Money for Purchasing Rushden Hall

“I am really tired of hearing people all the time harping on the following, and hoping that some wealthy man would wish to have his name handed down to posterity by buying the place and handing it over to the town. This not having been done, in my opinion the Council have done the right thing in acquiring it. To that I fully agree.

“Seeing that this wealthy man has not come forward and parted with the £5,000 is it not possible for 50 persons to subscribe £100 each in order to present the Rushden Hall and Park to the town of Rushden free of charge? I notice by the report in the “Rushden Echo and Argus” how highly the members of the Council vented their feelings over the purchase, surely the majority of them will do their best in order that the beautiful grounds be paid for without one penny coming from the rates.

“I will now come to the point. It only needs fifty persons to subscribe £100 each. If forty-nine will subscribe that amount I will give the last £100.”

“Suppose only thirty persons send in their £100 cheque, and forty persons send £50, that would bring up the purchase money, and properly worked, with the Council’s help, the money ought to be raised in a fortnight. If this scheme does not meet with approval, will others formulate a better one, in order that the Park is paid for by voluntary subscriptions and presented to the town, instead of from the rates ? It is sincerely hoped the Council will assist in some scheme, even if the above is not a suitable one, no matter which form a scheme takes, and in the highest respect to the Sartoris family, it would be so nice that Rushden citizens present the estate to the town. I am an exceptionally busy man, or I would interview enough people myself.

Yours faithfully,

NATIVE OF RUSHDEN

Rushden Hall and Grounds as a Gift? - Local Resident’s Offer Renewed and Augmented

‘If Other Donors Will Come Forward In Time’
Finance Committee of the Council Unable to Take Initiative - Voluntary Effort Wanted Before Loan Raised

A well-known resident of Rushden, who wrote making an appeal to other local inhabitants to give £100 each up to within the last hundred of £5,000 (the purchase price of Rushden Hall and grounds) promising the last £100 himself, has now come forward with a renewed offer, which, by the way, is added to.

It will be remembered that we gave publicity to his offer at the time and it was stated in the letter that a copy had been sent to the Rushden Council.

This week we give his second appeal as follows :-

“I wonder if I am too late in again bringing the matter of the purchase of Rushden Hall to the front, seeing that at a meeting of the Council it was resolved to at once apply to the Ministry of Health for sanction to a loan of £5,000 for the purchase of Rushden Hall together with the Porter’s Lodge.

“It is within the knowledge of the whole town that the person did not come forward and dump the purchase money down in order that his name might be handed down to posterity, but out of a population of nearly 15,000 surely it was possible for fifty-six persons to have given £100 each, in order that the money was not put upon the rates.

“Very unkind remarks have been made against me for bringing the matter forward in the manner I did, and I assure your readers that I did it in the true interests of the town, and even now if not too late my £100 is ready. This is not swank!

“The Clerk to the Council treated my letter in a most respectful and dignified manner and his treatment towards me is the only consolation I have got out of the whole business. He replied first :

“I have your letter of yesterday’s date which I will read to the Finance Committee at their meeting tomorrow morning.

Second reply:

“I read your letter of the 17th to the Finance Committee at their meeting yesterday morning. The Committee wish me to inform you that they much appreciate your desire to raise the purchase money by voluntary contributions but do not consider that they can initiate any such proceedings.”

“Even now, if it is not too late, I will not only repeat my offer, but I will go beyond £100 providing the fifty odd sums of £100 are forthcoming.”