1805

During a storm, the “electric fluid” entered the tower of Rushden church while the ringers were ringing.  A boy who stood behind one of the ringers was killed, but the ringers were unhurt.

1810

The first Sabbath School in Rushden was started by Rev.John Peacock, the Baptist Minister.  There was opposition from some of the Elders who were disturbed by the presence of a “rough type of youth”.

1821

The “Round House”, a lock‑up, was built in the centre of the Green opposite the church.

1823

“Wheatsheaf Inn, John Linnit respectfully acquaints his friends and the public that he has entered into the above new Public House.”

1826

St.Mary’s Church spire was thrown down in a great tempest.  The estimate to repair the damage was £4,000.

1828

A public vestry meeting was held to consider how to pay for the repairs to the church.  It was resolved that the money should be borrowed upon interest and that a rate of 4d in the pound should be raised yearly to liquidate the same and to pay for the necessary repairs.

1839

To be sold at auction: “A close of superior turnip land containing 7 acres with the tenements and a Post Windmill standing thereon, late in the occupation of Samuel Achurch, adjoining the Turnpike Road from Wellingborough to Bedford.”

1841

At the Northampton Lent Assizes, George Wilby stated: “I was going to Rushden and my victuals for the day with me, 2 pieces of bread, a piece of meat and a bread pudding.  I went to Mr.Blot’s farm and put my food into a manger in the stable a little after 6 o’clock.  At 11 I found me bag, but the victuals were gone.  I had seen Bishop Dean (age 19) in the stable when I went in at 6 and when I fetched some straw he was gone.”  A constable found Mr.Wilby’s bag on the prisoner.  Verdict: Guilty.  One month’s hard labour.

1842

To be sold by auction in London: “A valuable freehold estate called Rushden Hall, consisting of a capital residence for a family in the Elizabethan style, recently enlarged and beautified and in a complete state of elegant repair.”

1843

William Partridge of Rushden was charged with assaulting Hodson and James Thompson at Rushden Feast.  Hodson Thompson stated: “The Rushden chaps have a grudge against me because I’ve received money for information”.  Partridge: “I did not assault him.  I only pushed against him in coming out of the passage but I knowed that Thompson would tell lies to make a beefsteak blush till it cooked itself.”  He was fined £2.0s.6d including costs.

1844

Joseph Baker was charged at Wellingborough Petty Sessions with leaving his wife and child chargeable to the parish of Rushden.  Supt.Knight reported: “The defendant was committed some time back for felony.”  Baker: “Bad luck to you and the measles.  Don’t be after mentioning that.  Haven’t I paid Her Majesty in full and got a receipt for it.  And I ain’t sure she didn’t say thank you Joseph.  And you know, my dear fellow, such information as yours is only calculated to give the magistrates a bad opinion of me.”  C.Hill (Chairman): “Unless you pay the money you will be committed for 3 months.”  Baker: “It’s worse than Coventry.”  3 months!

1846

James Packwood of Rushden was charged with being drunk and disorderly.  James proved that he ate nobody, didn’t fly away with the church, nor leap down a policeman’s throat, didn’t take a spade and throw Rushden into the parish of Irchester, nor did he marry all the old maids in the village.  In fact he did no harm except to his coat sleeves, which from some mysterious cause he could not keep from rubbing the wall.  He was fined 5 shillings and costs.

1880

A public tea with free tickets was held in celebration of the anniversary of the opening of the Temperance Hall.  A well attended meeting followed.

Charles Barker, a chimney sweep, was charged with a breach of the Chimney Sweeps’ Act and fined 5shillings with 9/6d costs for allowing a boy of 13 to climb a chimney in the house of James Gamble.

Notice was given of the registration of a company to provide a Coffee Tavern to sell temperance beverages at reasonable prices and where all classes could meet for relaxation and social enjoyment.  Also to acquire suitable hotel accommodation and to provide a large room for lectures, concerts and meetings.

Rushden suffered very much in consequence of heavy rain.  At Mr.Claridge’s shop men entered the water up to their waists to help female employees.  A trolley was used to convey the women to safety and when the horse got the spot where the rush of water was strongest, he reused to proceed but turned round and broke the shafts of the conveyance.  Several women were removed from the trolley and all escaped injury.

1882

One of the lodgers at C.Elstow’s boarding house contracted small pox and was straightway evicted.  He was taken by another lodger in an open conveyance to the Union Workhouse at Wellingborough where he was refused admission.  The small pox hospital turned him away “establishment for the inhabitants of Wellingborough only”.  He was taken back to Rushden and left standing in the cold in the busiest part of the town.  His friends went to Rushden Cottage, where William Praed was entertaining three local magistrates, Spencer Pratt, Richard Arkwright and F.U.Sartoris.  They requested Mr.Elstow to take the man back.

An “effigy” was carried around Rushden, followed by a “Horn fair band” consisting of trays of old pots and pans.  It was then set on fire on the Green amid the groaning of the crowd.

Sale by Auction: A residence known as Rushden Cottage, together with large gardens and stables now occupied by Campbell Praed Esq.

Nine cases of typhoid fever were reported in Caves Row.  The water and milk were tested and found good.  The problem was found to be the single cesspit and ashpit for two closets.

1883

Two Rushden boys and one from Wymington were fined 5 shillings each by Wellingborough magistrates for playing pitch and toss on the public highway.

The Salvation Army held their first event in Rushden.

1884

A hare was seen running along the streets, believed to be a sign.  Later that night a building about the middle of the High Street, near to the Coffee Tavern, belonging to Will Pendered, went on fire and was totally destroyed.  The Fire Brigade was on the spot in 10 minutes.

1885

At a Vestry meeting the Rector reported that a huge stone from the spire had fallen onto the lead roofing.  A survey of the spire found it to be foot out of the perpendicular.  All at the meeting agreed that the restoration should be done.

1886

A 14 year old girl named Barwick, working as a machinist at William Claridge’s warehouse, was scalped when, on bending to pick up a reel, her clothes and then her hair caught round the shaft of a machine.  It was announced a month later that Miss Barwick was progressing as well as could be expected.  It was intended to graft foreign skin upon her head as soon as arrangements could be completed.

1887

In celebration of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, 1,600 children had tea in Skinner’s Home Field and 600 adults had a meat tea in the barn at Home Farm.  A fireworks display followed in the evening.

Frederick Urban Sartoris of Rushden Hall died.

Letter to the Northamptonshire Mercury: “Sir, Will you allow me to inform my friends that if I should be missing after tomorrow they will probably find my body somewhere in the mud at Rushden.  I have been there today and by almost superhuman efforts I managed to struggle through.  I have seen muddy places in my time but Rushden can give them a long start and a beating.  Yours truly, F.Green.”

1888

Rushden Cemetery was opened by the Rev.Baker.  He expressed the hope that “no word should be spoken, no jest uttered and no conduct be seen in the Cemetery which should savour of irreverence”.

From South End School Log: Headteacher A.C.C.Vann “Annual treat today.  About 1,200 children assembled at the schools at 2p.m. and marched in procession round the Hall Grounds and through the streets to the Rectory where tea had been provided.  After the children’s tea, there was a public tea, about 360 being present.  The usual sports took place.  The weather was beautifully fine.”

1889

Between 9 and 10a.m. a fire was discovered on the premises of William Smith, a farmer and corn merchant, opposite the Waggon and Horses Inn.  The fire brigade was soon on the spot with their manual engine.  Water was scarce until the hose was laid onto Mr.Sartoris’ property from whence a plentiful stream was obtained.  The barn and adjoining cottages were gutted and the damage done was very great.

Influenza was spreading with alarming rapidity in Rushden.  Business in most of the factories was considerably impeded.

A fire occurred at Mr.Cave’s factory.  One of the men placed his still‑lighted pipe in his coat pocket and hung it with the other men’s coats.  Very soon smoke was seen issuing from the place.  Two or three coats were destroyed.

William Cheney was discharged from Northampton gaol after serving 7 days’ hard labour for refusing to have his child vaccinated.

Mr.Mann, baker, Mr.Seymour, draper, Mr.Jordan, grocer and Mr.Wilkinson, chemist whose shop fronted onto the High Street near the Coffee Tavern, had their premises destroyed by fire.  The fire brigade was powerless owing to a scanty supply of water.

Rushden was created a Local Government District.

1891

Joseph Dickens, an elderly agricultural worker who lived in the last house in Rushden on the Bedford Road, was found in a hedgerow in a field along the Bedford Road beyond the brickyard, where he had been working.  He had been fatally injured in he back by birdshot from a shotgun.

A Working Men’s Club was founded in Griffith Street.

In his monthly report Dr.Morris, the Medical Officer of Health, reported on two cases of overcrowding in Rushden.  In one case a family consisting of a man, his wife, 5 sons aged 2 years to 14 years, 4 daughters aged 6 years to 16 years and a baby lived in two rooms.  The family slept on a bundle of rags without any bedstead.  The furniture consisted of a table and a few broken chairs, and the rooms were in a filthy condition.

One of Edison’s latest phonographs was exhibited and explained by Mr.Munro to a crowded audience in the Public Hall.  A cornet solo, by a Coldstream guardsman, received by a similar instrument 2 years before, was reproduced with great clarity and precision.  After which, to show there was no trickery, Mr.C.C.West, the Town Crier, advanced with his bell and delivered himself of the following oration, which was accurately reproduced: “Oh yes, Oh yes.  This is to give notice that we have in Rushden good trade, better roads and cleaner footpaths.  God save the Queen and bless the people.”

1893

The Midland Railway Company announced the opening of a new line from Irchester to Rushden and Higham Ferrers for goods and mineral traffic.

1894

The new Board School on Newton Road opened.

1896

A gas pipe at the corner of Higgins Lane (College Street) broke and there was a considerable gas escape.  Shortly before 2p.m. a steam roller, which had been at work in Alfred Street, passed over the same spot.  Some red hot cinders dropped igniting the gas.  There was a tremendous blaze with flames 10 feet high.  George Burgess and Henry Seckington brought a stand pipe from the Fire Station and a volume of water was poured onto the fire.  This only spread the flames further and the attempt was abandoned.  The gas authority, in the shape of the manager Mr.Lewis, hurried to the scene and ordered the gas to be turned off.  The gas was soon exhausted and the fire burnt itself out.  The gas supply was on again before evening.

1897

The Licensing Sessions considered an application from the new Victoria Hotel, near the Railway Station.  There was fierce opposition to a licence from the Temperance movement.

1899

An Act was introduced for incorporating and conferring powers on Rushden and Higham Ferrers District Gas Company.

From South End School Log; Headteacher Mr.R.Brown: “….part of a reading lesson with V and VI.  I spent a conversation lesson with the boys and girls respecting the causes and progress of the war with South African Republics.  Attendance in the afternoon very unsatisfactory owing to Sanger’s Circus.  Today I have given a special lesson to the whole school on good manners, behaviour in the street and the evils of stone throwing.