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January 1974
Mrs Gwen Murdin, former Mayor of Higham Ferrers, was the main string of Meals on Wheels in the town providing means for the elderly.
Barry Prime, Rushden’s Olympic swimmer missed selection for the Commonwealth Games by just one place.
February 1974
Rushden housing prices as sold by Wilson and Partners: Larkhill £16,000, Melloway Road £8,500, Pratt Road £6,500, Glassbrook Road £5,500.
Result of the General Election for the Wellingborough constituency: Mr Peter Fry (Con) 29,099, Mr John Mann (Lab) 26,829, Penelope Jessel (Lib) 15,049.
March 1974
A half million pounds scheme to improve 129 houses on the Irchester Road Council Estate was announced.
Local shoe firms were on a three‑day week. Mr.H.Green of Grensons warned that many shoe firms could find they were unable to catch up with production.
April 1974
Mrs Audrey Perkins, WRVS organiser, presented Wymington Road Hospital with a television set raised from the sale of tea and biscuits.
A £2,000 haul of clothes was stolen from Hepworths in Rushden High Street included leather coats and top quality suits.
May 1974
The demolition began of Arthur Sanders building yard on Rectory Road and several High Street shops which included Lawrences Ladies outfitters, the old Denton’s factory, the P.X. office and Wilson’s the estate agents.
June 1974
Mr John White, founder of the world famous shoe empire, died at his home “Higham Chase”. He had started work as a clicker on a weekly wage of 32s.6d.
Panic-buying of sugar caused a shortage in Rushden. The East Midlands Co‑op restricted customers to 4lbs of sugar at a time.
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July 1974
Miss Florence Bayes completed 32 years’ service with the Northamptonshire County Council School Meals Service.
It was announced that a new Police Station would be built on the corner of Shirley Road and North Street to replace the original Police Station built in 1901.
August 1974
Old folk under the guidance of Fred Bass, verger, rolled up their sleeves and tidied up St.Mary’s Church gardens.
A steeplejack gave the all clear to ring the bells again at Higham Ferrers’ St.Mary’s Church after pigeons had caused considerable damage to the 175ft spire.
September 1974
Rushden Memorial Hospital, Hayway, celebrated its 25th anniversary. Some 20 different specialists held clinics at the hospital each week.
October 1974
Rushden St.John Ambulance cadet team won the top county award, the Colby Shield. The team consisted of Garry Watkins, Andrew Lewis, Keith Shoular and Stewart Wilkins.
It was reported that the Rushden Medical Centre, which had opened in the mid‑sixties in Adnitt Road, urgently needed extending.
November 1974
Rose Avenue Co‑op, Rushden’s first self-service supermarket when it opened in 1961, suffered a number of break‑ins. The shop had just taken in its Christmas stock when thieves stole cigarettes and spirits valued at £2,500.
December 1974
£403 was raised at the Queen Street Sunday School Christmas Bazaar which was opened by Mr Ernest Newell, Chairman of Rushden UDC.
Dorothy Bowyer, Vera Bull, Elsie King and Ethel Wood retired from John White’s Lime Street factory, sharing 120 years’ service between them.
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