Rushden and the New King

An Enormous Crowd

Proclamation by the Chairman of the Council

King George V

The Proclamation of King George V took place at Rushden on Tuesday evening in the presence of an immense gathering. A platform was erected at the west gate of the Parish Church, and the spectators covered the roadway, the churchyard, and the Green. It was estimated that from 8,000 to 10,000 persons were present. Among those taking part in the ceremony were the Urban District Council and officials, Ambulance Corps, Territorial, Fire Brigade, School Managers, Overseers, clergy and ministers, Boy Scouts, etc., and the school children were drawn up round the churchyard wall.

Among those present in the churchyard were the Mayor and Mayoress of Higham Ferrers, Mrs. Sartoris (Weekly), Miss Evelyn Sartoris, Mr. A. H. Sartoris, Mrs. and Misses Browning, Misses Kitchin, Dr. and Mrs. Greenfield, Mr. W. M. Hensman, Dr. and Miss Owen, Mrs. G. S. Mason, Mr. J. S. Mason, Mr. R. Marriott, Mr. G. Selwood, Mr. George Skinner, Mr. C. Claridge, Mr. C. R. Claridge, Mr. Arthur Cave, Mr. J. Seckington, and many others.

Public Bodies

The members of the Urban Council and the representatives of other public bodies met at the Municipal Buildings. The Fire brigade met at the fire station, under Second-Officer G. R. Turner, and proceeded to the Municipal Building, where they formed a guard of honour. The Territorials met at the old Drill Hall, under Lieut. Higgins and Instructor Bullard; and the Ambulance Brigade at the Alfred-street Schools, under Supt. T. Swindall, and marched to the church gate.

The children from the elementary schools assembled at Newton-road and Alfred-street, and in charge of the school staff, marched in a long procession. The Boy Scouts were present under Scout-Master F. E. Preston. The Temperance Band assembled at the platform, under the conductorship of Mr. F. Robinson.

The Procession

left the Municipal Buildings at 6.30 and proceeded to the church gate. The procession was comprised of the following :- Free Library committee, represented by Mr. W. Clarke; Elementary School managers, Messrs. J. T. Colson (chairman), W. B. Sanders, B. Vorley, F. Corby, and W. Chettle ; overseers, Messrs. H. H. Hobbs and L. Baxter; Guardians, Mr. and Mrs. Linnitt, Mrs. A, C. Ashby, Messrs. A. Gadsby and B. Ladds; clergy and ministers, the Revs. E. G. Betenson, E. W. Suart, and W. B. Masefield (Church of England), Rev. J. H. Lynn (Succoth Baptist), Rev. E. J. Keely Wright (Congregational), Rev. Benjamin Barker (Wesleyan); churchwardens, Mr. G. Skinner; Council officials, Mr. G. S. Mason (clerk), Mr. F. L. Heygate (treasurer), Mr. W. B. Madin (surveyor), Mr. John Sargent (collector), Mr. Kingston (sanitary inspector), Mr. Beetenson and Mr. Wing (assistant clerks), and Mr. J. W. Lloyd (assistant surveyor); the Urban Council, Messrs. John Claridge, J.P., C.C. (vice-chairman), G. Miller, C.C., the Ven. Arthur Kitchin, G. S. Skinner, J. S. Clipson, F. Ballard, C.E. Bayes, W. Bazeley, C. Bates, and J, Spencer; the Chairman of the Council, Mr. Fred Knight, J.P.

A Big Choir

In addition to the school children, the members of all the church and chapel choirs were invited, besides the Adult School and the Town Male Choirs.

After the Urban Council and other bodies had taken up their positions on the platform, the hymn, “O God, our help in ages past,” was sung to the accompaniment of the Temperance Band, Mr. E. Smith conducting the vast choir. A fanfare of trumpets followed, and Mr. F. Knight, J.P., then read the Proclamation. Immediately after the Proclamation, a flag which had been flying at half-mast in the churchyard, was raised, P.S. Ellingham being selected by the Chairman of the Urban Council for this purpose. Another fanfare of trumpets succeeded the reading, and the proceedings concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.

The immense crowd, one of the largest which has ever assembled in Rushden – possibly the very largest – was exceedingly orderly, and the police are to be congratulated on the excellence of the arrangements made to preserve order. P.S. Ellingham was in charge of the police arrangements, and Constables Pollard, Kearns, Webster, Packer, Gotch, and Martin were in attendance.

As the crowd dispersed, the bells of the Parish Church, which have not been rung for a number of years, gave out a merry peal.

Points of Interest

Mr. Fred Knight, J.P., who read the Proclamation on Tuesday, had the honour of proclaiming Edward VII as King, being then, as now, Chairman of the Urban Council.

Rushden's veteran churchwarden, Mr. George Skinner, who is 94 years of age, attended the Proclamation on Tuesday.

Mr. Skinner has now lived under six Sovereigns - George III, George IV, William IV, Victoria, Edward VII, and George V.

The crowd was the largest ever seen at Rushden, except, perhaps, when General Booth visited the town a few years ago.

Mr. J. E. Smith, who conducted the singing, acted in the same capacity at the accession of Edward VII.

A very effective drum accompaniment was played to the hymn "O God our help in ages past."

The sky was almost cloudless during the proclamation at Rushden - a happy augury, we hope, of a prosperous reign for George V.

Immediately after the proclamation had been read, P. S. Ellingham raised the national flag, which had been flying at half-mast.

Mr. Fred Robinson conducted the Rushden Temperance Band.

The fanfare was played by Messrs. F. Robinson, C. Ashby (cornets), A. E. Abbott, and D. W. Percival (trombones).

These four carried out a similar duty at the proclamation of Edward VII.

Proclamation of George V as King