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George Chettle collecting a horse for slaughter
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George Chettle was born in Rushden in 1870, second son of Edwin and Eliza. The family lived at 40 Duck Street. Edwin worked in the shoe trade, and was also a horse dealer. He died in November 1889 aged 59.
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Northampton Mercury, October 21st 1865, transcribed by Susan Manton
Edwin Chettle, horse dealer, was summoned by Mr. John Gross, farmer of Rushden Lodge, for having on several recent occasions permitted his horse to stray and graze roadside herbage over which he has the sole right. Complainant said the thing had happened so frequently of late that he felt compelled to put a stop to it. His horse had once shied, and he was very nearly thrown out of the gig through it taking fright at one of the defendant's horses, as he was driving home at night. He had ordered them to be pounded several times, but the defendant swore so awfully at the pinner that the old man was in fear of him. Complainant withdrew on of the charges on defendant promising not to offend again and he was fined 5s and costs 13s. Paid.
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Like his father, George also worked in the shoe trade. He married Caroline Campion, daughter of John, on 4th August 1889 at St Mary's Church.
George and Caroline lived in Washbrook Road and both were shoe rivetters. By 1898 George was advertising as a general dealer, and two years later they had moved to 55 Duck Street, had two young sons, and George was now a horse slaughterer, with stables at the bottom of Fitzwilliam Street. He rented out the space above the stables to Albert Cox as an engineering workshop. In 1910 the business was at 63 Duck Street, where they remained until about 1927. For two or three years they had a yard in Spencer Road, but then moved to Shirley Road. At the bottom of Fitzwilliam Street they kept a pet food shop where they sold some of the horse flesh.
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George Chettle - Horse Slaughterer, Rushden
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Rushden Echo, 16th February 1917, transcribed by Gill Hollis
Rushden Horse Slaughterer’s Appeal
Mr. J. C. Parker appealed for the exemption of Sidney Chettle (25, single), a horse keeper and horse slaughterer, in the employ of his father, George Chettle, Duck-street, Rushden, who also has a small farm and eight head of cattle. The Rushden Tribunal had granted 14 days (final).
Mr. Parker asked for further time, and put in a petition signed by 58 farmers, and also letters showing the military had no substitute to offer. The business would have to be given up if this man went.
Mr. Marlow: The largest business of this kind is carried on by ladies.
Mr. Parker: Yes, sir, in the management, but not in the handling and cutting up of carcases.
Exemption to March 9th (final).
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Rushden Echo, 26th August 1921, transcribed by Kay Collins
A Serious Accident happened to Mr. Chettle, junr., eldest son of Mr. George Chettle, horse slaughterer. Mr. Chettle was motor-cycling home when the front tyre burst and jammed the wheel, with the result that he was thrown over the handle-bars. He was rendered unconscious, and was found lying on the road by a local motorist, who conveyed him home in his side-car. It was found that his collar-bone was fractured.
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The barns were converted to shop
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Extract from Council Meeting January 1924
Knacker's Yard - An application was also received from Messrs. G. Chettle and Son for a renewal of their Knacker's Yard Licence and it was resolved to recommend the Council to accede thereto.
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Extract from Council Meeting March 1924
Miscellaneous Buildings - An application was received from Mr. G. Chettle to convert two barns in Fitzwilliam-street into lock-up shops, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to take no exception provided a new plan is submitted.
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The shop was still selling pet meat in the 1970s
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Chettle & Sons horse and cart
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Violet and Minnie
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Extract from an article by Doreen Denny (nee Wells)
At the bottom of Fitzwilliam Hill was a stone built shop where Vi and Minnie Chettle sold high-class sweets.
They sold the shop to their father where he sold fruit, veg, groceries and cigarettes and in the yard behind he kept his horse and cart and rented out the other stables and sheds.
Above the stables there was a workshop where Mr Cox began to repair shoe racks for the local shoe companies and he did small engineering jobs.
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The picture left shows the shop in the stone building at the foot of Fitzwilliam Street, but Doreen Denny tells us that her father bought his shop at 48 Duck Street from the girls in 1930, so perhaps they had moved from here in the 1920s. |
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| This stone was unearthed on the site behind the shop in 2023. The initials are thought to be for Charles Chettle and his wife Lizzie Chettle who had moved to this address from Milton Place sometime between 1901 and 1911. Charles was a son of Edwin, and a brother of George. The signifcance of the date May 26 1911 is unknown.......
Charles died in 1912 aged 53.
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