St John Ambulance - 1955

Rushden’s St. John Ambulance detachment, one of the oldest voluntary organisations in the town, is in urgent need of funds. The headquarters building is in a state of extreme disrepair and needs to be made weatherproof.

After about 55 years this unit has a fine record of service to the town and the surrounding district.

Built in 1910

The Divisional Officer, Mr. A. H. R. Allen, told a reporter that most people thought the brigade was assisted by the State. Nothing was farther from the truth, and it was a very costly business buying equipment and coping with the running costs of the building.

In the past they have held social functions and received considerable sums from rallies held by the Rushden Query Motor Club. But recently, Mr. Allen said, the income from the rallies has just balanced the expenditure. Another source of income is the Rushden Motor Ambulance Association, which regularly gives donations.

To both these organisations the brigade gives their services, members always attending the rallies and providing volunteer drivers for the ambulances.

Recently, after an appeal, a competition was held among the workers of Messrs. John White’s factories and the brigade benefited to the extent of over £34. Mr. Allen said this would be a great help towards repairs, “but we don’t like to go round cadging,” he added.

Before the present building was opened, local divisions met in the Alfred Street Schools.

Then in 1909, the building of the present headquarters was started in Station Road. In October, 1910, it was opened. The lower part is built of brick, and the upper floor is of wood with corrugated iron.

A close inspection of the building to-day causes dismay among the members. The roof has started to rot and really needs to be replaced; the guttering leaks and water seeps through the bricks making the rooms damp. Woodwork round the windows is falling away, in some places the wooden plugs which hold them in have started to come out. In winter the rain comes through the roof.

Quite apart from its state of disrepair, the present building is now much too small for the purposes of the brigade.

More Members

As Mr. Allen said, they are always glad to have new members but the building was not intended to cope with the present size of membership. Altogether there are about 105 members, 24 in the Ambulance Division, 21 in the Nursing Division, 30 in the Ambulance Cadet Division and 30 in the Nursing Cadet Division.

What they all hoped for, Mr. Allen said, was a brick building with plenty of accommodation for the increased membership. What they intend to do with the present repairs is to go ahead with it and get as much done as they have funds to pay for.

As well as interest from the £500 they have £50 and the donation from John White’s will also help, in fact, Mr. Allen said it would be very handy indeed.

The Veteran

The man who has the history of the Rushden brigade at his fingertips is Sergt. W. M. Burgess, who joined in 1908 and whose service is still invaluable. He remembers when they moved into the then new headquarters and recalls that every member was asked to provide a chair.

There have been, and there still are, members who have been in the brigade most of their lives and new members are continually coming forward. At one time the committee were faced with the decision as to whether they should spend their £500 capital on repairs or rely on the interest. It was a difficult decision to make under the circumstances.

The sum will remain untouched and no doubt the members are hoping that they will live to see the brigade move into a building which will answer their requirements and give them an adequate opportunity to train new members to uphold the tradition of the brigade in Rushden.