• Also on Tuesday, excellent value is offered by ARC at the Community Centre, when £1.50 will buy home-made soup, bread and cheese and all the trimmings, apple juice and coffee - as well as the chance of pleasant lunch-time conversation and the opportunity to patronise the cake and gift stalls.
• Speaker at the NSPCC's Annual Meeting at the FEC today week is Kevin Pettican, the professional adviser to the Society's Child Care Director. If you have not ..had an invitation and would like to come, contact Anne Wood (Hastings 814412), who needs to have an idea of numbers because of the delicious tea which always rounds off this occasion!
• Buses replace trains on Sunday between Rye and Hastings owing to track relaying work; delays are expected, so check times if you intend going far. There will also be engineering work on the line between Rye and Ore on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
• The next Mapp and Lucia repeat on TVSI is not next Sunday (16th), but on 23 March; so best keep an eye open for the timing of the remaining two episodes.
• Talking of bits dropping off Rye's heritage (page 3 last week) - does anyone know who knocked a chunk off the side of the Landgate Arch on Wednesday morning? If it hadn't been delivery morning, we might have picked up the fragments of stone for use in the souvenir trade!
THE RYE GAZETTE is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office, published by Mrs. Mary Owen, 2 Cyprus Place, Rye, TN31 7DR (Rye 222303), and printed by Cinque Ports Stationers of Rye. News items for inclusion are always welcome deadline Monday afternoon (Tuesday 9 am at latest and only for real emergencies). The GAZETTE costs 30p weekly and is delivered to subscribers and pick-up points on Wednesday. A few spare copies are available from Squirrels, 9-13 Cinque Ports Street, and back numbers from Cyprus Place. (Copyright Mary Owen 1986)