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January 1979
A shortage of fuel oil due to a strike of tanker drivers caused local schools to close. The shortage of salt and grit for the roads added to the chaos. Shops had to ration food to customers. Hospitals and the ambulance service strike brought further hardship to the area.
Rushden shoe manufacturers reported successes at the Blackpool Slipper Fair.
February 1979
Ward White factories were on a 4-day week due to the shortage of materials caused by the weather and various strikes.
Mr Lionel Roberts, president of Rushden Ambulance Service, was invested with their highest award as an Officer Brother of St.John.
Mr Jim Knighton retired as manager of the Ritz Cinema.
The Historical Transport Society was making plans for their first Cavalcade.
Farm tractors were enlisted to help clear local roads of deep snow.
Tuberculosis ‘After Care’ exceeded £1,000 for the first time.
Shoe manufacturers predicted problems to local factories caused by cheap imports.
March 1979
United Counties bus drivers threatened more strikes if the 6% offered was not increased. They were asking for 22%.
An 18 Plus Group was formed in Rushden.
Vandals smashed 60 windows at St.Mary’s Church.
Strong and Fisher reported their profits had doubled to £768,200. Turnover was up to £16.37m.
Petrol was set to rise to £0.90 per gallon.
The government chose the ‘Green Route’ for the proposed A1 to M1 link road.
April 1979
Ward White Group reported a 51% rise in profits.
Rushden teachers staged a one-day strike.
May 1979
A crowd of over 1,000 attended the first Rushden Historical Transport Society’s Cavalcade held at the Hall Park.
Rushden Rotary Club was collecting vital equipment for world disasters. They already had 17 boxes in stock.
The Co-operative Society’s slaughterhouse was scheduled to close, making 11 staff redundant.
The price of leather to the shoe industry rose by 50%, putting pressure on local factories. Workers were also pressing for pay rises of up to 30%.
June 1979
A world oil shortage pushed petrol prices up from 95p to £1.25 per gallon.
Leather workers in the Trade were awarded a pay rise of 12%.
Work started on the new Ferrers School.
Rushden Council said plans to put a roof on the swimming pool at £200,000 was too much.
Fundraisers, organised by Mayor Harold Binder, in Higham Ferrers, bought a car to take pensioners to hospital.
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July 1979
Mr Percy House was installed as chairman of the Rotary Club by the outgoing chief, Mr Bernard Potter.
Local schools were suffering from a lack of cash, causing a shortage of books and even pencils. Infant education was to be cut to only two years.
Old cottages on Bedford Road, known as “the 8 houses” above Jubilee Park, were to be demolished.
Rushden Area Youth Orchestra attracted a full house at the Boys’ School.
A heatwave in the area caused pubs to run short of beer.
August 1979
Mr Tom Duffy retired as Senior Porter after 30 years at Rushden Hospital.
High Street shopkeepers were told by the police to stop displaying their goods on the pavements.
St.Mary’s church bells were recorded by the BBC.
Local firms were having difficulty recruiting young people to train as tradesmen. The building firm, Robert Marriott Ltd, held recruitment sessions in pubs.
The price of school meals rose from 25p to 55p.
September 1979
Fights between ‘Mods’ and ‘Rockers’ at Rushden Feast in Spencer Park resulted in some being taken to hospital with stab wounds.
Rushden After Care Committee celebrated its 50th Anniversary.
The Windmill Club banned discos for a fortnight because of ‘violent mobs in the club’.
October 1979
Rushden Ladies Circle celebrated 25 years with a party at Irchester Village Hall.
St.Mary’s Church announced plans to build a meeting hall alongside the Church at a cost of £45,000.
Rushden farmer, Roy Russell, offered a reward of £1,000 for information following the shooting of his pedigree shorthorn cattle.
Boot and shoe manufacturers, Totectors, were to build £½m extensions to the factory in Duck Street.
November 1979
The owners of the Ritz Cinema applied for planning permission to convert the building into a supermarket.
The Minimum Lending Rate was raised from 14% to 17%.
Knight & Lawrence made a special pair of size 15 shoes for a farmer who was 6 feet 10 inches tall.
The north wing of Rushden Hall was to be given a face-lift, at a cost of £170,000, to convert it into offices for East Northamptonshire Council.
A mitre, made from locally-made fabric, was presented to Rt. Rev. Robert Runcie, the Archbishop of Canterbury, by leaders of Higham Ferrers Church.
Television Licences were to increase from £9 to £34.
December 1979
Mrs Barbara Robinson retired after thirty-six years as Librarian at Rushden.
The “Old Rushden” book, published by the Rotary Club, was launched by Mr Ron Hunt, editor of the Evening Telegraph.
Miss Barbara Smith was named as the first Headteacher of Ferrers School which was due to open in 1981.
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