Higham Ferrers was again en fete on Saturday, the occasion being the celebrating of the Higham Ferrers Industrial Co-operative Society’s “21st birthday”.

Favoured with most desirable weather, the large programme of festivities which had been arranged with great efficiency went off without a hitch. The proceedings commenced as early as 1.30pm and the evening was well advanced before the company finally dispersed. The following four committees were responsible for the arrangements, are to be congratulated upon the smooth way in which the programme was carried out: -

Executive Committee – Messrs W Randall (secretary), F Clarke, A Colton, D Green, H Lovell, J Peat, A Line, Mrs Dickenson, and Mrs Mould.

Tea committee – Councillor F Walker and Mr H Felce (chairman), Mr F Twissell (secretary and manager), Messrs G Nuttycombe, Cherry, Line, Rigby, H Dickenson, G Beetson, Barfoot, W Richardson, Councillor E Walker, Mesdames Dickenson, Mould, Lewis, and Twissell.

Sports – Councillor J H Johnson (chairman), Messrs J Peat (secretary), W Bates (starter), T Draper (handicapper), A Colton, C Freeman, Perkins, Cherry, and F Twissell. Alderman C W Perkins and Mr A Colton acted as judges..

Entertainment – Messrs T Richardson (chairman), F Clarke (secretary), H Lovell, D Green, A Kemshead, C Blackwell, and G Hunt.

Children’s Tea

At 1.15 a large number of children assembled at the Co-operative Stores, and, headed by the Higham Ferrers Town Band. A march was made in processional order through Milton Street, High Street, College Street, Kimbolton Road, Wood Street, and back to the Stores. The procession was ably marshalled by Mr G Hunt. The children, to the number of 336, then went for tea and made short work of an ample repast. At the conclusion of the tea they were again marshalled into order and they marched back to the field, the band playing lively music in the fore.

The children’s sports then commenced, and the adults adjourned to tea, which was partaken of in three different buildings – the Parish Rooms, the Band Club Hall, and the B W T A Hall – on account of the large number sitting down, which was about 550. Having finished tea the adults went back to the field to find the

Children’s Sports

in full swing. The following are the results of the heats and finals:—

60 yards boys'—Heat 1 B Cook, heat 2 W Waters, heat 3 C Pallett, heat 4 C Dickerson, heat 5 C Barnes. Final, B Cook, C Dickerson, W Waters.

80 yards boys'—Heat 1 E Smith, heat 2 R Cook, heat 3 F Lamb, heat 4 h Draper. Final R Cook, Smith, Draper.

100 yards boys’ – D Thompson, F Simmons, H Cox.

Boys' three-legged—F Lamb and H Lamb, G Tearle and E Smith, Cook and Chapman.

60 yards girls' - heat 1 O Pack, heat 2 E Tester, heat 3 B Bates, heat 4 M Draper. Final, Draper, Bates, Tester.

Girls' thread-needle – heat 1 L Peat, heat 2 W Simmons, heat 3 W Tear, heat 4 Upton. Final Tear, Simmons, Upton.

80 yards girls’ – heat 1 L Burton, heat 2 P Gomm, heat 3 A Waters, heat 4 P Ekins. Final, Waters, Burton, Gomm.

100 yards girls’ – C Richardson, B Frankham, J Pasilow.

Girls’ skipping – Richardson, Stanley, Pack.

80 yards ladies’ (35 and over) – Mrs Simms, Mrs Upton, Mrs Cowley.

80 yards ladies’ (15 to 35) – L Upton, F Pack, P Upton.

Men’s Victoria Cross – H Blackwell, J Lambert, W Parker, C Freeman.

80 yards sack – Webb, Mawby, Gadsby.

100yards men – Mawby, Dickerson, Walker.

80 yards men – Heat 1 Pack, heat 2 Litchfield, heat 3 Abbott, heat 4 Wilson. Final, H Pack, Litchfield, Wilson.

60 yards men – Smith, Draper, Burton.

80 yards bottle race for men – C Freeman, F Twissell (who forgoes his prize), H Allen and W Johnson (equal 3rd and 4th).

Competitions

Boot-cleaning – Richardson, Lamb, F Lamb, Tearle.

Spoon-cleaning – H Miller, W Draper, Ivy Pashler.

A Punch and Judy show had been engaged, and during the afternoon and evening this gave about six performances, which were very much appreciated. At the conclusion of the sports the band played for dancing, which a large number enjoyed. After this the co-operators and others went to the Market Hill, the Band playing in the front. Here, Mr Panter, of Kettering, gave a short address, and the people finally dispersed while the band was playing Auld Lang Syne.

It is noteworthy that the whole of the arrangements, which were under the personal supervision of Mr Twissell as secretary and manager, were carried out in the most efficient manner. For instance, though there were no fewer than 336 children to accommodate for tea, two buildings being required for this part of the programme, not a single child was injured, no youngster was overlooked, and only one cup was broken. Every attention was paid to the care of the juveniles, there being one assistant to every eight or ten children. The youngsters were forced into sections of fifties, and two gentlemen and four ladies were responsible for each section, both on the parade and at the tea. A remarkable and

Most Creditable Fact

is that the officials had so carefully organised everything that all the children were seated at the tea tables and had actually started tea in less than five minutes from the time the band ceased playing in the parade. A large brake was provided for the little ones who were too small to walk in the procession.

Some interesting items connected with the commissariat department are appended. We learn that at the juvenile and adult teas the provisions consumed included

250lbs of cake

1 cwt of sugar

10 lbs of tea

30lbs of butter

160 2lb loaves

Besides this list there were 420lbs of ham and beef provided for the tea for adults. All the meats were cooked at the Stores by Mr Twissell, assisted by Mr James Rigby. The beef was supplied by Mr A Timms, butcher, High St and the quality left nothing to be desired. English home-cured hams and sirloins of beef were used. The hams were all baked, not boiled – quite a new feature at Higham Ferrers festivities – and the delicate flavour secured by this up-to-date and scientific method of cooking was highly eulogised by those partaking of the meals.

At five o’clock all the unconsumed provisions were taken down to the sports field – six big clothes baskets full and were distributed amongst the children, who by this time were ready for a second edition, ... ... ... ... also served to them with a liberal hand.

Great Interest

was manifested in particular in one or two of the humorous contests in the sports programme. The sack race, with the laying-down start, was quite a new feature, the extraordinary efforts of some of the competitors, tied up in their sacks, to rise to their feet when the starting signal was given, being very amusing. Immense fun was caused by the men’s Victoria Cross race and the bottle race for men. The contestants in the bottle race were rather hampered by the fading light, and the gathering darkness somewhat interfered with the finish.

In the boot-cleaning contest every competitor received a special one-shilling outfit sent by the C W S who also gave the prizes in the event. After competing each of the 24 lads retained his outfit as a memento of the day. There were 41 competitors in the spoon-cleaning contest for girls, and each received a present of a tin of Pelaw metal polish and a duster.

Among other

Items Worth Noting

are the following:-

Invitations to attend the festivities were sent to representative Co-operators at Rushden, Irchester, Wellingborough, Irthlingborough, Raunds and Finedon, and all were accepted with the exception of Finedon, where the formal opening of a new bakehouse in connection with the Co-operative Society there was taking place.

Mr F Draper supplied the brake for the accommodation of the “tiny tots” in the parade.

Among the interested spectators at the sports was the Mayor of the borough (Alderman Owen Parker J P).

Several of the pioneers of the society were present at the tea, including Mr William C Smith, whose share book was the first issued, being No. 1.

The tickets for the children’s tea were not collected until the evening, when to the youngsters’ delight, they were exchanged for sweets, of which each child received a packet in the field.

An Ambulance tent had been thoughtfully placed on the field, in readiness for any emergency, Mr C Blackwell being in charge, but the only accident case he had to treat was the burst arm of the Victoria Cross dummy! Mr Blackwell in this case rendered very efficient “first aid”.

Mr K Flintham kindly supplied the ropes for the sports enclosure.

Councillor J H Johnson, as chairman of the Sports Committee, had a very busy day on Saturday, and at dinner-time he was on the sports field, seeing that everything was in order for the sports to commence.

From first to last, nothing seems to have been left to chance.

Historical

When the Higham Ferrers Co-operative Society was first started, 21 years ago, the front room of the premises formerly occupied by Mr Josiah Ireson, in the Market-place were secured, and there a capital little business was built up. After ashort time it was found necessary to remove into larger premises, and a shop in High Street was taken, with Miss Emily Glenn (now Mrs Daniels of Newport Pagnell) as manageress. Subsequently the members of the society decided upon a permanent home, and it was resolved to erect a shop in School Board-place, where the society has been comfortably housed ever since. It was found necessary, subsequent to the erection of the premises, to make several additions, including the building of a bakehouse and the extension of the drapery department. An examination of the first half year’s balance sheet is interesting. The

Receipts

For the first half year included £404 from the sale of goods, £38 contributions, and £2 11s entrance fees. The management expenses were only £10 10 0 and the wage bill £17 10 0. The profit on the half-year’s trading was £25 18s 10¼, and it was decided to pay dividend at the rate of 1/6 in the £ to members, which absorbed £16 5 6, and a dividend of 9d. in the £ to non-members, amounting to £6 7 9½. The sum of 13/0 was placed to the reserve fund. The report shows the number of members at the end of the first half-year to have been 48. The auditors of the first balance sheet were Mr Oliver Patenall (now deceased) and Mr George William Newman. The name of Mr George Henry Appleyard appears on the report as secretary of the society. Mr Appleyard, who is now living on the south coast, was the manager of the old Gasworks at Higham Ferrers. It is noteworthy that, with the exception of the first half-year’s balance sheet, the name of Mr C W Perkins has appeared on every financial statement as one of the auditors.

When a copy of the

First Balance Sheet

which was one single sheet of paper, foolscap size – is placed alongside the printed financial statement for the half-year ending June 30th this year, an idea of the growth of the society is at once obtained. The balance sheet is now printed in book form, and consists of 16 pages, set out in the clearest possible form. The membership has grown from 48 to 356. The total trade for the half-year was no less than £3,344, which constitutes a record in the history of the society and is an increase over the corresponding period of the previous year of £421, each department having contributed to the increase in trade. The details of the

SALE OF GOODS

for the last six months are interesting:-

	£	s.	d.
Grocery	2645	11	10
Drapery	439	19	4
Coal	60	11	6
Bakery	182	1	6
Bakings	16	10	9

This makes a total of £3344 14 11. The profit was £538 17 10½, and, after providing liberally for the various funds, it was found possible to declare a dividend of 2/6 in the £ to members, absorbing £400 10 0, and a dividend of 1/- in the £ to non-members costing £1 18 0.

Who Did the Work

In addition to those whose names have already been given there were many willing workers in connection with Saturday’s festivities, as follow:-

Lady waiters for the children’s tea – Misses Ivy Dickenson, Knight, V Clarke, Litchfield, Mould, Nellie Gadsby, Nottingham, P Upton, F Cowley, Pack, Johnson, Line, Draper, Cherry, Smith, lambert, Tearle, Jackson, L Lawrence, M Cowley, Pashler, M J Bates, Bailey, King, Marriott, Richardson, Horsefield and Stanley.

Gentlemen assistants for the children’s tea – Councillors F and E Walker, Messrs G Nuttycombe, H Dickerson, W Richardson, S Barfoot, H Felce, and A Line.

Tray holders for the adult tea – Mesdames W Simmons, H Dickerson, C Blackwell, Upton, G Hunt, Line, A Martin, D Green, E Walker, H Blackwell, Rigby, Lucas, W Newman, Stimpson, H Felce, C Bailey, W Richardson, J Peat, A Cherry, A Pack, A Colton, Johnson, C Draper, G Randall, Geo Hale, Sep Middleton, F Draper, Everett, Webb, King, Wagstaff, John Pashler, T Seckington, Arthur Fletton, F ..., J Boswell, C Bates, A Simmons, ..., and Clayton, Misses Pack, Parrott, Lambert, Mary Hale, and Clayton.

Assistants at the adult tea - Councillors A Pack, and F Walker, Messrs Jackson, Harold Blackwell, Knight, C Jaques, W Simmons, S Upton, Alfred Martin, Line, G Litchfield, H Felce, Walter Richardson, Winters, E Sanders, G Randall, Pashler, T Seckington, W Seckington, H Wooding, J Judd, Wagstaff, T Randall, S Barfoot, F Draper and Cecil Pack.

The committee of the Women’s Co-operative Guild did the cutting up as follows:- Mesdames E Dickinson, Bayes, C Barnes, W Randall, M Tinston, A Cherry, E Lawrence, Arthur Pack, Twissell and Mould.

Carvers – Councillors F Walker and A Pack, Messrs Mould, Sep Middleton, Oliver Middleton, H Felce, H Dickerson, and G Nuttycombe.

Tea makers – Messrs J Hale and W Marriott at the B W T A Hall, Beetson and Geo Newell at the Band Club, J Rigby, and E Lawrence at the Stores, Z Newell and Cherry sen, at the parish Rooms.

Mrs E Dickenson was in charge of the food supplies at the Band Club, Mrs Mould at the B W T A Hall, and Mrs Twissell at the Parish Rooms.

For the adults tea Councillor F Walker was in charge at the band Club, Councillor A Pack at the B W T A Hall, and Mr Twissell at the Parish Rooms; and for the children’s tea, Councillor F Walker at the B W T A Hall and Councillor A Pack at the Band Club.