The item on Rother's Recreation and Tourism Committee agenda about boot sales on the Salts (GAZETTE no. 179) brought all three of our Rother Councillors to their feet in an unwonted display of unanimity, as George Shackleton pointed out amid laughter. John Cawdron and Pauline Tomich are members of the committee; Mr. Shackleton is not, but was given permission to speak. As a result of their combined efforts, the report's recommendation was turned down. There will be a further report to the committee in October, but in effect next year is likely to see all the boot fairs taking place on the Rye Harbour car-park (Mrs. Tomich's suggestion) and every application for the use of the Salts vetted by the committee members instead of being left to the officers to decide (Mr. Cawdron's proposal). This does seem to prove that strong local protests can carry weight at Bexhill.
It was agreed that the twelve bookings taken for this year must be allowed to stand, and we have now been able to identify the six described as "charitable" in the report. Perhaps "non-commercial" would be a better word, since two of the bookings were from the Rye Ambulance Social Club and one from the Rye Conservative Association. The remaining three were a surprise; they have been booked in by a professional organisation which raises funds for Guy's Hospital in London - a good cause, certainly, but not one for which (as far as we know) there is any specific support group round here?
Some weeks ago scaffolding started to grow round the tower of St. Mary's. This was to enable Burnhams to start work on the first phase of a programme of external repairs (GAZETTE no. 174); Ralph Wood, the architect in charge of the work, now gives us more details of what is being done.
"All faces of the tower are being carefully repainted as the pointing has become exceedingly hollow due to the exposure; there will be some stone repair to the head of the west-facing belfry window; I hope to overhaul the windvane on top of the tower which appears to be rather loose, and the opportunity of painting it and regilding the important parts will be taken.
"The most interesting work, however, will concern the full restoration of the clock face and all its entablature. This was built in 1760/1, and having been able now to examine it closely I am astonished at the quality of the carving and of the woodwork which is quite immaculate. It does not appear to have been painted for perhaps fifty years or more but there is really no serious deterioration at all. It is a masterly composition - quite outstanding. The clock face will be repainted with all the entablature, and the quarterboys will be regilded so that later in the summer there should be a real sparkle at the top of Lion Street."
(The skip which has stood outside the north door of St. Mary's for what seems like weeks appears to have no connection with the work on the church but with drain repairs to a nearby property. We do hope it won't be there much longer - it really does spoil the view up Lion Street.)
The Spring Group Meeting of the Rye Group of WIs took place at Beckley, with members from each of the seven Institutes welcomed by the Group Chairman Mrs. Eileen Bennett. Landgate made its first appearance, replacing the deceased Udimore. Reports were received on the various Shows during the year and on the WI Market; and on a lighter level we must congratulate the small Rye Harbour WI on winning the knock-out cup for darts. The Group competes in Scrabble in the summer. The business was followed by a talk on flower arranging, by Mrs. Otley.
2.
The Rye Branch of the Royal British Legion Women's Section marks its 50th birthday on Sunday with a Golden Anniversary Parade and Service at St. Mary's. At 2 the standards will muster in the Market car park under the direction of the County Marshal, and the Parade will be inspected before moving off, led by the Battle Town Band, at 2.25 for the service in St. Mary's at 3. Afterwards the Parade will reassemble outside the Town Hall and march to the saluting base outside the police station before dispersing in the Market car park to enjoy refreshments at Thomas Peacocke Upper School.
A fortnight later, on 21 June, the Section is holding an Anniversary Dinner-Dance at the George Hotel; the £10.50 tickets include a sit-down dinner followed by dancing to Solitaire, very popular at Rye functions. Joan Camiar has already sold fifty tickets, and the ballroom at the George won't expand indefinitely, so people looking for a rather special evening out should not leave it too late to book with Mrs. Gamier in Wish Ward.
The Annual Meeting of Rye Town Council on Monday is the one opportunity in the year for non-Councillors to state their views and ask questions about the way the town is run. The agenda includes reports on the work of the Council during 1985/6 by the immediate past Mayor and committee chairmen; County Councillor Mrs. Joan Yates will also be reporting, as well as all three of our Rother Councillors (according to the agenda, anyway). Members of the public get their turn at the end.
Because the meeting is on a Monday this year, the Editor very much regrets that there cannot be a full report in the GAZETTE (on Monday evenings she is at home writing the paper). If you want to know what happens, you must go yourself.
Each year a report is presented to this meeting giving details of Councillors' attendance. On the whole, this year, our representatives have done pretty well. Roger Breeds, who as Mayor was on all the committees, attended the entire set of 41 meetings held by the Council and its committees; his Deputy Mayor Mrs. Oliver was only two short of a full house. New Councillors John Ciccone and Ringo Chapman are clearly set on the same admirable path. George Shackleton's attendance is sometimes hampered by his evening stints at Boots, as well as his time-consuming Rother commitments - though the Town Council try to arrange meetings to avoid clashes between his two Council hats, it isn't always possible. James Menhinick, Jo Kirkham and Duncan Starkey have all been "off sick" for appreciable periods in the course of the year - and it is very good news that they are all now back on form. Hilda Nelson-Barrett has also not been very fi4- lately, but she has nevertheless managed to attend all but one of the meetings for which she was eligible. Of the rest, Geraldine Bromley only missed two of her 25 meetings; Osma Jones, Eric Le Fevre, Frank Palmer and Joan Parkes were not more than five down. Ed Wiseman missed just three committee meetings, but only attended six of the nine Council meetings - perhaps for reasons connected with school? The most notable absentee was Bill Simpson; determined to stay on the Council even after he moved to Bexhill, he is also shown as attending only six Council meetings - plus just seven of his 20 possible committees!
The Town Council has now formed the six new committees about which we wrote in GAZETTE no. 173. The chairmen are as follows: General Purposes, Roger Breeds; Leisure & Tourism, Ed Wiseman; Bequests, Hilda Nelson-Barrett; Planning, James Menhinick; Outside Activities, Frank Palmer; Policy & Resources, Jo Kirkham.
The Diocese is applying for an order to reorganise various assets relating to closed church schools, including East Guldeford whose assets, the proceeds of the sale of the former school buildings, amount to £21,551. It is proposed, in effect, to use the money "towards the provision, improvement or enlargement of Church of England voluntary schools in the Diocese of Chichester". Can anyone tell us when East Guldeford School was closed?
- 3 THE RYE GAZETTE, June 4 1986
After reading last week's report of the launch and subsequent problems of Paul Kennard's big boat, George Roberts rang us from his Scots Float office. Mr. Roberts is in overall charge of the SWA land-drainage operations in the area, and these include the Harbour - so (if his office hadn't anyway been shut on Bank Holiday Monday) it is he whom we should have asked for the SWA's side of the story.
The problem seems to have arisen from a failure in communication. It has never been the policy of the SWA as Harbour Authority to refuse the use of Strand Quay to boats needing temporary mooring there while work is done on them, and there was no intention of refusing Mr. Kennard. But, for the sake of the smooth working of the Harbour, it is important that temporary visitors shall say in advance how long they need to be there - and this, says Mr. Roberts, Mr. Kennard omitted to do. There was also the question of whether he was intending to live on the boat, since houseboats are not allowed at the Quay (although a point is stretched for holidaying yachts whose owners sleep on board while they are here). The Harbour Authority has to consider the welfare of all the Harbour users whose fees and dues have gone up very steeply since the beginning of the year and Mr. Roberts has had support from other boat-owners over the Harbourmaster's action.
He adds that Mr. Kennard has done a lovely, job on "Mascotte" - and he knows how much work has gone into her, having rebuilt two smaller boats himself over the years - and there is no question of the SWA objecting to the look of her!
Monday saw Mr. Kennard, with SWA permission as well as that of the landowner, digging out a new mooring near the Rock Channel units where "Mascotte" was rebuilt. It is mainly a case of pumping away the silt which has accumulated beside the river bank, and he will be moving "Mascotte" to her new berth on the mid-day tide on Saturday. He is not yet ready to instal the mast - which he has made himself from a huge tree-trunk gradually whittled down with axe and adze but when the final touches are complete, George Roberts has assured him that he can put her back in Strand Quay for the crucial two days. Then she will return to Rock Channel while Mr. Kennard continues to work on her, and may very possibly move to Strand Quay again for the winter months when the demand for space has slackened. In the meantime, the best view of her in Rock Channel will be from the bank beside Harbour Road. She is well worth seeing - even more so once the mast is in place, while the Kennards are dreaming of sailing trials before the summer is done...
Pother Council has agreed to join Hastings Borough Council in petitioning against the Channel Tunnel - not because either is against the Tunnel specifically but because a petition is the only way to make sure that the interests of this end of the county are represented. A particular concern of both authorities is the road network and rail facilities which would become necessary if the Tunnel is built. A very full report by the Chief Executive went before a special meeting of Rother Council on 19 May (copy in the Council Offices); it includes a statement to Hastings Borough Council by its Chief Executive, and also a report presented by ESCC officers to the relevant County Council committees the previous week.
The D o T has produced a leaflet for the instruction of people wishing to object as individuals to the Channel Tunnel proposals. We were much intrigued by the wording of the specimen petition illustrated on the back. After setting out the petitioner's reasons, and asking formally that the Bill "may not be allowed to pass into law as it now stands", the printed form ends somewhat abruptly "AND your Petitioner will ever pray, etc.". What can the "etc." stand for?
A final comment, maybe: "... for the confusion of the French"? For the wellbeing of the Minister chiefly concerned? Would readers like to offer other suggestions - or is the phrase just legal shorthand for "yours sincerely"? (Doubtless copies of this useful leaflet can be obtained from the Citizens Advice Bureau at the Council Offices.)
4.
There were four outright refusals for Rye-area applications from Rother's Planning Committee last week: for 30 extra caravans at the Frenchman's Beach caravan site, for ten houses off New England Lane, for a hanging sign on Conduit Hill to advertise Shades, and for a two-storey extension to 101 Winchel-sea Road. The plan for sheltered housing on the Tollgate Garage site was deferred for further negotiations, as was the insertion of a new shopfront at 79 High Street. The Glue Pot plans were deferred for a site inspection; and amended plans for the Novens extension are to be advertised before a decision is taken. Permission subject to various conditions was given for a new garage, etc., at Goodfellows, Playden, and subject to no objections within the time-limit the Planning Officer is delegated to allow a glazed roof to the yard at 11 High Street. Which leaves five approvals: a change of use from cafe to shop for 72 The Mint, a canopy blind at Shades, the repainting of ex-quarter Belle in Lion Street, a front porch at 43 Cooper Road and - the big one - the Magdala House site.
There is a general feeling that the Magdala House site plans have been rushed through - certainly they have jumped the queue. At least five standard Rye applications were ahead of it, numbered 0705, 0707, 0787, 0842 and 0870; also ahead were 0678 (the Saltings car park houses) and 0883 (the bus garage development) which could admittedly call for more lengthy research by the planning staff. It seems hard on the owners of 24 Udimore Road, 113 Military Road, 15 Market Street, Swans Studio and the Masonic Hall that they should have to wait another month for their decision, while the major and controversial Magdala House development, whose plans only appeared on 6 May, gets outright approval in just over three weeks.
An event on the Salts which no-one could object to takes place on Saturday, when Dick Pearce of the Wipers has organised a fun-and-games afternoon followed by a barbecue and social evening at the pub, all in aid of the RNLI. Starting at 2, and including some events for small children, the grown-ups will indulge in welly-boot throwing, tug-of-war (played properly), and five-a-side football played far from properly by boy-and-girl pairs playing three-legged! Teams will be coming from the White House Club at Sidcup, where the Wipers joined in a similar event last summer, and from local pubs from Pett to Dungeness - entries to all events will be taken on the day, and the teams don't have to be pub ones.
What happens if it rains, we asked? We all get wet, said Mr. Pearce firmly; but in fact the pub has an extension through till 5 pm, and then reopens again at 6 with another extension until 11.45. There will be a barbecue in the pub garden in the late afternoon, and live music by the Dekorators from Hastings from 8. Other attractions are likely to include a tombola, and the occasional stall - but the only boots on view will be wellies and the football variety!
Last December we reported that Catherine Collison and Rebekah Smith of Thomas Peacocke School had been awarded places in the National Youth Choir, and were hoping to raise the 6600 air fare to tour Canada, the US and Mexico this summer. Both girls have now raised the money, and they would like to thank publicly their sponsors, personal friends, families (Rebekah specially mentions her mother Yvonne) and all the well-wishers who have made this possible. Each girl has sent us a list, and some sponsors appear on both: Ryesingers, Round Table, Rotary, Lions, the Grammar School Foundation Governors, the Prince's Trust, T. Bourne & Son and Adams of Rye. In addition, Rebekah wishes to thank the G. Shaw Memorial Fund (a branch of the Musicians Benevolent Fund), Mrs. Nabarro of Antiques of Tomorrow, Tim Bourne of the Midland Bank, Vidler & Go and the manager of WH Smith at Hastings. Apart from personal friends, Catherine's remaining sponsor is the GAZETTE.
As Catherine puts it, a dream is now a reality. We look forward to publishing a report when the reality has become a memory.
5.
• Brian Moses of Freda Gardham School and his friend Pie Corbett, a primary school headmaster in Kent and son of the late John Corbett of Thomas Peacocke School, have jointly written a book about teaching poetry in primary schools. Published in March by the Education Department of Oxford University Press at £4.95, "Catapults and Kingfishers" is not only a handbook for teachers but also a useful tool for parents who would like to help their junior-school children make fluent and interesting use of the English language. Many people will be very surprised to see what the well-taught young can produce; most of the examples given are by writers aged 9 to 11, but a few come from poets as young as 5 and 6. Mr. Moses tells us that some of the work quoted is by ex-Freda Gardham pupils, most of them now at Thomas Peacocke; they include Helen Menzies-Sacher, Richard Webb, Rachel Smith, Hark Milford, Kellie Parsons and Anne Winter.
The authors refer to the two vocabulary levels of a child's mind - one used in ordinary conversation, and the other which can be mined with a little effort to make written work more lively. Another conclusion is that "rhythm and rhyme should not become a forced exercise. As children increase their facility to use words, develop their vocabulary and increase the speed and flow with which they write, a natural rhythm and occasional rhymes begin to develop. Before we think of rhymes, however, there are other skills that are more important to learn." Bang goes the limerick? But apart from this small regret, we are very glad to recommend this paperback to all those keen to help children to write well.
• Congratulations to another Rye author, though on a lesser scale: the Rev. Stephen Ingham took exception to an article by Jonathan Harfield in The Times on 17 May. The subject was, broadly, the relationship between the Churches of England and Rome; Mr. Ingham wrote another article refuting Mr. Harfield's views and sent it off. Somewhat to his surprise, it was published in a prominent position on Saturday - with his name at the foot as Vicar, Rye Team Ministry.
• American best-sellers are not usually relevant to Rye, but we do think that GAZETTE readers who enjoy - in person or by proxy - our small-town life would also enjoy "Lake Wobegon Days" (Garrison Keillor, Faber, £9.95). This is a sort of autobiography, set in a small Norwegian-dominated Michigan settlement described as a town in much the same way as Rye uses the word. Although the book is not a down-market "Mapp and Lucia", Keillor's Lake Wobegon and Benson's Tilling have much in common; we particularly enjoyed the chapter in which the local paper's approach to news reporting is set out. It is the world of Lem Putt of "The Specialist", almost the world of "Anne of Green Gables"; and just as some of England still keeps its small-town values, so does America - sometimes.
• Finally, back to Freda Gardham; Brian Moses tells us that the winning poem by Tim Saunders in the 1985 WH Smith Young Writers Competition appears in a new book "Young Worlds" published by Macmillan; Tim's poem is illustrated by Keith Twine.
A recent report to Rother sent us to the Trading Standards Officer at Hastings to ask just what was the position of jumble sale organisers with regard to the safety of electrical appliances which they sell. It seems that anyone selling second-hand items in the course of their business (which includes traders at commercial boot fairs as well as second-hand shops) are liable under the Consumer Protection Act to ensure the safety of goods offered for sale. This Act does not apply to one-off events for charity like jumble sales; however, if something bought at a jumble sale did in fact lead to an accident, the organisers could well be liable under common law - which is a sobering thoughts The Officer suggested that organisers of jumble sales might be well advised to display a disclaimer to the effect that any electrical equipment was sold on the understanding that it had not been checked for safety and purchasers should have it checked by a competent electrician before use. In fact, he said, he didn't recall au prosecutions of this kind; but it seems worth mentioning, all the same. Perhaps our normal jumble sale venues might like to provide standard notices to this effect?
6.
What a mass of fact is now contained in the phone book recently delivered in Rye! All the dialling codes, national and local - and since the latter may vary depending on the caller's exchange, they list the lot. (There is of course no mention of what most people have discovered by now - that instead of using the Hastings prefix 0424, the system works just as well if you dial 9 like we always used to!)
Calls to places with the Hastings code count as local, the cheapest rate; phone further afield and you go into the 'a' trunk rate, and once you want to talk to someone more than 35 miles away you are charged at the more expensive 'b' rate. Maps give details. Rye and Hastings do badly, since over the seaward half of our 35-mile circles we could only be phoning the fishes, and our list of 'a'-rate exchanges is about half as long as that of places inland.
For Hastings people, Lewes and Brighton are within the 'a'-rate circle. For us in Rye, they are not; so phoning Radio Sussex at Brighton works out more expensive than phoning them at Eastbourne - and the phone bills of the Rye schools who have to make frequent calls to the Lewes-based Education Authority must be horrific!
The book contains lots of other information, too, as well as the basic list of phone numbers in the Tunbridge Wells area. What to do if you are thinking of digging up the road, how to deal with nuisance calls, the system under which names are listed in the directory (including problems with Mc/Mac and St which counts as Saint) and a stiff card set in half-way through for a personal list of numbers. An order form at the back gives facilities for ordering phone books for other areas (listed), and also refers to binders, which sound interesting for those of us whose phone books normally disintegrate after a few months. The British Telecom shop at Hastings doesn't stock binders ("It's a different department" the girl told us) - but since there is a postage charge almost as much again as the cost of the binder, it seems rather a pity.
People who use British Telecom's high-tech services will find all the details in the new book, and there are also instructions for international direct dialling to 14 pages of countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Perhaps more helpfully for most of us, pages 11 to 14 give a list of Useful Numbers at local level, which covers local authorities, transport, social services, tourist information, hospitals, post offices, travel, various advice services, and a "Guidelines" section - which ranges from "Carebear Bedtime Storyline" at Tunbridge Wells to the Financial Times Index, and includes a US number for "Space Travel News and Commentary during USA Space Flights'!
We would like to welcome to Rye Terence and Georgina Evans, from Essex, who have just opened a new picture gallery at 39 The Mint. Both Mr. and Mrs. Evans are painters, though it is he whose easel is in one corner of the shop and who is bravely continuing to work while visitors browse round him; he has earned his living from painting for the past 20 years, with one-man shows all over the world. Mr. Evans's pictures are mainly landscapes, in oil; Mrs. Evans paints in watercolour, and is also a potter, particularly interested at present in making pottery "portraits" of buildings. She tells us that they came to Rye because they liked what they saw when staying with friends in Fairlight, and she is delighted to find everyone so friendly. The gallery will show the work of other artists besides its owners - there is already a changing selection in the window.
Michael Dearing has only been contacted by three Rye people objecting to the loss of the 20.55 down train from Charing Cross (GAZETTE no. 177) - and one of them, who also phoned us, only uses it once a month anyway. So we seem unlikely to get it back at present, on this showing! The last train from Charing Cross to serve Rye is therefore the 20.30, which means a wait of some 25 minutes at Ashford
before the Rye connection leaves at 22.06 (Rye 22.28). There is now a poster in the station to confirm that the 1.55 has been restored; it connects neatly with the 21.06 from Ashford (Rye 21.28).
7.
• The Editor would like to recommend the purchase of a pet-scoop (the Pette Shoppe has two models, each priced at under £5) to the lady who stood and watched while her dog deposited something very unwanted on Conduit Hill last week - and then walked away. Not being very sure of the procedure for reporting this, we did nothing except make a note. But this seems a suitable moment to give notice that we shall not hesitate next time, whoever the offender may be, unless he or she takes immediate steps to clear up the mess (at least one owner always carries a plastic bag and tissues for such an emergency).
In November 1970 Rye Borough Council brought in a byelaw stating that "no person being in charge of a dog shall allow the dog to foul the footway of any street or public place by depositing its excrement thereon". At that time the fine was ,120, and maybe it still is - but it is obviously the publicity and shame which would be more of a deterrent.
The police are prepared to prosecute if the witness is willing to make a statement when reporting the incident at the police station and also to repeat the evidence in court. Rother is also able to prosecute, ditto, in which case the first approach should be to David Cranston at the Council Offices, who will pass on the details to the Council's legal department.
So the route to court seems to be a matter of choice. Standing up before the magistrates to point the finger at an acquaintance requires courage - but if you didn't know the owner of the dog, of course, action would be impossible anyhow. A successful prosecution or two would certainly deter other irresponsible dog-owners, and we think that the community in general would be very grateful.
• The following notice has recently appeared on boards round Strand Quay:,
"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. I am receiving a greater number of complaints regarding dogs fouling the Strand Quay areas, and since this contravenes the byelaws I am appealing to those of you who up to now have allowed your dog to foul the area to consider the other users and ensure that no further fouling occurs. Please co-operate to avoid more stringent enforcement of the byelaws." (Signed) RG Roberts, River Controller South.
George Roberts tells us that he hopes this will act as an effective warning to those dog-owners who at present regard the Strand quay grass as a suitable loo, so that it will not be necessary for the SWA_to embark on legal action.
• A reader with small children, delighted to read about the fence erected to keep logs out of the Salts playground, took his family down there on Bank Holiday Monday. There were no fewer than six dogs inside the play area! Admittedly the notices barring dogs had not gone up; Colin Hudson tells us that they will be in place soon. The intention is that having fenced off its various play-spaces, Rother will bring into effect a byelaw which will enable them to prosecute the owners of dogs which are reported as being inside. In the meantime, as in the previous two items, dog-owners are warned...
We are increasingly being asked to advertise in the back-page GAZETTE diary events taking place in the villages, or even as far afield as Hastings, so here follows a policy statement.
Any events in the town which are open to the public are included, not only for the week concerned but also with advance publicity if they are interesting and the organisers tell us in time. Regular meetings of groups which normally have a speaker or other diversion for their members are also noted (WI, FRAG, etc.); groups which meet only for internal business, coffee and conversation are not, though we will gladly put in any alteration to the time or place of such a meeting which the members may not know about. Events taking place outside Rye, even if they are organised by the Rye Branch of Whatever, are not included; if they are of unusual interest, we can probably work in a mention somewhere, but not in the diary. (Deadline for Wednesday's paper is 5pm on Monday, please.)
Blood Transfusion Service, Baptist Hall, 2 to 4, 5 to 7.45 Vidler & Co's monthly auction sale, 10
Rye Ramblers coffee morning, FEC
Ypres Inn charity fun day, Salts, from 2 (see page 4) Liberal Association afternoon tea, bring-and-buy stall, 26 Cadborough Cliff, 2
Royal British Legion Women's Section 50th Anniversary Service at St. Mary's, 3 (see page 2)
Rye Town Council Annual Town Meeting, Town Hall, 7.3a (page 2) Rye WI, "Diet, Health and Beauty" (Joyce Griffiths), FEC, 7
Congratulations to Canon David Maundrell, whose 10-lb first grandson Michael David was born on 26 May.
• Bowls: the Rye Club played two home matches last week, winning 85:79 against St. Leonards on 28 May and losing 50:66 to Staplecross on 31 May.
• Sally and Terry Osborne and their family move today from Love Lane to Little Saltcote, where they will be continuing the bed-and-breakfast tradition in Military Road; their new phone number will be the Little Saltcote one. With the help of Frank Mann, Terry's DIY remains open as usual during the move. Nothing in either the police press book or the planning list for Rye this week!
• The St. John Ambulance stall in Rye Market recently brought in £118.
• 13 boats from Rye raced across to Le Crotoy for the Bank Holiday weekend visit, competing for the RHSC Channel Cup; winner was John Hoyle, with his wife Liz, Conrad Festing and James Edwards as crew. (Half a dozen RHSC boats didn't return to Rye but were parked on both sides of the Channel in readiness to take part in the fiftieth Round the Island Race from Cowes.) And did the Rye visitors see the French television film made while the French club was here? No, alas, it wasn't ready.
• Last week Rye Museum had a Russian visitor, with an address in Moscow - he found the exhibits "very very interesting", he confided to the visitors' book.
• The following numbers have drawn horses in the Scouts' Derby draw:. 3418, Imperial Falcon; 3504, Savoldo; 3501, Allez Milord; 1370, Tisnt; 1666, Then Again; 2886, Faraway Dancer; 642, Sharrood; 3596, Sirk; 1616, Hail to Roberto; 2511, Kadial; 3802, Sure Blade; 815, Verd Artique; 3611, Arokar 2516, Flash of Steel; 3499, Jareer; 2976, Fioravanti; 1139, Nisnas; 1182, Mr. John; 2338, Bold Arrangement; 2345, Shamrastani; 1060, Mashkour; 2424, Bakharoff; 3111, Dancing Brave; 1822, Winds of Light; 3212, Hollow Hand; 592, Nomrood. Posters round the town give fuller details - check with one before getting too excited, as our typing is sometimes unreliable!
• Norman Jones's appeals against the removal of a portacabin and caravans at Castle Water have been turned down by the D o E Inspector, primarily on the grounds of environmental damage.
• One of the milkmen, who read our recent report about keys left in doors, tells us that he frequently sees them there when he does his rounds - and at that time of the morning, they can only have been there all night...
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)