January 1922

Mr & Mrs William Childs, Managing Director of Rushden Heel Company, celebrated their Silver Wedding.  They entertained 100 guests in the main room of the factory.  Other guests made speeches and a concert followed.

Advert:            Big Public Meeting at Co‑op Hall.  Friday 6th January – Servicemen of all ranks specially invited.  Songs by Mr W.Smith and Miss M.Childs – Come in your thousands.

The prospects of an appreciable boom in the shoe trade in Rushden and Higham   Ferrers were not very bright as a result of the reduction in boot operatives’ wages.

The Rt Hon Arthur Henderson MP attended a Labour party meeting at Rushden.

The Rev Carey Bonner was at the Independent Wesleyan Church for special meetings of the Rushden & Thrapston District Sunday School Union.

There was a proposal by the Boot & Shoe Manufacturers Association to collect funds for Northampton General Hospital under the Gribble Scheme.  A Northampton man explained the scheme for Rushden.  Mr C.W.Horrell was in the chair and 50 firms were represented. The vote was unanimous to proceed with the scheme.

Three Rushden men were summoned for playing football on the highway.  They were fined 5 shillings each.

February 1922

A servant of Mr Fred Knight disappeared from the Old Rectory.  He was later found in Rothwell with several articles which had gone missing.

A League of Nations meeting was held at Rushden – How much can Germany pay?

At the National Union of Boot & Shoe operatives, members endorsed the wages reduction scale agreed provisionally with the Boot & Shoe Manufacturers Association & Trade Union.

Mr A.H.Sartoris JP, President, was at the Annual Dinner of the Rushden Town Cricket Club help at the Queen Victoria Hotel.  The Captain was J.Denton.

The boxing tournament held at the Athletic Club was very quiet after Rushden had previously produced such boxers as Jack Harrison.

An employee of Fred Corby Ltd had caught his hand in the cogs whilst adjusting a machine. Two fingers were badly broken.  He was attended by Dr Greenfield.

Rushden Baptist Church invited Rev J.A.Sutherland of South Croydon to be their new Minister.

Rushden Amateur Sports Ltd agreed to drop the word amateur from their title as Rushden Town Football Club had some professionals.

March 1922

Rushden Temperance Society had their 81st Anniversary tea and meeting at the BWTA Hall.  The appalling fact that £1000 per week had been squandered in intoxicating refreshments was reported.

Robinsons, of Grove Road, called in the receivers.  This was an example of another shoe manufacturer in trouble caused by the slump. 

Rushden & Higham Ferrers Gas Company’s finances were affected by the coal strike.  Heavy expenses left them with a less than satisfactory profit.

Boot manufacturers were hopeful that orders for boots would come from Russia.

War-time Allotment holders protested over the rents charged by the RUDC.

Rushden Town Bowling Club formed a limited liability Company.  125 members took up 1,350 shares at £1 each.

April 1922

25 years of journalism was celebrated by the Editor of the Rushden Echo.  No other newspaper in Northants had been edited by one individual for so long.

A Council Election was held at Rushden.  12 Progressive members and 8 Labour members meant no change.

The Rushden Council demanded an improved postal service.  Mr C.W.Horrell, spokesman, was to write to the Postmaster General.

May 1922

50 members of the Rushden Co‑op Society from the villages of Upper Dean, Nether Dean, Yelden and Newton  Bromswold were brought into Rushden by charabanc for a tour of inspection.  They visited the Wellingborough Road premises, the drapery and confectionery departments and the head office.  They were later entertained to a capital tea.

J.S.Denton opened the cricket season with 113 not out and bowled 6 for 26.

In Spencer Park the kiddies were given the gift of a new and better sand‑pit.  One contributor said “There is no rowdyism in Spencer Park on Sundays, even though the swings are open”.

Rushden Women’s Adult School had their 20th Anniversary.  There were large congregations at both services.

June 1922

Rushden Town Bowling Club in Kimbolton Road, near to the end of Hayway, opened.  The spacious club house had been designed by Mr H.Adnitt, a Rushden architect, and erected by Robert Marriott.  The President, Owen Parker, had performed the opening ceremony.  The site chosen was one of the most beautiful in the district.

A well guarded secret of the authorship of a recently published book, ‘Moss from the Mill Wheel’, was revealed.  The writer was Mrs Fred Knight of the Old Rectory.  Highly appreciated notices of her new book came from the USA and Australia.

Rushden Adult School Male Voice Choir, conducted by Fred Ingram, gave nightly concerts at Cromer to the delight of the residents.

The RUDC approved a site to be provided at Spencer Park for refreshments, but no sales were to be allowed on Sundays.

An application was made to the Ministry of Health for permission to develop the whole of Newton Road Estate with ‘artisans’ dwellings.

A splendid new organ was installed at the Park Road Methodist Church.  The organ had six new stops which was quite out of the ordinary.

There was a fire at the CWS Boot factory.  The Fire Brigade arrived in six minutes.

A fire occurred in Watts Cycle Store in Alfred Street.  The Fire Brigade arrived in five minutes, but in the meantime R.W.Norman, a clerk to Wearwell Leather, whose premises were below, had carried an extinguisher upstairs and had attacked the fire.

July 1922

Mr A.Gramshaw, furniture dealer, presented a beautiful bath-chair to Rushden Sanitorium for the use of patients.

The 90th birthday of Mrs James Bull was celebrated at Queen Street Schoolrooms.  Between 70 and 80 friends partook of tea.  Some of her family who lived in the USA were unable to attend.  A letter of congratulations was received from Queen Alexandra.

A mother was found living with four children in a disused pig‑sty in Bedford Road with a man who was not her husband.  The children had been neglected.  Pigeons and rabbits were also kept in the sty which had no windows or doors.  The woman had been seen tramping the country looking for somewhere to live.  The children were sent to Dr Barnado’s and the mother received six months’ hard labour.

Mrs Lloyd George visited the Rushden War Memorial and laid a wreath.  She was presented with a photograph of the memorial by Miss Joy Claridge.

Rushden Sports Ltd started on the erection of a new grandstand at the football ground.

August 1922

Holiday traffic – 250 passengers left Rushden at 1.30am on a through excursion train to Blackpool.  Others left for Brighton, Hastings and Eastbourne.  Trips to Leicester, Bedford and Northampton were well patronised together with the usual crowds on a half‑day trip to Wellingborough.

Pictures appeared showing the progress being made at Rushden Golf Club, Chelveston.

G.F.Whipple of Rushden Engineering Co Ltd brought out a portable garage engine starter.  It was a useful invention.

Rushden Town Cricket Club had not lost a match in the league or a friendly game.

Two former Sunday School scholars who each became a Minister, preached on the same Sunday in the respective Churches they used to attend. The Rev Ernie Bayes, from the USA, was at the Park Road Baptist Church, and the Rev White, the son of Charles White of Queen Street, at the Independent Wesleyan Church.

Advert:            Bill Keller & Son – PLUMS, PLUMS, PLUMS, 20 tons of Fine Victoria Plums 13lbs for 1 shilling.

September 1922

A new font was opened at St.Peters Church, Midland Road.  The font had been executed in Ancaster, with an octagonal bowl carried upon a moulded and buttressed shaft, with two boldly formed steps below of ‘excelsior’ stone.

Fifteen men were summoned for Sunday gaming.  All pleaded not guilty.  A Constable had seen money passed whilst they played ‘Banker’.  One man was fined £1 and the rest 15 shillings each.

The first Co-op Annual Show of fruit, flowers and vegetables.  There were many entries including poultry.

On the occasion of the christening of their son Mr & Mrs H.E.West presented the Independent Wesleyan Church with a font of solid marble, constructed in an octagonal form and supported by a pillar on two tiers.  The Rev C.J.Keeler accepted the gift with thanks.

The Baptist Church, formerly known as the Old Top Meeting, celebrated their bi‑centenary.  All Free‑Church Ministers were present.  The special preacher was Mr Hoy Morgan, BSc KC.  The Chairman and members of the RUDC attended.  The representatives of the local authorities met at the Council Buildings and marched to the Church.

October 1922

200 employees of Tecnic Boot Co. and other friends assembled at Alfred Street School to celebrate the coming of age of Miss Tarry, elder daughter of Mr W.C.Tarry.  She then announced her engagement to Rev R.H.Hanson.

The marriage took place of Dr J.H.Crane MBE, resident Medical Superintendent of Rushden Sanatorium, to Miss Ethel Parry of Liverpool.

Medals were presented to children for perfect attendance at school.  Newton Road – 6, Alfred Street mixed – 10, Alfred Street Infants – 2, North End mixed – 2, North End Infants – 6, South End Infants – 3 and Moor Road – 2.

The foundation stone of St.Mary’s Institute, Robinson Road, was laid by Rev P.E.Robson and Curate R.H.Hanson.  The building was carried out by Packwood of Rushden and the opening was hoped to be by Christmas.

1,000 children attended a special cinema educational exhibition at the Royal Theatre.  The chief feature was ‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ by Charles Dickens.

November 1922

Dr Muriset spoke on tuberculosis and read a 29 verse poem to launch Rushden Health Week.

At a bazaar held in St.Peters Church (kindly lent by the Vicar, Rev Ioan Carroll) £103 was raised for the Adult School.  Many people attended.

The Independent Wesleyan Church Thanksoffering Day raised £400 to clear the debts of the Church and Sunday School.  The next project was to raise money for a new manse for the Minister Rev C.J.Keeler.

A large number of women were at Rushden Co‑op Hall for the visit of G.H.Shakespeare MA, the new Liberal candidate for the area.

December 1922

Poole’s opened their new store in Rushden.  They held the largest selection of Useful and sensible Gifts.  Toys, picture gallery, paints and Christmas annuals.  “Bring the children and they will go away happy”.

The new stand at Rushden Town Football Club was opened by Owen Parker MP.  They played a friendly against Aston Villa resulting in a 2 – 2 draw.  The stand held 750.

Unemployed marches came to Rushden on their way to London.  The Salvation Army gave them hospitality.  The Co‑op gave the breakfast and a grant of £3.3s.0d.

Vicountess Ipswich was at Rushden St.Peter’s and St.Mary’s and was pleased to see so many Girl Guides on parade as she believed the day she was enrolled in the Guides to be the happiest day of her life.