Rushden Research Group: co-op Oct 1958 buy Succoth Chapel

Rushden Industrial Co-operative Society

Buys The Succoth Chapel

Rushden Echo & Argus, Friday, October 12,1956

Co-op shops to take place of old chapel

ONE of Rushden's oldest places of worship, the Succoth Strict Baptist Chapel in High Street, has been purchased by Rushden Co-operative Society and will be demolished to make way for new shops.

The purchase contract was signed this week atter five or six months of negotiations which were prolonged because the chapel trustees are widely dispersed.

Though the famous Charles Drawbridge, of Wellingborough, used to preach there and set the village of those days buzzing with his eccentric utterances, it has been many years since the chapel had it's own pastor and in recent times the membership has dwindled to about a dozen.

These loyal worshippers do not intend to give up meeting and will use other premises— possibly the Rochdale Rooms, though this is not confirmed —for their services. There will be no service next Sunday, though Mr. Ernest Hobbs, spokesman for the chapel, says there is nothing to stop the congregation making further use of the old premises for the time being if they so desire.

The purchase price has not been disclosed, but Mr. Hobbs describes it as "reasonable." The money he says, will be retained by the trustees, but if members disband at any time. it will be given to the charity commissioners for distribution among needy churches in the county.

The pulpit, with some ol the pews, is going shortly to a new chapel at Northampton It is from this pulpit that Drawbridge is reputed to have greeted the late arrival of his wife for a service by telling the congregation: "Don't take any notice. It's only Sal Drawbridge with a chest of drawers on her head." It appears that Mrs. Drawbridge had paid lor a new hat by selling a chest of drawers.

Mr. R. R. Griffiths, secretary- manager of Rushden Cooperative Society, said yesterday that the Sunday School at the rear of the chapel will be used for a time as extra office accommodation. When the chapel is cleared the site mav be used for a radio and television shop.

Evening Telegraph, October 1956

Rushden Co-op Buys Succoth Baptist Chapel

SUCCOTH BAPTIST CHAPEL, founded in 1805, has been sold to Rushden Co-operative Society and will be pulled down from its commanding position in High Street.

The tall chapel, almost opposite the Palace Cinema whose sale made recent news still contains the pulpit from which Charles Drawbridge, the eccentric Wellingborough divine of last centuj'y preached to the local congregation of Strict Baptists. An inscription on the stonework shows that it was enlarged in 1825, rebuilt in 1864 and again enlarged in 1893.

Membership has declined to about 12, and for the last few years the future of the building has been the subject of speculation.

Negotiations with Rushden Co-operative Society have been in progress about five or six months, and a contract for the purchase has been signed this week.

NO SERVICE
It has been stated that the congregation will hold future services at the Rochdale Rooms, which belong to the purchasers, but Mr. Ernest Hobbs, who has acted for the sellers, could not confirm this today. He said there will be no service next Sunday, but added that until the negotiations are complete there is nothing to stop the members using the chapel.

Mr. Hobbs said the trustees had accepted "a reasonable offer." They would retain the money for the present, but if at any time the congregation disbanded it would go to the Charity Commissioners for distribution among the needy churches of Northamptonshire.

OFFICE USE
The pulpit and some of the pews will go almost immediately to a new Strict Baptist chapel ,at Northampton, and other pews will probably go to another church. The portable organ, if not required by the members, will go to a chapel at Carlton, Beds.

The rear portion of the building connects up with existing Co-operative property at the Rectory Road car park, and this part of the premises will be adapted by the society for temporary use as additional office accommodation.

Mr. Ralph Griffiths, managing-secretary of the society told the "Evening Telegraph" that the property would ultimately be pulled down leaving was that regarded as a likely site for a radio and television shop the management had in mind.

The Rushden Echo, 17th February 1967, transcribed by Jim Hollis

Succoth Chapel to be demolished

The Succoth Chapel in Rushden High Street, founded in 1805 and later rebuilt, is to be demolished within the next few months. The disused chapel, owned by Rushden Co-operative Society, is to make way for another society shop, said its managing secretary, Mr. Ralph Griffiths.

Although no definite date has yet to be fixed for the demolition, it will certainly be completed by the end of the summer, and probably sooner.

The bakery, in Newton Road, Rushden, also owned by the Co-operative Society, is to be demolished as well. No plans for development have yet been made in this direction, however. The bakery was opened at the beginning of the century and it was at that time the latest development in baking and confectionary in the district. The bakery has not been used for some time.