Postcard showing Mr. Buckle’s shop (far left) and Mr Powell's, with the ladies peering into the window.

2008 photograph showing Mr. Buckle’s and Mr. Powell’s shops - now the Blue Corner Café

2008 - Mr. Fisher’s shop is now the CPS Taxi office

The Singer Sewing Machine Co. make a speciality of their own machines.

2008 - The Singer Sewing Machine shop is now Barnes Drycleaners, Mr. Walpole Smith’s shop is now Mobile Phone Trader

  Mr. Walpole Smith shows a vast array of toothsome delicacies, bonbons, boxes of chocolates, Santa Claus stockings, iced Christmas and wedding cakes, and other confectionery.

  Mr. H. F. Roberson, draper, shows dresses for evening wear, fancy trimmings, and silks;  millinery, umbrellas, capes, furs, and gloves;  dressing gowns and Manchester goods;  children’s fancy pinafores and frocks; fancy aprons, laces, silk handkerchiefs, gloves, and collars.  The windows look very attractive.

A 2008 photograph of Mr. Roberson’s shop - now Haart Estate Agents

  Messrs. Fuller and Stanton, grocers, have artistically arranged windows, the leading lines being fancy chocolates, confectionery, and tinned goods, while the provision window is utilized for the display of hams, cheese, eggs, and other things.

  Mr. Sedgman, outfitter, has a very effective display.  White wadding and artificial evergreens give a seasonable effect, and from the top hang festoons of collars.  The windows contain an immense assortment of silk handkerchiefs, gloves, silk mufflers, suitable for presents, white shirts and dress goods.  Ties almost in infinitude fill up one window.

  Mr. J. Bugby, fishmonger and poultry dealer, bas an excellent display of geese, turkeys, ducks, fowls, rabbits, etc.

2008 - Mr. Bugby’s first shop is now Coffee Delight

  Mr. S. H. Fletcher, grocer, has a novelty in the form of a banquet to the Absent-Minded Beggar on his return, live figures being introduced in the evenings.  Crowds of people have watched the windows.  He has a choice display of fruit.

  Messrs. Phillips, drapers, show fancy aprons, travelling rugs, oil cloths, hemp carpets, tapestry carpets, curtains, umbrellas, &c.

Phillips’s shop from an advert in 1911 The roof has been replaced but it is still recognisable today.

A 2008 photograph of Phillips’s shop - now the Discount Shoe Co.

  Mr. H. Staniland, draper, has a smart window of wool shawls for evening wear, and cashmere dress goods in all the art shades.  The other window is chiefly devoted to laces, ladies’ ties, millinery, scarves and silk gloves, pinafores, costumes, and shirt blouses.  He has a novelty in calendars.

  Messrs. Seckington show choice hot house grapes, remarkably fine English pears, palms, ferns, heather, and solanums, Christmas trees, and mistletoe.

  Mr. A. C. Ashby has a special show of ladies’ furs, muffs, mackintoshes, jackets, and capes.  One window is full of fancy stuff – silk handkerchiefs, evening gloves, silk mufflers, Japanese lanterns and parasols, gents ties, collars, and cuffs.  Artificial grass and plants add to the effect.

  Mr. Gourlay, chemist – A choice display of perfumes, &c.

  Mrs. Carter – Jewellery suitable for Xmas presents.

  Mr. Mark – An excellent show of Xmas cards, diaries, &c., very tastefully arranged.  As suitable Christmas presents he shows leather goods, toy books, and numerous fancy articles.

  Messrs. Palmer & Battersby  - Fancy tins of biscuits, Huntley & Palmer’s cakes, home-made mincemeat, figs, lemon cheese, honey, boxes of preserved ginger, nuts, dates, dried fruits, jams, tinned fruits, muscatelles and almonds, Maypole butter, Parson’s (Irchester) pork pies and sausages, &c.,

  The Star Tea Co. – The Queen-street windows are replete with fruit, tinned goods, bonbons, figs, dates, grapes, nuts, candied peel, and provisions.  In the High-street window are toys and dolls of every description.

  Messrs. Melias’ windows are tastefully arranged with dried fruits, bonbons, oranges, and dolls in big variety.

  Messrs. Wooding show an enormous quantity of sweets, cakes, &c.

  Messrs. Freeman, Hardy, and Willis, show ladies’ winter walking boots, dress slippers, and strap shoes.

  Messrs. Burton’s Tea Stores – The provision window reveals a choice selection of hams, butters, cheese, lard and bacon.  The other window is most effectively treated with a choice selection of Christmas fruits and seasonable goods in great variety.

1911 advert showing the shop which was Burton’s Tea Stores (far left)

2008 - now Pizza take-away & Thomas Cook travel agent

  Mr. W. E. Sargent – New designs in copper and brass crumb trays, a seasonable stock of lamps, fire-brasses, &c.

  Misses Brown and Tester, the Bazaar, have an endless variety of toys, a fort with soldiers attracting much attention.

Postcard c1900 showing (left) part of Burton’s Tea Stores and the shops of W. E. Sargent and Brown & Tester, known as Lion Terrace.

The lion stone above P. W. House's shop

A 2008 photograph of the shops which were Sargent’s (now P.W. House) and Brown & Tester’s (now W.H. Brown estate agent)

  Mr. Geo. Willmott’s show of turkeys, geese, ducks, and fowls, &c. is immense.

  Mr. A. Smith shows smokers’ requisites in great variety.

  Mr. H. Cartwright’s windows represent Santa Claus and an art gallery;  he also shows Christmas cards in great variety, mechanical toys, steam engines, magic lanterns, and jewellery.

  Messrs. Everingham and King use one window for the display of table covers, damask cloths, fancy covers, side-board cloths, etc.; and the other for gloves, silk squares, fancy handkerchiefs suitable for presents, umbrellas, aprons, and wool wraps.

  Mr. W. Desborough has a fine lot of fruit, Christmas trees, evergreens, and sweets.

2008 - Mr. W. Desborough’s - now Extra Care charity shop

  Messrs. B. Denton and Sons – The grocery windows are treated most tastefully, the colours utilized blending well.  Choice goods are shown in provisions.  In their retail boot shop they show dress shoes, ladies’ Court shoes, ladies and gentlemen’s fancy slippers, all kinds of walking boots and shoes for the winter season, and the whole is nicely embellished with artificial moss and holly.

  Messrs. Webb Bros. have made another success in window dressing.  One side is made particularly attractive with gaily-coloured silk handkerchiefs, mufflers, gloves, ties, and novelties in boys’ suits for evening parties;  the other window is utilised for the show of winter clothing, travelling rugs, Gladstone and brief bags, and umbrellas.

Messrs. Webb Bros. from a 1911 advert

2008 photo of the shop

  Mr. Dawson, tobacconist, has a good show.

  Mr. J. F. Knight, jeweller and furniture dealer, has an effective display in each department.

A postcard showing Messrs. Whiting’s shop

Mr. Knight's son had joined the business by 1911

  Messrs. Whiting’s spacious windows show off their pianos and other musical instruments to excellent effect.

  Mr. Geo. Miller’s specialities are case goods, moulds, pastry utensils, fire brasses, lamps, mincing machines, raisin stoners, &c.

  Mr. J. A. Langley (Busby’s Boot Palace) has a good display of boots and shoes, fancy slippers, babies’ light stuff in great variety, ladies’ slippers, dress shoes, and every kind of boot polish.  The second window is filled with stylish millinery, fancy neck wear, and silk-lined kid gloves.

  Mr. C. G. Ward, grocer, in his enlarged premises, has a big show of provisions, including Cheddar and Stilton cheeses, York hams;  dried fruits, tinned fruits, Huntley and Palmer’s cakes, muscatelles and almonds;  bottled goods;  currants, raisins, Bosnia plums, and teas.

  Mr. Oliver Cook shows a good assortment of smokers’ requirements, besides walking sticks, &c.

  In High-street South the Rushden Co-operative Society’s Stores have an excellent display in the grocery, drapery, and butchering departments, the window dressing being very well done.

  Mr. J. B. Bailey, Commerce House, uses one of his windows for gentlemen’s goods, ties, mufflers, white shirts, hats, and caps being conspicuous.  The drapery window contains down quilts, table covers, muslin aprons, gloves, and millinery.

2008 photo of Commerce House, High Street South

  Mr. John Knight exhibits waterproof boots for winter wear, children’s slippers and boots, dress slippers, cosy slippers for ladies and children, and men’s hand sewn boots.

  Mr. Knight, tobacconist, The Green, has an attractive assortment of pipes, walking sticks, and other articles for gentlemen.

  Mr. C. F. Tall, draper, Church Parade, devotes one window to evening stuff, including chiffons, figured lisses, and dresses suitable for evening parties and balls.  Festoons of bright coloured ribbons enhance the lovely appearance of the windows.

  Mr. Blackwell, grocer, has provided liberally for the wants of his customers. 

  Mr. Griffith, chemist, has a very dainty window, the ground work being of white cotton wool.  Perfumes and fancy soaps are shown in great variety.

  Mr. Darnell, Church-street, has a splendid show of household furniture, &c.

A postcard showing Mr. Darnell’s shop

  On the west side of High-street Mr. Edwards, florist, has a good display of fruit, palms, ferns, pampas grass, chrysanthemums, and wreaths and crosses of birch bark, &c.

  Mr. Moody makes a great show of hats of the newest shapes, including the 1901 hat – silk hats, felt hats, tweed hats, caps, &c., the window being brightened up with coloured silk handkerchiefs, ties, and mufflers; travelling rugs, fancy vests for evening wear, and new goods in tailoring.

Mr. Moody’s shop (left)

  Mr. Chas Smith, chemist, makes a special feature of Erasmic soaps and perfumes, lavender being the prevailing colour, and an artistic effect is secured. Perfumes of all the principal makes are shown, beside cameras and photographic outfits.

  Mr. A. Smeathers has a splendid show of Christmas cakes, almond iced cakes, pork pies, fancy boxes of chocolates and candied fruits.

  Miss Hewitt has a large assortment of Christmas cards, texts, games, dolls, and toy books, some artificial foliage being used with good effect.

  Mr. Knight, draper, has excellent shows at both shops.

  Mr. W. S. Brown exhibits seasonable confectionery in great variety.  

  Mr. W. Tomlinson, tailor, has a very choice selection of goods suitable for overcoatings and ladies’ coating wear, and a capital display of trouserings.

  Messrs. Thomas and Potter have an effective display of high class furniture.

  Mr. Timson, boot dealer, has a large show.

  Messrs. Edwards have a fine display of glass, china, and other goods, the window being well set out.

  Messrs. J. Green and Sons, greengrocers and confectioners, take up one window with a show of fruit, the other being filled with bonbons, fancy sweets, Santa Claus stockings, Japanese lanterns, some brilliant colours being used.  In the pork butcher’s shop they show pork, pies, sausages, sausage meat, and mince meat.

  Mr. G. Yates utilizes one window for photographs and pictures, of which he has an excellent show; the other window is used for toys, games, dolls, &c. [at 115 High Street]

  Mr. Hooper, fishmonger, has Christmas trees, &c.

  Messrs. J. B. Page & Co., outfitters, occupies one of their West-street windows with hats and handkerchiefs, the words “A Merry Christmas” in cotton wool letters forming a prominent feature. The High-street window is fitted with shirts, handkerchiefs, &c.

  Mr. Tinker, watchmaker, shows jewellery, clocks, watches, &c.

  Mr. G. Ellis, furniture dealer, gives a prominent place to pictures, furniture occupying the remainder of the window-room.

  Messrs. Tailby and Putnam, grocers, devote one window to bottled goods and the other to provisions, including some very fine Cheddar cheeses (which took a prize at the Royal Agricultural Show at York), Stiltons, Harris’s Wiltshire hams, and bacon.  Fronting the door is a huge stand, comprising muscatelles, Metz fruits, Huntley and Palmer’s fancy cakes, fancy boxes of confectionery, and a large show of bottled plums, greengages, gooseberries, and damsons, for tarts.

2008 - Messrs. Tailby and Putnam’s shop is now 'Copperfields' fish and chip shop

  Mr. Nattrass has made a speciality of electro-plate goods, suitable for presents; mincers, moulds, cutlery, lamps, carvers, and carpet sweepers, besides golf and hockey clubs.

2008 Photographs by Jim Hollis