On Saturday, Rye had four fund-raising events. Would one detract financially from another, the organisers wondered? They needn't have worried; between them, the four events brought in £2,000! Local traders were most generous in giving raffle prizes, and all the organisers have asked us to thank them and everyone else who helped or simply came and spent money.
First to open was Playden Church's Christmas Fair at the FE Centre, with a splendid selection of goods and goodies and plenty of supporters. In the two hours the Fair was open, £450 was raised for church funds. Half-an-hour later, the Scouts and Cubs flung open the door of the Scout Hut, and here again there was excellent support; with no hire-of-hall expenses, they were delighted to find they had made a profit of £300, well up on last year.
The Conservative Association's Antiques Fair was a great success both socially and financially. The Community Centre was packed solid for quite some time after Ken Warren had opened the Fair, and except during the lunch-hour there was a steady stream of visitors right through the day, with people still arriving at 4 when the exhausted stall-holders were trying to pack up. The dealers (over 20 of them) were well pleased with the business they did, and certainly the Association was well pleased with the proceeds of the enterprise: just on £500 after the hall was paid for.
Rye's under-fives turned out in force, towing their parents, aunties and grans, for the Playgroup Christmas Fair in the afternoon. The queue to visit Father Christmas stretched the length of the big room at the Clinic (and we hadn't the nerve to jump it to report personally on the grotto!). Refreshments were served in one of the playgroup's own rooms, and visitors could see for themselves the lively drawings and other decorations which disguise the timeworn appearance of the old Civil Defence hut - and the charming tinselled tea-ladies fully compensated for the chairs all being about ten inches off the ground... An astonishing £750- plus will go into the Playgroup's rebuilding fund.
Karen Bentley of Broad Oak and Barry Goodsell of Udimore were married in Brede "Church on Saturday. Both are ex-TPS pupils; Karen, who has been working in the Midland Bank, is the daughter of Don Bentley of Freight Express-Seacon and Glynis Bentley of the Epilepsy Group. Barry has followed in the footsteps of his father Brian as a champion sheep-shearer (Brian is the chief Wool Board instructor for the Southern Region, from the Welsh borders to East Anglia). Karen was attended by her sister Christina and Debbie Bourne; both bridesmaids wore midnight blue and carried Victorian posies. Karen was in ivory white, with leaves and flowers and veiling woven into her strikingly-dressed hair, and she carried pink and cream roses and freesias. Best man was David Dee - whose mother Sheila made the wedding cake. The reception was held at Playden Oasts, and the honeymoon is to be spent in Australia and New Zealand, with a quick stopover in Bali; Karen and Barry will be visiting his sister Lynne, who now lives in Australia with her young family.
Overdue congratulations to Hazel (nee Monck) of Great Baddow in Essex and John Maundrell, whose banns were read in St. Mary's recently and who were married in Essex on 31 October. John's father David, our Rector, officiated jointly with the Great Baddow parson. John and Hazel are living in London at present, but hope to find a house of their own in Hertfordshire in due course.
Two free top-price tickets for the Canterbury Choral Society's performance of Haydn's "Creation" in the Cathedral on 5 December at 7.30 are offered to anyone who can in return take Mrs. Dorothy Wood of Church Square to hear her son William Kendall sing; William is guest soloist for the concert.
2.
Mr. Gordon Page, of Iden, died suddenly on 13 November; he leaves a widow, son and daughter. The funeral took place at Charing on 20 November, and donations in his memory may be sent to the British Heart Foundation. Mr. Page was well known to Rye people for the best part of half a century; apart from war service with the RAF, he was one of the first employees and then the manager of the See-board shop in Cinque Ports Street (built by Hastings Corporation which supplied Rye's electricity before the war). Mr. Page was well liked and respected as a member of Rye's business community until his retirement in 1979 - the family had lived in the town until 1969 - and he will be much missed.
Mr. Cecil Jones, of Pottingfield Road, died on 17 November; the funeral took place on Monday. Mr. Jones, who was 85, leaves a widow, son and two daughters. In the 1960s he had been on the staff of the Tollgate Garage - which in those days belonged to Mr. Long, before the late Peter Berthon and his wife took over the business.
Country Life turned up trumps on Wednesday! Copies are displayed in the shop-window of 32 Ferry Road, and in the Library; many people managed to find them outside Rye, but all the local spares vanished by mid-morning. Keith Spence chose an enviable headline - "The Rending of Rye" - and wrote a four-page article to match, illustrated with magnificent colour photographs taken by A.F. Kersting. Mr. Kersting was here on an overcast day (though you would never guess, from the pictures) but was lucky enough to find the church tower open, and took full advantage of such a good viewpoint, with shots in all four directions. He also shows Strand quay, the terrace at the start of Military Road, the view from the Jehovah's Witness field - and a charming full-frontal of the station, miraculously uncluttered by cars. Two maps show the extent of the problem (and we are sure it was a sub-editor who put Rye in Kent!). Keith Spence sets out carefully "the major knots on this strange piece of road-building string", and agrees with the Action Group about the "coincidence" of the proposed Rye route with the threat to close the railway some years ago. He likes the route no more than Rye does, and has said so admirably. The article is a real shot in the arm for the Action Group's campaign, a counterbalance to the appearance of the draft compulsory purchase orders for the Winchelsea route a fortnight ago.
Talking of compulsory purchase orders, both Clive Hacking and Robert Mair are objecting, so there is now a powerful lobby against the proposals and it will be difficult for the Department to dodge round holding a public enquiry. They haves to give six weeks' notice of this, both to objectors personally and in the local papers. Copies of the Action Group's letter of objection are to be had at Anne Lingard's Rope Walk Antiques, or from nos. 1 and 4 in Eagle Road. They have to be in Dorking by Friday of this week.
In addition to the car stickers (50p) and badges (£1), the Action Group have produced a note-pad - 20 sheets of good-quality 6" x 8" paper, each headed with one of four charming vignettes of Rye and enclosed in a dignified outer cover bearing the Group's logo. The vignettes are those originally drawn for last year's Rye Young Enterprise team, and the Action Group is most grateful to Excalibur for allowing their use. At £1.25, one of these pads would make a really useful Christmas card - you write your own greetings on the front page - and one particularly appealing to Rye people now living away from the town. Anne Lingard in Rope Walk has the pads on sale.
Finally, we grieve to report that the Department has gained a powerful ally. One local authority, after a meeting at which more than one-third of its electorate was present, decided unanimously (with one abstention) to support the railway route. East Guldeford, with 60 voters on its roll, is too small to have a parish council; but 23 members of its parish meeting assembled in the one house in the parish due to be demolished - whose owner will be satisfied if properly compensated, writes the chairman. He adds "These seem to me to be really down to earth practical views without any emotive reaction which has occurred elsewhere." (But it is difficult to envisage any route about which East Guldeford would be likely to react emotionally, isn't it?)
- 3 - THE RYE GAZETTE, 25 November 1987
In a report to Rother's Staff and General Purposes Committee tonight, the Chief Technical and Environmental Services Officer writes in some detail about the work required to waterproof the Ypres Tower. Scaffolding went up some weeks ago, and subsequent investigations have revealed all sorts of horrors - apparently sound stone with hollows behind, facing stones backed with rubble, different types of stone weathering differently, and gaps between the flexible roof covering and the walls. The senior architect for English Heritage's Southern Region has been to look at the problem, and has made several recommendations. The roof covering itself, applied in 1981, is sound the trouble over the edges lies with erosion of stone and mortar, and with the strong winds which sweep the building. "My problem is to know where to stop" says Mr. Clarke, "as, with the building scaffolded, the opportunity to carry out more extensive works is available."
Incorporated in Mr. Clarke's report is an "observation" from the Planning Officer which will not be well received in Museum circles. Mr. Robinson points out that if the Museum Association is allowed to use part of the proposed Heritage Centre for its exhibits, then the Council would only need to preserve the Ypres Tower as an ancient monument (rather than as a habitable building, presumably). We tried out this idea on Geoffrey Bagley, the Museum curator, who said it would be utterly unworkable; it is the combination of historic building and interesting contents which brings 30,000 people a year to the Museum. One without the other would be valueless, and anyway there would be no room in the Heritage Centre for the present Museum contents, let alone the other half of the collection not displayed for lack of space.
The 1987 Poppy Day collections brought in 20p short of £2,300, £30 up on last year. The breakdown is as follows (omitting the pence): Camber £66, East Guldeford £27, Iden £163, Playden £122, Rye Harbour £58, Winchelsea £227, Winchelsea Beach £105, Rye house-to-house £1,064, and Rye street collection £464.
The Rye branch of Greenpace would like it to be known that it was not their supporters who were selling white poppies in the town on Poppy Day.
Mencap, whose Christmas Fair raised around £230, benefited by a further £235 from the Beaujolais breakfast at the George Hotel on Thursday; both sums go towards the Friary Gardeners project. The later Beaujolais breakfast, at the Ypres Inn on the same morning - patronised, we gather, by enthusiastic stragglers from the earlier event as well as by those who started half-way down the steps - raised £259 for the RNLI. Both events included raffles, and there were sales of RNLI goods at the Wipers.
The Arthritis & Rheumatism Council's ploughman's lunch on 10 November raised £250. Many thanks to all who attended, says branch secretary Mrs. Evelyn Fothergill.
Does anyone know the whereabouts of a bronze plaque put up in the late Drill Hall in 1923 to commemorate the men of E Coy. 5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, who died in WW1? The Rye Branch of the British Legion would like to give it an honoured resting-place - if only they can find it. Michael Hodgson, who used the Drill Hall as a workshop for some years before it was demolished, told Bob Bowler he doesn't remember it there in his time. It is possible someone rescued it when the Hall was standing empty - or perhaps it was stolen and melted down for scrap. Anyway, if you can throw any light on the matter, or can even remember the date when you saw the plaque in place, ring Mr. Bowler or leave a message at the British Legion Club.
From a photo in the Sussex Express recently, we checked the names on the plaque with those on the War Memorial. Eight names from the plaque do not appear on the churchyard plinth, as far as we could see: Sgt. J. Neve, L/Cpl. H. Tiltman, Ptes. B. Catt, S.E. Comber, R. Griffin, JWT Hicks, R. Marshall and R.W. Vidler. It seems likely that these men are commemorated on the Rye Harbour or Playden war memorials - would anyone like to look and let us know?
4.
On Saturday, Father Christmas will drive round Rye in style - old style. In theory he will arrive by the 3.0 train (except that - sshhh - there isn't a 3.0 train) and will be met by a horse and carriage and driven along the traditional route under the Landgate Arch and up to the George Hotel. Here he and Miss Rye will turn on the Christmas lights (strung up earlier in the week by a very hard-working band of Chamber of Trade members) and distribute balloons. Then we have a change to the usual programme; instead of the awkward wrong-way trip up Lion Street to the Town Hall, the carriage will drive round again - down the Mint and back through Wish Ward, Cinque Ports Street and the Landgate Arch - so that it can go up East Street this time. At the Town Hall, the honoured guest will turn on the Christmas tree lights and distribute more balloons before leading the St. Mary's choir in carols. Finally he will be invited into the Town Hall for some well-earned refreshment, leaving later by the chimney in the normal way.
Doubtless the reason why the train time doesn't much matter is that Father Christmas will in fact be in the town anyway. At 11.30 he can be found at the Community Centre, lending the light of his countenance to the Catholic Church Fair and running the lucky dip there. The Fair is to be opened by Miss lye - and Captain Pugwash will also be there by proxy, since his creator John Ryan will be drawing Pugwash and other characters by request and selling his cartoons for the church at prices varying from 10p to 23 - surely the bargain of the year for a child with discerning parents! Refreshments, including ploughman's lunches, will be avail- able at appropriate times - as well as all the usual stalls, raffle, etc.
The two recent concerts both drew good audiences. At St. Mary's the centre of the church was full of opera-lovers supporting Sister Angelica in her tribulations. David Maundrell was immensely impressed at the way New Sussex Opera only arrived an hour before the performance, set everything up, didn't expect to be fed, and having sung superbly cleared up in a very thorough way and then departed. A shining example, we gather...
At the Community Centre, a good deal more preparation had been required to create the cafe-chantant atmosphere. Expectant groups sat at small tables round a dance floor which was increasingly in use as the evening went on; Dick Pearce and his helpers ran the bar at the back, and refreshments were available in the interval. The Semi-Quavers totally justified their high reputation - their jazz was trad rather than modern, and middle-aged feet tapped happily even if they didn't feel quite up to jiving. The evening raised £300 for the Roof Fund, and Yvonne Met- calf is thinking about repeating it in the spring.
To re-roof the Centre entirely will cost £10,000. The committee had hoped to have the north side done before the winter (at a cost of £3,000), but calls on the builder after the storm meant that the start has had to be delayed. The Town Council and mother have eacs offered one-third of the total cost as and when the work is done, and TVS has promised a grant of £1,000 - an enormous help towards the Centre's own one-third contribution of £3,500. On that basis, and using almost all their savings, they could afford to have the whole job done now - but there would be precious little left in the kitty if, say, the heating went wrong. Problems, problems...
Over 80 members attended Rye Group of WI's Autumn Meeting at Iden. It was reported that £370 had gone to Denman College as a result of the Group's Summer Fair. After the officers' reports and a talk by a VCO on educational opportunities in the WI, Mr. Richard King of the Independent Broadcasting Authority faced some searching questions from members on standards prevaling in commercial television. ("Coast to Coast" audiences may like to know that the programme has more viewers than any other regional TV programme - which must prove something, says Jeanne Freeman.) Rye's November meeting enjoyed a talk about the early days of music-hall entertainment, given by Mrs. Brayne. At Landgate, Sue Thomas, Elizabeth Allen and Helen Gray are once again President, Secretary and Treasurer; this November meeting enjoyed a talk on icing cakes by Miss Cox.
5.
Peter Farrow's workshop was one of the businesses we wrote about in the very first issue of the GAZETTE - he was then one of two goldsmiths tucked away in the eaves of the Old Brewery in Wish Ward. It has taken him five years to get down to ground level, and even now he will still be tucked away - but in Needles Passage off The Mint, much more convenient for regular customers and new admirers. The tiny shop next to the barber's WILL OPEN ON SATURDAY, said Peter firmly as he stood surrounded by shavings and electrician's sundries on Monday morning - and we are sure it will, and we wish him and Carol every success there. The shop will give him the opportunity to show his work as a designer-craftsman in gold, silver and precious stones - along with the work of two or three kindred spirits, plus a range of necklaces in semi-precious stones to complement the other jewellery. The window displays will change regularly, perhaps showing work by younger designers, and Peter will also continue to work at his bench on special commissions and repairs. (And we shan't have to go up all those stairs!)
The second book in the Thomas Peacocke series "Rye Memories" has just come out, price £1.99 from D & P Street and Salon 54. We hope to write about it fully next week, but don't wait until then if you want to post a Christmas present to r•someone who was young in Rye before 1945 - or even before 1914; we guarantee they will love it! The theme is Leisure in Rye, and it is the first of three parts - the limitations of the school stapler mean that it couldn't appear as one book, but parts 2 and 3 will be available before very long.
The first of the special Christmas layouts got moving - literally - in the window of Casa Conti in the High Street on Tuesday last week. Tony Conti, who has three young sons, used mainly bits and pieces lying round the house to construct an elaborate fantasy scene running the whole length of the window. Woodmen work in a forest, a smith is busy at his anvil, a fisherman casts and casts again, rabbits run round and round in their burrow and a golden angel revolves nearby, someone does his washing in a pool, a bell-ringer pulls away in a ruined tower, while an unending procession of villagers crosses a bridge (or is it a rustic tunnel of love?). The centre-piece is a tiny Nativity scene, with two fluffy angels perpetually rocking the crib; just down the road Father Christmas waves a greetings banner. The best time to see the display is just after dark, when it is lit up and working; once the restAurant is open, it will still be lit, but the noise of the motor may be too much for the peace of the diners. Durin the day ow•if it is not working, just give the doorbell a brief push and someone will flick the switch for your benefit and that of the child you simply have to bring along to see the show... Mr. and Mrs. Conti would like to have a collecting box outside for the St. Anthony's Restoration Fund, but it is not easy to find a suitable receptacle - however, if you feel generous there is always one in Watchbell Street.
Two errors in last week's issue, for which we apologise. Frank Palmer's book, "Childhood Memories of Rye and Winchelsea" costs £1.50, not £1.25 (but is still well worth the money); and it was not the late Peter Shephard who had been involved in the early work on the Art Gallery Extension, but the very much extant Sir Peter Shepheard, the distinguished architect who had also designed the two gardens for the Gallery.
Also arising; out of a report last week, Biddy Cole tells us that modern Rye pottery appears at the "Age of Chivalry" exhibition at the Royal Academy, as well as the mediaeval piece from the Museum. The exhibition's shop stocks all Rye Pottery's Chaucer figures as well as the "Courtly Love" group - and the display there has already brought very useful customers to her direct.
Alan Webb, ex-RAF, is a regular flier from Lydd, and has calculated that the new runway won't mean extra noise for Rye. He is sending his information to Rother's planning officer - who may not have had quite Alan's specialised experience over this particular matter?
6.
At Thursday's Planning meeting, Rother was cautious about the local applications. Two from Frenchman's Beach caravan site were considered; the proposal to extend the use of the site (except for about six weeks in the worst of the winter) was refused, and the request for two staff caravans was deferred for further information. An application for seven garages at the Saltcote Place stable block was delegated to the Planning Officer to grant, subject to amended plans showing a more traditional type of building. A Military Road guest-house was refused permission to erect an internally-illuminated projecting sign. Permission was given to extend Hillyfields on Rye Hill, and also to extend St. Michael's Lodge (opposite the Hospital) subject to conditions, with amended plans showing a full turning circle inside the site. Deferred for inspection were proposals to erect a house on land near Lorelei in Military Road, to convert into a house a former milking and dairy building at Leasam Farm, and to build a bungalow in the garden of the Old Coach House in Leasam Lane. A plan to convert 51 Winchelsea Road into two dwellings has been withdrawn. And finally - the month's most important application as far as Rye is concerned - the application to build on the allotment site at the back of South Undercliff was refused; grounds were the inadequate road access, and also that any building there would be premature pending the preparation of a comprehensive development plan for the whole site.
Rother has raised no objection to the County Council's plans to build an extension to Playden School, replacing the caravan, temporary classroom and outside loos; but they have asked that consideration be given to retaining and relocating the temporary classroom, which was bought with money from the sale of the former school house and could still be useful to the school. This was erected some 20 years ago, when the school was first outgrowing its accommodation. The Trustees had asked whether, since ESCC refused to erect another classroom, they might be allowed to do so; the answer was no, but they could present the school with a games room and store - which they did. Not long afterwards, the school demurely applied for some desks for its games room and store - which it got. Soon after that, it was felt reasonable to ask for an extra member of staff, to be based in the games room and store - who was duly appointed. But it was still only a games room and store, because the proper provider of classrooms was ESCC, who had refused to provide one... This situation caused much amusement among parents at the time, (your Editor being one of them.) We understand that while the alterations are going on, Playden pupils will be taught at Freda Gardham; last time major work was done to the little Victorian school, the pupils moved to Leasam House, then only recently acquired by the County Council and not yet fully occupied.
The Castle Water Estate has been a thorn in the flesh of Rother's planning staff for a long time. In May, the Planning Officers met the owner, Norman Jones, on the site - and a report on their visit appears in the current planning agenda, together with the state of planning procedures for the site. Despite various dis- missed appeals and enforcement orders, there are a number of unauthorised buildings there, including six caravans, two timber buildings used by Sea Cadets (not the Rye Corps), a spinning and weaving centre (at present dormant but liable to be reopened) in what is supposed to be a sailing school room, a portakabin, a timber building used as a golf driving range, and two industrial units plus storage for a light aircraft all fitted into what is supposed to be an agricultural building. None of these buildings/uses has planning permission. The Planning Officer asks that the Chief Executive and Clerk shall be authorised to take whatever steps may be necessary, including prosecution; we wish him the best of luck.
Posters displayed at the Library are only supposed to be for educational events. But the staff have felt increasingly that it would be a suitable place to display notices of all forthcoming events (within reason), and they have now made arrangements for postcards giving details without taking up too much room in the small foyer. If you would like this (free) space to advertise your event, call at the Library for one of -he special cards - just think how many people pass through that foyer each week...
been7.
The Community Centre committee is supposed to consist of representatives of the various organisations which use the Centre. But not all the groups are, it seems, entirely prepared to pull their weight, and the actual workers are a rather small nucleus carrying a rather large load. The Centre is entirely self-supporting, with no grants from anyone towards its running costs, and half-a-dozen people all with other jobs as well cannot be expected to manage it. If even one family moved away, or just gave up, we might find ourselves without a Community Centre at all.
The Association's AGM takes place on Monday, and all the organisations using the Centre have been asked to nominate a representative onto the committee. "New faces are essential if the work of the Centre is to continue" says chairman Mrs Margaret Owen ominously... Private individuals willing to serve on the committee will also, of course, be very welcome at the meeting.
• The party for Rye supporters of Greenpeace, which was to have been at Upper School on 5 December, has now been moved to Ma Beeton's; (there is still trouble with the school roof, it seems). Tickets, £3.50, are obtainable in advance only, from Rye Wholefoods; the party starts at 8, there will be a bar and a cabaret, and refreshments will be available. The same evening sees a performance of Mendelssohn's "Elijah" by Ryesingers at ST.. Mary's, at 7.30 (we know no more). Earlier in the day, the Women's British Legion hold their Christmas Fair at the Red Cross Centre from 10 to 1; stalls include crafts, cakes, Disabled Men's Industries goods, and a raffle. At the FE Centre at 11 the Cancer Help Group has a jumble sale.
• Following a complaint by three elderly ladies who had to struggle over the footbridge at the station with heavy shopping (and one with a walking-stick) when they had expected to be allowed across on the flat, we checked with BR at Ashford. It is still the practice at Rye for staff to escort laden or infirm passengers across the line, once both trains have left the station (the only problem is to catch the eye of a staff member!). The chap on duty at the time was not normally based here and didn't realise that the key all BR staff have would fit the gate locks. He, and other staff liable to work here, are now aware of the position, and if there are any further problems BR would like to know
• Nick Houslander of Ferryboat Cottage has been chosen as one of five English crew members on the "Sir Thomas Sopwith" which is taking part in the Tall Ships Race from Tasmania to Sydney in January as part of Australia's Bicentennial celebrations. Nick, a member of the Ocean Youth Club, flies out on 7 December to join his ship (she goes out as deck cargo on a rather larger boat). He is due back on 28 January, and we hope to hear then how he got on.
• Congratulations to Jo Ciccone, who will be playing hockey for the WRNS in ten days' time in a tournament at Henley. Jo is now stationed at Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose - as is Douglas Sealy and James Nunn. an observer on one of the Ark Royal's helicopters, recently played rugby for his squadron in Guernsey. (Aren't Rye's young doing well for us!)
• Residents at Poppyfields in Playden are most grateful to two of the staff of the Rye veterinary practice who arrived within an incredibly short space of time to destroy humanely a badly injured fox, found wedged in a drain near one of the houses. They removed the body, and generously refused to take any payment from the householder who had asked them to deal with the situation.
• We could happily have written a whole page about Joe Pilcher's slide show which gave so much pleasure to Museum Association members on Friday. Mr. Pilcher has lovingly built up a big collection of slides made from old photographs of the Marsh area where he lives and works; and showing traditional farming practices and early agricultural machinery - as a farmer, his commentary on those carries rare authority. But even those who knew nothing about farming at all had a lovely evening; if you get the chance to see one of Mr. Pilcher's rare shows, grab it!
Thursday, 26th Coffee morning and bring-and-buy for the Arts Centre Appeal, Stormont Studio, 10.30
Friday, 27th Nat.His.Soc., "Wildlife in East Africa" (Brenda and Tony Holcombe), FEC, 7.30
Saturday, 28th Winchelsea Floral Group Christmas coffee morning, George, 10 Catholic Church Christmas Fair, CC, 11.30 to 4 (see page 4) WBL - hot dogs and teas (while you wait for Father Christmas to reach the High Street), Red Cross, from 2.30
Father Christmas leaves the Station to switch on the town's Christmas lights, 3 (see page 4)
Sunday, 29th Joint evensong for all the town's churches, St. Anthony's, 6.30
Monday, 30th Town Council - full Council and committees, TH, 6
Community Centre Association AGM, CC (Chapel), 7.30 (see page 7)
Tuesday, 1st Cancer Help Group, "The Use of Complementary Therapies" (Donald Stevens), St. John IN, 7.30 (open to all)
Wednesday, 2nd Hearing Circle, Red Cross, 10.30
• Congratulations to Roddy and Louise Mair, of Road End Farm, whose son Charles Robert was born on 10 November - a grandson for Anne and Robert Mair of Udi-more and a fifth-generation Mair for this well-known local farming family.
• Congratulations, too, to Lesley (nee Fairhall) and Nigel Carter of Hastings on the birth of their son Ryan James on 11 November - a first grandchild for Jennifer and Ken Fairhall of Iden, and a first great-grandchild for a beaming Mrs. Benge of Devonport House.
• If anyone in the town (on the outskirts might do) has two ground-floor rooms which they do not need, they might like to phone Nigel Bassett (evenings). He is looking for two rooms to rent as a reception room and treatment room - access to toilet facilities would be appreciated, and the rental would obviously be a matter for discussion, as would the length of the let.
• Rail travellers at the weekend may find complications if they are going from Ashford towards London, or on the electrified Hastings line; check first (Hastings 429325).
• There will be no evening service at St. Mary's or at the Baptist Church on Sunday, since all denominations will be meeting at St. Anthony's at 6.30. (the Methodists don't have an evening service normally anyhow). Four times a year, when there are five Sundays in the month, this arrangement will prevail; on 31 January everyone will go to St. Mary's, on 29 May to the Baptist Church, and on 30 October to the Methodist Church.
• Canon Maundrell apologises for the sickly church clock, whose stilled hands showing 12.50 startled several people into taking an early lunch-hour at the beginning of last week - until someone thoughtfully moved them round to a perpetual mid-day, indicating a problem. The trouble is the winding motor, which has failed after giving 25 years' good service. Repairs - maybe a replacement - are in hand.
• Finally, are other top-of-the-town residents being woken daily at 6am by the sound of bird-scarers - going off every 90 seconds, says one indignant reader? People on the edge of farmland are accustomed to this nuisance, but it does seem a bit hard in the middle of the town. If anyone else wants to object, we will put them in touch with the complainant.
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 mid-day for each Wednesday's delivery; subscriptions are on the basis of 40p an issue, spares (45p) are available at Young Ideas, 7 Cinque Ports Street, Rye. (Copyright Mary Owen 1987)