Rye community stalwart Jimper Sutton dies
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The society paid tribute to the former Rother District Councillor and fisherman from Winchelsea Beach saying he will be sadly missed by everybody who knew him.
“Bonfire parades throughout Sussex can never be the same without Jimper and his ubiquitous parrot,” the society’s newsletter said.
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Hide AdJimper was a well-known character in the Rye area having served as a councillor for 16 years and being a central part of the town’s bonfire night celebrations.
The father-of-three collected hundreds of pounds for charity for the bonfire society over the years, dressed in his distinctive pirate’s outfit, complete with parrot on his shoulder.
Jimper also wrote a series of books on his memories of growing up in the Rye area and sold them to raise funds for the society.
He was one of the last keddle net fishermen on the Sussex coast, using a shore-based fishing technique that dates back to the Norman Conquest.
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Hide AdJimper also once used a pitchfork to fight off an intruder who broke into his home at night.
Rye Community Transport dedicated a bus to Jimper in a special ceremony outside Rye Town Hall in March, 2015.
More to follow.
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