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January 1906
Gales did considerable damage in the district. In Rushden, two large trees were uprooted – one in Newton Road and another in Wellingborough Road. Fencing was blow down in Park Road, West Street, and in other places, and telephone wires broken in Rectory Road. The large lamp outside the Victoria Hotel was destroyed.
The Electric Lighting Committee recommended the Rushden Urban Council to oppose the application by the County of Northampton Electric Power and Traction Company, and would continue their enquiries with a view to the Council promoting their own scheme in 1907.
Mr Spratt, of Brackley Waterworks, was appointed to the post of engineer at the Sywell Works. The Surveyor reported that there was about 50,000,000 gallons in the reservoir, and the surface area amounted to nearly 16 acres.
February 1906
At a meeting of the branch officials of the Boot and Shoe Operatives’ Union and the manufacturers of Rushden and Higham Ferrers held at the Trade Union Club, Rushden, the advisability of arranging uniform meal times at all the local factories was discussed. It was unanimously agreed that 7.30am would be the time fixed for commencing work all year round; that the dinner hour be from 12.30 to 1.30; and that in the afternoon the hours of work would be from 1.30 to 6.15; Saturdays 7.30am to 12.30.
The Rushden Council, after a heated debate, decided not to proceed with the request to blot out the betting news in newspapers in the Free Library – as had been found necessary at Wellingborough. The question was left in the hands of the Library Committee to raise the matter again should the necessity arise.
The National Telephone Company was given permission to lay underground work along the High Street and Higham Road. The company would be required to pay a wayleave rent of £2 per annum per mile and 5/- per annum for each manhole.
The Engineer to the Joint Water Board reported that there was about 74 million gallons in the reservoir, and the surface of the water was nearly 32 acres.
March 1906
About 500 volumes were being taken out each week from the Free Library.
47 Rushden ratepayers were summoned to a fifth appearance at the Wellingborough Police Court for withholding part of their Rate in opposition of the Education Bill.
A motion to pay all Council workmen a minimum weekly wage of 25s [£1.25] found only three supporters.
The body of a man was found in a stable on the Bedford Road, Rushden. Apparently that of a tramp, aged about 50 years, the corpse was in a decomposed condition and had been gnawed by rats. The stable had not been visited for about six weeks, and an Inquest found that death was caused by exposure.
A sale of work practically cleared the debt on the Park Road Baptist Church.
The Free Library Committee sanctioned the expenditure of a further £10 for the purchase of books, and reported that on one Saturday night a record number of 293 volumes were lent out.
The Rushden Master Builders held their eleventh annual dinner.
April 1906
An alarming accident occurred to a cyclist riding down Victoria Road into High Street, when the brake would not act, and he crashed into White’s corner at the top of Duck Street. A boy who was standing near the corner was hurled into the window, smashing the frame. The cycle was seriously damaged and the cyclist received a severe shaking.
On Easter Monday 136 people booked at Rushden MR station for London, over 300 for Bedford, 76 for Northampton, 60 to Leicester and Nottingham, and 110 to Kettering.
The girls in the closing rooms at Messrs Sanders and Sanders refused to resume work one morning after breakfast on the ground of a dislike to a new forewoman.
The engines and pumps at the Sywell waterworks were run several times in order that the rising main might be filled and tested. The area of the water surface of the reservoir was about 47 acres.
While a heavily-laden dray belonging to the L&NW Railway Co. was descending Fitzwilliam Street into Duck Street, the weight proved too much for the horse in attempting to negotiate the corner. The dray crashed into the window of the bakehouse at the bottom, completely demolishing the lower part of the window.
The Temperance Band took first prize in a championship at Bedford.
At the annual meeting of the Council, Mr Tom Swindall was elected chairman, and Mr F.Ballard vice-chairman.
May 1906
The Rushden Fire Brigade carried out a series of drills in order to test the pressure of water from the new reservoir without the use of the manual pump, using the standpipes and hoses. An experiment near the parish church demonstrated that a stream of water could easily be thrown over the church. Near the Coffee Tavern the fire escape was used for holding the hose at the height of the Public Hall and a stream of water was thrown onto the roof of the building.
The Council Rate was kept at 4s.8d in the pound.
The death occurred of Rev M.E.Parkin, who had been pastor of the Congregational Church for twelve years.
The Temperance Band took first prize in a championship at Boston.
June 1906
The Fire Brigade conducted further tests of the new water mains, affixing hose to the old mains and the new mains simultaneously, and comparing the greatly increased force and volume of the new supply.
A meeting took place on Whit Monday protesting against the Education Bill. |
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July 1906
The formal opening took place on July 2nd of the Joint Water Board reservoir and works at Sywell. Mr George Denton CC, chairman of the Board, performed the “turning on the tap”.
It was reported that about three inches of granite was worn away by traffic every year in that part of High Street, Rushden, near the parish church.
The formation took place of an Anglers’ Association for Rushden, Higham Ferrers and Irthlingborough.
Mr Leaton, of Midland Road, Rushden, grew a remarkable garden lily. It boasted three stalks of the usual character, but the fourth stalk, instead of being round, was flat, three‑eights of an inch thick and no less than four inches wide. Standing five feet high, this stalk was surmounted by a mass of bloom comprising no fewer than 155 separate flowers.
A Receiver was appointed to the firm of John Cave & Sons.
Ten tenders were received for the erection of St.Peter’s Church, Rushden. The building of the nave and aisles were tendered as a separate undertaking and the committee accepted Mr R.Marriott’s tender of £2,779 for this portion.
August 1906
The Adult School Male Choir took first prize at Market Harborough.
Holiday bookings at Rushden Midland Station included 173 to Blackpool, 102 (Rushden Volunteers) to Farnborough, 618 (Band of Hope trip) to Yarmouth, and 102 to Hunstanton.
The Higham Ferrers & Rushden Joint Water Board agreed to approach the Local Government Board for a further loan of £2,500 to complete the payments to the contractor and the engineer. The total loan for the project would thus amount to £102,500.
September 1906
The death occurred on September 2nd of Mr A.G.C.Vann of Chichele College, Higham - formerly headmaster of the Rushden National Schools.
36 passive resisters from Rushden were summoned to Wellingborough Petty Sessions for not paying that part of the poor rate which is devoted to sectarian education. Deductions were made in each case despite a plea that the Court of Appeal had recently decided that no educational authority could be compelled to find money for denominational instruction.
Mr Harry Hunter, of Croydon, succeeded Mr J.B.Martin as Sanitary Inspector. There were 102 applicants for the position.
A bullock being driven along High Street South, Rushden, escaped the control of its driver and darted into the Waggon and Horses Inn. It was eventually ejected by artful enticements combined with a stern display of physical force.
The foundation stone of St.Peter’s Church, Midland Road, Rushden, was laid on 25th September, the ceremony being led by Lord Ampthill.
The sixth sale of goods seized from the passive resisters of Rushden took place in the Public Hall. In each case the goods were bought back by the owners at the amount required, no other bids being made.
October 1906
The death occurred on October 7th of Mr Thos. Burton, first president of the first Band of Hope in Rushden.
Rev Thos. Lord, aged 98 years, of Horncastle, conducted a striking Temperance service in the Park Road Baptist Church.
The W.F.Jury Imperial Bioscope Company visited the Public Hall, Rushden, where they presented their latest gigantic Coliseum programme of novelties, including an incomparable series of up-to‑date electric life-motion pictures.
A meeting took place of the Women Liberals in support of women’s enfranchisement.
The curator of the Northampton Museum led a team of men to excavate one of a number of mounds, believed to be ancient burial grounds, in a meadow near the River Nene, not far from Sanders’ Lodge. The investigation failed to unearth a burial urn, but a quantity of burnt human bones was discovered, together with various flint instruments.
November 1906
A meeting of ratepayers, called by Messrs George Bayes and Arthur Willmott, was held in the Public Hall, Rushden. Those present endorsed the motion that a lot of money had been squandered with the separate erection of the Fire Station, Free Library, and Council Offices. The proposal to form a Ratepayers’ Association was carried unanimously.
The death of Mr Thos. Cunnington occurred in London on November 17th after an operation.
As a milk-float belonging to Mr E.H.Horrell, of Higham Ferrers, was standing outside the premises of Mr A.Smith, hairdresser, the driver having gone inside for a shave, the horse started off at a gallop. Mr J.Bugby, fish merchant, who had stopped the same horse 10 days before, once more succeeded in bringing it to a standstill. The driver rushed out of the barber’s shop, his face all covered with lather, causing a good bit of amusement.
The Church Council at Rushden agreed that the Rector should instruct Mr R.Marriott to complete the whole scheme of the new church in Midland Road, at the contract price of £4,388.
An accident occurred at the factory of Messrs Denton and Sons. The connecting-rod of the engine used in connection with the gas and electric light plant became loose and the piston was blown out and driven through the door and the gate into Rectory Road with terrific force. Fortunately no one was in the way outside.
December 1906
The British Women’s Temperance Association (BWTA) decided to purchase the old Temperance Hall at the junction of Park Road and Newton Road.
The Free Library Committee agreed to appoint a lady librarian.
To mark the opening of the new Council Buildings in Newton Road, Rushden, the members and officials of the various public bodies in the town met in the Council chamber where a first-class dinner was served by the Waverley Hotel Company. |
