Winchelsea

WAS Talk: Dr. Thomas Dhoop, Visiting Fellow in Archaeology from the University of Southampton will be giving a talk on '˜Medieval Ships and Seafaring' on Saturday November 24th. This event will be held at 2.30pm in St Thomas' Church and non-members are welcome to attend at an admission charge of £3. In the 13th century an increase in trade led to boat builders in northern Europe constructing new types of ships powered by both sail and oar. Through excavation and scientific examination in the 20th century numerous wrecks were discovered and identified. The talk is an account of many of the practical aspects of building and operating seagoing vessels of the period.

Rye Bookshop: Taking place this side of Christmas in Rye Bookshop are two book signings which members of the Literary Society are invited to attend. The first is this Saturday November 24th when local author Tina Brown will be in store from 11am signing copies of her books. Tina writes nonfiction books about a wide variety of subjects such as ‘Tattoos an Illustrated History’ and her recent contribution is an historical book called ‘Secret Hastings and St Leonards’. The second event is on Saturday December 8th during the Rye Christmas Festival when author Sally Aviss will be signing copies of her fiction novels. The bookshop will be open late until 7pm and will have mince pies and bubbly for customers to make it a really festive occasion. A resident of East Kent Sally enjoys sailing to coastal areas around the British Isles and she is a professional classical musician. Sally’s books include: ‘The Call of Cairnmor’, ‘Changing Times, Changing Tides’ and ‘Where Gloom and Brightness Meet’.

Feeding the troops: During the WW1 Armistice Anniversary in Paris last Sunday French President Macron denounced nationalism as a term of offence saying it was a betrayal and exact opposite of patriotism. Nationalism and patriotism are closely aligned and Kitchener’s poster ‘Your country needs you’ (to fight for it) was successful in drawing on the patriotism, national identity and humanity of the British nation. In 1914 thousands of patriotic, loyal citizens signed up, including 250,000 male volunteers under the legal limit of 19 years of age, for the armed services. Large numbers of women also volunteered in WW1 to serve the nation at home and abroad in essential duties which engendered bravery and courage. An example of this was the work of Lady Mabelle Egerton (1865-1927, resident of Normanhurst, Battle) who was the subject of an inspiring talk held recently at Mountfield Village Hall. The talk was by Mountfield resident Trish Jones who also wrote the book called ‘Lady Maybelle’s Coffee Shop’. An enlightening account complete with unique photos, it describes the support and hospitality given to thousands of troops (British and allies) who were on their way to the Western Front. The coffee shop was situated in a huge goods shed at Rouen Station and run by Maybelle and her many lady volunteers between the years 1914 to 1919. It was well-stocked with provisions and open 24 hours a day supplying refreshments at a small profit to the thousands of troops that passed through the town. The food, hot drinks, warmth from the stove, entertainment on the piano and friendly staff were a great help in raising the morale of the troops before going to war. Despite the hard work and long hours there were 175 women that volunteered over the five years it was open and Mabelle Egerton received the CBE for her part in running the coffee shop which, it could be said had a role in saving the nation.

Winchelsea Beach

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Craft Fayre: This Sunday November 25th the Community Hall will be open from 11am to 4pm for the annual Christmas Craft Fayre. Admission is free and all are invited to come along and do some pre-Christmas shopping for those unique gifts. A range of craft stalls will be available containing beading, crochet, hand knitting, screen painting, modern art, photography, metal work, plus bespoke metal, flowers & wall art. To suit all tastes and diets vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan foods will be on sale, as well as homemade fudge and jams. Also allow time to browse through the variety of cards and tags, wooden toys, dolls house items, children’s clothes, handmade jewellery, homeware, tote bags, cup candles and Christmas decorations. During this fantastic shopping spree there will be places to sit and recover over tea, coffee, mulled wine and homemade cakes.

Pub 31: The local band Something Else which performs in gigs along the south coast will be at Pub 31 on Sea Road this Sunday November 25th. Beginning at 1.30pm the popular 4-piece Rock n Roll band will be playing music from the 1950s and 60s with a modern rocking edge.

Quiz Night: A Fun Quiz Night with a Cash Prize for the winning team will take place on Saturday December 8th at 6.30pm in the Community Hall. To take part pre-booking should be made very soon by downloading the form at www.eventistrymanagement.co.uk or contacting [email protected] As usual teams of up to 6 people are required for a good competitive atmosphere while having fun. The cost per person is £10 which includes a Ploughman’s meal supplied by Winchelsea Beach Café and to ensure clear thinking on the night do bring your own choice of drink and glasses. There will also be a charity raffle in aid of RNLI.