Category: Personalities

Great Job Berni

New Mayor of Rye, Jon Breeds has Hard Act to Follow

By Jim Hollands

There have been many good people who have held the unique position of Mayor of Rye within my memory.

I knew many of them personally. In the old days of the Borough Council it was a very powerful position and great Mayors of the calibre of Alfred Horner, Phil Ellis and John Hacking made great improvements that enhanced the amazing town that we and our visitors love

Since 1973, when Rother District Council took over the town and most of the assets, the position of Mayor of Rye became more of a ceremonial position. Rye Town Council lost all it’s powers to Rother. True they have an ‘advisory’ job, but in practice this has meant approval of porches, conservatories and other small building proposals are rubber stamped by Rother but big projects like the new builds of Valley Park, which were vehemently opposed by Rye Town Council, were forced through by Rother. Continue reading Great Job Berni

New Mayor Honours John Izod

Sleep well old friend – You will never be forgotten.

By Jim Hollands

It was so nice to see the new Mayor of Rye, Councillor Jonathan Breeds, leading the Town Council to John Izod’s Service of Remembrance on Wednesday 4 May. They honoured their fellow councillor, who has done so much for Rye, by turning out in full force to remember him. The entire Council was present at a packed St Mary’s Church on Wednesday 6 May.
Rye Bonfire Society members were there in numbers, wearing Bonfire ‘uniform’ remembering one of their most valued members. John was a past Chairman of the Bonfire Society, one of the lynch pins of their annual Auction of Promises and was ‘Rye Fawkes” in 2013. Continue reading New Mayor Honours John Izod

Today is Jimper’s Birthday

Jimper is Very Poorly

Jimper has been writing articles and stories in “Rye’s Own” since 1966. He has become Rye’s best known character, with followers all over the country and indeed, all over the World.

He has met Royalty and Politicians, been on Television on innumerable occasions, written twenty books from which the proceeds have all gone to local charities. Continue reading Today is Jimper’s Birthday

Rye United Star Bela Olah has Died

Bela Olah was Player Manager for Rye United

By Jim Hollands

It is with great sadness we report the passing of the great Hungarian soccer player Bela Olah. Who became Player Manager of Rye United in the late sixties. I believe he was the first Rye player to receive a wage, something like £4 a week.

He came Britain after the Hungarian uprising against the Russians, which was brutaly put down.  He was  a Schoolboy International and played top flight football  when

Bela Olah
Bela Olah

Continue reading Rye United Star Bela Olah has Died

Our Member of Parliament

By Jim Hollands

The Rt. Hon. Amber Rudd is a Conservative Party politician who was elected as Member of Parliament for the East Sussex constituency of Hastings and Rye at the May 2010 general election, defeating the incumbent Labour MP Michael Foster. Amber subsequently went on to retain the seat, with an increased majority in the 2015 general election

Amber Rudd was appointed Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on 11 May 2015. She was the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change from July 2014 until May 2015. She was elected Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye in 2010. Continue reading Our Member of Parliament

Still Going Strong at 82

 

Maurice Carpenter

St Leonards character, Maurice Carpenter, is one of the town’s best known racing cyclists.

As far back as 1952 Maurice, at the tender age of 19, recorded over 225 miles in a 12 hour race and took the Hastings & St Leonards Cycling Club record that had stood in the name of J F Mackie since 1935! Continue reading Still Going Strong at 82

The Days Before Health & Safety

Jimper Stories

Dance on a Tractor

There were twelve of us in a group and together we met each night in the pub. There was little else to do in the week other than go to the new twist club that had started up on Wednesdays or to the local cinema once a week, and always on a Sunday when they showed a horror film or two. Saturday was the day we all longed to arrive. Half the gang did not have to work and the others stopped early, Continue reading The Days Before Health & Safety

Jimper’s Memories of Hastings Safe

In my capacity of owning a scrap yard and being willing to do odd jobs no-one else was willing to do in a rush, I got the reputation of the one who was willing to take on the occasionally problematic task, such as the time I was approached by a gentleman in Hastings. He was in a real fluster. It appeared that he had sold his house on the sea front but forgotten the safe that stood in the back of his garage. Continue reading Jimper’s Memories of Hastings Safe