I was invited to meet a proper “Rye local” last week, someone who is proud of his association with Rye, his working class background and keen to share his good and happy childhood memories. Having lived in Rye his whole life, he is a mine of information, which we both agreed our Rye News readers would love to hear about.
51 Kings Avenue was Vic’s birthplace in the Autumn of 1947, moving along the road to No 56 in the very early 1950s. New estates were being built after the war to replace the many Nissen Huts where people lived until the newly built houses in Kings Avenue were able to be occupied.
![](https://www.ryenews.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Kings-Avenue-scaled.jpg)
Families often moved locally, it’s how it was, and today, in the Welsh valleys, you can often find generations of the same family in the same street, it’s how closely knit communities used to be. Vic came from a family of 10 and “We never had a pot to pee in” but they never went hungry. No food banks in those days, just good neighbours, many with large families too, who looked after each other and they “all got by”.
His childhood was fun with no computers to distract them in those days and life was simpler. Making bikes and go karts from bits and pieces collected from the dump, was a regular occurrence; playing marbles along the kerbside, too. Tin-can Tommy was a game played in the middle of Kings Avenue – a lot safer then with far less traffic around. Vic was no angel: tying cotton to door knockers, hiding behind a hedge, then pulling the cotton attached to them, usually got a reaction.
His first TV was black and white, a Murphy, rented to the family by a Mr Jim Hollands for about 2 shillings and sixpence. Viewing was generally restricted to evenings, as during the day there was so much more to do, like jumping from the railway bridge into the river Rother below or sliding down the muddy banks into the incoming tide. Another favourite was covering himself and his mates in thick black mud from the muddy river banks with only their white teeth and eyes being visible, washed off as they swam for hours at high tide.
![](https://www.ryenews.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/The-river-Rother-and-bridge.png)
Cooks Field was a favourite meeting place, at the back of Kings Avenue where the boys made camps and a camp fire and eggs, pinched from neighbouring Cooks Farm. To get into the large camp over the railway line, a secret password was the only way. The boys built a 5 hole golf course in Cooks Field where they played regularly. Along the railway line grew wild strawberries, a welcome reward for successful visitors.
Armed with empty jam jars, the boys were always hunting for grass snakes and frogs in the ditches alongside Cooks Field where often sticklebacks and tiny fishes called red throats were to be found. The ditches always seemed full of rainwater and with the help of old corrugated baths (acquired from the tip) and mysterious large discarded oil drums cut in half lengthways, these rock and roll boats, as they called them, provided hours of endless and harmless fun.
The huge branches from local willow trees were dragged to the middle of the field for bonfire night whilst smaller branches made great bows and arrows. Other pursuits would be rightly outlawed now, but then they included collecting all types of birds eggs, or placing items on the rail tracks to see how they looked after being flattened by a train (please don’t try this at home).
Boys being boys, mischief was never far away and declaring “war” on the Military Road boys didn’t help! The primary school in Ferry Road was Vic’s daily destination; en route he had to pass the piles of sugar beet, piled high in the goods yard (now Jempson’s), eating some on the way and then again on the way back, but at times being spotted by neighbours, one shouting: “Go on, bugger off back down your own end. I know who you are. I’ll tell your dad when he gets home. Come back and I’ll box you around the ears you little sods.”
Where North Salts is, were previously allotments, perfect for apple scrumping, to raise a bit of pocket money. You could earn 12 shillings and sixpence if you caddied all day down at Rye Golf Club. The going rate was 5 shillings a round if you were lucky, but you had to survive the initiation test, being thrown down a large deep sand pit. Vic gave half his earnings to his mum.
Music at that time (1950s) was always played at home with Vic’s sister and 3 older brothers. The record player loaded several records at a time, with artists including Elvis, Dean Martin, the Platters and the Everly Brothers. This provided years of entertainment and as a special “treat” Vic’s dad used to serenade them all on his trumpet, especially at weekends.
Mr & Mrs Mushett owned a house which the boys swam to from across the river Rother. There they filled their trunks with “acquired” apples, pears and plums which made the return swim a little more challenging. Just down the road lived Vic’s mum’s step brother, Freddy Pierce. He lived at 68, Kings Avenue and had 3 children, Ricky, Tony and Kate. Jumping into Fred’s van, he took them lambing and sheep dipping and to do some general farm work. Not all was roses however, Fred shot Vic’s pet dog Tinker as he had escaped from the kennel and was chasing and attacking new born lambs and Fred came to the house to tell them.
Fred and his mates used to gather around the coconut shy at Henry Bottom’s fun fair, where Del Shannon’s classic hit Runaway was blasting out from the dodgems. Three balls for sixpence or 7 balls for a shilling was the going rate then. Vic recalls Fred knocking off 4 coconuts in 7 balls for a shilling, then smashing them to bits. The owner of the shy was never amused by Freddy turning up, often relieving him of a bag containing several of his precious coconuts.
A green army lorry would collect locals from Kings Avenue destined for Playden hop picking fields. Once a bin was filled with hops, Vic’s mum would allow them to go and play. Tea was made in a kettle over a fire and the money Vic’s mum earned at the end of the picking season paid for school uniforms and coal, which Vic used to collect with his brother Ernie from the coal yard at the other side of town, before wheeling the coal back home to Kings Avenue. The coal yard was also the place where you were able to take old clothing to the rag and bone woman for a few extra pennies.
Boxing Day 1962 was a day to remember. The equivalent of our Beast from the East, brought very cold weather from Scandinavia creating snowy blizzard-like conditions, whipping up snow from the fields, which then dumped against the back doors of houses along Kings Avenue, making the front doors the only means of access, and ice on the inside of the windows. This cold period continued until early March when the snow finally disappeared and in January of that year the river Rother froze over.
![](https://www.ryenews.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Snow-drift-in-Kings-Avenue-2.jpg)
A break in the ice on the water identified a hole, about 6” x 6”, beneath which two swans were trapped, but as the tide began to rise the swans freed themselves and were at last airborne again but where they went to remained a mystery, as all the ponds and lakes were frozen.
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The Bedford Arms pub (at the bottom of Landgate) was a family favourite on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes in the early 1960s, where landlords, Frank and Alma Webb would be serving many local characters, including Jack James, Jerry Dover, Caesar Bourne, Roy and Tom Bourne, Jim Cader, Reg Cooper and Dixie Fannon. If it wasn’t for the Vicary clan and the locals from New Road and Kings Avenue, the Bedford might have been empty. Being a big man, Jim Carder was the bouncer, tasked with keeping out trouble makers on bonfire night.
The Regent cinema also holds many happy memories for Vic. Watching films such as Davey Crockett and Tarzan inspired them to have mock battles in nearby woods, using a dustbin lid to help fight off the baddies. However, boys will be boys and one of Vic’s mates would pay to get in to the Regent, then open the fire exit door to let the rest of the gang in for free! You could see three different films in one week, but the fun didn’t last, as letting off fireworks in the ashtrays earned the boys a 6 month ban from the cinema.
![](https://www.ryenews.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_3110.jpg)
Tragedy hit the residents of Kings Avenue in September 1965. Word arrived at the Bedford one Sunday lunchtime that there had been an accident along New Road. An ice cream van had parked on New Road and as 5 year old Christopher Wilson crossed the road from Kings Avenue, he was struck down and killed by a motorist. The little boy was Vic’s nephew and had two brothers, Colin and Paul, sons to Vic’s sister Beryl and brother-in-law Dennis. Colin and Paul lived initially at 49 Kings Avenue then 80 Kings Avenue, where Colin still lives today.
Vic lived in Kings Avenue for 21 years from 1947 to 1968 and “Wouldn’t have changed it for the world” but in October 1968 left his mum and dad at home in No 56, with his three sisters. Three of his brothers and a sister had already left home by then. Vic married his lovely wife Pauline, a Tenterden girl, then moved to Winchelsea with brother Ernie for a short while, before moving to Pottingfield Road where he and his wife still live today.
Vic recalls that when he was the local milkman for 2 years in the 70s, selling not only milk but bread and potatoes on his round, he would see people come and go, whereas in the 50s and 60s nobody seemed to move away. His three children also lived in New Road and Kings Avenue, his eldest son still lives there. Life became lonely for his parents as the children left home one by one – Beryl, Irene, Pamela, Patsy, David, Ernie and Ken.
I enjoyed my interview with Vic Vicarey and his wife Pauline. They have so many more stories to tell of so many happy childhood memories and before I left, he told me about when he was a paper boy for Mrs Horner, whose shop was in Landgate, delivering newspapers and magazines. In the town the mayor was throwing out hot pennies to the waiting children who promptly spent them on Wagon Wheel biscuits which, Vic recalls were much larger then.
I hope that you enjoyed this article. I feel that it is important to record these moments in local peoples lives. The are part of our local history and these very happy memories many may identify with. Vic still has many friends including Derek Baldock who was very sporty, a keen golfer and played football and cricket for Rye and Vic’s neighbour is close friend Trevor James,“ We went everywhere together”.
Vic had “not a care in the world” as a child growing up in Rye, with no computers, just old fashioned fun, a close family and lifelong friendships to get him though life.
Thank you, Vic Vicarey, for sharing your childhood memories with our Rye News readers. I’m sure there are many more recollections to tell, but if this article has sparked some memories for you, perhaps you too could share them with us?
Image Credits: Vic Vicary , Nick Forman , Vic Vicarey .
Being Ernie, Vics older brother, I had a good laugh reading his memories of the fun had at Kings avenue through our early years there, I can verify they are all true accounts as many avenue boys will acknowledge.
Thank you brother Vic for the memories, also The RYE NEWS for printing his Avenue accounts GREAT
Love this . I know Vic and his family true Rye people . We had much the same upbringing but on Tillingreen estate . So many happy memories including the bonfire wars with the Kings avenue boys. Thank you for this .
What a cracking article, the day to day lives of Rye lads, names that many will recognise with fond memories, there’s a wealth of history out there from local lads and lasses.
More of the same please.
Oh how this has brought back so many lovely memories. My dad was Jim Carder (mentioned in this article) we did a lot of the aforementioned things that Vic has talked about. I was friends with the children of most names mentioned too.
Such a lovely childhood, we were very lucky (not that we knew it then)
Well done on capturing some of the best years of our lives. It’s left me feeling emotional (happy and sad) my dad passed away far too soon at 60.
So good to read the memories of Vic all those years ago,we had so much fun in Rye,unlike the kids today, who are glued too their phones.
Did not recognise the pic of VIC.Have not seen him in over thirty years.I also grew up in Rye.Left there in 1971 for South Africa. Chris Sams.
Love love love this article. I myself was brought up on the avenue and my entire family lived there as well. Including both sets of grandparents. One of which was named in this article. Very proud of my heritage and this has cemented that in my mind and heart
Great article .. I was in the Cadborough cliff gang
Great article. I had the pleasures of chatting with Vic at the recent funeral of my uncle, Eric Streeton and it was fascinating hearing the stories and connections between our two families. Some of capers described above were still persisting in the late 70s/early 80s as me and my old mucker Ian Harris, also of Kings Ave, marauded around town in our early teens. Happy days.
I wrote a good poem about all this and all true good memories, my dad always told me how they learnt to swim when the older brothers chucked them off
monkbretton bridge and said swim . I miss those days I do
I went to secondary school opposite Kings Avenue. Many friends of mine lived there❤️
How interesting to read Vic’s memories. Back in the eighties I was the secretary at Rye Community Centre, Vic’s Dad Ted was our caretaker, always happy to turn his hand to any job, in those days we had a Youth Club and they were always swinging on the curtains. I designed some shutters and Ted willingly constructed them and I am happy to say that they are still there nearly forty years later, still serving their purpose.
What a great read as someone who also was born in Rye South Undercliff in fact, so many names and places bought memories flooding back, need to make a visit sometime thank you for publishing this story.
You can leave Kings Avenue
But it will never leave you
So true
Terry & Flick Phillips
Great article brings back many memories so proud that I was best man at Vic & Paulines wedding
When I lived at Rye Harbour we used to use the Bedford arms for a quick lunch with a few of the King’s Avenue lads one being Neville James (luvly bloke). One Saturday I ordered salmon and chips which I had never had before and after the first mouthful will never have again!! The good old days.
Hi vic,so lovely to read ,so many memories ,of growing down kings avenue ,loved it .
My Nan and Grandad lived at No. 80 Kings Avenue, next to both Mr.and Martin one side and Mrs Fibbens the other.
Well remember Kings Avenue where I spent so much time during.my formative years. Smith ,Albert, Wood amongst names that come to mind,but there are so many others,even remember breaking my leg ,playing cowboys……
Such times, thanks for rekindling memories.
Just been reading the story by vic vicarery bought back so many memories I am 10 years younger than vic and was best mate’s with Colin his nephew was just as vic said it was even 10 years later he was the local milk man and always had a smile and a cheeky comments great family
Sounds exactly like the Kings Avenue I grew up on in the 70’s early 80’s. Better times
Being at Rye Secondary Modern during the mid 60’s, this brought back some lovely memories. I was good friends with Marion Case whose family also lived in Kings Avenue, and we often nipped ‘home’ instead of the dreaded swimming lessons in the outdoor pool! I can remember a Patsy Vicarey at school. Beautifully written and a great trip down Memory Lane. Thank you.
A great article, I lived at 44 New Rd, my mum and dad still live there. My childhood was spent in and around King’s avenue, growing up with some fantastic people, many of whom I’m still very good mates with, happy days indeed. Had the pleasure of working with Vic a few years ago, thank you Vic for a wonderful trip back to my younger days, Kings Avenue was, and still is, a great place to grow up.
Lovely story, brought back a lot of childhood memories from living in King’s Avenue from no. 37, left there in 1974..
Brilliant article bringing back so many memories. Kings Avenue was the best place in the world to grow up. We lived next door to Vic and it’s true the neighbours all helped each other and they never locked their doors. Vic mentions Trevor in his article who is my brother. His sister Pam and her husband Malcolm came to visit me in Dover a little while ago and it was so good to talk about our childhood in Kings Avenue. I think I spent more time in their house than I did in my own. We shared some amazing stories of what we used to get up to and I will never forget those times. Our friends were all true friends and we shared everything. We had nothing but we had true friends and lots of fun.
Angie, I was talking about Ted and Eileen yesterday on the Ryes Own site on FB, someone posted a photo of the Bonfire Boys Christmas dinner at the George.
Lovely to read . My childhood was the same living at no 82 Kings Avenue. Tragic day when Christopher was hit . That day still haunts me as I witnessed the aftermath. My dad also lived at No 49 Tony Wood one of the twins
Lovely memories of growing up in Kings Avenue. Everything Vic has said bought all the memories flooding back to me and reading some of the replies from people that i knew and grew up with in Kings Avenue was a real pleasure. The people who lived in Kings Avenue and the rest of Rye were real loving genuine folk and every one knew each other and would do anything for each other and no one locked their doors, my mum bless her still didn’t lock her door right up to the day she passed away. I lived in No 51 kings Avenue right up to when i got married and moved away. I remember all the the people that lived in Kings Avenue and New Road with great affection and i will always be grateful for having the privilege of growing up there. Brilliant article Vic.
Wow reading that article brought memories flooding back. I was in the same class as Vic in primary school but as I lived in the Gas Works, Kings Road was foreign territory and the Strand Quay and Tillingham were my playgrounds. Then Dad took the Crown when the Gas Works shut down and I went to nautical college in Grimsby and then in the Merchant Navy and lost touch with Rye so it’s great to read these stories.
Through Rye News I would like to thank all who read and replied to my
Article Childhood memories of a local, reading your comments and sharing
Your memories with me I was overwhelmed and very emotional bringing back even more memories. Also a big thank you to Nick Forman @ Rye News.
Vic v
Happy days on which ever estate you lived. Thanks Vic. Barry Newton
Great memories here in Australia! Old ryer 5o years ago on pottingfield road! Regards to all Colin shanks
Lovely memories Vic. We went ‘down home’ as Dad always called it every weekend to see Nan and Grandad in Kings Avenue, usually popping along to see your mum and dad, Auntie Rene and Uncle Ted. When mum and dad got married they lived with your mum and dad until they were given one of the Nissan huts you mentioned, before moving to Pottingfield Road where my brothers still live.
When we set light to each other’s bonfire kings Avenue mob and Tilling Green boys those were the days
Ian Foster – foster.ian@bigpond.com
Well done Vic, you summed up some of our childhood memories of yesteryear so well, and there are some familiar names of those days that have commented on growing up in Rye.
We the Foster’s and James of New Road; and the James, Dover, and Clark families of Kings Avenue, were all related and experienced those times. My gorgeous niece Carol (nee Clark) and I talk often about those days; and Vic and I have been lifelong friends and regularly keep in touch.
Although we did not know it at the time, they were probably the stepping-stones that helped us as we grew up and experienced life; and for some of us it eventually took us to settle in far-away places around the world; and for my brothers and I it was Western Australia, New Zealand and France. But as the saying goes “once a Ryer, always a Ryer”.