Category: Local History

Dunkirk at Rye

One of the Best War Films Ever Made

One of the best and most realistic war films ever made was created in and around Rye. ‘Dunkirk’, made in 1957, recorded the epic evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the open beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. Rye was chosen for the film’s location because the beaches and area around the real Dunkirk had become too populated in the seventeen year period that had elapsed since that time. Continue reading Dunkirk at Rye

Battle of Britain Parade 2000

Rye’s Tribute to The Few

By the Editor

I was late arriving for the Battle of Britain Remembrance Parade at St. Mary’s Church on 17 September. Not wanting to disturb the service which was already in progress I sat on a bench in the churchyard and listened to the hymns. It was a beautiful autumnal morning not unlike many of the days in that September sixty Continue reading Battle of Britain Parade 2000

The Opening of the Royal William Hotel

By Laurie A. Cooksey

On Wednesday, 31st October 1894, the new Royal William Hotel, situated opposite the recently built golf club house on the Camber road, was happily opened with and inaugural dinner. The hotel had been constructed on the site of what was affectionately known as “The Billy”, a wooden weatherboard shack which had been built around 1807 to provide liquid refreshment for the fishermen of Rye Harbour, but had been destroyed by fire in 1893. Continue reading The Opening of the Royal William Hotel

Adventures in Rye – Evacuation

 

To Somerset in 1940

by Winnie Hollands

It was September 1940. I was hop picking at Ashden Selmes’ Farm on the Peasmarsh Road. The Battle of Britain, raging overhead, was coming to a climax but we had no idea what the outcome would be. A German invasion seemed imminent. Continue reading Adventures in Rye – Evacuation

Your Man at the Town Hall – Frank Palmer – June 2000

Your Men at the Town Hall

Councillor Frank Palmer

Frank Palmer and his good lady Irene made their home in Rye in 1973. At that time he was employed organising Police Cadets in outdoor pursuits in North Wales and commuted from Rye for the last three years until retirement. For many years an accomplished mountaineer, he has climbed the Matterhorn and other major European Peaks and been on Snowdon 130 times, he was well suited to his Continue reading Your Man at the Town Hall – Frank Palmer – June 2000

17 Brave Men

The Story of the Rye Harbour Lifeboat Disaster

The Alice of Riga

In the early hours of the morning of 15 Novem­ber 1928 a chain of events started that was to lead to the worst Lifeboat disaster in the history of the United Kingdom. Continue reading 17 Brave Men

Twentieth Century Rye

By Jim Hollands

The Edwardian Era

When Rye heralded in the 20th. century Frank Jarrett was the Mayor, as indeed he had been for the previous year and would be for 1901 but the man who was making the most impact at the time was surely the towns illustrious picture maker Mr. E. Whiteman. This great photographer produced hundreds of shots, covering nearly all the important local events of his period, leaving a permanent record in pictures of his day and time. Continue reading Twentieth Century Rye