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Mr Gates' warehouse is the first building on the left
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Mr Gates' cart
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Herbert Samuel Gates had been in London for 5 years, but moved back to Rushden and took over a wholesale fruiterers’ business at the corner of Park Road and Harborough Road. As a wholesale fruiterer, he supplied most bananas to shops in town and was succeeded by his son. He moved to premises in Wellingborough Road in 1912, and first advertised in Kelly’s Directory 1914. The business premises were at 208 Wellingborough Road, the family living at 1 Harborough Road.
Herbert was born at Cambridge in 1870 and his wife Jane Storey was born in Leeds the same year. Following their marriage in 1895, their first son Arthur was born in Rushden in 1896 (he later trained as a butcher). Their second son, Herbert, was born in Holloway, London the following year, but soon they had returned to Rushden where their first daughter Laura Hilda was born in 1900, followed by Nellie two years later.
The business continued at least into the late 1950s.
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About 1909 the yard became the premises of Henry Sparrow, a builder, who was also a member of the Fire Brigade.
| 1909 Cycle Parade & Gala |
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Mr H S Gates, Wholesale fruiterer, of Harborough Road, Rushden, awarded second prize in Class 18, a splendid exhibit of bananas, pineapples, melons, and other fruits. Driven by J Dickens
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Rushden Echo, 15th September 1916, transcribed by Kay Collins
A Sale of Work on behalf of her Soldiers’ Comforts Fund was arranged by Miss Nellie Gates and was held yesterday in the grounds of Rose Mount, Irchester-road, by permission of Mr and Mrs J Knight. The effort was most successful, and attracted a good number of visitors. The stalls comprised a fancy stall in charge of the Misses Nellie Gates and Connie Selwood, a confectionery stall supervised by Misses Lily Knight and Flossie Sharwood, and a bran pie under the direction of the Misses Gwennie Brightwell and Rene Selwood. Little Miss Gates is to be heartily congratulated on the success of her effort, which was the means of raising £3/3/3. For the past twelve months she has been working very hard making socks, scarves, wallets, etc., for the soldiers at the front. She has 36 men on her list to whom she writes regularly and who thoroughly appreciate her kindness to them, as is shewn by the many letters of thanks she has received. Nellie is not able to attend school like other little girls, being a little invalid, so she is devoting the time she thus has at her disposal to the worthy end above mentioned.
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Rushden Echo, 26th April 1918, transcribed by Kay Collins
Rushden Casualty List
Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Gates, of 208, Wellingborough-road, Rushden, have received a postcard from their younger son, Pte. Herbert Thomas ("Bert") Gates, of the East Surreys, stating he is a prisoner of war. According to the postmark on the card, Pte. Gates was taken on March 25th, viz., on the third day after the opening of the great German offensive. Pte. Gates, who is but 19 years of age, joined the Colours in February, 1917, and went to France only in January last. His elder brother, Driver Arthur Gates, of the Royal Horse Artillery, is also serving his country on the Western front, having joined the Colours in November, 1914, immediately following the outbreak of war. He has been in France over three years, and has so far come through unscathed. Mr. and Mrs. Gates have been considerably relieved to receive news concerning their younger son, as six weeks had elapsed since they last received a letter from him.
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The delivery lorry being used during wartime - standing left is John Smith
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