January 1944

Mr H.E.Bates, author and son of Mr and Mrs A.E.Bates of Rushden, was promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader.  Since joining the RAF he had written some remarkable character studies of flying men and the articles that he penned as “Flying Officer X” attracted considerable notice.

Captain J.L.Wilson was awarded Rushden’s first MC for Fine Service in Italy.”  His wife had received a cable saying that the award had been made.  Nothing more was known at the time except that he served with the 8th Army in Italy after taking part in the first landing in Sicily.

The Surveyor, Mr J.W.Lloyd, said that the storage water reservoir level had fallen 2ft 6ins during December.  The year’s rainfall had been six inches below the average.

February 1944

It was stated in the “Times” that airfields in Britain covered 250,000 acres.  Estimated expenditure on airfields and establishments in Britain alone was approximately £615,000,000.  The total area of paved runways and perimeter tracks was almost 160,000,000 square yards – equivalent to 9,000 miles of thirty‑foot wide roads.

A bus belonging to Birch Brothers hit the brickwork of a railway bridge and was severely damaged.  The empty bus was travelling to Harrold to go into service there and swerved to avoid a loose horse.  The driver, Edward James Buxton, was unhurt but the conductor, Harold Collins of Birches Flats, received a broken thigh and cuts to the face and was taken to Northampton General Hospital.

March 1944

Rita Stapleton of 13 Talbot Road, Rushden, was a helper of the “Salvage Campaign”.  She collected 1,500 tinfoil milk tops and a good quantity of silver paper which she took to the office of the Rushden Echo and Argus.

April 1944

Reporting to the Committee of the Rushden WVS Centre, in the Warden’s Headquarters, Councillor Mrs O.A.H.Muxlow (Centre Organiser) said that the membership had increased to 582, despite several resignations.

The amalgamation of Higham Ferrers and Rushden as a Municipal Borough after the war was favoured by the Councils of both towns, who in a joint statement to the “Rushden Echo and Argus”, said they were going to look for a lead from the Government.

May 1944

“Mister Cobbler”, writing in the “Rushden Echo and Argus”, reported that on several occasions he had tried to interest the Councillors about the pitiful condition of the High Street footpaths.  On a stretch between Charles Robinson’s shop and Mr W.J.Neville’s, between sixty and seventy broken slabs were counted.

An airman from Market Harborough was fined £1 each for three offences at Wellingborough Petty Sessions.  Mrs Ward, prosecuting, stated that he altered the place name on his railway ticket from Rushton to Rushden.  He had bought the ticket to the nearer place for 7d and then altered it to the farther place.

The fiftieth anniversary was commemorated of the first passenger train which ran from Higham Ferrers through Rushden to Wellingborough on May 1st 1894.  How the towns celebrated and the people travelled up and down the line “for the thrill of it” was described by an ex-official of the line, writing in the “Rushden Echo and Argus.”

Dr D.G.Greenfield, Rushden’s Senior Medical Practitioner, gave his views on what the district needed.  A large audience in the Trade Union Hall voted overwhelmingly for a “Home Hospital”.

Mr and Mrs Thomas Burfield of Hayden House, 141 Queen Street, celebrated their Golden Wedding.  From the age of ten, Mr Burfield was a cyclist.  He later became a member of the Rushden Amateur Cycling Club.  Among his wins was a Centre Championship in 1893.

June 1944

On the opening day of the British Restaurant, 93 High Street, 193 main courses and full meals were served, the receipts being £11.4s.5d.

Porter, Mrs Violet Edith Wilson, 121 Hall Avenue, jumped on to the railway track at Rushden Station, just as the train was coming in order to rescue a six year old boy who had been in a scuffle with another boy.  The train had passed under the Washbrook Road bridge.  Without hesitation Mrs Wilson jumped down on to the track, where the boy lay with his head resting on the line with blood flowing from his forehead.  He was taken to Northampton General Hospital.

July 1944

A Public Meeting was held in the Vestry Hall, Rushden, to consider what practical steps might be taken regarding the pressing problem of sexual immorality.  It had been prompted by a manifesto on marriage relationship published recently by the Clergy and Ministers of Rushden.

Ninety nine years of age, Mr George Warner, Rushden’s oldest resident, died in Northampton General Hospital on Wednesday July 12th.  He had been in good health until six weeks before.  Born at Molesworth, he came to Rushden about 1894.  He started a business as a boot manufacturer in Duck Street before transferring to College Street and finally to Harborough Road where he lived in the adjoining house, No.70.  The business was taken over by C.Collins and Co., leather dressers, in 1937.

A Rushden man, Sgt.Walter Ashby of Spencer Road, a regular soldier with fifteen years service, crossed the Channel by glider on the eventful evening of D-Day.

August 1944

The boys of Rushden Alfred Street School won the Fineshade Swimming Cup.

Rushden Intermediate School girls’ team of four won the “Rowell Cup” at Rothwell.  They were:  Irene Markham, Freda Clark, Betty Marriott and Joyce Cox.

The conduct of children during a programme of sports and music in Rushden Hall grounds was criticised.  Concerts were spoiled and the bandstand was damaged.

Rushden’s Methodist Minister, the Reverend Norman P.Goldhawk BA., said that a return to the fashion of having large families was needed at once to save Britain from sinking to an insignificant position.

Rushden, Higham Ferrers and Raunds people heard with profound regret the announcement that “HMS Quorn”, the destroyer adopted by them in 1942, had been lost during ‘Operations’ for the liberation of Europe.

September 1944

The Council gave the order for brighter street lights.

Advert: Showing at the “Royal Theatre” on Monday October 2nd for all the week – “Gone with the Wind” – in colour, starring Clarke Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard and Olivia de Haviland.

In a poem about a future Rushden Hospital, R.W.N. [Reg Norman] said, “Some on us tried afore t’git a Rushden orspittle soon arter t’other War”.

October 1944

Guardsman John Leopold Downing, 23 Oswald Road, who was serving in the Central Mediterranean, received the Military Medal for good work while in action.

“The Salvation Arm 1944” was the subject of an address by Major S.Richardson to Rushden Men’s Fireside Group.  The greatest problem was said to be Youth.

Rushden pilot, Sgt.Donald Sydney Parker, 85 Spencer Road, Rushden, landed a glider at Arnhem.  He was 24 and married with a small daughter.

Dr J.T.Corbett of Wellingborough, speaking to Rushden Rotary Club about a Government White Paper, said that a medical bureaucrat was no better than any other type.

November 1944

An opinion was given that everything points to Britain becoming a nation of sportsmen as soon as the War is over.  Most young men had had great opportunities for playing outdoor games, many for the first time, and many had improved their physique and skill.  It would not be long before Rushden, always a hot‑bed of sport, would welcome back its own host of young warriors.

The proposals for the amalgamation of Rushden and Higham Ferrers were approved in principle by the County Council and submitted to the Ministries of Health and Local Government.  The proposal was placed on record for reference at the appropriate time.

Two bad cases of malicious shop-window smashing occurred in Rushden.  A beer bottle was thrown through a plate glass window of Messrs Roe Brothers and, a loud crash announced that one of Messrs A.Gramshaw and Sons’ windows had been shattered, apparently by a brick.

The award of the DFC was made to Flying Officer Herbert William Catlin of Rushden, the only son of Mr and Mrs W.Catlin of 16 Oswald Road.  He lived at Horden, Co.Durham with his wife and two year old son.  He completed thirty‑five ‘ops’ before becoming an instructor.

December 1944

The first sale of ice‑cream in Rushden for over two years was offered at a Church Street shop and drew so many eager customers that a long queue formed half an hour before the shop opened.  Ice cream in November had never been so popular – it sold out in twenty minutes.

A plan for the first post‑war housing estate for Rushden and Higham Ferrers showed that it was bordered by Prospect Avenue, the LMS railway and Higham Road.  It was awaiting Ministry of Health approval.