As the author of this article, I’m pleased that such a simple reference to an empty shop has sparked off such an interesting debate and brought so many wide ranging points of view to the fore, as it proves that Rye News is read by a diverse audience who care about their town – 20 plus comments is far more than we would normally expect to see.
Thanks to everyone for their comments, and for engaging, as it makes writing the articles worthwhile. Continually writing about parking, dustbins, motorbikes and visitors invading Camber does get boring, but I accept these issues are important and should not be ignored.
But let’s hear more about the unspoken history of the town, the folklore, the sayings, the “funnyosities” and the memories that many of our readers ought to share with us as they make much more interesting reading than some of the stories we cover.
Tell us about getting “unlocked”
The editor adds:
If lockdown progresses as promised, hopefully there will be more and more stories of activities and organisations coming back to life – and we hope to hear from you all.
Rye News is run by volunteers who have been as locked in as everybody else, and are also few in number. But, if you can write a “comment” – and some are getting longer – you can probably write a story too. Please think about it. Perhaps there is more that you want to say. Perhaps you do have a story to tell.
Nick often writes about simply what he sees – what people are doing, how they seem, and how they affect others – sometimes – and we all have our stories – even if we don’t think we have.
One might be why we moved to Rye – if we are not a local, born and bred. I came because my “ex” was here. She moved on. I stayed. End of story – except, of course, it’s not. It started in the mid 70s, and I’ve been here nearly 10 years, and (like lots of people) we have family – and grand-daughter contemplating university.
And you have stories too. I was blown off my feet as a toddler when a doodlebug (V1 bomb) landed up my London street. In Rye at exactly the same time houses shook and windows broke as hundreds of anti-aircraft guns tried to shoot them down as the V1s headed for London.
Soon (hopefully) Nick, as Rye’s heritage centre manager,, will be telling visitors about Rye’s history, but today Nick and I would like to see more of your stories – please.
Image Credits: Rye Heritage Centre .
My Grandfather William Edwards finished WW1 with the rank of Kings Corporal, promoted for an unknown act of bravery.
During WW2 he didn’t serve, possibly a fisherman and lived with his family in Clifton Place now known as Fish Market Road.
He would walk up the Ypres steps to Church Square and get his news paper which was a journey he took on Sunday 6th December 1942, he was returning from the paper shop and walking down the steps when a German fighter came over the salts and straffed the town.
Grand dad was wounded and taken to Rye hospital where he died from his wounds on the 9th December aged 54
His name is proudly listed on the war memorial alongside the other brave folk of Rye who gave their all for the freedom we enjoy today.
There will be many other civilian casualties from Rye and it would be good to read the stories behind the names.
Thanks for taking the time to read my story.
Interesting and sad, Tony. I’d read about the strafing on the steps. It’s surprising today, perhaps, how many incidents occurred in Rye – and how many casualties there were. But I suppose this section of the coast really was the frontline. There’s evidence everywhere, when you start to look.