Coal and Coke mechant
James Paragreen was born at Radclive BKM in 1863 and came to Rushden about 1898 with his wife Mercy Ann, son James Herbert John (b1886), daughter Cicely (b1888), and son Robert William (b1895), who were all born at Northampton. They lived in Upper Queen Street, Rushden when their son Frederick was born in 1900.
Both James and James Herbert John were clickers by trade, and James was also a local preacher. By 1908 they were living at 71 Duck Street, and the family attended the little Primitive Methodist Church in Fitzwilliam Street, where James became the assistant secretary in 1903, and he continued in the post until he took over as secretary in 1932. The church closed in 1935 and was sold.
At sometime James traded as a coal and coke merchant but did not advertise in the trade directories. The invoice (right) is receipted by Mercy his wife. James died in 1944 aged 81 & Mercy in 1945 aged 84 and they are buried in Grave E1176 at Rushden Cemetery.
Their son James Herbert John Paragreen became Chairman of the Council in 1948.
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1918 invoice from a bundle stored on a 'spike' (a traditional way to keep receipts)
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Rushden Echo, 15th September 1916, transcribed by Gill Hollis
An unfortunate accident, which resulted in the loss of a good horse, the property of Mr. J. Paragreen, coal dealer, Duck-street, occurred during the early hours of Monday morning. The animal had been put to graze in a field belonging to Mr. G. Denton, where some excavations have been made in connection with a sewage duct which had become blocked. A hole had been dug from eight to ten feet deep and quite six feet wide, and about ten feet in length. At the bottom was a considerable quantity of soft clay and slush. Apparently the horse had approached the edge to graze, the side gave way, and as a consequence the animal fell into the hole, and becoming embedded in the clay failed to extricate itself. There it was found on Monday morning. Everything possible was done to remove the suffering animal, and finally ropes had to be requisitioned for the purpose, and two horses pulled it out. It was then found that the animal's spine was severely injured and towards evening it was found necessary to kill it.
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Rushden Echo & Argus, 27th July 1934, transcribed by Kay Collins
Long Service
The Rev W Marshall Johnson and the Rev J W Brough presented a diploma for long service to Mr J Paragreen, of Rushden, at the Fitzwilliam-street Church on Sunday.
Mr Paragreen has been preaching at the ex-Primitive Methodist Church, Northampton, and at the Fitzwilliam-street Church, Rushden, for the past 48 years.
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