Over £2,000 Raised
A night of laughter, hectic bidding and plenty of banter resulted in over £2,000 going into the Bonfire Societies coffers.
The auction lots were all kindly donated by local businesses and individuals to help the Society raise enough cash to put on this years Rye Fawkes Celebrations.
Star lots were a small watercolour of Captain Pugwash supplied by John Ryan, which realised £200 and a unique Cinque Ports Pottery table lamp hand painted by John Izod with a beautiful Rye scene. This attracted a final bid of £130.
Auctioneer Jim Hollands of Rye Auction Galleries, ably assisted by Bonfire Chairman John Izod as porter and Rita Kirk as scribe, ran through the assortment of 95 lots, which included a sheep castrating instrument, a book on Coaching Inns, a Beetles Tie, many vouchers for meals in local restaurants, a Box of Tools, and a trip to Howlett’s Wild Life Park.
Most interest however came when the lot ‘A Slave for a Day’ came up! After ascertaining the sex, age and name of the slave whose name will not be mentioned here (it was Robert Booth) three ladies pursued the bidding with gusto. He was worth more than fifty pounds it seems! The successful lady gave her name as Delila.
All in all it was a very entertaining evening, the only disappointment being that the auctioneer failed to get Jimpe.
“Rye’s Own ”June 2004
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