Rye woke white on Monday - not with an entirely private snowfall this year, though the town was mentioned on the news as having nine inches of snow. The schools were closed, and the buses were not running in the morning - this at the request of the police, who didn't want to risk blocked roads. The trains >mostly ran, though people aiming for the very early ones were unlucky. By mid-day, all roads were said to be clear, if icy. (Those whose hearts sank when they heard the fire engine go out will be relieved to know that the trouble was not a ghastly pile-up - but someone with a foot caught in a cattle grid!)
We wondered how the milkmen managed. "No problem" reported Winters Dairies, "though we did wait until it was getting light before we set out." Chains on the milk-floats solved the problem of icy country lanes, but two milkmen did cover the remoter parts of Peasmarsh on Monday evening, just in. case the lanes became quite impassable on Tuesday.
.--The GAZETTE award for enterprise, however, goes to the lads from Williams, the greengrocers in Cinque Ports Street. They set out for Covent Garden (or whatever it is called now) at 2.30 am as usual, but were defeated by Rye Hill. They went home to New Road, had a bit of a think and tried again - and made it; and after about Flimwell, they said, there was no difficulty to speak of.
Rother Council's Housing Committee considered on Monday a carefully-researched report on the possibilities of a community alarm system for the District. There are various types of system, but the idea is for elderly people living alone to have a link with a control centre for use in emergencies; the centre in its turn can alert whatever service is required, or simply arrange for a volunteer to call.
The system is basically an extension of the arrangement used in sheltered housing such as Badger Gate and Devonport House, where each resident has an alarm button to the warden. But Rother envisages that it could be in demand from the Council's own elderly tenants in ordinary accommodation, and from people living in the private sector; indeed, such support might well mean that they could remain in their own homes instead of adding to the demand for sheltered housing.
Mr. Catt, the Housing Manager, told us that his report was merely a preliminary investigation, and it was for the Housing Committee to instruct him to proceed further with his enquiries if the members thought fit. We hope very much that they did think fit, since there must be a lot of people just in Rye who wonder nervously what would happen if they fell downstairs one evening, or found themselves unable to get out of bed. And even for those who are not nervous themselves, there are probably sons or daughters half across England worried sick about Mum all on her own.
Perhaps it might be helpful if those who would be interested in such a scheme were to contact the Housing Department (The Watch Oak, Battle - 042463371), so that the demand from the private sector could be assessed? Presumably they know about Rother's own tenants. We ought not to raise false hopes; nothing is going to happen next week, whatever the Housing Committee decided. But if Rother can arrange for this service, it would seem to be a far greater benefit to the com¬munity than, for instance, expensive swimming-pools in Bexhill!
(A recent radio programme described a mini-service of this kind set up by a young parson in his country parish, using CB equipment. Every morning his circle of members tuned in at a given time; help was arranged where necessary, good and bad news passed on, lifts offered and so forth. If Rother is not able to set up a District-wide network, perhaps this might be another area in which Rye could go it alone?)
Mr. Archie Ellis, of Udimore Road, died in a nursing home in St. Leonards on 17 December; he was 82 and a widower, leaving a son and daughter and four grand-children. Mr. Ellis was one of the ten children of Rye's well-known Liberal councillor George Ellis of Tower House, and he attended Bethany School as a boy. He spent his working life as a partner in the firm of builders which still bears the family name; Ellis Bros built the house to which he brought his bride Irene in 193L, and Mr. Ellis did much of the distinctive joinery work there himself. He retired from business some years ago, and remained living on his own after the death of his wife, despite suggestions from his worried family and neighbours that he would be more comfortable elsewhere; "I built this house, and I shan't leave it until I go out feet first" he declared, and that was more or less the way it was. A store of fascinating memories of old Rye has died with him, and >Udimore Road will miss him very much. The funeral took place on Christmas Eve; donations for Cancer Relief in his memory may be sent care of his brother Phil at Cadborough Cliff, Rye.
Church Square has suffered yet another blow with the death just before Christmas of Mrs. Norwen Gasson. Mrs. Gasson had been undergoing hospital treatment which appeared to be successful, and her death comes as a great shock to her many friends; she was, as one of them said, "a lovely lady". Mrs. Gasson, who was 61, trained as a pharmacist and came from her South Wales home to work for one of the Rye doctors. Her husband Ken comes from a long-established Rye family, and after their marriage she helped him with the family business while they >moved house frequently in the Rye area. Mr. and Mrs. Gasson had the happiness of seeing all three of their children married in the past few years, and a first grandchild is expected this month. For many years Mrs. Gasson ran the St. Mary's Flower Guild, and was a much-valued helper for the Church of England Children's Society; she was also a founder member and Secretary of the Rye Festival Council. Cremation was followed by a service at St. Mary's on Friday, and donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Church of England Children's Society, c/o Mrs. Maundrell at the Rectory.
Mr. Don Sewett, of Military Road, died in hospital on 27 December. Mr. Sewett, a widower, had been a clerk on the staff of John Lester, solicitors, before his retirement. He leaves three daughters.
Mr. Alfred Hancock of Rye Harbour, who died in a nursing home in Hastings on 31 December after some months of illness, was 67. For many years he was on the staff of the Central Garage in Cinque Ports Street, and took part in many social activities in the town. He leaves a widow and family.
Mrs. Eileen Court, of Love Lane, died on 31 December at her home after a long illness. She leaves a widower and two daughters.
We are asked by a reader who looks after several graves in Rye Cemetery to say what a splendid job the new cemetery keeper is doing up there. He has cleared and mown and swept, and even tidied up the Children's Corner for the first time in years. It is, says our informant, now a pleasure to go up there - and we are delighted to pass on the compliment.
Mrs. Barbara Fearon of Hucksteps Row has written to congratulate Rother's Parks & Recreation Manager Colin Hudson on the work his team have done in Tillingham Avenue, and to suggest further candidates for his attention. She is worried about the sycamore saplings colonising the Baptist Burying Ground: chopping them off is no good, she points out - they need to be grubbed up. The same saplings also appear along the cliff, to the detriment of other shrubs. She also mentions an invasive weed whose name she does not know - we suspect it may be giant hogweed - which is trying to take over the Salts and the Mill footpath. As she says, "Rye owes its prosperity to the tourist trade and the areas of dereliction which are appearing must detract from the general impression". Over to you, Mr. Hudson?
THE RYE GAZETTE, 9.1.1985
We are delighted to report that Mr. and Mrs. Thurston of Mill Road have achieved their target of raising 1,0,000 for the Red Cross during their period in charge of the Thrift Shop (May 1982 to December 1984) - with just £58 over! Total sales during the period amounted to £28,103, so the profit would normally have been just over £7,000 - but the Thurstons themselves made the toys and Christmas gifts that were on sale, and of course some of the clothes are given to the Red Cross outright so the full price goes to the Society. Sales during 1984, incidentally, amounted to £10,562, with a gross profit of L4,116 for the Society.
While Mr. and Mrs. Thurston enjoy their well-earned retirement, their place will be taken by Mrs. Maria Judge, of Brede; we welcome her to an exacting but rewarding job which benefits the whole neighbourhood.
Top brass, ecclesiastically speaking, comes to Rye during the 1985 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18 to 25 January). This is because of the covenant proposals, discussed in the "Fixtures" Parish News by Canon Maundrell this month and also last June.
On Friday, 18th, at 7.30, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Arundel and Brighton will preach at the United Service in St. Mary's. On Saturday, 19th, the Baptist Church hosts a Day of Prayer with something for everyone. Between 10.30 and noon, Bishop Peter of Lewes is in charge; after lunch (12 to 1) dear Father Richard returns, and it is hoped that there will also be a representative of the Free Churches. At 3, the Rev. Cyril Hutchinson of Rye will conduct the Methodist Covenant Service, first held by John Wesley in 1755 and particularly suitable for the beginning of a new year.
On Monday, 21st, at 7, the Baptist Church Hall houses the AGM of the Council of Churches, followed at 8 by an open meeting to discuss further the covenant proposals.
People in The Grove and Love Lane should not worry if the heavens appear to be falling on them at about 11 am tomorrow (Thursday), when a Royal Naval presentation team will descend by helicopter on the Upper School playing-field; senior members of the school will hear a talk about the Royal Navy today, and the helicopter will depart later in the morning.
Staff changes at Thomas Peacocke School this term include a welcome for Mr. Clive King, who ccmes from Salford to teach computer studies after a long gap when the computer instruction has been shared by outside teachers. Mr. Tookey retired at tiliristmas after 25 years teaching in Rye, and Mrs. Dorman has also given up the job of physics lab assistant which she has held for a very long time.
The Headmaster's Christmas newsletter laments the ESCC financial cuts which have already meant reduced staffing levels while the number of pupils has not altered (about 1280 in the school altogether); in effect the school has been docked of the equivalent of almost 2i full-time teachers in the last two years. He expresses his immense gratitude to the parents who, through the PTA, support the school in very many ways - not only by fund-raising, but in some cases by serious DIY work. One of the Home Economics rooms was recently redecorated by a team of parents, and there is plenty of scope for anyone else inspired to offer this kind of help. PTA funds last term provided £500 for lockers, £150 for the Lower School resources room and a subsidy of £120 on the pay-phone, as well as contributions to the cost of a canoe shed and a greenhouse.
PTA Secretary Mrs. Hilary McDonald has written to Ken Warren as our MP about "the increasing desperation and frustration" felt by all those connected with the school over ESCC's education cuts. Old scholars from more affluent times will be shocked to hear that there could be not enough money for the most basic needs of the school: "to try and keep an aged minibus on the road, obtaining the most essential textbooks, buying and repairing secondhand lockers, manning the library" - all things no longer paid for by County.
4.
It is nearly a month ago now, but does anyone know exactly what caused the big bang on Friday morning, 14 December, at about 6 am? One Winchelsea Beach resident said it was thunder, but not like any thunder she had ever heard before; she was startled out of her wits, but her three small children slept right through it. Another lady from the Beach was more than startled - woken by the flash, she lay in bed shaking, waiting for the roof to fall in; she described the noise as "like being shut in a tin with a thunderstorm".
The police had heard nothing about it, so presumably no damage was done; but the bang was heard in Beckley, and Military Road residents thought for a dreadful moment that the next sound would be the cliff descending. There was in fact no "next sound", just the one bang (definitely from above and not the fourth Harbour bomb as someone speculated!). One report mentions a bright blue light. It seems that the thing could have been a fireball, in which case there must be a patch of scorched earth - or even a big hole with a meteorite at the bottom? - somewhere, perhaps on farmland along the Brede valley. Can anyone throw any light on all this?
Another request for information of a very different sort comes from a correspodant in Ashford, who used to work in Rye between the warn. The above words, in large letters easily read from the street below, were for many years inscribed high on the Gungarden cliff about halfway along South Undercliff. As she says, it sounds biblical, but she can find no reference in the Bible. It has always intrigued her.
The words do make sense - just - if "house" is regarded as a verb rather than a noun; but why they were there (indeed, may be still there under the foliage) is a puzzle. Was one of the Church Square or Watchbell Street houses called Fair Haven? Or did the inscription perhaps relate to St. Anthony's - or even to its predecessor, St. Walburga's? Or could there have been some kind of man-made grotto "in" the cliff itself?
This must be one for our older readers; can anyone explain?
Winters Dairies told us about a recent staff change which must surely create a record for Rye. Mr. Arthur Pope, who will be 82 this year, has just retired for the second time from his job as a milkman. He used to do the town round until his first retirement at the age of 65; he then came back on a part-time basis to do the Winchelsea Beach round. Ten years ago he had a hip operation, clearly success since he has continued with the Beach round for a total of 15 years. It is difficult to say who will miss whom most, since Mr. Pope much enjoyed his excellent relationship with his customers, often bringing them their shopping along with the milk. Mr. Pope now lives in Peasmarsh with his daughter. He has not been too well recently, and Miss Pope tells us that they were both rather glad that he was spending such a snowy Monday snug indoors. The new roundsperson for Winchelsea Beach is Mrs. Bill Waters, Winters' first-ever milklady - or should we say dairymaid?
Rye Fire Brigade went out officially twice over the holiday period, to a burning stack of coal at Northiam and to a thatched cottage badly damaged at Guestling. But their attention was concentrated mainly on helping Father Christmas with his deliveries on Christmas morning. Santa's transport was kindly lent by Burnham & Co, T. Bourne & Son, and Michael Bryant; the delivery round made £100 for the Firemen's National Benevolent Fund. A further £100 for the fund came from a raffle for a hamper given by Mr. Bill Playford of Lea Avenue and won by Mr. T. Satchell of Rye Harbour.
Michale Bourn tells us that the Rye Brigade sent £570 to the Fund in 1984. In the two previous years, when they held sponsored nushes with the replica fire engine, they raised 21200 and ,1300 respectively, and were the only retained (part-time) station to hand in over £1000 in each year.
5.
British Rail likes commuters to buy their season tickets well in advance, rather than on the morning they need them - at least 48 hours thead, they say. Thursday was therefore a very suitable day for the mother of a Hastings College student from one of the villages to call at the station and get his ticket for the new term. But - "Sorry" said the chap on duty, "I can't sell you one now; they have taken away our clerk, and I haven't got time to work out the new rates at the moment." A bit surprised, she asked if they would have worked it out by Sunday, when the new rates came into effect. Oh yes, she was told, Sunday should be OK.
She came in specially on Sunday. There was a notice across the station main door. "Office closed for stocktaking" it said; travellers were to go round by the side gate. (StocktakinC) She went hone and rang the passenger information number at Hastings to ask what she should do; she rang it for 20 minutes and they still didn't answer. She rang Ashford and go€ an answering machine telling her to ring Canterbury. She gave up.
Canny commuters got their new tickets before Christmas, dated fcr 2 January and therefore charged at the old rates; hut surely the new rates are worked out on BR's computer and not left to the arithmetical abilities of individual station staff? In view of the snow, we hadn't the heart to ring Ashford about this comparatively minor quibble - but is it, like the £2 rail concessions and the "weekend" Christmas return fares, another case of Rye not being told something other people know?
There is not long left to visit the admirable exhibition of work by Thomas Peacocke School pupils at the Easton Rooms in the High Street; it closes on 15 January - so hurry, because it is well worth seeing. The pottery, some of it extremely professional, catches the eye immediately; but there are so many pictures on the walls that it is all too easy just to admire the general effect. This would be a mistake, because there is some absolutely first-class work tucked away there. Most of the Lower School pictures are signed, but not all the Upper School ones and none of the pottery, so it would be unfair to name names; but enquiry from Peter Lee and John Stewart of the Art Department reveals that heredity sometimes plays a part. The lovely market-gardener in the front room is a joint effort from Upper and Lower School.
The sad thing about school art exhibitions is that the cream of the talent is lost to Rye after A-levels; we rarely see work by the local young in the Tuesday Painters or Rye Society of Artists exhibitions. Both groups are willing to consider pictures by non-members (pottery too at the RSA show), and it would be real nice to see work by some of these excellent young artists on show again in the town after perhaps a couple of years at art school, or even later when they are becoming established professionally.
Travellers to London who admire the allotments behind the up platform will be sorry to hear that they are likely to disappear. Unexpectedly, that patch of ground (about half an acre) belongs to Rother, and it has been used as allotments for a very long time. There are at present four tenants. The land is part of a much larger area running between the school and the railway which is "presently under consideration for development with coach and car parking provision", and Rother's Recreation and Tourism Committee is being asked for permission to put into effect the complicated legal procedures which are involved, under a 1922 Act, when allotments have to be taken out of use. The tenants are to be offered alternative sites at Tiliingham Avenue; they have to be given 12 months' notice to expire between 29 September and 6 April, and compensation may be payable.
We note that the plan is for development "with" and not "as" coach and car park¬ing; some time ago BR had proposals for houses there, and it will be interesting to see what eventually comes before the Planning Committee for this land.
6.
For some weeks now "Granny" Peek of Fishmarket Road has been in hospital, after a fall at her home. At present in Ward 11 at St. Helen's, she has now been promised a place at Greyfriars and is looking forward to moving there in time to celebrate her 101st birthday on 4 February. Mrs. Peek is no stranger to Winchelsea; she was married in Winchelsea Church, well before WWI.
Also in Greyfriars, on a temporary basis for the present, is Mrs. Underdown of Cyprus Place. We hear that she and the other residents much enjoyed the entertainment given there at the New Year by members of Rye Players; the group is also due to perform at Saitcote Place and at the Maltings in Peasmarsh in the near future.
Back in the summer we wrote about the bus which runs between some London railway stations, which was the subject of a BR press release. At Christmas the Editor, heavily laden, tried it, and it is marvellous. If you are going to Euston, St. Pancrass or King's Cross, you get off our train at Waterloo East, cross to the main station taxi aproach, and the buses go every ten minutes or so. There is lots of room for luggage. The fare is a flat-rate 40p, and you need to have it exactly to put in the box as the driver may or may not have change out of his own pocket. On a Sunday when the traffic was light, the journey to Euston seemed to take about ten minutes; coming back, it was timed at 24 minutes as it goes round a longer way via the other two stations and Blackfriars Bridge. The service has been running for about 8 months, and doesn't seem to be very well known - at least, there were only half-a-dozen other passengers on our journeys - which is way we are writing it up again now. Cheap, quick, and no queueing - and no steps except the one onto the bus itself, and about four at Euston.
Another discovery we made, which some readers may like to know about, is that on Saturdays and Sundays British Rail make first-class carriages available to second-class ticket holders on payment (on the train) of an extra £1. Only carriages with the yellow "Bargain" labels can be used in this way, but on a long journey it could be well worth the extra - if only to see how •the rich live! To and from Wolverhampton over Christmas all the spare first-class seats were taken up in this way; BR must have made a bomb.
A report in the Daily Telegraph just before Christmas said that half the Southern Region stations are due for improvements during the next three years. The list included Rye, Appledore and Ham Street - and also Winchelsea, so perhaps they will get a replacement for the shelter which vandals burnt down last year (the original station building is occupied by the Collyer-Nash Pottery). Ore - currently bein done up/pulled down, depending on which side of the train you look out - is on the list, but it is not really surprising that Three Oaks and Doleham are not.
The report says that repainting and renovating will b accompanied by new ticket offices, waiting areas, better lighting, new signs and new platform surfaces. What about a 6.20 evening train from Ashford instead?
We asked in GAZETTE no. 107, in connection with Rye Hospital's anniversary and Mr. Hedger's brother's broken arm, what happened to people who broke not an arm but a leg - or worse. No-one has told us, and we really would like to know.
Please, our senior readers, think back to your youth. If someone was badly hurt and had to be taken to hospital in Hastings (this would be before Rye opened in 1921), how did they actually get there? In the train on a stretcher, probably - but what happened each end? Was there any sort of local ambulance service before and during WW1, or was it really a case of finding someone to harness up the dung-cart (as Mr. Hedger senior did) regardless of how sick or damaged the sufferer was?
We would like to do a follow-up to the hospital piece, if anyone can help us. Even the days before 1939 are now rapidly becoming part of history, and these things are worth setting down on paper before everyone forgets.
• Lloyds Bank's new outside Cashpoint, which we referred to recently, is now open and working - though only for the benefit of Lloyds Bank account-holders, of course. It is incorporated in a former doorway to the bank a little way up West Street, and is open from early morning to late at night, and of course at weekends. A great convenience to visitors, it is also very useful to residents who don't want to queue at the counter for their cash or balance.
• The press book at the police station records just one Christmas arrest of a driver with a positive breath test; there was one road accident, and one person injured, but it was not clear whether the three incidents were in fact one and the same or not. There are still a lot of burglaries in the villages, but the nearest to Rye was at Houghton Green when fans and figurines were among stolen items. An attempted burglary at the Tennis Club resulted in £250-worth of damage to a window and tiles. There have also been several thefts from cars.
• In 1984, Church of England Children's Society supporters in Rye made 5,000 Christmas cards - and sold every one. Many readers will know that these cards are recycled, the pictures cut from used cards and stuck to the backing provided by the Society; the work is fiddly and tedious, but the results are much appreciated. Mrs. Viola Bayley would be very glad to receive Christmas's crop of cards for reuse later in the year; they should be put through her letter-box at Norman Huuse in West Street, loose if necessary (and not, this year, handed in to the Rye Bookshop). Birthday and greetings cards generally are also very welcome - holly and robins not essential!
• ESCC warns against potentially faulty extension sockets which may not be properly earthed. The 13-amp sockets, from Hong Kong, have been on sale here over the past two years. They are bar-shaped, with two, three or four sockets; white plastic on the front and sides and black plastic on the back. Anything marked (in small raised lettering on the back) DETA, EVK, WK, or bearing a dragon symbol or the model number 882, 883, 885, 888 or 8348, could be suspect; please don't use it with earthed appliances until it has been checked by a qualified electrician.
• After our remarks in the pre-Christmas GAZETTE about the Cyprus Place street lamp, a reproachful Ken Shaw rang from County Hall to say that it was not the fault of ESCC's contractors that it was still dark; Seeboard sometimes took rather a long time to connect up new lights. Anyway, we are very pleased to say that soon afterwards Seeboard did its stuff, and the corner is now bathed in yellow light. At about the same time a reader complained to us that the lamp on the corner of Estate footpath beside Paygate Cottage had not been working for ages; by now it may be mended, but if not a complaint will reach ESCC if it is made to the Council Offices.
• Following a recent GAZETTE story about John Neve Masters' mail-order business, Bob Choate showed us a 1981 centenary edition of TitBits. This includes, in a column of 1911 small-ads, "EASY TERMS - Boots, raincoats, trenchcoats, watches, rings, clocks, accordions, etc., from 5s monthly. Catalogue free. Foreign applications invited - Masters, Ltd., 29 Hope Stores, Rye." Hope Stores was presumably some kind of PO box number, since Masters was at 8/9 High Street then. The mention of trenchcoats is odd - perhaps they were not WWI garments as we had supposed.
TOWN DIARY - next week's GAZETTE will (unless something quite sensational in the way of news happens) contain a list of all the dates booked into the Town Diary for the next six months or so. Please will secretaries and organisers who are not certain if their "do" is in, kindly ring the Editor by Monday afternoon to make sure? The sooner we can all get the main framework of the year's events roughed out, the less likelihood there is of major clashes of interest later.
Just room for the Editor to thank readers for so many beautiful Christmas cards, kind remarks and good wishes - very much appreciated.
Thursday, 10th TPS Parents Evening (Lower VI), Upper School
Friday, 11th Civil Service Retirement Fellowship coffee morning, FEC, 11 Blood donor session, Baptist Hall, 2 to 4, 5 to 7.45 Nat.His.Soc., "Marsh Life" (George Delamare and Melvin Smith), FEC, 7.30
Movie Society, vintage films, FEC, 7.30
Saturday, 12th National Trust, "Villages of the Brede Valley" (Barry Funnell), CC, 2.30
Wednesday, 16th Thrift Shop (receiving only), Red Cross, 10.30 to 12.30
• Congratulations to Andrew and Carol Wilkinson, now of The Close, on the arrival on 29 December of their son Luke Andrew. Luke is the first grandchild for both sets of proud grandparents - Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson of Pottingfield Road, and Mr. and Mrs. Piggott of Peasmarsh.
• The Blood Transfusion Service will be at the Baptist Hall in Cinque Ports Street on Friday (the day after tomorrow) - just the one day this time - between 2 and 4, and 5 and 7.45. Regular donors will have been notified, but we need hardly say that the Service is always glad of new ones. (They told us last time that the queue tends to be much smaller in the middle of the afternoon.)
• Trains on Sunday: because of engineering works in Sevenoaks Tunnel, our train times are apparently affected; check before you travel.
• Congratulations to Jane Bowler and James Cruttenden, both of Thomas Peacocke School, who have been accepted for the County Youth Orchestra; both are cellists, and Jane, who lives in Fair Meadow, is only 15.
• British Rail is raising its charges for car parking in the Goods Yard to 40p now (instead of 30p), with a further increase in May to 60p; also in May, coach charges will rise to S',4.50. (If all goes ahead with the supermarket, of course, the car park should be established on the Market side of Station Approach by May.)
• Rye Tennis and Squash Club is offering good accommodation, with salary by negotiation, to a mature couple able to run the club's premises. The job would include catering, bar work, cleaning and general handyman - hours by arrangement depending on who does what. Applications should go to Jonathan Jempson.
• Admirers of David Newham's pictures, which used to be displayed in the gallery opposite Frank Golden's in the High Street, will like to know that he has an exhibition at the Stables Theatre in Hastings starting on Saturday for a month. Two potters are also showing their work. The gallery is open every morning from 10.30 to 1 (11 to 1 on Sundays) and also in the evenings when there is a performance at the theatre.
• Planning: the current list shows a request for illumination of an existing hanging sign at the Gatehouse Restaurant beside the Landgate, and for the erection of offices for Hatleys' proposed industrial estate on the Harbour Road.
• We had expected to be reporting this week on the demolition of the old Council Offices (Magdala House) in Ferry Road, since the scaffolding went up the week before Christmas. There was, however, a delay over the final paperwork of the contract, but the demolition is likely to start very soon. We do hope that the pretty cast-iron railings will be salvaged, and the fine front door?
THE RYE GAZETTE is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office, and published by Mrs. Mary Owen, 2 Cyprus Place, Rye (Rye 222303). News items for inclusion are always welcome - deadline Monday afternoon, Tuesday 9 am for emergencies. The GAZETTE costs 25p weekly, and is delivered to subscribers and pick-up points on Wednesday; some spare ccpies of the current issue are availab3e at Squirrels, 9-13 Cinque Ports Street, and back numbers from Cyprus Place.
(Copyright Mary Owen 1985)