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The Rushden Echo, 7th November, 1924, transcribed by Gill Hollis
A Rushden Trader’s Bankruptcy
Losses Through Depression In Trade And Illness
An Unfortunate Collision
A statement of the affairs of Herbert Sanders Leeding, ’bus driver, of Windmill-banks, North-End, Higham Ferrers, lately a china dealer, of Wentworth-road, Rushden, shows liabilities expected to rank for dividend, £159 16s. 10d.; assets, £5 19s. 5d.; deficiency, £153 17s. 5d. The debtor attributes his failure to “depression in trade, falling markets, heavy expenses in connection with motor-van, and illness of family.” The first meeting of creditors will be held to-morrow at 11 a.m. at the office of the Official Receiver, The Parade, Northampton.
The Official Receiver’s observations are as follow:- “The debtor, aged 34 years, has been employed as a clicker in the boot trade, insurance agent, and drapery assistant at various times until he joined the Army in May, 1915. He was demobilised in April, 1919, with a gratuity of about £20, and then became employed by upholsterers and furniture removers until September, 1921, at which date he started dealing in crockery and glassware. He states his capital consisted of £12 10s. borrowed from a relative. This amount was used in the purchase of stock, and the debtor alleges be borrowed a motor-van from a brother on the condition that he (the debtor) kept it in repair. The business was conducted in the surrounding villages of Rushden, and is stated to have been successful for a time, but after a few months a collision with another van occurred by which the debtor alleges he lost about £20 in consequence of the damage done. At the end of 1922 he found he had not sufficient to pay his debts in full, but continued to trade, hoping for an improvement. This, however, did not materialise, and in October, 1923, the van was returned and the business discontinued, the liabilities then being about £200. Since the latter date the debtor states he did further upholstery jobs and paid instalments on account of his debts so far as he could. In June last he obtained employment as a ’bus driver, and has since been so employed. Creditors, however, pressing for payment induced the debtor to seek advice, with the result that he filed his petition. The debtor has not kept any books of account, neither has he at any time made out a balance-sheet. The household furniture is claimed by a relative of the debtor’s. This claim will be investigated. With the exception of £50 borrowed from a friend in February, 1922, to increase the stock, all the liabilities are stated to be trade goods and expenses.” |
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Rushden Echo, 9th January 1925, transcribed by Kay Collins
A Rushden Trader’s Failure
From Crockery Dealer to Motor-bus Driver
Higham Ferrers Man in the Bankruptcy Court
At Northampton Bankruptcy Court on Tuesday, before the Registrar (Mr T M Percival), Herbert Sanders Leeding, of 1 Windmill Banks, North End, Higham Ferrers, late of Wentworth-road, Rushden, came up for his public examination. He was formerly a china dealer, and he is now a ’bus driver. His liabilities were £159 16s. 10d., assets £5 19s. 5d., leaving a deficiency of £153 17s. 5d.
Questioned by the Deputy Official Receiver, debtor said that before the war he had been a clicker, insurance agent and draper’s assistant for the Rushden Co-operative Society. In 1912 or 1913 he went to Australia, where he did clicking. He returned to England at the end of twelve months because his mother was ill. Debtor said he served in the Army from 1915 to 1919, when he was discharged with a gratuity of £20. He went to Southend to work for his brothers, one of whom was an upholsterer and the other a motor driver. Later he went back to Rushden as a draper’s assistant, and in 1921 started a crockery business in Wentworth-road with a capital of £12 lent him by his father. With a car borrowed from his brother, he went round the villages, but in a collision with another motor considerable damage was done, and the repairs cost debtor £30. Since he had filed his petition he had paid off some of the debts.
The examination was adjourned.
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