Scallop or Scollop
from ‘Little by Little’
So Rye has just celebrated its third Scallop Festival? It’s what? I hear you say. Yes that’s right, a Scallop Festival. Now forgive me please for I am just a humble Sussex man, born and bread. All my life, and in my ignorance, I have always known them to be called the SCOLLOP in this locality as I thought most local people did. Surely if promoting a local product would it not be proper to promote it in the local way? Yes I am aware that it is an archaic way of spelling the word, but it has served me well for nearly sixty years, why do we have to change things now? Or does the Sussex pronunciation and spelling of Scollop offend sensitive ears? Note from the Editor: Yes ‘Little by Little’ I have always known the scollop as scollop. I checked with my fisherman brother Robert who was the man that introduced scollop harvesting to Rye Bay back in the seventies when there was a period when fish were very scarce locally. He tells me that any scollop caught in Rye Bay is a scollop, the same applies to those caught by the Newhaven fishermen who advised him on how to construct a scollop rake. He was laughed at by other fishermen at Rye when he loaded the rake aboard his boat, but on seeing the results of his first catch they were all constructing scollop rakes within the month. Whatever way the tasty shell fish is spelt we should all thank the Town Manager and Kate Hemmings for promoting Rye’s fishing industry and giving Rye Bay Scollops or Scallops a special boost.
Music Night By Jimper
Those little silly wire strings pinged and twanged to make a sound inside the plywood case. The guitar was up to scratch. “I want to hold your hand” by The Beatles just flowed out of the contraption. The vocals of the pair of musicians were excellent, as good if not better than the original. Tonight the crowd in the pub swayed and rocked, stamped and screamed their appreciation, even clapping their hands above their heads to the beat. Last orders were called but no one took the slightest notice as the pair took up the strains of yet another favourite, “Rocking all over the world”. The volume was up to full blast. What the neighbours thought of the pub tonight, no one cared and no one complained. Rye was alive tonight for a change. Chuck Berry’s “Johnny be good” was the last tune. A few minor adjustments to the playing tools and away we went. “Eight days a week”. What a night that was to remember and when was it? Why, the twenty sixth of November, two thousand and four. Who said pop and rock ‘n’ roll would have its day and fade from history? Long live the sixties and seventies. You kids can keep your tunes and noise! Just when they said it was all over “good night”, the noisemakers struck up with another old favourite. They were enjoying playing to us as much if not more than we were listening to them. People thrown out of other pubs in the town heard the rhythm up the High Street and poured in the door. The pub was filling up faster than at any time before. The police were surely going to arrive but this was Friday night and Rye Police are rare visitors to town. The Beatles music was the only thing in this ancient town tonight. Perhaps they were standing somewhere but they did not make their presence know. Now it’s “Twist and Shout” Will the pair not call it a night? Roy Lemon, have you got no home to go to? Your partner Jimmy Phillips on the tambourine must be getting hoarse. The beer has gone flat vibrating on the ledge beside me. “Ah ah ah …go home!” The roof nearly lifts, the bar bell rings out; over and over the neighbours have threatened to call a stop but the pair have more to sing about, now the phone is ringing itself to death. The noise is going up again. I’m by the door now. It’s “Day Tripper” at full blast. Heaven help us all, it must be jail, or at least the pub will be closed. I wonder if the noise was this great last time the bell over the door was rung and that was VE day in nineteen forty four! “Hippy, Hippy Shake”. They are off again. The way we are all moving to the music none of us will be capable of moving anything, never mind the left and right. Just getting up in the morning will be an achievement!
Grand Opening of Strand Quay Gallery
Quite a crowd gathered for the opening of The Strand Quay Gallery on Saturday 19 February. The colourful paintings and the welcome given to all by Delphine Pope and her fellow artists created a warm interior in contrast to the very cold chill outside.
Delphine, owner of the gallery, was born in Rye in 1970; she graduated from Thomas Peacocke College in 1988 then pursued her studies in painting at the West Surrey College of Art and Design in Farnham. She then succesfully managed her first gallery, the “Delphine Pope Gallery” which was situated in the old town of Lewes.
An eclectic collection of work is now showing at The Strand Quay Gallery. Delphine’s paintings are oil on canvas; her subjects range, for example,
from a still life flower; one vivid orange bloom may fill the whole canvas, seeming to unfold in front of the viewer, to her unique modern style of land and seascapes. Pat Barefoot’s oil on canvas, rocks, strata, and pebbles with their earth-like, soothing colours were another attraction and very “grounding,” as well as Kris Spendlore’s limited edition prints of Venice, Gill Copeland’s amazing photograpy set in Nature, and June Harvey’s hand sculpted ceramic lamps made an interesting three dimensional contrast.
Delphine is always looking for new artist’s work so those interested in showing, please enquire at the gallery or telephone 07764752237. The Strand Quay Gallery is open daily from 10.30am to 5pm.
Married in Wartime
Diamond Wedding
“Rye’s Own” has yet another Diamond Wedding to report. Popular local couple, Marjorie and Roy Twine of Pottingfield Road celebrated sixty years of wedlock on December 23 last with an Anniversary Party at the Riverhaven Hotel.
Marjorie and Roy Twine lead the dancing at the Riverhaven on the occasion of their Diamond Wedding Marjorie, daughter of the late Jane and Harry Williams of Station Gate House, Winchelsea met in the War years when Marjorie worked at the George Hotel and Roy, who hails from North Wales, was stationed at HMS Haig (Rye County Secondary Modern School became HMS Haig during the War) with the Royal Navy. They were married from the George Hotel in 1944 at St. Mary’s Church by the Rev. Oscar Brookes. Their two Bridesmaids were Gloria Tiltman and Gladys Jones and the Best Man was Charles Williams, the Bride’s brother. Marjorie and Roy have two children, Francis and Rosemary, six grandchildren and nine great grand children who all live locally. Congratulations
From March 2005 issue of “Rye’s Own”
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