The Red Cross - and indeed the GAZETTE and (we feel sure) the whole town - would like to thank and congratulate Mrs. Freda Holmes of Udimore for organising the blood transfusion rest-room service for the last 43 years - in fact, ever since the day it started in Rye, 28 January 1941. During that time she herself has given 44 pints of blood. Mrs. Holmes is a life member of the BRCS and has the Badge of Honour. If she had not unfortunately broken a hip last November she would still be adding to this quite remarkable record.
We rang Mrs. Holmes to ask her permission to print the Red Cross's tribute, and she told us that she has in fact been a member of the Society since 1934 - which makes 1984 her golden jubilee year. By 1941, therefore, she was quite an experienced worker, and was already running a hospital in Watchbell Street at the request of the Army unit then based at the Drill Hall, who had nowhere to send the sick. In 1941 the idea of blood transfusions was quite a new one even nationally, let alone in Rye, and the first session was taken by a team from Hastings - volunteers signed on at Dr. Button's surgery well in advance. (How many of those 1941 donors, we wonder, are still living in Rye?) Later, when the military moved to Thomas Peacocke School and made their own hospital arrangements, the one in Watchbell Street closed, but the transfusion sessions continued at what is now the Saltings (then the Collegiate School), finally moving down to the present accommodation in the Baptist Hall - where, we notice, they now only come on one day instead of the normal two for each of Rye's twice-yearly sessions; the local Red Cross wonders why. Mrs. Bolton tells us she is struck by the large number of young people who turn up as donors, so this very long Rye tradition should be safe to continue, with other people taking over Mrs. Holmes's splendid resuscitation work behind the teapots.
Our contact at the LWT filming, location manager Peter Hall, reports that considering the time of year things are coming along nicely; they are a few scenes behind, but at no point have they had to sit twiddling their fingers waiting for the weather to improve. There have been occasional noises which didn't help - a burglar alarm, and a flight of helicopters, for instance; but on the whole they have no complaints. And we also hear from people living in the Watchbell Street - Church Square area that they are enjoying it, which is very pleasant to record. Certainly the dear furry donkey "delivering" bread and milk has brought back memories of the Twenties to several older residents.
Leading parts are played by Geraldine McEwan, Prunella Scales, Nigel Hawthorne and Dennis Lill, but one member of the cast is well-known locally as well as nationally: Geoffrey Chater, who plays the elegant Mr. Wyse, has a house at Iden and is very happy to be working so near home.
After two more days in the town (Tuesday and Wednesday) the team moves out to the Harbour and then to the golf course, to film episodes in the career of the kitchen table. They then leave us until June, when they return to finish the story in a summer setting; and the series will be going out on Channel 4 in November.
The Rye veterinary practice has a new assistant - Miss Caryn Morris, who came to the practice as a locum and was asked to stay on. Miss Morris is 23, and has been at Edinburgh University; she comes from Sevenoaks, and is living in Udimore. We wondered if she would be specialising in the domestic side of the work, but not a bit: she is keen to take her share of the farm jobs as well. We would like to welcome her to Rye and hope she will enjoy working here.
2.
The funeral took place at St. Mary's on Monday of Mrs. Dolly Worssam, formerly of Church Square. Mrs. Worssam was the mother of Dr. Worssam of Hastings and will be remembered in the town for her devoted care of the small garden on the north-east side of the church.
Alsfords, the timber firm, was closed on Monday out of respect for the death of one of the founders of the business - which is, of course, a great deal larger than just its Rye operation. Mr. Bill Alsford, who did not live in this area, was the father of Mr. John Alsford.
The Rye WI Group Produce Market's annual meeting is always well attended and interesting, and the Editor was very sorry to miss it this year. Some 60 members and guests heard Mrs. Field speaking on Crafts and admired a display of her own beautiful handiwork. Guests from County level included Mrs. Seward (who drew the raffle) and Mrs. Britton, and although our correspondent does not mention it, we feel sure they said some very complimentary things about our invaluable local market. The officers remain the same for the coming year: Chairman, Miss Dean; Vice-Chairman, Mrs. Taylor; Controller, Mrs. Cramp, with Mrs. Ingham as her Assistant; Secretary, Mrs. Bennett and Treasurer, Mrs. Holmes. The stall at the Community Centre on Friday afternoon did brisk business, and the afternoon ended with a delicious tea given by the Committee. Friday morning markets at the Community Centre start again on 16 March.
People living opposite the old Council offices in Ferry Road are beginning to wonder what is going on there. The rose bushes were removed from the garden in the autumn, and now some of the top-soil is being taken away - officially, we gather; but no-one seems quite sure what has happened to the pretty little fountain which vanished last week from its circle of cobbles and paving in the middle of the grass plot beside the Clinic entrance.
Rother's housing manager, Mr. Catt, tells us that the site has only just been handed over to his department from its previous owners within Rother, and his first job is to arrange for the demolition of the office building (the former Magdala House) without damaging the adjoining Magdala Terrace. Tenders are now being invited for the work. The site is eventually destined for a sheltered housing block to be run as an annexe to Badger Gate, but Mr. Catt told us that work has not yet started on the plans for this. It was therefore obviously too early to ask about the future of the little garden; but it does seem clear that whatever is happening it is not on the orders of the housing department.
By coincidence, a report to Rother's housing committee on Monday evening discussed the difficulty of housing a relief warden for Badger Gate. The original system was that one of the tenants, living in a standard flatlet, would act as relief to the warden. But when the job came vacant in 1982, Rother were unable to fill the post; the type of applicant they wanted expected better accommodation. A temporary relief warden, living nearby, will shortly be leaving, and although there will eventually be warden accommodation at the new Ferry Road block, this scheme is not now due to start until April 1986. So Mr. Catt has put forward a proposal to combine two adjoining bedsitting-rooms, both at present empty, into one flat. For the moment, this will house a relief warden; and when the Ferry Road site is developed and the warden moves there, it will be very useful to have a flat at Badger Gate which can house a couple - at present, all the flatlets are only suitable for single people. The scheme is expected to cost somewhere about £7,000, and Mr. Catt asks for it to be carried out as a matter of urgency.
(Incidentally, Rother's parks and gardens department says that the pile of earth in the Salts playground is in preparation for a bank slide - much safer than the usual kind. Perhaps this accounts for the loads of earth coming from the cemetery, where they are simply clearing an old rubbish dump in one corner - and not, as one cheery soul suggested, digging a mass grave!)
- 3 - THE RYE GAZETTE, 29.2.1984
If you looked out of your window and saw a dog running loose in a field of sheep - even if it was not actually attacking them - would you make it your business to tell the farmer? It might be well worth your while; if your action led to a successful prosecution, the National Farmers Union would be happy to give you £50.
Bernard Waters, of New Winchelsea Road (and Winters Dairies) was not aware of this when he rang Frank Langrish last summer to say that there was an Alsatian loose among sheep at Castle Farm - Mr. Langrish wasted no time at all, and in due course Rye Magistrates heard from a rather shaken Londoner how he was suddenly overtaken on his country walk by a Landrover bristling with shotguns! In fact the dog had not harmed the flock, and the owner was only fined £20; but the story got back to the NFU, and on Wednesday in Rye Market branch chairman Charles Cooke presented Mr. Waters with a £50 cheque.
The Langrish farm loses three or four sheep a year in attacks by dogs. Sometimes the slaughter can be far greater - we were told of two dogs (not round here, we are glad to say) who set upon a flock, scattered them over four miles, and left some 20 dead or in need of veterinary care. "The public" says Mr. Langrish, "must become more aware that any dog which is uncontrolled is a potential killer." NFU Secretary David Fisher agreed; even dear little pet dogs can wreak havoc simply yapping up a flock of sheep around lambing time (and lambing time, even round here, runs from before Christmas until the end of April). Mr. Fisher asks that people should not only control their own dogs, but also keep their eyes open and report at once to the farmer or to police if they see dogs loose with sheep.
More than a year ago (GAZETTE no. 12) Chief Inspector Dyson asked us to write about the new stringent regulations regarding dogs and livestock under the 1982 Wildlife and Countryside Act. It is now illegal to have a dog loose in a field of sheep, whether or not it is taking any notice of them, and theoretically a farmer would be entitled to shoot a dog under such circumstances. In fact, says the Chief Inspector, they don't - yet; but they do ask the police to prosecute, and Rye Magistrates saw 11 such cases last year. More often than not, he told us, the owners are country people and not town-bred visitors.
We mentioned the 11 cases to Mr. Fisher, and he looked grieved. Maybe, he said, they had all been reported by the farmers themselves (in which case the £50 reward does not apply); but the NFU would like to have known, all the same.
There are two points arising from all this. If you see a dog loose with sheep, report it; it may well be to your advantage, let alone the farmer's. If your dog is loose with sheep, remember that someone might well be keen to earn £50 by reporting you - which could be very expensive, as the maximum fine is £200.
The bloodstained woolly corpses we see on television - on Wednesday evening, as it happened - are surely excuse enough for "shopping" anyone whose dog is actually or even potentially responsible for such slaughter.
Several people have asked lately how Mrs. Aylwin Guilmant's book about Rye (most recently, GAZETTE no. 52) is coming along. She tells us that the material was all ready for the publisher before Christmas, but there have been complications at his end which mean that the book is now likely to appear "during the summer" - anything, she says, from May to August. There will be about 150 photographs, fewer than she would have liked, but still a very interesting record of the town's more recent history. The price will be just under £7.
Mrs. Guilmant had hoped to use on the cover a postcard of children playing marbles under the Landgate, but it turns out to be unsuitable for reproduction, and she is still looking for a suitable picture. It must be in good strong colour; show an immediately recognisable part of the town; and have something in the way of human interest or action, rather than being just a pretty view. If anyone has such a picture that she might borrow, please phone her (0424 213913).
4.
Yet again the police are warning people not to open their doors to unknown callers. Several times in Hastings lately, elderly people have been visited by a man claiming to come from the Ministry of Pensions and offering a medical examination which might, he said, lead to an increased pension. One victim lost £15 and a radio as a result of such a visit. The man, who has called himself on different occasions Dr. Burl and Dr. Benson, produces an identity card (the press book doesn't say what kind, perhaps because the victims don't know); he is short, aged 40 to 50, smart-looking and well-spoken, with fair hair and glasses.
The police say that no real official would arrive to make a medical examination without a prior appointment. If a caller suggests such a thing, don't let him (or, for that matter, her) in - dial 999 or ask a neighbour to do so. Look very carefully at any identity card which you are offered; and don't let the holder in unless you are entirely satisfied. With a chain on the door, you have plenty of time to study the proffered card is complete security, and if necessary, the chance to phone the organisation concerned to check up; of course, if the caller is seen running down the path as you lift the receiver, the police would be very interested to hear from you on 999 at once!
The press book also records the theft of 200m of rope, value £100, from the Lochin Marine moorings; and the theft of a Victorian tapestry, depicting a saint and angels in a pastoral scene, from Winchelsea Church.
After its winter hibernation, the WRVS lunch club reopens under new management on Monday, 26 March, at the Community Centre. The ticket arrangements are now different; instead of being distributed through various groups in the town, they are available (price 70p) only from the WRVS office at the FE Centre. The office is open from Monday to Friday, 10 to 12 and 2 to 4, and if you cannot get up there Mrs. Barton tells us you are welcome to phone them to reserve your place (223362). Only 60 seats are being offered for this first session, so don't leave it too late. The new organiser is Mrs. Owen of Devonport House - formerly of the Green Owl at Camber, and recently returned with her husband to Rye; but lunchers will see many of the familiar faces among the helpers, and perhaps some new ones too.
Another group which starts its meetings again in a few weeks' time is the Red Cross Hearing Circle. As the name implies, this is a club primarily for the deaf and hard of hearing, but at their monthly coffee mornings (on the first Tuesday, from 3 April) the members are always delighted to meet any of the general public who like to drop into the Red Cross Centre in the High Street from 10.30 onwards, to buy a cup of coffee and perhaps patronise the bring-and-buy stall. Mrs. Bolton tells us that a surprising amount of money is raised in this way and spent in helping other people; and although Tuesday is not the most popular day for coming into the town, it is also not the most popular day for cafes to be open. So if you feel like elevenses on a first Tuesday from April onwards, they will be there.
Mrs. Pauline Mason's recent enquiry about the B. Gambrill who picked up her parents' bottled message in 1932 seems to have drawn a blank as far as Mr. Gambrill himself is concerned. But Mr. McEntee of Icklesham tells us that his boat, the Kent Colebrooke, was one of the three Colebrooke steam trawlers; the others were the Alfred and the Margaret. One was blown up in WWI, and the other two eventually sold off between the wars. He also mentions the Sarah Colebrooke, the last ship to be built at the Rye Shipyard in Rock Channel, launched from the slipway where the new industrial units stand.
Latest information is that the team hoped to finish in Rye itself on Tuesday, if it was not too wet in Lion Street that afternoon; they will be out at Camber today, and at the Harbour tomorrow, all being well.
5.
We have not heard how the footballers got on up north over half-term; but the skiers had a lovely time - "the best snow we've ever had" said organiser Terry Spencer, who was one of 7 staff members on the trip, accompanying 25 pupils. This was their fourth consecutive year at Innsbruck, and they were indeed lucky: the previous week had included four days of blizzards and a snowfall of between three and five metres the heaviest in the Alps for a good many years - not only did roads disappear, but even the poles marking them were buried! However, by the time the Thomas Peacocke party arrived it was all cleared up and conditions were perfect, with sunshine to match; and of course, Innsbruck, though not exactly a vast metropolis, does make a change from Rye, particularly in the evenings. Mr. Spencer tells us that this is the 15th ski trip abroad for pupils from Rye schools; the first was a joint venture from the Grammar and Secondary Modern Schools before we went comprehensive. In addition, of course, there have been some half-dozen trips to Aviemore, mostly with younger pupils, arranged by Mr. Beckwith.
At a public-speaking competition in Hastings recently, Lower School pupil Fergus Brannigan was joint winner of the cup for the best speaker in the under-15 class. Mr. Lewis tells us that this was the second year Fergus had entered the competition, and his progress has been considerable since last year - the judges were particularly impressed at the mature content of his speech, on "Are Computers taking over our Lives?", and his excellent vocal delivery. The school had two teams in the under-15 class, and both were awarded certificates of merit. In this particular contest, a team consists of a chairman, a speaker and someone to propose the vote of thanks; Fergus was supported by Becket McGrath and Owen Goodhead, and the other team, from the third year, consisted of Tim Willett, Mark Curry and Elleri Bowman.
Lower School held its own speech competition just before half-term. Winners, from 2.2, were Becket McGrath (chairman, Matthew Smith) speaking on Computer Games; second came Barnaby Dollar (chairman, Jacob Robbins) from 2.6, on Vivisection; and third, Colin Dean (chairman, Harry Richardson) from 1.7, on Sharks. On the same afternoon the Lower School Dance Competition took place. Here the House Shield went to Rother, the Dance Cup to Sarah Scambler, and awards to Victoria Godbold (2nd year) and Nannette Randall (1st year). Both competitions were once again sponsored by the Rotary Club of Rye and Winchelsea, who provided the judges for the Speech Competition as well as all the prizes. (And if you are wondering why Fergus Brannigan, having done so well at Hastings, apparently came nowhere in the Lower School competition, the answer is that he had to drop out of the Lower School event owing to illness - bad luck, Fergus!)
There has been some recent confusion about whether or not political parties can hire the Town Hall. When it first arose in connection with the SDP forum on the Third World (see The Week's Events), we were told it was only available for political events when the Member of Parliament was to be present. However, the Town Clerk then found that the Town Council had discussed the matter but had not actually made a ruling; so at present he is sticking to the old arrangement which allows the Town Hall to be used for political party AGMs only except at election time (though the SDP were in fact offered it for their meeting in the end, but they are sticking to their FEC booking). The Council's General Purposes Committee will he be considering the whole position at its next meeting on 9 April.
Also, on 9 April the General Purposes Committee will discuss the vexed question of dogs fouling public places. The introduction of a new byelaw at Bexhill set Mrs. Julie Fuggle wondering what could be done here - she is particularly annoyed at mess on the narrow grass verges on the Tilling Green roads. People with views (and solutions) who wish to state their case should write to the Town Clerk, c/o the Town Hall, in good time for the meeting. (Rother staff point out sadly that having a byelaw is one thing, enforcing it is quite another!)
8.
Friday, 2nd Vidler & Co's monthly auction sale, 10
Women's Day of Prayer (speaker, Ann Hamilton), St. Mary's, 2.30
SDP Forum "The Third World: who cares?" (Jake Jacobs), FEC, 7.45
Sunday, 4th Songs of Praise, Tilling Green School, 4.30
Tuesday, 6th Pancake Race for Community Centre funds, High Street, 3.30
Friends of Rye Art Gallery AGM, Ockman's Lane, 8
Wednesday, 7th NSPCC Annual Meeting (Lady Moyra Campbell), FEC, 2.30
• Congratulations to Jane (nee Tolhurst) and Marc Terry, of Ferry Road, on the arrival on 21 February of their son Jack (7 lbs) - a first grandchild for Mr. and Mrs. Terry of "Pocket Full of Rye".
• We are very pleased to report that Mrs. Rosalind Webb has now moved from St. Helen's to Rye Memorial Hospital.
• Donations in memory of the late Mrs. Vera Larkin, to be used for Cancer Relief, may be sent c/o Miss Dann, 21 The Close, Rye.
• Rye and District Movie Society members much enjoyed their annual dinner at the Hope Anchor on 25 February; guests included representatives of Rye Camera Club. Five entries for the Upton Trophy were studied by the 50 or so people present: "Over the Garden Wall", "Wales", "The Heart of Rye", "What a way to go" and "Regent's Park", and by a show of hands "Regent's Park" was awarded the trophy. This was presented to the maker of this colourful and attractive film, Mrs. Jeffery Waters, by Mrs. Ellen Upton.
• Planning: Rother was not much troubled with Rye's affairs last Thursday, with only four applications concerning our area. Permission was given for alterations at the back of Faraday House, for retrospective change-of-use for the Black Boy in the High Street, for the start of the new fire station on the Drill Hall site (but more about this next week), and for various minor alterations to the original plans submitted by the Sailing Club for their moorings at the Harbour. This week's list has only one Rye application, for altering the position of a gate and fence in Hylands Yard.
• Potential Friends of the Royal Academy living in Rye will be pleased to find - that although not strictly in the “country members" area they are allowed to join at the cheaper rate. Mrs. Goldsworthy tells us that the organiser found the journey to Rye recently so complicated that we deserve inclusion in the "country" category! Membership means queue-jumping for Academy exhibitions and other privileges for those who visit the Piccadilly gallery regularly.
• We cannot resist quoting from a Sunday Telegraph report last weekend. The general idea seemed quite sensible, but the Telegraph had a very odd way of putting it: "A Church of England rector said yesterday that atheists should conduct their own funerals..." Dead or not, presumably.
• Readers will notice that the GAZETTE has only six pages this week; not much has been happening. As soon as it does, our eight pages will be back.
THE RYE GAZETTE is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office, and published by Mrs. Mary Owen, 94 Udimore Road, Rye (Rye 222303). News items for inclusion are always welcome - deadline Monday afternoon, Tuesday 9 am for emergencies. The GAZETTE costs 25 weekly, and is delivered to subscribers and pick-up points on Wednesday; extra copies and back numbers can be ordered from 94 Udimore Road, while a few spares are available at Squirrels, 9-13 Cinque Ports Street, Rye.
(Copyright Mary Owen 1984)