Annual Gathering - Rye

About ninety people attended the Society's Annual Gathering at Rye, the first to beld held in this popular East Sussex town since 2003.

Fortunately it was blessed by good weather throughout, much better than that experienced by many on their last visit for Bonfire Weekend in November 2009.

For some, the event started a little unusually on Friday lunchtime when we gathered at Rye station (a romantic meeting place for Jon and Penny) and caught a train for Hastings. There after meeting up with others, we were given a fascinating tour planned by local member Janice Brown, whose husband Stephen was our guide. He showed us Saville's birthplace, much of the old town and locations at White Rock that featured in The Gay Dolphin Adventure.

As always we re-assembled at about 6 pm on Friday evening for a reception in the Benson Suite of Rye's wonderfully atmospheric George Hotel. Refreshments flowed; books and merchandise were on sale and attendees, many of whom only meet up once a year caught up on each other's news. On a warm evening, a few were able to enjoy their pre-prandial drinks whilst people-watching on the balcony overlooking High Street. Then after our buffet supper in the ballroom, former Chairman Richard Griffiths gave a first showing of his new multimedia presentation entitled 'Penny's Dream'.

A very full programme on Saturday began with another first for the Society, when a double deck bus arrived punctually for our trip across Romney Marsh to Hythe. Patrick Tubby provided the running commentary, one place he pointed out being Old Romney Church where in The Elusive Grasshopper the bogus bird watcher hid contraband. From Hythe our specially chartered train on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch narrow-gauge railway took us to Dungeness for a light lunch. In the short time available for a look around, some got no farther that admiring the Society plaque on a seat at the station but others, more adventurous, claimed to have found the site of the ruined school.

Then it was back to Rye for an optional afternoon programme: either seeing the town model with its audio-visual presentation before a leisurely themed walk around the town, or a more energetic walk to Camber Castle that had been opened specially for us. The knowledgeable guide explained how, in 1945, some of the Lone Piners were able to spy on the twins baiting the Ballinger from high up inside the castle walls.

In the evening, we once again assembled in the Benson Suite for the Society's Annual Dinner.

This was followed by the Peewit Awards, essentially certificates for long-serving members that were presented by a former Chairman, Bernard Meade. Then came the main entertainment of the evening, when the Society Players presented their version of The Gay Dolphin Adventure adapted by Jenny Aitken from the BBC original. Jenny however, was unaware that the programme would be gate-crashed by Peter and Penny!

At the AGM on Sunday morning, members chose to visit Shropshire for our Annual Gathering in 2012 and the North of England in 2013. Finally, we were able to enjoy an extra afternoon in Winchelsea where, again, special arrangements had been made for us to visit some of its early medieval cellars.