HerStory: Ruth Palmer
Biography of Ruth
Ruth moved to Rye in 2007, her husband had taken a job as manager of a chemical factory at Rye Harbour.
She was born in South Wales but moved to County Durham, and later to Yorkshire when she married.
She had four boys and while she lived up north she worked in catering (running restaurants and wine bars) and in hotels and later worked in finance.
When she moved to Rye she changed careers again and moved into the care sector working in three different jobs before she retired.
Firstly she worked for ARCC, working in the day centre for vulnerable people. It was based at the old Bartholemew hospital. ARCC later moved to the Freda Gardham School. At the day centre she would play games, cook and often went to The White Rock in Hastings or the pantomime at Eastbourne. She worked there for eight or nine years.
Ruth then worked driving patient transport ambulances at the William Harvey Hospital.
Finally in 2014, she ended up working for the Canterbury Oast Trust (COT) in the High Street in Rye, working with adults with learning disabilities. This was the job she has loved the most!
Prior to the pandemic COT ran the Mariners café on the High Street, it was great for integrating the adults with learning disabilities into the town. Since Covid the café is no longer open to the public.
In a typical day Ruth would take them to the farm at Woodchurch, also getting them to work in the greenhouses, in the kitchens, in the café and doing arts and crafts.
The pandemic had a huge impact on the residents, they were not allowed out, only into the garden, staff had to be tested daily. The staff worked really hard to keep everyone safe; no one contracted Covid at the home!
Soon after she came down to Rye she got involved in the Bonfire Society, getting involved in fundraising, often running quizzes
After asking why there was no drumming group in Rye it was suggested she set one up. In 2016 she recruited five or six others who had done a bit of drumming. Ryebellion was born.
It soon became apparent they needed someone who knew about music. After a chance meeting in a pub in 2017 Robert Draper who is a music composer was persuaded to join. Since then they have gone from strength to strength.
In 2023 there are now 50 members meeting every Monday in the Community Centre to practise.
As well as participating in the Bonfire Society processions the drummers get asked to do fetes, the wassail at the Red Lion at Brede, wedding and funerals; they drummed recently at the funeral of Rex the Town Cryer.
They also drum at lots of the other bonfire societies especially Eastbourne, Battle, and Robertsbridge; they in turn get invited back to Rye.
The Bonfire Society costumes are black and red, Rye Rebellion Drummers have added emerald green into the mix to differentiate themselves from the Bonfire Society and from other drumming groups like Hastings Section 5. They all scour E-Bay and charity shops for their outfits and decorate them up with lights.
Ruth is no longer involved in Bonfire Society fund-raising, but is still at the heart of Ryebellion Drummers. She now travels a lot and spends time with grandchildren.