Rye Harbour Image Library

Picture No:	296
Courtesy of:	Geoff Pope
Year:	1950

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Ship Cottage

Here is Ship Cottage taken in c.summer 1950 including the entrance to the annex at the rear now known as No 2 Ship Cottage.
Ship Cottage was one of the first properties thought to have been built in the village in 1795. For many years it was
the only local pub, known as the Ship Inn. It closed when Mrs Lucas Shadwell who was active in the cause of temperance
purchased it and turned it into a dwelling around 1900.
The annex at the time of the photograph was occupied by my grandparents Frederick (born in Harbour Lights nearby in 1883)
and Charlotte Pope.
The pair of cottages most of which can be seen at the rear were occupied by Harry and Harriet (sister of Frederick) Ford and by
Jack (brother of Frederick) and Elsie Pope.

Picture Added on 04 January 2011.

Comments

Does anyone remember the tea garden which was here in the 1970s? The teas and delicious cakes were served on mis-matched china, and I think there were bits of pottery for sale as well. Once my sister tied our dog to the chair she was sitting on, then forgetting about it she got up! He ran off, pulling the chair with him, but miraculously there was no damage!
Added by Abigail McCann on 30 August 2017.

Abigail, I think that you may be referring to Ma Tunbridge's cafe, located past this building at the end of the road, next to the William The Conqueror pub. It was sold & demolished in the early 1970's. The houses Harbour Point & Tide House now stand on the site. See pictures nos. 236 & 416 on this site.
Added by Philip Moore on 09 September 2017.

Percy Tapp used to live in Ship Cottage and his daughter Isabelle certainly ran a small tea garden here for a couple of summers - so Abigail you are right, but also Philip is correct in that there used to be Tunbridge's cafe.
Added by Chris Coleman on 26 September 2017.

My dads mother owned ma Tunbridge's cafe house to live there in the 1960s /70s remember it well use to give me and my brother free sweets my dad was give his dads car when he died a Ford zephyr mk1 in canterbury green reg UYA411
Added by Christopher Tunbridge on 25 May 2019.