January 1939

RUDC discussed snow clearance.  Snow came at an awkward time when many were on holiday, resulting in uncertainty about clearing the 25 miles of streets in Rushden.

The Rushden and District Motor Club’s president, Mr Robert Paragreen, welcomed Stanley Woods the famous motor cyclist of nine international races.

February 1939

Barbara Lovell, aged six months, had three great grandmothers, one great grandfather, two grandmothers, two grandfathers and well over 120 aunts, uncles and cousins.

A new air raid siren erected near Rushden Police Station gave several intermittent blasts and a long wail which was almost terrifying.

March 1939

Higham Ferrers was one of the first places in the country to complete a survey of accommodation for refugees.

Concern was expressed about “women being re-absorbed into local factories to replace men” in the event of war.

Park Road Methodist Springtime Bazaar was opened by Red Indian Chief Sir George Royle.  He was one of four white men to be made an Indian Chief and possessed the head-dress of Chief Sitting Bull to prove it.

April 1939

Alfred Street scholars gave a 90 minute demonstration of the new P.T.  Girls showed the gentler swinging movements, whilst the boys’ P.T. was or a more vigorous character.

Rushden novelist H.E. Bates turned playwright with his first big work “Carrie and Cleopatra” which opened at the Torch in London.

May 1939

A motor ambulance made a long journey to Canterbury to take a patient home after a health holiday in Rushden.  Starting at 9.00am it reached Canterbury at 3.30pm.

June 1939

Rushden Fire Brigade was called to a fried fish saloon and used for the first time the foam extinguishing method, quickly smothering the flames and limited the damage.

July 1939

Scholars of the Rushden mixed schools enjoyed their annual educational outing, this time to Whipsnade Zoo.  Thirteen United Counties buses picked up their passengers from various schools at 10.15am and linked up on the Wymington Road to travel in convoy.

August 1939

Miss Dorothy Perkins, assistant librarian at Rushden, in a talk about a recent visit to Germany, remarked on “the amazing solidarity of the German people behind Hitler.  They don’t want a war and don’t think it likely”.

Billeting workers at Rushden were told that 4,000 refugees would be received in event of war.

September 1939

During the first week of the war Rushden received 2,000 evacuees.  Bewildering problems followed the inrush of women and children but everybody concerned was unsparing in effort and the visitors were loud in their praise of what was being done on their behalf.

The task of equipping Britain’s fighting forces with service boots meant that adjustments had to be made to Rushden’s industrial machines.

October 1939

RUDC Housing Committee decided to go ahead with the demolition of houses unfit for habitation in Succoth Place, George Street and Rectory Road despite Government Wartime policy since building costs after the war might be prohibitive.

November 1939

Rushden tradesmen petitioned for extended hours because factories were engaged in work of ‘national importance’ and the workers could not shop in factory time.

December 1939

Rushden Boy Scouts lined up outside their new headquarters in Skinners Hill which was opened by the County Commissioner.