Summer Holidays at Winchelsea Beach

 

Barry Floyd

Like many families in London after World War I — and with a gradual return to a more normal way of life — my newly-married parents (father had served with the Royal Electrical Engineers in France from 1915 to 1919) began looking from their semi-detached Edwardian home in Palmers Green (North London) at favourable seaside spots where a brief summer holiday might be undertaken. Continue reading Summer Holidays at Winchelsea Beach

Smuggling

                Reproduced from “Gentle Breezes”

Kent and Sussex were hot beds of smuggling for centuries, and to judge by reports, still are. Originally, wool was smuggled out to France, rather than other goods coming in. The reason was that we produced high quality wool, but had not the means of processing it. The French and Dutch did. In 1622, it was made a hanging offence to smuggle out wool. The government then imported French and Dutch weavers and other trades to process the wool. That is why we have many large houses of Dutch style in our area. Many parishes have their Cloth Halls, The Weavers, and so on. Continue reading Smuggling

Rye Actor Martin Wimbush Directs Comedy Revue at Broadstairs

Marie Hanley Productions, 9 Cinque Ports Street, Rye, are presenting a revival of their hugely successful musical comedy revue show, Spring Into Life, at the Memorial Theatre, Broadstairs on Sunday 25th May at 5.00pm. Devised and directed by local actor Martin Wimbush, the show is a miscellany of all the best material from popular revues, including works from, Noel Coward, Cole Porter, Tom Lehrer, Flanders and Swann and Alan Bennett. Martin will be appearing in it, alongside, West End musical actor Michael Sadler and local actress and singer Lorna Hall. Continue reading Rye Actor Martin Wimbush Directs Comedy Revue at Broadstairs

Smuggling

Reproduced from “Gentle Breezes”

Kent and Sussex were hot beds of smuggling for centuries, and to judge by reports, still are. Originally, wool was smuggled out to France, rather than other goods coming in. The reason was that we produced high quality wool, but had not the means of processing it. The French and Dutch did. In 1622, it was made a hanging offence to smuggle out wool. The government then imported French and Dutch weavers and other trades to process the wool. That is why we have many large houses of Dutch style in our area. Many parishes have their Cloth Halls, The Weavers, and so on. Continue reading Smuggling