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(left) The Old Post Office and the Coffee Tavern in Wood Street
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In 1873 Mr John Groome was postmaster, when Jonathan Seckington first
started as rural postman delivering to Rushden and Wymington. |
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A notice of assessment for Income Tax for £25 in 1872 to Charles Hewitt, Rushden sub-postmaster.
The signature of J Groome in receipt of the sum, the Postmaster at Higham Ferrers, the main
Post Office, Rushden being a sub-office. |
Rushden Echo, 15th November 1901
Postal Changes—Miss B. Saxby, assistant clerk in the Rushden Post Office, has left to take up a similar position at Castleford, Yorkshire. Miss Saxby was four years at Rushden and three years at Higham Ferrers post office previously. On Friday the combined staffs at Rushden and Higham Ferrers presented Miss Saxby with an ebony-backed hair brush, clothes brush, comb, and handglass, with silver initials, as a token if their high esteem for her.
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1911 - Long Service Postmen - wearing their medal awards posed
outside Higham Ferrers Post Office, the main office for the district.
Photo by S Powell
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1924 caption - In the doorway is seen Mr. R. J. Downing, the postmaster. Outside are four postal veterans. Standing: Mr. William Eaton, Higham Ferrers (31 years' service), and Mr. John Lilley, Rushden (24 years and 4 months’ service), seated: Mr. George White, Higham Ferrers (34 years and 6 months’ service and Mr. Jonathan Seckington, Rushden (34 years and 3 months’ service).
All have received the full number of good conduct stripes (six), Mr. Seckington, Mr. White, and Mr. Eaton also being awarded
the Imperial Service Medal.
Mr. Lilley was unable, through ill-health, to complete his full 25 years’ service, so could not be the recipient of the Imperial Service Medal. When the photograph was taken in 1911, Mr. Frederick Smith, rural postman from Higham to Irthlingborough, was unable to join the group. He had served 33 years
and 9 months' and retired at the age of 64, receiving the full number of good conduct stripes. The Imperial Service Medal was not issued on his retirement, or, of course, he would have been in receipt of one.
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Mr. Downing is still the energetic postmaster at Higham Ferrers, but the four postmen in the photograph and Mr. Fred Smith have, with the death of Mr. Seckington, all passed away.
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Postman for 35 years George White. After 30 years he could have retired on a pension, but chose to carry on for five more years, and retired on his 65th birthday. The King presented him, on May 6th 1911, with a Medal for his long service.
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| Rushden Echo, 1st January 1909, transcribed by Kay Collins
The First Pensioner to draw his old age pension at Higham Ferrers on Jan. 1st was Mr John Wilson, who entered the post office as soon as it was opened, at 8a.m. There are about 40 pensioners in the borough.
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Rushden Echo, 1st March 1918, transcribed by Kay Collins
Postal Staff - Mrs. Houghton, wife of Seaman Houghton, has this week been appointed on the postal staff at Higham Ferrers.
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Schools and the Post Office in Wharf Road c1930
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Rushden Echo, 4th August 1944, transcribed by Peter Brown
OBITUARY — Mr Arthur Smith (74), of Queens Walk Stamford, who died last Saturday after a long illness, was a son of the late Mr and Mrs Frederick Smith, of Higham Ferrers, and was for many years a postman at Higham Ferrers and Irthlingborough, afterwards removing to Stamford in the same capacity. He leaves a widow and family.
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Two photos of Jack Neal - sometime postman
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