Icklesham

Icklesham Village Stores: Saturday 20 December - The Grand Draw and to celebrate the third anniversary of its opening the Stores invites you all to mulled wine and minced pies. Over the holiday openings are 24 December 9am - 12.30pm. Christmas Day and Boxing Day Closed. 27 -31 December 9.00am -12.30pm.

Jade’s Hairdressing Salon: Open Monday 22, Tuesday 23 closed over the holidays till Friday 2 January 2015.

Windmill Orchard Farm Shop: Open on Christmas Eve 9am - 1pm Saturday 27 December 10am -4pm.

Live Music: Sunday 21 December 4-6 at the Queen’s Head Big Blue with guitar blues.

Wheelie Bins: Christmas Eve the brown one with garden waste will have its last collection until Wednesday 21 January 2015. Saturday 27 December. The green wheelie bin for recyclables - paper, plastic and cans especially after Christmas plus the black bin for glass.

200th Anniversaries research by Tom Firth: 1814 George iii was King. Napoleon exiled to Elba. The Gas Light and Coke Company begins the World’s first permanent public gas lighting of streets in Westminster. The Duke of Wellington ends the Peninsular War with victory at Toulouse. Soon he will win at Waterloo and then go on to be MP for Rye and eventually the only Prime Minister to represent this part of Sussex. The first 1000 Guineas run at Newmarket is won by the filly “Charlotte”. Lords’ is used for cricket for the first time. George Stevenson’s first locomotive put in Service several years before “Rocket”. It was named “Blucher” after the Prussian general who was Wellington’s close ally. Jane Austen ( whose distant relation is an Icklesham Parish Councillor)published “Mansfield Park” and Walter Scott’s historical “Waverly”sold out in two days.

Icklesham 1814: The village was excited. The evacuation plan drawn up for the Napoleonic invasion was put way. Plus a splendid elegant clock was installed in the Norman tower.

Icklesham 2014: The Tower is soon to be fully restored but the clock needs money. To put it in full working order it needs electronic winding, and the four bells electronically struck. Then a series of 4 bell peals can be operated. This will cost about £10000. For this project Tom Firth has already raised £700 by giving archery lessons in his garden.A long way to go so more donations are needed,

Top Ten School: Friday 12 December “The Times” prints the national Sats results naming just the top ten primary schools in each education authority. There are 206 state primary schools in East t Sussex. Icklesham Church of England Primary School is 6th. The 8 children involved and all the school community are to be congratulated.

Choral Champions: Friday 12 December The fials of the BBC Choir of the Year included local singer Richard Sellens. He was in Northern Spirit which is based around the Cathedral and University of Durham and as winners of Adult Choir of the Year was one of the six finalists. However the winners were CF1 This is from Cardiff hence the Postcode name This was the first welsh choir ever to win the trophy Usually it sings in Welsh. The postcode was pronounced in Welsh with varying success by the presenters. The conductor was Eilir Owain Griffiths.

Saturday 13 December. Thanks and Welcome: At a coffee and carols morning organised by the Church Social Committee to recognise the good work of the Church Markets Laurie Bowman was given a very generous gift and he was able to welcome his successor Mrs Marion Lovell.

Laurie Bowman

Magpies, Oast House Field