Rushden Research Group: J J Page outfitter

Joseph J Page Ltd

Established 1905 Page & Ladds

Rushden Echo, 23rd February 1917, transcribed by Kay Collins

Sapper J. J. Page, of the firm of Messrs Page and Ladds, tailors, Rushden, who is now serving with the Cheshire regiment in France, writes that he has met quite a lot of old Rushden boys out there, and he adds: “It is quite nice to meet old friends and talk over the future. I hope to see you all again in the ‘near’ future.

Joseph John Page began trading at 118 High Street in 1924, and remained there until he moved to 149 High Street just before WWII.

November 1924 advert

149 High Street shortly before demolition in 1976

Rushden Echo, January 1925 Advert

Joseph J Page, U.K.A.F.

High Class Tailor to Ladies and Gentlemen
118 High Street, Rushden
Perfectly-Tailored Suits and Costumes

When you see the flambouyant announcements of “Perfectly-Tailored” suits and costumes at ridiculously low prices you are reading a statement which is misleading.

Tailoring is a handicraft trade and not a factory industry, and “perfectly tailored garments” are those in which the skill of the craftsman is brought into direct harmony with the individual needs of the wearer of the clothes.

It is impossible to produce “perfectly tailored clothes” when the garments are made by machinery and pass through the hands of innumerable factory workers.

Ninety per cent of my trade comes through the recommendation of Satisfied Clients.

I have had 24 years’ experience of the trade, and every garment is cut by me and made under my personal supervision.

Let me state I am young enough to appreciate and give that snap in the cut a young man requires and experienced sufficiently to understand the whims of the middle aged.

Let me submit patterns and quotations: you will be under no obligation to order.

This copy of a letter-head, although cropped on the right-hand edge, tells us that J J Page was established as a tailor in 1905.

The letter was to Mr and Mrs Geary, whose son, Ronald Geary had been killed in WWII.

The first entry in Trade directories for J J Page is in 1928 at 118 High Street where he traded for a few years and this letter-head from 1944 when he was at 149 High Street.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 6^th June 1941

The new president is a founder member of the club and was its first secretary. Born at Leamington Spa, he came to Rushden from Long Eaton in 1905. He is a keen sportsman, fond of golf and bowls, and won the Allebone Cup at the Town Bowling Club’s green in 1939. In Freemasonary he is steward of the John Pyle Lodge and member of the Wellingborough Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and Croyland Lodge of Mark Master Masons. He is a member of the Park-road Methodist Church and of the Northampton branch of the Merchant Tailors’ Federation.

President of the
Roatary Club - in 1941

Below : label inside a USAF jacket (right) with the name 'W N Ruby Feb 1 45' added so we assume it was made for him in Rushden by J J Page.

The current owner who kindly allowed us to photograph this tells us this is far superior cloth to most jackets so possibly an officer's.
He might have been posted to Chelveston or Podington?

In order to keep our staff busy during a quiet month, we are offering a Special Discount of 1/6 in the £1 on all orders placed with us during January.

Take advantage of this offer by our well-known tailoring service for ladies and gentlemen and order your spring suit now.

January 1958 advert

J J Page outfitters and two cottages and the rear view when they were being demolished in 1976

These buildings, between the Railway Inn and the old Sanders and Sanders factory were demolished in the mid 1960s, along with Stonehurst which became known as the Belgian House in WWI when it was a hostel for Belgian refugees.

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