Rushden Research Group: Old High Street pictures

Old High Street Pictures

Pre 1900

A collection of old pictures depicting various buildings in the High Street.
Some may be seen on other pages for businesses or churches or road changes.
Several are cut from larger pictures to show more detail. Here are a few of them.

The High Street was developed between 1890 and 1920 and much remains today although the shop fronts have changed several times. Several buildings were thatched and all have gone.

This fine picture c1885 was used as a postcard by William Lacey

From Cyril Desborough's collection, this is captioned: c1885, Denton's Lane
on the right, now known as George Street.

The trees in the centre are in the garden of 'The Cottage' and the wall was demolished when High Street was widened in 1910.
On the left: John Cave's factory where the fire started in 1901, a small building and two cottages, then the Rose & Crown. A small lane to Alfred Street and Duck Street, Litchfield's shop and cottage (replaced by a new post office in 1902).

c1895 showing Cave's factory right with shops beneath,
Neville's beyond and the church in the distance behind.

c1895 Lion Terrace and thatched properties lost in the 1901 fire

An early photograph of the Succoth Church rebuilt in 1864
c1890 before the 1901 fire

Marriott's Farm opposite West Street

Rushden Echo & Argus, 9th December, 1949 - as part of the 'Old Rushden' series
This picture showing the rural Rushden of days past, almost tells the story of the growth of the east side of the town. Look at the building in the foreground and the tall gabled house among the trees. The cottages are now shops; the orchard to the right a bus garage. And where once there were rows of carefully tended vegetables there is now a factory, a library and a block of offices. It is the bottom of Newton Road c1898.
The caption above from the local newspaper - but for those who don't live here, the roof in the foreground is the Vestry Hall. Tall gabled house in the trees - the Rectory built in 1871.

This fine row of cottages has a sale notice affixed - for building site so c1895
Stonehurst was built in 1896 on this site

Central is the new Railway Hotel, built in 1895 to replace theNew Inn. The two cottages beyond had the thatch replaced by tiles, and after bombing in 1940 they were demolished for an entrance to High Street from Duck Street.

Beyond these is the tall Capital & Counties Bank Ltd that eventually became
Lloyds, then TSB, now closed.

Another thatched property

Home Close cottages stood next to Claridge's factory in Skinners Hill

And this one remains today 2022

Still known as Florence Simpson's by us oldies!