Category: Personalities

Alf Horner – Noble Hero

By Jim Hollands

Pictures from the Horner Collection

Just recently, John Horner, who now lives in Hastings, loaned me two albums packed with photographs of his father and events in Rye and the local area in the 20th. century. Many are previously unpublished.

Alfred Horner, known to all Rye as Alf, was a friend of my father. They both worked in businesses in the town and later had their own grocery shops. They were in the Home Guard together in the war years and continued running shops in Rye until they died, within two months of each other, in 1969. Continue reading Alf Horner – Noble Hero

England’s Senior Journalist

Arthur is 101

Arthur Woodgate has lived through two World Wars, and was a young
man of 17, just starting out as an apprentice bricklayer when The
Great Depression came along.
Originating in the U.S. after the fall in stock prices that began
around September 4, 1929, the problem became worldwide news with the
stock market crash of October 29, 1929.
Young Arthur witnessed the hardships and poverty it caused. It made
a great impression on him and he became a strong trade unionist and
throughout the years up to the outbreak of World War Two and beyond,
became a strong local leader in the Trade Union Movement. Continue reading England’s Senior Journalist

John Miller Orchestra

Rye Town Band 1957

Robert Cutting (front row far right) as a Rye Town Bandsman
Robert Cutting (front row far right) as a Rye Town Bandsman

Back in the 1950’s on Tilling Green Estate, Rye the quiet summer evening was often shattered by the piercing sound of a trumpet as 13 year old Robert Cutting practised his scales. Robert was a very young member of Rye Town Band, along with his father, … who had introduced him to music at a very young age. None of those that heard the teenager practising in those far off times would have had any idea that his name would, one day, be connected to that of the legendary Glenn Miller. Continue reading John Miller Orchestra

Memories of Old Rye

By Arthur Woodgate

Situated at the Winchelsea Road entrance to Gateborough Farm Road and surrounded by houses and other buildings stood ‘Gasson’s Hut’, a large timber building, open fronted on the road side, was used for tarring sails. It was very close to Suttons Marine Store and home (later known locally as Sutton’s Yard). On the other side of the hut was a roadway leading round a row of houses, This was wide enough to take several vehicles at the side and just before dark, one night back in the 1930s, two vans were parked there, laden with fuel for oil stoves, ready for delivery around Rye the following morning. Continue reading Memories of Old Rye

The New Mayor of Rye

The New Mayor of Rye & Speaker of the Cinque Ports

Inauguration Speech

The first time I stood in this Chamber I was just seventeen and I had recently been crowned Miss Rye.

The Carnival Queen – really. I remember being shown around by Percy Sherwood who was the Town Crier at that time, and I remember being almost overwhelmed with awe at the magnificence of the building, the sense of history and of greatness. I remember feeling very proud and very privileged. Continue reading The New Mayor of Rye

Jimper The Original One Off

The Natural Writer

By Jim Hollands

Unique is a word I use sparingly but to say that Jimper Sutton, Farmer, Fisherman, Bonfire Boy, Marshman and Author is unique is almost an understatement. Continue reading Jimper The Original One Off

Old Time Cinque Ports Dogs

PART TWO

By Arthur Woodgate

Now, here is a dog I have never met, his name is “Benjy”, he belongs to a nurse in Rye hospital, and they live together in Main Street, Appledore, and her name is Kay. Somehow I got very friendly with them and we would write to each other, she was a very good artist and would draw a picture of him with his tongue hanging out to indicate licks with me. Continue reading Old Time Cinque Ports Dogs

Memories of a Great Actor

By Jim Hollands

When the film “Dunkirk” came to local cinemas’ in 1959 every seat was taken for every performance.

John Mills and Richard Attenborough starred in the War epic, but it was not just these two famous stars they had gone to see.

People from Lydd, New Romney, Hythe and Rye had gone to catch a glimpse of themselves! Continue reading Memories of a Great Actor

Old Fisherman of Rye

Mr. Jacob “Shad” Gibbs 1865-1956

By Julie Brett (Ditcher) Great Granddaughter
Jacob was born in 1865 in Rye, his father and four brothers were all from Rye and were all fishermen as he was to become at the age of 11. From 1888-1890 he served as mate under skipper W. Bourne on the trawler S.S.Pionerre and from
1893-1897 he was the third hand under Master J.M. Breeds on the S.S.Crusader.
He married around the age of 22 to Mary Jane Small, who was a Rye Harbour lass and was married for over 50 years until her death in 1937. Jacob and Mary Jane had 2 sons and 4 daughters, lived in Rye for a few years and then Rye Harbour.
Jacob sailed in numerous vessels and became a familiar figure to fishing communities from Newhaven to Folkestone. During the First World War when he lived for a time in Newhaven he served first in the Territorial Force and then asked to be transferred to minesweepers and served as a Petty Officer.
At the end of the war he and his wife settled back in Rye Harbour still continuing to fish until the death of his wife when he moved to Rye and lived with one of his daughters Mary Jane Ditcher (my Grandmother). Continue reading Old Fisherman of Rye