RUSHDEN is a large parish and flourishing town, 1 mile south from Higham Ferrers, with a station on the Wellingborough and Higham Ferrers section of the Midland railway, about 2 miles east from Irchester station on the main line of the Midland railway, 2½ south from Higham Ferrers and 2 miles east from Ditchford stations on the Northampton and Peterborough section of the North Western railway, in the Eastern division of the county, hundred of Higham Ferrers, petty sessional division, union and county court district of Wellingborough, rural deanery of Higham Ferrers (first portion), archdeaconry of Oakham and diocese of Peterborough.  The town is lighted with gas, and was governed by a Local Board of Health from March 25^th, 1891, until, under the provisions of the “Local Government Act, 1894” (56 and 57 Vict. c.73), an Urban District Council was established.  Water works at Sywell, for the supply of Rushden and Higham Ferrers, were completed and opened in July, 1906, at a cost of over £100,000.  The church of St. Mary the Virgin, formerly collegiate, is an edifice in the Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of a choir, nave, aisles, transepts, north, south and western porches and a fine tower and crocketed spire nearly 200 feet high, and containing a peal of 6 bells and a clock: between the piers of the transepts are arches filled with pierced tracery of varied character: there is also some carved screen-work and in the chancel three Early English sedilia and piscina: the church retains some ancient stained glass, a carved seat and other relics of ancient art: on the north wall of the chancel is a fine marble monument to John Ekins, of Rushden, ob 1677:  here also in a recess is the recumbent effigy, in plate armour, of sir Goddard Pemberton kt. ob. 1616: at the east end of the chancel are kneeling effigies of Robert Pemberton, ob. 1608, and Mary, his wife, ob. 1609, the former in plate armour and the latter in a loose robe with tight-fitting bodice; below these, on the north side, are the figures of four sons, and on the south side those of their daughters: a mural tablet in the chancel is inscribed to Elizabeth, wife of John Ekins, ob. 1663; here also is an inscribed brass to Frederick Maitland Sartoris, d. 1883: the stained east window, restored about 1874, is a memorial to Mrs. Isabella Magnaghten, d. 1871: the church was thoroughly restored in 1874-5, at a cost of about £4,700, and subsequently re-seated at a further cost of £500, and a new organ erected, costing about £500.  The register of baptisms dates from the year 1598; marriages and burials, 1559.  The living is a rectory, net yearly value £345, with 315 acres of glebe, and residence, in the gift of Peter W. Barker esq. Of Whitby, and held since 1905 by the Ven. Arthur Kitchin M.A. of Christ Church, Oxford, and Archdeacon (in absentia) of Calcutta; the rectory house was built bin the years 1870-1.  The church of St. Peter, erected in 1895 as a chapel of ease to the parish church, at a cost including site of £1,551, is an edifice of stone, with one bell, and affords 230 sittings.  The Congregational chapel, in church street, was erected in 1894, at a cost of about £2,200, and will seat 500.  The Wesleyan Methodist chapel, in Park road, erected in 1905, at a cost of £5,200, will seat 750.  The Baptist (Succoth) chapel, in High Street, with Sunday schools, was erected in 1884, at a cost of £1,00, and enlarged in 1893:  Little Street Baptist chapel, erected in 1797 and enlarged in 1873, is now used as a Sunday school.  Zion Baptist chapel, in Station road, erected in 1800, seats 450 persons.  Park Road Baptist chapel, erected in 1900-1, at a cost of £6,000, is an edifice of red brick with stone dressings, in the late Gothic style, from designs by Mr. H. H. Dyer, architect, Northampton, and has vestries for the minister, deacons, and choir, with cloakrooms and caretaker’s room; the chapel will seat 850 persons.  The Wesleyan (Independent) chapel, in High street, was erected in 1889, at a cost of about £4,000, including the site and an organ: it will seat 750 people, and in connection with it is a Mission chapel, in Wellingborough road, built in 1901, at a cost of £3,00, and seating 500.  The Primitive Methodist chapel is in Fitzwilliam street.  The Salvation Army barracks are in Queen street.  New Council offices, in Newton road, are now (1906) in course of erection.  The Post office, in High street, was opened in 1905.  The British Women’s Temperance Hall, an iron structure, was erected in 1900.  The fire Station, in Newton road, was built in 1902-3, and has a brigade of 9 members.  The Drill Hall of the O Company 1^st Volunteer Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment is in Church street.  Rushden Athletic Club and Institute, in Newton road, was erected in 1897, at a cost of about £3,000, and has about 600 members.   The Conservative Club, erected in 1888, has a lecture hall, reading and other rooms, and about 270 members.  The Working Men’s Club, erected in 1891, has a concert room, reading room, and about 400 members.  Rushden Windmill Club, built in 1896, has about 200 members.  The Trade Union Club and Institute, in Higham road, was erected in 1900, and has 186 members.  Rushden Town Band Club and Institute, 3 Manton road, has 150 members.  There are three banks, the Northamptonshire Union Bank Limited, the Capital and Counties Bank Limited, and the London city and Midland Bank Limited, all in High street.  The Carnegie Free Library, in Newton road, was erected in 1905, at a cost of £6,000, of which £2,500 was given by Andrew Carnegie esq;  it is a large structure of brick with stone dressings.  The inhabitants are chiefly employed in boot and shoe making, a steadily increasing trade.  The Rushden Brick and Tile Co. Limited have laid out 58 acres for brick making. 

Charities:- Maye’s charity of £25 yearly, derived from land left in 1631 by William Maye, of Rushden, is distributed on May-day; Latham’s charity of £3, derived from property in the occupation of Mr. G. f. Baker, of Barnwell mills, near Oundle, left in 1619 by the Rev. Nicholas Latham, vicar of Barnwell, is distributed in sums of 10s. Each to six persons who have been unfortunate; and there is also a charity called “Bull money” of £3 yearly, derived from land in the village occupied by Mr. T. Sanders, and distributed in money.  There are four almshouses, erected in 1883 by his parents, to the memory of Frederick Maitland Sartoris, and supported by them.  Rushden Hall, the seat of Mrs. Sartoris, is a handsome mansion in the Elizabethan style, close to the village and surrounded by extensive and well-wooded pleasure grounds.  H.M. the King is lord of the manor.  The principal landowners are Arthur Hugh Sartoris esq. Of Weekley, and Messrs. G. Denton, G. H. Skinner, Fred Knight, C. L. Bradfield and the rector.  The soil varies from a strong clay to a light sandy land; the subsoil, clay, gravel and limestone.  The chief crops are wheat, barley and beans.  The area of the civil parish and Urban District is 3,770 acres of land and 7 of water; rateable value, £39,460; the population in 1891 was 7,443 and 1901, 12,459.

Parish Clerk, William Packwood.

PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS, LOCAL INSTITUTIONS &c

Post, M. O. & T. O., T. M. O., E. D., P. P., S. B. & A. & I. & Telephone Express Delivery Office, High street, (Sub-Office.  Letters should have S.O. Northants added). - Sidney Field, postmaster.  Letters arrive at 5.10 & 10.30 a.m. & 4.40 p.m.; dispatched at 5, 9.30 (local) & 11.10 a.m. & 3.30, 6 & 9 p.m.; on Sundays letters arrive at 5.40 a.m.; dispatched at 4.50 p.m.

Town Sub-Post & M. O. O. & S. B. & A. & I. Office, High street south. - Percy F. Button, sub-postmaster.  Letters dispatched 8 & 10.5 a.m. & 2.50, 4.20, 5 & 8 p.m.

Town Sub-Post & M. O. O. & S. B. & A. & I. Office, 10 Higham road. - George Brown, sub-postmaster.  Letters dispatched 8 & 10.15 a.m. & 2.30, 4.5 & 8.5 p.m.

Town Sub-Post & M. O. O. & S. B. & A. & I. Office, 49 Newton road. - Ebenezer Brown, sub-postmaster.  Letters dispatched 8 & 10.20 a.m. & 3.5, 4.30, 8 & 8.25 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m.

Town Sub-Post, M. O. O. & S. B. 78 Wellingborough road. - Mrs. Emily Mary Berrill, sub-postmistress.  Dispatched at 8 & 10.35 a.m. & 2.50, 4.40, 8 & 8.35 p.m. week days only.

PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS

British Women’s Temperance Hall

Fire Brigade, Newton road, Fred Knight, captain

Higham Ferrers & Rushden Water Board, High street, William Madin, surveyor; George S. Mason, clerk

Police Station, North street, Esau Dunn, inspector in charge, 1 sergeant & 7 constables

Rushden (Carnegie) Free Library, Newton road, G. S. Mason, sec; John Haseldine, librarian & caretaker

VOLUNTEERS

O Company, 1^st Volunteer Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, Church street; Captain C. R. Claridge; Surgeon-Lieut. H. S. Baker, medical officer; Color-Sergt.-Instructor, John Thomas Bettle

PUBLIC OFFICERS

Certifying Factory Surgeon, Charles Richard Owen L.R.C.P. & S. Edin. Highfield house, Park road

Assistant Overseer, John Sargent, Park road

Registrar of Births & Deaths for Higham Ferrers District & Relieving Officer Southern District, Wellingborough Union, George R. Turner, Higham road

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

An Education Sub-Committee of 9 members of the Urban District Council & 2 co-opted members has been formed for the control of the first mentioned five schools.

The Committee meets at the Board-room on the third Tuesday in the month at 7.30 p.m.

Chairman, George Denton, Eastfields, Rushden

Clerk & Attendance Officer, A. Mantle, 124 Queen street

Alfred street, built in 1880, with master’s residence, at a cost of about £3,000, enlarged in 1887, at a cost of £700, in 1892, at a cost of about £1,000, & in 1898, at a cost of £700 & again in 1901-2, at a further cost of £800: it will now hold 400 boys & 300 girls; average attendance, boys, 320, girls, 320; Samuel Saddler, master; Miss Laura Myers, mistress.

Alfred street (infants), rebuilt 1901-2, for 200 children; average attendance, 180; Miss J. L. Scott, mistress.

Hayway road (infants), built in 1903, for 150 children; average attendance 83; Miss Packer, mistress

Infants’, Moor road, built in 1889, enlarged in 1897, for 200 children; average attendance, 195; Miss Emily Strickland, mistress

Newton road (Mixed & infants), built in 1894, with master’s residence, & enlarged in 1897, for 550 boys & girls & 450 infants; average attendance, 520 mixed & 345 infants; Leonard Perkins, master; Miss Lily Knight, infants’ mistress

The two undermentioned schools are controlled by six managers; George Stewart Mason, High street, correspondent

Mixed, built in 1870, at a cost of £1,100, on land given by the late F. U. Sartoris esq. & enlarged in 1881 & 1888, for 457 children; average attendance, 456; there is a master’s house; William Henry Brown, master

Infants’, High street south, for 179 children; average attendance, 178; Miss E. A. Taylor, mistress

Railway Station (Midland), Henry Pitt, station master

Conveyance – The London & North Western Railway Co.’s ’bus meets all trains at Higham Ferrers station & runs to the Wheatsheaf hotel.

Carriers to:- Northampton, George Tomlin, Wed. & Sat. & Kettering, Tues. & Fri.; Wellingborough, Thos. Rose, daily, except Thurs.