Category: Local History

The Bargain Box Debate – Rother Must Explain Themselves

Customers Rally to Support Bargain Box.

A family who work all the hours God made to keep their business running and their customers happy, seemed to have been singled out by Rother District Council.

The worry and upset caused to John, Avril and David of Bargain Box over backdated claims for rates, relating to an air conditioning system that has been operating in the shop for years, have put their backs so far against the wall that they are almost ready to ‘throw in the towel’ and have put a Closing Down sign in their window. Continue reading The Bargain Box Debate – Rother Must Explain Themselves

Rye’s Own’s Christmas Special

 

Have a Wonderful Christmas

2015 has been a tough year but there have been many events in Rye that we can celebrate.

The Maritime Festival was one of the best ever and the Rye Arts Festival was another roaring Success.

The Christmas Festival was an amazing spectacle that surpassed the dreams of Continue reading Rye’s Own’s Christmas Special

Rope Walk Arcade

The Place Where Anyone Can Try Their Hand At Business Without Losing Their Shirt.

 

When the Waters Family decided to change their milk supply depot in Rope Walk into an Arcade of 32 Shops it was Bill Waters who took on the job of demolition and construction. Continue reading Rope Walk Arcade

Billeting of Troops WW1

By Brian Lawes

Early in the War billeting troops was a contentious issue in Hastings. In a survey of rate payers it showed that of the replies received, only 2,024 ratepayers were in favour of the billeting of troops, six against, and six were neutral. Continue reading Billeting of Troops WW1

50 Years The Royal Visit

By Jim Hollands

Fifty years seems a long time but looking back to 1965 from 2015 it seems not so long at all.

“Rye’s Own” was started with the intention that it should report and support Rye. There can be no doubt that it has always done that, although in those early days Rye Borough Council was running the town’s affairs in a very efficient and effective way and the magazine did not find itself at the forefront of political confrontation as it does in this modern age. Continue reading 50 Years The Royal Visit

Rye in Top Five Towns in Britain Worthy of Preservation

This Article was Reprinted by kind permission of the Civic Trust and Architects Journal in the “Rye’s Own” July 1968 edition.

All Rye, Rother and East Sussex Councillors should note that Rye was judged to be in the TOP FIVE worthy of preservation, along with York, Canterbury, Cambridge and Edinburgh. Bexhill did not feature in the first 324 towns.

Rye on the Short List for Preservation CBA list of historic towns

Continue reading Rye in Top Five Towns in Britain Worthy of Preservation

Beating the Bounds of Rye 1982

The Boundaries of Rye

Beating the bounds is an ancient custom which has been observed in Rye on occasion over the years. The custom started in times when there were few maps. Sometimes the events were known as  name Gangdays, and participants would be  going a-ganging. Records of Gangdays date prior to the Norman Conquest.

Rye follows the traditional pattern of  old and young members of the community walking the the boundaries of the parish. Continue reading Beating the Bounds of Rye 1982

Summers on the Appledore Road World War Two

 By Beryl Dale

I was born in May 1938 and when I think of the summers of my early childhood the sun seemed to have shone all the time. It is especially strange as those years were set against the back drop of war and all that entailed. We lived in the outskirts of Rye, close to the Kent border. Continue reading Summers on the Appledore Road World War Two