January 1905

Northamptonshire County Council notified their intention to oppose the Wellingborough and District Tramroads and Electricity Supply Bill.

Several farewell presentations were made to the Rev W.R.Morse on leaving Rushden for Peterborough.

The County Council agreed to abolish the system of electing one‑third of the Urban Councillors for Rushden annually, and, instead, to elect the whole Council once in three years.

The engineer to the Joint Water Board reported on the progress of the work at Sywell.  Two of the three filter beds had been completed, whilst the rising main was complete from the service reservoir to opposite the pumping station, with the exception of a small portion at Hardwater Crossing and the steel pipes over the Nene and Lock Cut.

A horse belonging to Mr H.W.Chapman and attached to a covered van being driven down Queen Street got beyond control owing to the frost and steepness of the road.  The horse was unable to turn along High Street and dashed across the road, mounted the pavement, and struck against the wall to “The Cottage”.  The crash broke the fastenings of the shafts and the horse dashed along High Street with the shafts dragging at its heels. The horse safely turned the corner by the church and was eventually stopped by Mr Newbury of the Compass Inn.

February 1905

Rushden Urban Council expressed their dissatisfaction with the response from the Midland Railway Company regarding their request for a covered platform, the Company stating that the plan for the re-arrangement and enlargement of the waiting-room accommodation afforded ample facilities for passengers in wet weather.

On February 19th, Mr Thomas Sanders, an Alderman of the Higham Ferrers Town Council and ex‑Mayor of the borough died as a result of a stroke sustained three weeks earlier.

The tender for the building of the Free Library was awarded to W.Packwood, Rushden, for £2,288.19s.

March 1905

Mr J.S.Clipson was re‑elected Chairman of the Rushden Urban Council.

A copy of the “Rushden Echo” was placed in one of the foundation stones of the New Public Library.

The Postmaster General decided against creating a head post‑office at Rushden.  The Chairman of the Urban Council expressed his disappointment, also commenting that Wellingborough seemed to be regarded as the hub of the universe receiving eight London despatches a day but Rushden had to be content with four.

April 1905

The new Wesleyan Methodist Church in Park road, Rushden, was opened on Easter Monday,

The Board of Trade refused to grant a provisional order to supply Rushden and Higham Ferrers with electricity for lighting and power.

The residents in Victoria Road, East Grove and district had an exciting time when a hare found its way from the fields into the upper part of Victoria Road, from whence it was chased round the Midland Railway Station.  The animal eventually escaped.

The Local Government Board held an inquiry to consider the application of the Joint Water Board to borrow £18,000 for the completion of the works of the water supply.  This was in addition to the original estimate of £82,000.

Several bullocks escaped from the Co‑operative Society’s yard in Park Road.  After jumping a fence into the next field, they crossed the Cemetery field and jumped over an iron fence into Pyghtles Terrace. They were eventually turned into a field in Newton Road, the hunt having lasted 3½ hours.

Plans were drawn up for a mixed Council School for about 400 children adjacent to the North End Infants’ School.  The recommendation was to purchase two adjoining plots, containing 600 sq.yards, with 36 feet frontage in Hayway, from Mr  W.B.Sanders for £150.

May 1905

Mr Hawksworth, at the auction tent opposite the Queen Victoria Hotel, gave away a large electroplated cup in a guessing competition.

The Raunds strikers, headed by Councillor Gribble, passed through Rushden at the start of their march to London to seek an interview with the authorities of the War Office.

The Rushden Urban Council decided to support the Tramways Bill after the petition was amended to re-instate the portion of line from Little Street to the bottom of Washbrook Road, and it also included an undertaking on the part of the Company that they would not oppose any application for a provisional electric lighting order.

Mr Hawksworth, proprietor of the auction mart in Franklin’s grounds, entertained the unemployed and the aged residents of Rushden to a substantial meat tea in his marquee.  Ninety-one ladies volunteered as waitresses to serve 380 guests.

The Committee of the House of Lords rejected the Wellingborough & District Tramways and Electricity Supply Bill.

June 1905

An alarming explosion occurred at 12 Winchester Road, Rushden, a few minutes after the occupier put a kettle to boil on a gas cooking stove.  The door of the stove had been blown out, plaster had been knocked off the walls, three large window panes were smashed, and the kitchen was covered with soot which had been blown out of the chimney.

Mr Fred Knight proposed that the Council should allow a band stand to be erected in the Council Field if the money could be raised by voluntary subscription organised by supporters of the Temperance Band.

The “Rushden Echo” called attention to the prevalence of Sunday gambling in Rushden.  Prompt action was taken by the police and some of the offenders were caught and severely punished by magistrates.

A serious accident was narrowly averted at the corner of Newton Road near the Church.  As a motor tri‑car was being driven across High Street from Church Street, a refuse cart, full of old tins, etc, being driven in the opposite direction, reached the corner.  The motorist, being under the impression that the cart was going round by the Church, kept on travelling, but as the cart began turning into the High Street he was only just able to pull up as he reached the cart.  The result was that the car was jammed between the wheel of the cart and the kerbstone and narrowly escaped crashing into the pillar box at the corner.

July 1905

The Wellingborough & District Tramways scheme was finally dropped following the refusal by the Board of Trade to grant a provisional order for the supply of electricity for lighting purposes and the Tramways Bill having already been thrown out by the House of Lords.

A start was made to impound water in the new reservoir at Sywell.

August 1905

The chief bookings from the Rushden Midland Station for the holidays were: Friday and Saturday:  Broughton 21, Portsmouth 7, Hunstanton 10, Yarmouth 68, Blackpool 81, Scarborough 40, Isle of Man 26, and London 15.  Sunday:  Felixstowe (Volunteers) 113, Monday:  London 20.  Tuesday:  Blackpool 52, Clacton (Bank of Hop trip) 452, Manchester and Liverpool 15, Matlock 25, and Leicester 79.  Wednesday:  Hunstanton 49.

There was a celebration on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Band of Hope movement in Rushden.

September 1905

The “Rushden Echo” raised the question of the necessity of shops in Rushden to remain open until 8pm.

The sudden death occurred on 14^th September of Mr W.H.Wilkins JP, a member and ex‑chairman of the Rushden Urban Council.

A disastrous fire occurred on September 21st at the factory of Walker, Kempson & Stevens Ltd, Higham Ferrers.  Many hands were thrown out of work, and a relief fund was opened for the distressed.

October 1905

Rushden Urban District Council authorised the Books Committee of the Library to spend £25 on books.

It was reported that water in the Sywell reservoir was already covering over 3 acres of ground and the pumping machinery had been fixed in place.

A branch of the Trinitarian Bible Society was formed in Rushden.

The date for the opening of the Free Library was fixed for November 25th.  The Marquis of Northampton accepted the invitation to perform the opening ceremony – Mr Andrew Carnegie being due to be in America at the time.

November 1905

Several public gas lamps in High Street were made self-lighting and self‑extinguishing, the gas being turned on and off at given times by a clockwork arrangement.

Directors of the Coffee Tavern donated to the Free Library about 450 books belonging to the company.

From the 12 tenders submitted for the erection of the new Municipal Offices the contract was awarded to R.Marriott, Rushden, for £2,365.

Alderman T.Patenall was elected Mayor of Higham Ferrers for the second time.

The Urban Council decided to defer a decision regarding the purchase of a steam fire engine until the new waterworks had been opened and the pressure in the mains had been tested.

The Committee of Public Safety decided unanimously to request the Rushden Urban Council to “black out” all the betting news from the daily papers.

There were 36 applicants for the post of caretaker of the new Library, at a salary of £50 per annum.  The committee appointed Mr J.Hazeldine, of Midland Road.

A spectacular display of the aurora borealis was witnessed in Rushden and Higham Ferrers.  Lasting for half-an‑hour, it was the best seen within living memory.

A stag liberated at Bythorn and hunted by the Cambridge University Drag Hounds for over two hours, before leaping across the railway line at Rushden station and running along the platform.  It was captured in the station‑yard and placed in a stable to recover.  A special train conveyed the party, the horses and dogs back to Cambridge.

The Rushden Free Library was opened on November 25th, Mr Carnegie’s birthday, by the Marquis of Northampton.  The procession of carriages, with escort and guard of honour, left from the North End schools, and afterwards a celebration dinner was held in the Public Hall.

December 1905

Twenty names were given as players at a meeting held to start a Rugby Football Club in Rushden.

Organised opposition, closely approaching a riot, was witnessed in the Public Hall at a midnight meeting in connection with a Temperance Mission.  Gangs of men had bottles of beer with them and free fights took place in many parts of the hall.  Chairs were flung up in the air, men were to be seen rolling over each other on the ground, and many had their eyes blackened and bruises were common.  The language used was filthy in the extreme, and the conduct of some of the rowdies was utterly disgusting.  After an hour or two of utter disorder, the stage curtain was lowered and the temperance workers left the platform.

Surface water in the Sywell reservoir was reported to cover about 12½ acres.