In common with the rest of the county and most of the country, many Rushden and district residents felt the earthquake tremors early on Sunday morning last.

It is well established that the shock was of sufficient force to rattle window frames, ornaments, bedroom crockery and loose handles on furniture, also to set electric lamps swinging on their leads.

The shock appears to have been detected in one house out of every three, and to have "registered" upon individuals possessed of seismographic sensitivity.

Hundreds of sleepers were awakened, some to find that their beds were moving up and down, others to experience a sensation of swinging.

Several people sprang quickly on to the carpet, lifted the counterpane, and peered anxiously into the shadows in the belief that an intruder was beneath the bed.

In some streets lights appeared in rapid succession as alarmed families left their beds, but while some scantily clad groups were comparing notes or arguing the matter out, there was a majority of happy homes where the snores of a June night made their music without interruption.

Higham Shocks

Higham Ferrers experienced the earthquake tremors fairly severely, and throughout the town there were reports of the shaking of beds, crockery, and furniture.

Several of the residents were fearful of damage and got up, while on the other hand, others slept peacefully through the whole of the series of shocks. By children and elderly people, however, a similar experience will be feared.

A lady resident who declared that she felt the quake "terribly" said: "It was just as if my bed was going over," while another inhabitant who spoke of all the articles in the room being disturbed and of all the bedroom doors being flung open, aptly described his experience as "like being rocked in the cradle of the deep."

Everyone who was awake at the time felt the shocks, but many did not know of the cause until the next day. There is no reported damage or injury.

At Irthlingborough

Shocks were distinctly felt in all parts of Irthlingborough. They were sufficiently severe to arouse many people from sleep. Most residents agree that there were two distinct shocks, the second being the stronger. Window frames and doors rattled, furniture creaked and wash-basins and light furnishings were set jingling. No great alarm was occasioned, and most people thinking nothing serious was afoot, were soon off to sleep again. It was however, a weird experience, and was probably the strongest shock felt in the district in living memory.

Stanwick had no damage or injuries, but reports from all parts of the village testify to a general experience of the shocks.

Residents who arose were frightened by the shaking of beds and the rattling of windows and one or two are known to have left their homes for those of relatives.

Podington Tremors

At Podington the tremors were felt severely. "At first it seemed as if two or three rough people were knocking me about, as if they were lifting the bed about," declared a resident.

"In the room below," he continued, "you could distinctly hear warming pans and glassware making a really good noise. After the quake was over and the disturbances had entirely ceased one could see these things moving for quite a minute," he said.