Jesse Frederick Cook was born in Husborne Crawley in about 1870. He was a compositor and had married Mary who was born at Ridgemont in Bedfordshire, when they moved to London where their daughter Mabel was born in 1896. Three years later they had moved to Rushden where their son Arthur was born in 1900. In 1906 the family was living at Beaconsfield Terrace and trading at 9 Church Street, but four years later they were living in Griffith Street and Jesse had established the printing business at 5 Church Street, where it flourished and his sons eventually joined the company.
The company moved in 1970 to Moor Road, and the Church Street premises were taken into the department store of Peter Crisp Ltd.
Notes: Building already there on 1900 map, when streets were being numbered.
Clarke & Co, were listed as boot & shoe manufacturers in Church Street in 1903 Kellys’ but no property number given.
Edwin Mole, baker listed at number 3 Church Street.
Northern & Payne, coal merchants at number 5.
Rushden Times (branch) also at number 5.
Henry Wheeler & Son, plumbers, were at number 11.
So we are unsure if the building was actulally built as a shoe factory, and then taken over by J F Cook. If you can help with any information, please contact us.