This section is based on a talk given to Rye Local History Group by Mr Don Bentley in 2004.

Don Bentley moved to Rye in 1972 and established 'Freight-Express Seacon', based first at the Custom House, 7 High Street, Rye, in 1974. The firm later moved to Market Street, in what was once Hinds drapery store, on the corner with Lion Street.

The firm has two principal functions: firstly about 25% of their work is acting as agents for the owners for ships coming into Rye; and secondly the main business is ship broking -i.e. matching owners of ships with owners of cargoes.

His firm specialises in chartering 'dry bulk ' cargoes as opposed to tanker brokers, or passenger brokers etc. or the latest trend in the business, broking on the future's market.

Background: In the 1960's there were a series of industrial problems in the large British ports such as London, Liverpool and Southampton, with the National Dock Labour Scheme. A strike culture developed. Smaller ports such as Rye then became more attractive to merchants and shipowners as they had non-unionised labour, no
"them and us" culture and were more flexible.

In Rye, J. Alsford, a firm, which imported all their timber through the Surrey Docks on the River Thames, a hot bed of dispute, decided to do their own thing, and bought the land and constructed the Wharf at Rye Harbour in 1967/8,

Another company 'Ryecon', very hampered with the delays at Isleworth, did the same in 1973, and brought the six small coasters which they owned down to be based at Alsford's Wharf. They had a regular trade with St Valery sur Somme.

A problem then occurred when Margaret Thatcher's Government deregulated the major docks, and the smaller wharves, like Rye, then became less attractive: they had to compete on the same basis, but Rye survived.

After the construction of Rye Wharf, commercial traffic to Strand Quay became limited. Ships could only get in on Spring tides and they were limited to 120 feet long, 9 feet draught and 400 tons, whereas Alsford's Wharf could take ships of 220 feet long,13l/2 feet draught and up to 2,000 tons. Ships also got larger and the smaller ones disappeared because they were uneconomic. In 1972, ony one timber ship came in to the Strand for Hind's timber yard.

Another reason for small ports like Rye to flourish was the Dock Strike of 1972. It was in the limelight because the pickets came down to Rye, but Rye continued to work throughout.

The Miner's Strike also helped. The major ports and unions supported the miners, but some small ports like Brightlingsea, made a fortune handling coal imports. Rye only had one coal ship. Arthur Reynolds, another London broker, who had come down to Rye and begun 'Rye Shipping ' in 1969, arranged for this ship, the Dutch ship 'Gasselte' to bring 200 tons of coal to Strand Quay.

Don Bentley joined 'Rye Shipping ' in 1972 for one year, but then formed his own Company.

Alsford built the Wharf primarily for the timber trade and had about 12 ships a year. Others approached the firm to use the facilities and there was a steady increase in other trades, such as, volcanic aggregate, talcum powder, fish meal, cat litter etc.