It was a proud moment for the Rye and District Wheelers when the club’s top track rider, Mike Ashdown, out-rode all competition and became the 1966 Sussex Sprint Champion. The event took place at Preston Park Track on Wednesday, 22nd June. Continue reading Rye Lad is Sussex Champion
Eighteen small boats from the Port of Rye tied up in Boulogne Harbour over the Whitsun holiday and their crews enjoyed a few days on French soil. The small fleet left Rye Harbour in the early morning of Whit Saturday and set off into the stiff wind heading for Dungeness Point and then on to Boulogne.
On the cross channel journey, somewhere between Dungeness and Boulogne, tragedy struck the eighteen foot boat “Rosina”. No other boat was near her when she ran into trouble. The crew of two, Mr. Gibson, a grocer of Ferry Road, Rye and his brother-in-law, Mr. Skinner were lost. When the “Rosina” was reported missing a full scale search was mounted but despite the clear weather the damaged boat was not found until the following Tuesday, one body was recovered by a fishing boat. Several of the boats turned back at about the half way point on the outward journey but 18 boats, including the “Little Robert” with our camera team aboard, continued on course and safely put into Boulogne Harbour.
“Little Robert” the smallest and slowest of the boats to complete the trip, was at sea for seven hours. The wind was still fairly strong when the time came for the return trip but with favourable tides and currents the Rye fleet made good time. All 18 boats were safely in Rye Harbour by 6.30 on Whit Monday evening. “Little Robert” took only 5 hours for the 40 mile return crossing. Boats to complete the trip were — Sariki, Waterwitch, Atlanta, Scoter, Zingara, Shelduck, Chiloe, Inverurie, Condeline, Goose-Girl, Dove, Manana, Red Cloverx, Alouette, Little Robert, Industry II, Veritas, Sagapo.
From “Rye’s Own” July 1966 Issue
A Rye’s Own photographer was the first news man on the scene when a double decker bus carrying a party of school children on an Easter holiday outing swerved and overturned into a ditch four miles out of Rye on the Brookland road. Continue reading Bus Crash Near Kent Ditch Corner
In 1911 Alec Ogilvie stayed in Rye and flew his aircraft, a Wright Brothers Biplane, powered by an N.E.C. Short engine.
He was attempting to win the coveted Michelin Cup, put up by the tyre company for the longest flight. Continue reading Reach for the Sky Over Rye
HAT TRICK
by Cinecan
Wednesday 23rd March was a great occasion for the Rye and District Movie Society, on that day they were successful for the third year running in Winning the East Sussex Inter Club Annual Cine Competition.
The magnitude of this achievement can be gauged from the opposition, three fine old established clubs from Hastings, Eastbourne and Battle. Hastings Cine and Eastbourne Movie Club have won many honours in National Competitions and Continue reading Hat Trick 1966
The Mayor and Mayoress, Alderman and Mrs. W. J. Hacking, were the guests of the Rye British Legion Club on the occasion of the club’s 1966 Prize Presentation held at their Headquarters in Eagle Road, The Mayoress, speaking to the many members and friends present for this important event, spoke of the pleasure it gave her to attend and present the many trophies and prizes, “This is the first opportunity I have had of visiting your club and I would like to say how very impressed I am with the comforts which you have achieved. When I look around and see how nice it all is, it is no surprise to learn that your membership is as high Continue reading Rye British Legion Club 1966 Prize Presentation 1966
Members of the Rye and District Angling Society held their annual social and Prize Giving at the Tudor Rooms, Mermaid Inn on Saturday, 2nd April. Continue reading Anglers Prize Presentation Social
“Driving is my life,” says Mr. Les Lane—and few people who know him would deny that statement. Mr. Lane (responsible for transport at Dean’s Rag Book Co. Ltd.), can look back to the age of 14 when he started as a mate on the old steam engines with Simpsons of Rye Harbour and he has been on lorries ever since—mostly with local firms. He recalls driving a large articulated lorry for the Rother Continue reading Driver Extraordinary
Rye, at the opening of the seventeenth century, still boasted an almost intact town wall, except on the eastern side: the battery in the Gungarden still possessed some guns, although the majority had been sent away at the time of the Armada. The harbour, on which the prosperity of the town so much depended, continued to deteriorate and was, consequently, a constant source of anxiety to the corporation. Although no foreign invader was to set foot in the town again all was not well, for the monarchy was on the verge of bankruptcy. “Though God hath Continue reading Summary History Part Three
