St. Peter’s Church starts jubilee celebrations

Jubilee year has begun at St. Peter’s, Rushden. The first special service, held on Sunday evening, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the stone-laying.

As the choir walked in procession, followed by the Rev. J. R. Aspinall, who became vicar of the parish this year, and Archdeacon of Oakham, who was to preach the sermon, only a few of those present could remember Tuesday, September 25, 1906, when choristers walked on the same spot but in the open-air.

Glancing at the brown foundation stone, some may not know that at the original ceremony the pillar of which it was to form part was surrounded by a platform decorated with flags and greenery, with pennants flying from the top of each nearby scaffold pole.

Lord Ampthill, who had been Governor of Madras and a temporary Viceroy of India, laid the stone and gave an address, Lady Ampthill was with him. The Rev. E. G. Betenson was curate-in-charge of the parish.

Those Present

The ceremony was conducted by Archdeacon Kitchin, then Rural Dean. The churchwardens, Messrs. R. Marriott and W. Chettle and the churchwardens of St. Mary’s, Messrs. G. Skinner and G. S. Mason, were among those who stood within the roped-off enclosure, with the Church council and many clergymen from the district.

Walking out from the “temporary” church (now St. Peter’s Room) which had been built in 1895, the choir sang “The Church’s One Foundation.” A Church Lads Brigade contingent was on parade.

When the stone was lowered it entombed a current yearbook of the church accounts, the programme of a recent bazaar, the printed form of service used for the opening ceremony, coins and a copy of “The Times.”

So many people were there that two hymns were sung during the taking of a collection which brought in £30. Other events that day were a tea and concert at the Co-operative Hall.

Began As Mission

Eleven or twelve years before the stone-laying, the work of St. Peter’s parish began as a mission launched by the Rev. C. J. Gordon, then rector of Rushden. It was Mr. Gordon who established the fund for a permanent church by giving £1,000.

The entire site from Midland road to Station Road cost £300. Mr. Talbot Brown, of Wellingborough, prepared the plans for the new Saint Peter’s, Mr. Robert Marriott’s tender for the building work was £4,423, but at the time of the stone-laying, with £2,716 actually in hand or promised, there was uncertainty as to whether the full plan would be carried out. It was, and the church’s major jubilee will be celebrated next year.

In the meantime almost every week will bring its special activities and money will be raised for several urgent purposes.