It’s been rather nice thinking about Rye Shipyard since that loving presentation in the Autumn issue of ‘Ryes Own’, and it’s given me a lot to think about. We know that Sussex was covered at one time by a lot of forestry, and there must have been lots of it’s timber cut down and brought into Rye Shipyard. Continue reading Acorn to Anvil
Writing about outside of Rye’s defence wall, it came to me that some of the property inside was not as antique as we might think. Yes there are footings all over where we can see buildings. Continue reading Antique or just old?
Here it is! The proposed £6,000,000 new Primary School to be built in the grounds of the Thomas Peacocke replacing both the Freda Gardham in New Road and the Tilling Green Primary in Mason Road. Continue reading £6,000,000 New Primary School
Andy McConnell has dealt in antiques since adolescence, but served an apprenticeship in journalism. After working in music, film and television, his return to writing was marked by the publication in 2004 of his tome, The Decanter, An Illustrated History of Glass From 1650. His latest book, Miller’s 20th Century Glass, will be published in August 2006. He writes regularly for numerous newspapers, magazines and guides. He has recently opened a gallery/exhibition centre, Glass Etc, here in Rye. He appeared regularly on The 20th Century Roadshow and recently became the first-ever glass specialist on The Antiques Roadshow, appearing three times in the current series.
In these days of doom and gloom in the antiques world, it is pleasing to report that a newly established shop is already thriving. GLASS etc, a large gallery and exhibition space, opened in the Rope Walk, just before Christmas and is already attracting interest from across south-east England.
The building, comprising a 100 square metre shop with an adjacent exhibition room and workshops, was originally built as a Salvation Army hall and later served for 30 years as the premises of Ann Linguard Antiques. Andy is helped in the new venture by his wife Helen.
The Decanter, An Illustrated History of Glass from 1650 [Antique Collectors’ Club, 2004] is to be followed by a new book for which Andy is currently completing two years of research. 20th Century Glass, to be published by Miller’s in August [2006]. As he explained: ‘I live and breathe glass, but my private collection, built up over 30 years, currently numbers about 20,000 pieces. Most of it is packed in banana boxes in damp storage and I haven’t seen much of it for years. I’m still buying, so opening a shop seemed a logical step.
The exciting thing about GLASS etc. is that it offers so many possibilities. On one hand, we’ve got a great shop with huge windows and it enables me start opening some of my treasure trove of boxes. On the other, we can hold regular exhibitions, some sales-orientated, others simply to demonstrate what a dynamic, interesting and historic substance glass is’.
GLASS etc. specialises in table and lighting glass dating from c1700 to the present: bowls, vases, drinking-glasses, decanters, stained-glass panels, etc. It also stocks a wide range of other items, including architectural salvage such as door-knobs, hinges, knockers, etc.
The first exhibition, The Glass Salt Cellar, 1750-1980, will ran from April 10 until the end of May. The show centred on Andy’s collection of over 300 examples, mostly British and generally dating between c1770-1820, the classic period of British glass-cutting.
GLASS Etc. is open 7-days-a-week: 10.30-5 weekdays; 12-5pm Sundays. Admission to exhibitions are free.
A Bye Election has been called to fill the vacant space on Rye Town Council. The Election will take place on Thursday 5 April. Continue reading Town Crier
The two men who are best placed to look after the interests of people in Rye and District are at the forefront of proposals to close Rye Friary Day Care Centre at the Memorial Care Centre from this October. They should be ashamed of themselves. Continue reading Friary Centre
It seems that the spotlight that “Rye’s Own” and the “Rye Observer” have been putting on the unfair favouritism shown towards Bexhill to the detriment of Rye, Battle and the villages by Rother District Council has embarrassed the Rother Cabinet. Continue reading Town Crier March 2006
April lived up to its usual self. A taste of days to come then the following day the weather we experienced was cold and dreary. Haze from the water turned many a night into a wonderland hanging above the marsh and letting the tops of the bushes of thorn and willow grace the sky.
Two days of light rain on the fourteenth and fifteenth was a boon to the young growth emerging. A few mallard duck broods I saw were huge, many totalling over the dozen. With the mild weather they should manage to grow into adults. Continue reading Jimper’s Jottings May 2005
An amazing transformation has been happening at the Rope Walk Shopping Centre during the past few months. Continue reading Regeneration at Rope Walk
Each year now we suffer from gales of wind in the summer, a thing not thought of thirty years ago. Now, the autumn gales seem not to materialise. It is after the New Year gets a month old that the gales roar in bringing what rain we are likely to get. ‘February Fill Dyke’ was a thing to be relied on but now I would not place money on it. Continue reading Jimper’s Jottings
