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Brief History of the Village from Kelly's Directory 1910
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HIGHAM FERRERS is a municipal borough and a market town, originally a borough by prescription; it has a station on the Wellingborough and Higham Ferrers branch of the Midland railway, and another station 1 mile north from the town, on the Northampton and Peterborough section of the London and North Western railway, 5 miles east from Wellingborough, 8 south-west from Thrapston, 10 south-east from Kettering, 16 east-north-east from Northampton and 65 from London. Irchester station on the main line of the Midland railway is 3 miles south-west. The parish is in the Eastern division of the county, hundred of Higham Ferrers, union and county court district of Wellingborough, rural deanery of Higham Ferrers (first portion), archdeaconry of Oakham and diocese of Peterborough. The town is situated on a rocky height near the navigable river Nen or Nene, and on the road from Bedford to Kettering; in Domesday it is called "Hecham," and takes its after-name from the Earls Ferrers, who were its lords; Roman pottery and remains of buildings have been found here. The town was incorporated prior to the time of King John, but the earliest existing charter is that of 2 and 3 Philip and Mary (1555-6), and this charter was confirmed by Jas. I. and also in 36 Chas. II. (1684-5). The corporation formerly consisted of a mayor, 7 aldermen and 13 capital burgesses, a recorder and deputy recorder, but under the provisions of the "Municipal Corporations Act, 1883" (46 and 47 Vict. c. 18) the corporation was dissolved and the borough received a new Charter of Incorporation, June, 1887, and is now governed by a mayor, 4 aldermen and 12 councillors. The town is lighted with gas by a company, and supplied with water from the Higham Ferrers and Rushden Water Works, at Sywell, constructed at a cost of £110,000, and opened in 1906. The town formerly sent one member to Parliament, but was disfranchised by the Reform Act of 1832. The church of St. Mary, a large and beautiful structure, formerly collegiate, and built about 1220, is in the Early English and later styles, and consists of choir, double nave with clerestory on each of the outer sides, north and south aisles, south and west porches, several chapels and an embattled western tower with pinnacles and an octagonal crocketed spire rising to the height of 170 feet, and containing a clock and 8 bells: the carved work of the inner west doorway is much admired: there are four ancient oak screens, and on each side of the chancel ten 15th century miserere seats beautifully carved: there is a double piscina in the sanctuary and single ones in the Lady chapel and south chapel: the eastern windows, one of which has a niche above it, are very fine: the font is Early English date: in the north chantry chapel altar tomb with a fine canopy and super-canopy, bearing on the slab a full-length brass effigy of an ecclesiastic and an invocatory inscription to Laurence St. Maur, rector, ob. 1337 ; at the sides of the canopy are niches with figures of saints, four of which on the north side are now lost: on the breast of the figure is the legend, "Fili Dei, Miserere mei;" on another marble slab is an elegant cross fleury, with the Deity in the centre, evangelistic symbols at the angles and an inscription at the foot, to Thomas Chichele, ob. 25th February, 1400, and Agnes (Pyncheon), his wife, the father and mother of Archbishop Chichele; near this are two fine effigies in brass of a man in a loose robe with his feet on a lion, and a woman in a mantle and veil, commemorating William Chichele, sheriff and alderman of London, ob. 1425, and Beatrice (Barret), his wife; there remain 12 English verses, but the other inscription, formerly below, is lost; there are also brass effigies with invocations from the Latin Litany, and an inscription in English to William Thorpe, mercer, ob. 5 Oct. 1504, and Maryon, his widow, with 12 children: in the choir is a large slab with the brass effigy of a man in a furred and ornamented robe, and below an invocatory inscription in Latin to Richard Wylleys, warden of Archbishop Chichele's College here, ob/c. 1523; north of this is the brass effigy of a female in a loose robe, with inscription in Latin to Edith, widow of John Chaunceler, merchant, of Kensham, c. 1435; near the entrance to the south chapel is the brass effigy of an ecclesiastic, with a Latin inscription to Henry Denton, chaplain of Chelston, ob. 18 Feb. 1498: in the north aisle is a brass effigy, representing Arthur Sotheryn, ob. 1518, and there are two other brass effigies of civilians, both c. 1540, but without inscriptions: the church is 119 feet in length by 69 feet wide and was thoroughly restored in 1864, at a cost of £6,000: the churchyard was enlarged in the year 1870, at a cost of £228 and new iron gates placed at the entrance at a further cost of £50: an organ was placed in the church in the year 1877, at a cost of £680: in 1884 a beautiful reredos of walnut was set up, and the chancel new floored; and in 1885 the east window was filled with stained glass by W. H. Pope esq. and Mrs. Pope: and there is a memorial window, erected in 1897 by Dr. Crew, to the Rev. Mr. Dixon, and one in the south side of the chancel to the memory of the late Mr. H. Greene, for many years deputy recorder of the borough. The register dates from the year 1573. The living is a vicarage, united to that of Chelveston, joint net yearly value £200, including 66 acres of glebe, with residence in the gift of G. C. Wentworth-Fitzwilliam esq. and held since 1906 by the Rev. Gerard Markby Davidson M.A. of Clare College, Cambridge. The vicarage house has been rebuilt, but the room originally occupied by the warden of the Bede House, and containing some oak carving, still remains. St. Mary's parish room, a building of stone, was opened in 1904. There is a Wesleyan Methodist chapel. The Town Hall, erected in 1808, is a small building of stone, in a very plain style; petty sessions are held on the second Monday in each month, and occasional courts as required. The municipal insignia comprise one mace and a borough seal: the mace, of silvergilt, is 3 feet 3 inches in length, and has a slender shaft divided by knops into three sections, the head, supported on three plain scrolls, is elongated, and has four oval panels filled with various devices, and around it an inscription recording its gift to the borough in 1791 by John Lee esq M P for Higham: on the flat top are the royal arms, and surmounting the head an open crown with orb and cross: the donor's arms are engraved on the shaft. The circular seal exhibits a hand fesswise in the act of blessing, and below this nine heads couped at the neck, four respecting five, and around is the legend “SIGILLV . MVNICIPII . DE . HIGHAM . FERRERS." The chief trades are boot and shoe manufacture and currying. The markets used to be held thrice a week, but were discontinued in the early part of the last century. Of the castle once standing here, only part of the earthworks now remains. Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1414-43, and founder of All Souls College, Oxford, was born here about 1362, and in 1422 founded in this place a college for a master and seven canons, dedicating it to SS. Mary and Thomas the Martyr, and St. Edward the Confessor, and the existing church then became collegiate. At the dissolution of the monasteries the college was suppressed, revenues being then estimated at £156 yearly, and the property granted to Sir Robert Dacres. The Grammar school was presented and the appointment of headmaster was transferred to the Corporation. The remains of this college, consisting of portions of the court with the gateway, still stand in the main street of the town, and one of the walls bears a curious sun-dial. The Bede House, on the south side of the churchyard, is an ancient building in the Perpendicular style, forming a parallelogram: the western portion was originally divided into sleeping cabins, the chapel being at the east end: the hall has an oak roof of six bays, and contains a large original fireplace: it was restored in the year 1854, chiefly at the expense of Earl Fitzwilliam, and is now used as a Sunday school. Of the ancient Hospital of St. James there are no remains. There are two ancient crosses, one of stone carved with oak leaf foliage, in the churchyard, and a monolithic cross of stone in the Market square. From Archbishop Chichele's charity twelve poor men and one woman receive one penny per day and other gratuities. Newman's charity of about £160 yearly, founded in 1855 by William Newman of this place and derived from Consols, is for six old women, inhabitants of the parish, who occupy six houses erected by the Corporation in accordance with his will; they receive £5 4s. each quarterly. A sum of £9 yearly, arising from Latham's, Glazebrook's, Sanders' and Maskell's charities, is distributed; Miss Pressland, a native of the town, in 1892 bequeathed to the mayor £3,000 for distribution amongst the poor widows of the town, this has been invested and the interest, amounting to between £80 and £90 yearly, is annually distributed: there are also several municipal charities annually distributed. Earl Fitzwilliam D.S.O. and the Duchy of Lancaster are the principal landowners. The mayor being lord of the borough manor. The soil is mixed; subsoil, chiefly clay, limestone and ironstone. The chief crops are wheat, barley and beans. The parish and municipal borough contains 1,931 acres of land and 14 of water; rateable value, £8,356; the population in 1901 was 2,540, and is now (1910) estimated at about 3,000.
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| Services
Post, M. 0. T. & Telephone Call Office (letters should have Northants added)—Richard John Downing, postmaster. Letters arrive from London & all parts at 5.20 a.m.; delivered at 7 a.m.; second mail arrive at 10.27a.m.; delivered at 10.40 a.m.; third mail arrives at 5.30 p.m.; delivered at 5.55 p.m.; 1st dispatch 5.15 a.m.; second dispatch at 11.15 a.m.; third dispatch at 12.25 p.m.; fourth dispatch at 2.35 p.m.; fifth dispatch at 4.10 p.m.; sixth dispatch at 6.40 p.m.; seventh dispatch at 9 p m. Letter Box cleared at 6.50 & 11.5 a.m. & 12.25, 2.35, 4.10, 6.15, 6.40 & 9p.m.; sundays, 4.45 p.m. Letters arrive on Sundays at 5.20 a.m.; delivered at 7 a.m.; dispatched at 4.45 p.m.
Public Elementary School, built, with master's residence, in 1873, at a cost of £2,500, for 250 children, & enlarged in 1886 at a further cost of about £1,200, to hold 400 children; new infant schools built in 1897, at a cost of £2,200, to hold 200; average attendance, 490; Frank William Margetts, master; Miss Chapman, infants' mistress.
The school is controlled by six managers; Alderman Thomas Patenall, chairman & correspondent; Arthur Mantle, 124 Queen street, Rushden, clerk.
L. & N. W. Railway Station, Frederick George, station master
Midland Railway Station, Henry Pitt, station master
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| Corporation |
| 1909-10 Mayor—Alderman Owen Parker |
| Aldermen |
| Retire in Nov. 1910 |
| Charles Jolley |
| Thomas Patenall |
| Retire in Nov. 1913 |
| Owen Parker |
| Walter Spong |
| Councillors |
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Retire in November, 1910
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| Frank D. Brazier |
| W. H. Gadsby |
| J. H. Johnson |
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Retire in November, 1911
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| A.Franklin |
| William Newman |
| A. Pack |
| Frank Walker |
| Retire in November, 1912 |
| W. Hector |
| G. Kilsby |
| C. W. Perkins |
| A. E. Walker |
| The Corporation meet at the Town hall the 1st monday in every month. |
| Officers of the Corporation |
| Town Clerk, W. Hirst Simpson B.A |
| Deputy Town Clerk, F. Joseph Simpson |
| Treasurer, Frank Lowick Heygate |
| Medical Officer of Health, Frederick Denys Crew B.A., M.B. Camb |
| Borough Surveyor, Sanitary Inspector & Collector, Albt. Edward Lloyd C.R.S.I |
| Borough Magistrate |
| The Mayor |
| Clerk, William Hirst Simpson B.A. |
| Borough petty sessions are held at the Town hall the 2nd monday in every month, at 11 a.m. |
| Town Hall, Frank Felce, keeper |
| Public Officers |
| Police Constable, Walter Evans Powell |
| Town Crier, James Draper |
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| Officers of the Corporation |
| Town Clerk, W. Hirst Simpson B.A |
| Deputy Town Clerk, F. Joseph Simpson |
| Treasurer, Frank Lowick Heygate |
| Medical Officer of Health, Frederick Denys Crew B.A., M.B. Camb |
| Borough Surveyor, Sanitary Inspector & Collector, Albt. Edward Lloyd C.R.S.I |
| Borough Magistrate |
| The Mayor |
| Clerk, William Hirst Simpson B.A. |
| Borough petty sessions are held at the Town hall the 2nd monday in every month, at 11 a.m. |
| Town Hall, Frank Felce, keeper |
| Public Officers |
| Police Constable, Walter Evans Powell |
| Town Crier, James Draper |
| Private Residents |
| Browning Theodore |
| Crew John J.P. Manor house |
| Davidson Rev. Gerard Markby M.A., Vicarage |
| Flintham Mrs |
| Groome Albert Owen |
| Groome Mrs. Abraham |
| Jolley Charles |
| Jones Rev. Robt. Watkin (Wesleyan) |
| Parker Edward, The Elms |
| Parker Owen J.P |
| Parkin William George |
| Randall Mrs. Lymington house |
| Richardson Rev. Fredk. B.A. (curate) |
| Simpson Francis Joseph |
| Smith Reginald |
| Spong Waliter |
| Walker Frank |
| West Charles |
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| Commercial |
| Early closing day, Wednesday. |
| Afford George, shopkeeper, Grove st |
| Alliancie Meat Co., butchers |
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Association for Prosecution of Felons (Simpson B.A. solicitor & treasurer)
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| Athletic Working Men's Club (Charles Cox, caretaker) |
| Banks Eva Maud (Miss), dress maker, York street |
| Beaver William Matthias, draper |
| Birch Thomas, shopkeeper, 19 Grove st |
| Brazier Frank D. carriage & motor builder. Tel. No. 8X2 |
| Button George, cowkeeper |
| Capital & Counties Bank Limited (sub-branch) (William M. Hensman, open mondays 10 to 11, Fridays 11 to 1; draw on head office, 39 Threadneedle street, London E C |
| Chamberlain Charles, farmer |
| Chown Robert Taylor, miller (water) |
| Clifton Albert, Green Dragon hotel & posting house & billiard saloon. T N 188 |
| Colton Charles Robert, tailor |
| Cowley Edward, beer retailer |
| Cox Veni (Mrs.), Chequers P.H |
| Crew Frederick Denys B.A., M.B. Camb. surgeon, & medical officer of health to the borough |
| Crew John L.R.C.P.Lond., M.E.C.S. Eng. surgeon |
| Dickens John, farmer |
| Dickeson Henry, coal merchant |
| Draper Frederick, cab proprietor |
| Draper James, town crier & bill poster |
| Ellis & Everard Limited, builders' merchants &c |
| Felce Frank, keeper of Town hall |
| Fire Brigade (Capt. F. Joseph Simpson) |
| Flawn Elizabeth (Mrs.), beer retailer |
| Fletton Frederick William, beer retailer & hair dresser |
| Flintham Knighton, farmer |
| Fortescue Walter Ernest, confectioner |
| Gadd James Henry, hair dresser |
| Gadsby Elizabeth (Mrs.), fishmonger |
| Garner William, baker |
| Hall George, builder |
| Hall George, draper |
| Hancock Edwin, coffee tavern |
| Hartwell John, shopkeeper, Lancaster st |
| Hector William, currier |
| Hester Alfred, Queen's Head P.H |
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| Commercial |
| Higham Co-operative Society |
| Higham Ferrers & District Freehold Land Society Ltd. (E. Parker, sec) |
| Higham Ferrers Co-operative Boot & Shoe Productive Society Limited |
| Higham Ferrers Leather Dressers Ltd |
| Higham Ferrers Town Band Working Men's Club & Institute (Alfred Smith, sec) |
| Holyoak John, hairdresser |
| Horrell Edward Henry, farmer |
| Horsley John Ltd., corn merchants |
| Ireson Josiah, builder |
| James Edward A., fishmonger |
| Kilsby George, currier |
| Kisbee John, shopkeeper |
| Lamb Alice (Mrs.), teacher of music, Kimbolton road |
| Lines Herbert, Swan P.H |
| Lloyd Albert Edward C.R.S.I., borough surveyor, sanitary inspector & collector & asst. overseer, Town hall |
| London & North Western Parcels Receiving Office, Green Dragon hotel |
| Lovell Arthur, blacksmith |
| Luck & Andrew Limited, packing case makers |
| Marriott Ambrose & Co. heating, ventilating & laundry engineers, mill furnishers &c. (T A "Marriotts, Higham Ferrers;" T N 38 Rushden); & at Northampton |
| Mason George Stewart, solicitor, see Simpson & Mason |
| Measures Charles Hy. Smart, baker |
| Middleton James, shopkeeper |
| Middleton Thomas, Anchor P.H |
| Miller William, Griffin P.H |
| Neal Sarah (Mrs.), wardrobe dealer |
| Newell Samuel Jackson, shopkeeper |
| Newman Nellie (Miss), dress maker |
| Northamptonshire Union Bank Ltd. (branch) (Frank Lowick Heygate, manager); open fridays 1 to 3 p.m.; draw on Williams Deacon's Bank Ltd, 20 Birchin lane, London E C |
| Nunley John H., manure merchant |
| Pack John, shopkeeper |
| Palmer Charles & Co. Ltd. grocers |
| Parker Charles, boot & shoe manuf'r |
| Parker Fred, wheelwright |
| Parker Sidney D. beer retailer |
| Parker Thomas Henry, blacksmith |
| Partridge Jas. shopkeeper, Lancaster st |
| Patenall Bessie (Miss), boot dealer |
| Patenall Thomas, boot & shoe manufr |
| Perkins Miriam (Mrs.), milliner |
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| Commercial |
| Quincey Eleanor (Mrs.), shopkeeper |
| Randall Frederick, tailor |
| Randall James, teacher of music |
| Roberts William N., leather dresser |
| Rogers Reginald, watch maker |
| Rose John, grocer & draper |
| Sanders Thomas, currier |
| Sargent Eliza (Mrs.), White Horse P.H |
| Saxby Roland Parsons, pork butcher |
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Selwood G. & Co. boot & shoe manfrs
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| Sharman Samuel, boot & shoe maker |
| Shelton Frederick John, butcher |
| Shelton George Leonard, plumber |
| Simpson & Mason, solicitors; & at Rushden |
| Simpson Francis Joseph, solicitor (firm, Simpson & Mason) |
| Simpson William Hirst B.A. (firm, Simpson & Mason), solicitor, commissioner to administer oaths, clerk to borough magistrate, town clerk, & steward of the manor of Stanwick & clerk to the Wellingborough magistrates; & at Rushden |
| Smith Eliza (Mrs.), grocer |
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Smith Elsie (Miss), dressmaker, Grove street
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| Smith John Edwin, cycle agent |
| Spong Walter, farmer |
| Stafford William, engineer |
| Sterilite Filter Co. (The) |
| Thompson Henry Robert, butcher |
| Thompson William Henry, builder & contractor, 6 Wood street |
| Town Hall (Frank Felce, keeper) |
| Underwood Amos, butcher |
| Warren George, butcher |
| Webb Wm., saddler & harness maker |
| Wheatley William, shopkeeper |
| Woolley Ralph, news agent |
| Wright Arthur Edward, boot manufr |
| Wright F. (Mrs.), confectioner |
| Wyman George (Mrs.), farmer |
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