Month: November 2002

Original Dragon of Rye

We are told that the history of ‘Bonfire’ in Rye goes back BEFORE the time of Guy Fawkes. Legend has it that the burning boat ceremony was first held in the town shortly after the men of Rye and Winchelsea raided the French town at St. Peter’s Port and retrieved the church bells that had been stolen in the French raid of the previous year. In the course of their revengeful rape and pillage they also pulled French boats out of the water and paraded them blazing through the streets. This event is still remembered in the traditional dragging of a burning boat in the Guy Fawkes procession. Continue reading Original Dragon of Rye

John Smith Town Clerk of Rye

John Smith

It was with great sadness that we learned of the recent death of John Smith. John was Town Clerk of Rye at the time “Rye’s Own” was running in the sixties and early seventies. He was a fine Town Clerk and a true Ryer. Continue reading John Smith Town Clerk of Rye

Rye Harbour Lifeboat Disaster

 

November the fifteenth is the seventy fourth anniversary of The Mary Stanford Disaster. All seventeen crew of the Rye Harbour Lifeboat were lost in 1928 when going to the aid of The Alice of Riga. A Memorial service will be held on the 17th November at 3pm, in Rye Harbour Church. Continue reading Rye Harbour Lifeboat Disaster

Prewar Rye Sports Long Distance Race Winner

The ‘Long Distance Race’ at Rye Sports

Started with two laps of the Track then moved to the road via Peasmarsh & Iden. The distance was nine miles

The recent article in Rye’s Own on the Long Distance Race and Rye Sports ‘Like Grandfather, Like Father, Like Son’ brought back memories for Mary Hall of Continue reading Prewar Rye Sports Long Distance Race Winner

Station Approach 1928

This was the scene at the top of Station Approach 1928. The pretty house has gone now and has been replaced by the Post Office. Geering & Colyer, whose office was on the opposite side of the street facing their large advertising board that was a familiar sight to all those that travelled by bus or train, have gone. Vidler & Co., their building can be seen on the left, are gone. Continue reading Station Approach 1928

The Ron Dellar Way

To The Editor – “Rye’s Own” – September 2002

I had intended to write in rage about the practice of Rother District Council of harvesting taxes raised in Rye in order to spend them largely for the benefit of residents in Bexhill. Assuming of course that those residents do benefit from lavish expenditure on the De La Warr Pavilion or from failed Pop Festivals amongst other things. Continue reading The Ron Dellar Way