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
(With help from second cousin Bridget Ewing Genealogist)
It was also from Arthur born 1833 and Jane Elizabeth that the other well known branch of the Jempson Family in the Rye Area were descended from. “The Jempsons of the Rye Haulage Company based at Slade Yard.. Continue reading The Jempsons of Rye
With the “March of Time” in many of our Towns and Cities, old picturesque houses, rich with historical associations are now being demolished, and replaced by modern buildings. Rye still preserves its old world charm, Continue reading Rye Commerce 1937
The coaster Maanav Star was washed ashore at Jury’s Gap a few hours after leaving Alsfords Wharf during Saturday / Sunday night 11/12 September. She was under new ownership having been purchased while at Rye unloading her cargo of timber. She came ashore before dawn, apparently without her engines running and was pounded by rough seas and sustained some damage to her hull. Continue reading The Fight To Save The Maanav Star
First published in Jo Kirkham’s ‘Memories of Rye Series
During this time the towns and villages of South East England were subjected to attacks by German Focke Wolf 190 fighter bombers. They carried one 500Ib bomb as well as being armed with machine guns and 20mm cannon. They were referred to as Hit and Run Raiders. To help combat this menace, units of the RAF regiment were drafted to the town and surrounding countryside. They were equipped with their standard airfield defence systems – small armoured cars fitted with a pair of matching guns. Other guns were sited on high static positions. I remember it being said that one such site was at the rear of Durrant House in Market Street. Continue reading Hit and Run Raids
On a rough March night in 1902 the Steamship “Cragoswald” was driven ashore by a storm force gale at Camber close to the Jury’s Gap Coastguard Station. Several initial attempts at re-floating her were unsuccessful. A great amount of cargo was unloaded and transported off the beach on pony carts. Continue reading Aground at Camber
By Kenneth M Clark – (Rya)
The South Eastern Railway’s single line branch to Rye Harbour, which had been opened in 1854 was only utilised for goods traffic and, consequently, there existed no means of transport between Rye and Rye Harbour for fishermen and such other persons as made their living at the Harbour. It was only during 1894—the year in which the Rye Golf Club was founded—that a group of prominent local citizens decided to build a light railway which would not only link Rye with the Golf Club but enable fishermen to travel to the Harbour—crossing the Rother by means of a ferry. Continue reading The Rye & Camber Tram
“Driving is my life,” says Mr. Les Lane—and few people who know him would deny that statement. Mr. Lane (responsible for transport at Dean’s Rag Book Co. Ltd.), can look back to the age of 14 when he started as a mate on the old steam engines with Simpsons of Rye Harbour and he has been on lorries ever since—mostly with local firms. He recalls driving a large articulated lorry for the Rother Continue reading Driver Extraordinary
