David Smeed was on the spot for the Death of the Regent.
The cinema was closed on 29 September 1973
He recorded the last day of showing and the subsequent demolition of the fine building that had given so much pleasure to so many since it was opened in 1949. Continue reading The Last Picture Show
Father Richard of St Anthony of Padua is among the all denomination clergy who take part in the 1961 Procession of Witness to the Regent Cinema for a combined service.
Many local personalities can be picked out in this unique piece of film. Continue reading Procession of Witness – Rye 1961
The phrase “all but the kitchen sink” did not hold out when the Germans smashed Havelock Villas on the Strand for, large as life, there was the kitchen sink sitting on the top of one of the houses of “T square”. As it and the other contents of Havelock were blasted out, my dad working in his work shop, heard and saw a piece of rock drop through his roof and finish by his foot. The whole roof had to be replaced after the War. Continue reading Arthur’s War and a Bit of Peace
What’s the difference in being a local personality to being a local character?
This wonderful photograph from the Malcolm Turk Collection, is a potted history. There is so much information contained.
The first question is Where is It? That’s easy. Pearson’s Cycle Works later became The Central Garage in Cinque Ports he building that was demolished in 2002 “In readiness for a library to be built.” Continue reading The Last Rye MP-Notepad
As one of the men who pulled the “Bijou” down I was urged by my own memories to put the story of the “Bijou” and other Cinque Ports Street buildings, as far as I can remember, into writing. Continue reading Arthur’s Cinque Ports Street
When our then Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, declared War on Germany on Sunday morning 3 September 1939, the air raid sirens started up immediately, Continue reading Swastika Over Rye
It is five years since Winnie Hollands passed on but her memory remains, reinforced with the words she wrote in her ADVENTURES IN RYE series published in “Rye’s Own”. Some brave words written as she lived in the knowledge of her imminent death are reprinted here as a tribute to a woman who was liked and respected by all who knew her and dearly loved by her immediate and extended family. Continue reading Adventures in Rye
At last its Spring again and with luck I will feel warmer. All this Winter I have felt cold, no matter what I wore or how hot I made my office. Others would gasp at the temperature on entering yet I was still cold. I remember the days not so long ago when Winter meant nothing but inconvenience having to wear rubber boots and something to keep the rain off. But that was before I suffered a stroke and developed diabetes, now my hands are numb all the time and I feel the cold. How old people cope is a miracle and now they are to close the place they could obtain daytime relief. I hope the beurocrats that made this decision get old and suffer alone. Serve them right. I am not one to wish harm on anyone but I truly hope they realise, in their twilight years, what problems they caused for many disabled Rye citizens and their carers in 2006. Continue reading Jimper’s Jottings April 2006
One day towards the end of July 2003, I was going for my newspaper at the Spar shop in Peasmarsh. To my great surprise, I saw a young lady dressed in a Police uniform. I said to her “Have I seen a mirage, or are you real?”. She assured me she was real and that she would be around from now on. Haven’t seen her or any of her colleagues since but I understand, there is a uniform still around. Its a long time since we saw our own village Policeman walking our roads as a regular thing, so lets hope we are on the verge of seeing the return of the village Policeman in ours and all the other villages, of the old Rye Union of Parishes. With our Rye Police station the nerve centre of our little corner of Sussex, acting as it were as a solar plexus for 24 hours a day, independent of the brain at Lewes, but able to go back to the brain if extra serious matters arise. Continue reading Police in Rye
