January 1954

14 pupils of the Rushden North End County Modern School had been writing to a ship’s Captain for nearly two years.  They met him for the first time and were invited to visit his ship S.S.Bedford Queen at the Millwall Docks at London.  The school had “adopted” the ship 20 months previously.

February 1954

“Home at last”, Rushden schoolgirls saw the ship they adopted.  14 pupils of the Rushden North End County Modern School, Hayway, travelled to Millwall Dock, London, by train to see S.S.Bedford Queen and meet Captain George Oldridge and some of the crew.  Miss M.Boyes (Head), and Miss H.Evans (Geography teacher), escorted the girls.

London Operation Overspill.  Rushden Town “aired” its views.  Thirteen spoke for Rushden.  The meeting was held at the Waverley Hotel.  An extract was broadcast on the Midland Home Service and at the time Rushden had 16,000 inhabitants.

March 1954

Northamptonshire workers were taking over jobs from U.S. Servicemen at Chelveston Air Base – clerks, drivers, painters, storesmen and engineers would be needed.  In fact all departments were crying out for labour.

April 1954

Hit by 2 bombs in 1940, Rushden’s Queen Victoria Hotel was again “in the wars” and had to be evacuated when petrol, from an unknown source, flowed into a drain beneath the cellars.

May 1954

Mention Rushden and they’ll talk about shoes.  Mr George Lindgren MP, spoke at the Queen Victoria Hotel to the Civic Dinner given by Mr Gus Allebone, Chairman, UDC and his wife.  Mr Allebone had served the RUDC for 30 years.  Lindgren praised local shoe manufacturers for their efforts in exports.

The General’s visit made it a great day for the Polish.  General W.Anders, former C in C of the Second Polish Army Corps and Head of the Polish People in Great Britain., laid a wreath at Rushden Memorial in memory of all free Poles who gave their lives during the war.

June 1954

Traffic restrictions in Rushden tended to hamper shopping, complained Chamber of Trade members.  It was decided to lodge an objection against the proposal to operate a one‑way traffic scheme in the southern part of Duck Street where the RUDC had purchased land for a Car Park.

July 1954

Rushden’s first electronic organ was on order and would be installed at the Park Road Methodist Church – probably in time for their Jubilee celebrations at Easter 1955.

August 1954

55% of people thought that Rushden Cinemas should open on Sundays.  This was the result of a special Public Opinion Poll held in the town.  If the RUDC did decide to allow them to open they would have to apply to Parliament for permission and if 5% of the electorate objected, a Public Meeting and an official Opinion Poll would have to be held.

September 1954

Television was a danger to Party Politics, said Mr C.R.Hobson MP for Keighley, at a meeting in Higham Ferrers.  Referring to the small attendance (14 women and 2 men), Mr. Hobson said that 10 years ago the hall would have been full.

October 1954

Shop in Rushden.  A campaign in which shop keepers promised customers a good choice and good service.

At the Waverley Hotel the Ladies Circle held their Charter Night with guests Mayor and Mrs R.A.Marriott, Mayor and Mayoress of Higham Ferrers.

An ancient building in Higham Ferrers was pulled down with much anger from local townspeople when the Old Coffee Tavern was demolished after 500 years in Wood Street.

November 1954

Why had Higham Ferrers the most marriages per 1,000 of the population?   To H.E.Bates there was only one answer, because the girls were so attractive.  He told a London Evening Newspaper that his own wife and mother, both born at Higham Ferrers, typified the beautiful girls of the district.

December 1954

Decorations were up in the Service Club at Chelveston Air Base and all was ready for the first party of the Christmas Season.  The hosts would be American Servicemen, the guests – 160 boys and girls from Children’s homes in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire.