Sweet treats made by cookery pupils

AS A pupil of Newton Road School, Rushden, from 1916 to early 1924, memories include the headmistress of the infants school, a Miss Scott, a very prim and proper but kind lady.

Also there was Mr Leonard Perkins, head of what we called the "big school" and the senior lady teacher, Mrs Hensman. Both left Newton Road in September, 1925, to spearhead the opening of the then intermediate school in Hayway, Rushden.

Mrs Hensman after retiring did yeoman service for the patients of Rushden Hospital right up to her final days reaching the ripe old age of 100.

Other vivid memories were school meals during the 1914 war years. They were mainly lentil soup and puddings made by the cookery class.

I also remember the sweet shop opposite the school gate in the front room of an end terrace house. Access was through the kitchen and rear living room. I understand the house was a victim of the bomb which fell in Robert Street.

I recognised some of the boys in your photograph of the class of 1920. In those days they were referred to as standards from 2 to 7 and 7a.. Mrs Hensman was the teacher of 7 and 7a, which was housed in the main hall.

I have many other memories, among them seeing H E Bates wearing his red and white Kettering Boys School scarf as he went about his duties as a reporter for the local press.

B Bollard
Rockingham Court, Rushden

Pitching in for a rare victory

I WAS a pupil from 1931 to 1941 and one cherished memory is of a football match during (I think) the 1938/9 season.

It was against Rushden Intermediate School on their pitch. In those days "The Intoe" as they were known, were beating almost everyone out of sight and no-one could remember Newton Road ever winning, but on this day we won 1-0.

Some of our team were Tony Billingham, Cliff Childs, Gordon Brice, Don Helsdown, Pettitt and Freeman in goal. As I remember Don Helsdown scored the winning goal.

WITH reference to your article on the centenary of Newton Road Infants School, Rushden, I was born fifty yards from the school starting there when I was four years old in 1920.

The head master at that time was W J or "Jimmie" Reynolds as he was called.

The German land mine which dropped and damaged the school also destroyed a row of houses in Robert Street and all the ceilings in my parent's house came down in the blast.