Frederick Valentine KIMPTON

BEXHILL-ON-SEA OBSERVER, SATURDAY,
SEPTEMBER 12, 1903

Page 15

LOST & FOUND

Found, August 31st, retriever DOG, age about two years; if not claimed within seven days, will be sold to defray expenses.--Apply Kimpton, Landgate, Rye.

Sussex Express, Surrey Standard and Kent Mail.
Friday Jan 29, 1909

Wedding - Rye. -On Tuesday last, at the Wesleyan Chapel, the marriage took place of Miss Cutharne Thompson, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs, F. J. Thompson, of Landgate, Rye, and Mr, Frederick Valentine Kimpton, youngest son of the late Mr J. Kimpton, of Landgate. There were a large number present to witness the ceremony, as both the contracting parties were well-known. The bride was dressed in pale biscuit ?eoline and white silk hat. The bridesmaids, Misses E. J. and I. Thompson (sisters of the bride), were attired in pink cashmere, and wore large black picture hats, and gold brooches, the gift of the bridegroom. The bride was given away by her father, and Mr. J. Kimpton acted as best man. The Rev. J. C. whiting conducted the service. A reception was subsequently held at the bride's home, and later in the day the couple left for Deal, where the honeymoon is to be spent.

Sussex Express
Friday, January 25, 1929

Page 8

RYE MYSTERY

RIVERS DRAGGED FOR
MISSING MAN.

DISAPPEARANCE FROM HOME.

The Rye police are occupied with unravelling the strange mystery of Mr. Fredeick Valentine Kimpton, aged 45, a basketmaker and earthenware dealer, who diappeared from his home at 2, Landgate, Rye, during the early hours of Wednesday morning.
 Since 2 p.m. the same day the police have been continuously engaged in gragging the network of rivers around Rye, but up to a late hour yesterday (Thursday) night no signs of the missing man had been found.
 Mr. Kimpton rose on Wednesday morning between 6 and 6.15 and took his wife a cup of tea, remarking that he was going to sit by the fire. When Mrs. Kimpton came downstairs about an hour later she found two notes, one addressed to her and the other addressed to a sister. Since that time Mr. Kimpton has not been seen.
 It is understood that the notes contained references to Mr. Kimpton's financial position. He has suffered with his head for some time past.

FOOTPRINTS ON RIVER'S BANK

A man answering Mr. Kimpton's description was seen crossing the Salts in the direction of the river early on Wednesday morning.
 On Wednesday the river was dragged from Monkbretton bridge to the railway bridge, and towards Rye Harbour. Yesterday the police dragged the river between Star and Iden locks.
 "We don't know what to think," said Mr. F. J. Thompson, a relative, yesterday. "He just vanished."
 "There is no doubt that he suffered badly with his head."
 The police have issued the following description of the missing man: Height 5ft 8ins., pale complexion, dark hair tinged with grey, small dark moustache, blue eyes, front teeth missing from lower jaw, dressed in grey flannel trousers, grey tweed sports jacket, brown pullover with orange colouring, soft white collar, dark grey tie, grey cap and dark grey overcoat.

THE LONDON GAZETTE,
6 December 1929

Page 8017

KIMPTON, Frederick Valentine, 21 Landgate, Rye , Sussex. BASKETMAKER and HARDWARE STOREKEEPER.
Court--HASTINGS.
No. of matter--7 of 1929.
Amount per --3s. 6d.
First or Final, or otherwise--First and Final.
When Payable--Dec. 13, 1929.
Where Payable--Poppleton, Appleby & Hawkins, 4 Charterhouse-square, London, E.C. 1.

Sussex Express
Friday, June 3, 1932

Page 10

OLD RYE CRAFT

FAMILY'S ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF BASKET MAKING

DEPRESSED INDUSTRY STIMULATED BY TARIFF

One of the oldest crafts, basket-making, still finds a home in Tower-street, Rye, where MR. F. V. Kimpton is carrying on the business founded by his great-grandfather over 100 years ago.
    Working with tools used by his father before him, Mr. Kimpton makes baskets of all descriptions, weaving and shaping them with a speed and dexterity born of years of practice.
    A "Sussex Express" reporter watched him at work on a shrimp "rip" one day this week. Beside him was a bundle of osiers, soaked in water to make them more pliable. Selecting a few of the stoutest he cut off the thicker ends to serve as a framework. Then, holding them firmly in position under his foot, he wove osiers in and out until he had produced an oval-shaped base or "slat."
    As he worked he told how his great-grandfather began the business at the rear of the Town Hall.
    "It is one of the oldest, if not the oldest industries in Rye," he said. "I have had this business 30 years and my father, who died when he was 58, had been at it since he was a lad."
    Mr. Kimpton held up a peculiarly shaped knife he was using.
    "This was used by my father before me," he remarked. "It is known in the trade as a pricking knife. I always use it because it is better than any I can buy to-day. I have a box full of tools I have bought, but I never use them - they are not nearly so good as the old ones."
    Every now and then he hammered the osiers down tight with his clenched fist. His habd was hard and calloused from continual blows. "My father always used to say: 'Use your hand, boy," he remarked.
    Mr Kimpton was now building up the sides of the "rip," turning the osiers out to form a pouch front.
    "This is for a Hastings customer," he explained. "The Hastings fishermen always have then made this shape, but at Rye they will only have them with straight sides."
    Mr. Kimpton said he make the "prickles" used on the Hastings beach for washing herrings, in addition to tradesmen's shopping and other kinds of baskets, and even cradles and garden chairs.
    For 25 years he grew his own osiers on the railway embankment near Rye Station, but he had to discontinue this practice three years ago when his sight became injured and it was unsafe for him to venture on the line.
    "At one time." he continued, twisting an osier for a handle, "we used to employ ton or a dozen men, but of late the demand for basket-work has diminished. First the Rye fishermen began to use boxes instead of baskets, and then most of the fishing trade went from Rye.
    "Then, too, we used to make cases for spirit jars. We had hundreds of such orders, but that line was killed when the heavy duties on spirits were imposed.
    "We have had to fight foreign competition, but now a tariff has been imposed things are beginning to look good again. Foreign work cannot compare with British stuff. Take a clothes basket, for instance. An imported one is so limp that you could fold it up and put it behind your ear, as we say. The revival of sea trade at Rye is also helping us, as I make all the unloading baskets."
    Swiftly Mr. Kimpton trimmed off the projecting ends in the "rip". Surveying the finished basket, he concluded: "My father used to say this was the only honest trade. It is the only one you can see through."