The Sara Colebrooke Saga

The Sara Colebrooke Saga

By Tony Bridgland

Browsing through your June 2004 issue whilst in the doctor’s waiting-room, I came across two separate articles which dovetailed together to be of particular interest to me. One was “The Amazing Story of a Rye Shipyard” and the other, by Arthur Woodgate, told how the coaster ‘Sara Colebrooke’ was launched at Rock Channel on the day that he was born. Continue reading The Sara Colebrooke Saga

Exciting Times for the Wheelers

 

Wheelers in the News

The Rye & District Wheelers have been in the news quite a lot recently. Their Marathon Charity Roller Ride for ARRCC got publicity in the Rye Observer and an Continue reading Exciting Times for the Wheelers

The Last of the Prewar Drivers

The Last of the Prewar Drivers

By A. J. Leadbetter

I joined East Kent as a driver in 1937 and am now the last of the prewar drivers to survive. I was with East Kent until my retirement in 1977.

I remember back to the 1920’s when Timpsons were running charabangs in Hastings. They then uprooted and moved to Catford. Maidstone & District were running Tilling Stevens Petrol Electric double deckers in the late twenties. Continue reading The Last of the Prewar Drivers

Smeaton’s Harbour

By Peter Etherden

The Tale of Smeaton’s Harbour is an everyday story of country gentry and their shenanigans. It is set in the town of Rye between May 1724 and October 1787…and it is a true story. The chronicler of these events is John Meryon, writing in some dismay as he unearthed the story upon his return to Rye in 1841 after a twenty-year tour of duty in Australia. Continue reading Smeaton’s Harbour

60 Years On

VE Celebrations are Remembered The heroes of the Second World War donned their medals and paraded through the streets of Rye to mark the sixtieth year since Victory was declared in Europe. Continue reading 60 Years On

Bus Operators of Rye & District

By Roland Jempson.

The article in the January issue of “Rye’s Own” telling of Rye in the 1930’s has inspired me to write about the Bus Services and their operators in and around the town from the 1920’s. Continue reading Bus Operators of Rye & District