Rye lost another one of its distinguished characters when Clive Chizlett passed away last weekend. Clive was a familiar sight around town to many, usually walking up from North Salts to breakfast at Haydens. Over the course of the day he would continue to the Apothecary for lunch and then to Simply Italian for dinner where a special table was always reserved for him. He was a courteous and friendly member of the community with a fierce intelligence and dry humour.
Clive was a man of many talents and interests which he shared with various groups and individuals around Rye. He was a keen member of the University of the Third Age (U3A), where he ran a course on calligraphy, in which he was an expert. He organised a visit to the British Library to see an exhibition of illuminated manuscripts which is warmly remembered by attendees. He was also active in the Militaria and Visiting History groups of U3A and produced leaflets about church architecture in Romney Marsh.
One member of U3A remembers him turning up to a meeting about an Italian course. Clive was asked if he already spoke some of the language. Clive replied: “No. I’ve brought information on Dante - they can’t learn Italian if they don’t know about Dante”.
In his younger days Clive played rugby for his local team at Hounslow. He started his career in printing as an apprentice compositor before National Service intervened. Later he ran a printing works in West London. He became principal of the Brighton College of Art and Design and lived at Woodingdean.
He moved to Rye with his wife when he retired. He had a lifelong love of the cinema and the starting-up of the Kino cinema in the town was a great development for him. His favourite film was Casablanca from which he could quote long passages, having seen it so many times. He was also a competent artist and at one time was a keen cyclist with different bicycles for different terrains.
He will be sorely missed in Rye.
