Rushden Research Group: Edward Croft

William Mark - Edward Croft - Croft & Nichols

74 High Street

William Mark was trading here in 1901, as a stationer and bookseller. William was born in Cumberland in 1856, he was a printer by trade, and had married Frances Agnes, a Hackney girl. They lived at Duston.

Library bookplate

This Library bookplate tells us the book was lent out four times between March 1901 and March 1902 and

"The charge to Non-Subscribers for reading this Book is TWOPENCE per volume per week or part of a week, counting from the last date appearing below."

The TWOPENCE has been crossed out and written over it is "1d" for one pence.

The bookplate (right) tells us that the printing company had been established "more than a century" and shows the works were at Old Swan Yard, with a shop in The Drapery at Northampton.

Bookplate from a ledger supplied to Allebone's in 1903

Maps c1900-1905


Mark's Map c1900		Croft's Map c1905

Printer, Stationer & Gold Stamper
Lending Library & Bookseller

Edward Croft traded at 74 High Street from 1904, and included a lending library. The business became Croft & Nichols in about 1912, and continued until about 1939.

The window advertises:- Cycling Maps, Cricket and Lawn Tennis Goods, Easter Cards, Travelling Bags & Dress Baskets.

By 1955 the Co-op had established a chemist and photographic department in this shop.

A book label

The shop from a postcard 1905

c1910 this postcard shows tennis rackets, cricket bats and
bags hanging outside the shop.

From a souvenir programme for the celebrations at Higham Ferrers in June 1911 for the Coronation - printed by Edward Croft

1921 advert


This large Croft & Nichols envelope was found, during building work in 1989, at 118 High Street. It contained a large sheet of carbon paper.

Index of all Traders