Article by Eric Fowell, 2009, with photographs from his collection. 16 May 1890 - Northampton Mercury The Capital and Counties Bank Ltd. Arrangements have been completed for a Branch to be opened by this Company at Rushden. The temporary office will be upon the premises now occupied by Messrs. Simpson and Mason, Solicitors. The Capital and Counties Bank first opened 1st July 1890 at 135 High Street, the cottages are still there today as a hairdressers (2009). The Branch record card shows no dates earlier than 1891. These cottages, at one time were connected with Mason’s farm and were used by the Mason’s Farm Manager/Overseer of Rushden leased farms. Sometime after the bank moved into the new premises, Simpson and Mason’s (Solicitors) office was in that building. Mr. Mason was the Clerk to Rushden Urban District Council and also ran his Council Office on the premises until he retired in 1934.

Inside the Bank c 1965 - Allen Goulsbra at the Counter The new bank at 133 High Street was under construction in 1890, but the bank has no record of the builders or the architect. The tall two storey building (ground floor with two upper stories) with fine stonework and attractive stone carved pinnacles, has fine circular sash windows on the upper floor. The Bank was built on 868 square yards, a piece of an old garden ground of a messuage belonging to the Duchy of Lancaster. Kelly’s Directory states that Sidney T. Karn was manager at The Capital & Counties Bank in 1898. He was still there in 1901, with his wife and family, when he said he was 46 years old and born in Gloucester. He had been here for at least five years as he had twin daughters born in Rushden, and christened at St Mary's church in October 1895. By 1903 Mr. William M. Hensman was the Branch Manager and he was still there in 1914.

Rushden Echo, September 20th, 1918 Rushden's Casualty List — Lieut. S. F. Clayton, formerly of the Rushden staff of the Capital and Counties Bank, is in hospital in Salonika, severely wounded.

From 1928-1936 Mr. Henry Holland was the Branch Manager, followed in 1941 by Mr Saint, and then by Mr Brocklebank.

In 1959 Mr Allen Goulsbra took over the post and served until his retirement in 1978. He also lived in the flat above the bank.

Much change and refurbishment was to take place in 1973 and so the bank moved to 120 High Street (almost opposite) whilst the extensive alterations went on.

The next manager was Mr Nick Palmer, and he was followed by Mr Harry Cockburn who came in May 1994 and stayed until April 1997.

The next manager was Mr. Karl Modray and today the post is held by Mr. David Renshaw - 2009.

133, High Street, Rushden

Your readers may be interested to learn a little of the history of the Lloyds T.S.B. branch at 133, High Street, Rushden, whose property was bought at auction in July 2005 by a local company.

The story starts with an Indenture made on the 28th July 1890, when William Hirst Simpson, a Solicitor from Higham Ferrers, paid only One Pound, fifteen shillings to the "Queens Most Excellent Majesty" (via the Receiver General of the Revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster) for 868 square yards of Messuage and garden, copyhold of the Manor of Rushden, the land being what was then Punn's Lane and High Street.

On 20th August 1890, Mr. Simpson conveyed this land to the Capital and Counties Banking Company for Eight Hundred and Forty Pounds.

Both the July and August Conveyances reserved to "Her Majesty" and her successors all mines and minerals in or under the premises and the right to search for and take away any such mineral materials.

John Cave and Sons Limited (Boot and Shoe Manufacturers) took a mortgage from Capital and Counties in 1907. Part of the security for the mortgage was the 290 square yards that is now the bank's car park. In January 1949 the mortgage having been redeemed, John Cave gifted the land to Lloyds Bank.

The Solicitors who drew up the Deed of Gift were Simpson and Mason and Wilson and Wilson. (The Simpson being almost certainly the same family as the original owner). On the Deed of Gift, Puns Lane is shown on the plan, though it has lost both its apostrophe and an "n".

Four years later in a planning permission of October 1953, Puns Lane had become Duck Street; it would be interesting to learn why and at whose instigation the name was changed.

Above the bank, there are two storeys of residential accommodation, with access from the rear, and at one time the Bank Manager lived "over the shop". Mr Allen Goulsbra was the last manager to have lived there. (I am also told that thereafter other bank employees lived there too, as recently as two or three years ago.)

In the last couple of years, though, the bank has badly neglected the upper parts which have been vandalised and are now boarded up. Happily though, many original features such as fireplaces remain in tact. The bank's lease expires in 2011, and it is hoped that then, if not before, the upper parts will be restored to best final use.