Rushden Research Group: The Nest

Evening Telegraph, Thursday 10^th Nov 1988

The Nest

28 Moor Road

Centenary at The Nest

There was no telegram from the Queen but that didn’t stop the birthday fun at this house!

The Nest built in 1888
now with four eggs

Built in 1888 this magnificent home in Moor Road, Rushden, has only been lived in by three families, and recently celebrated its ton in style.

The owner, optician Gordon Rixon, threw a special birthday bash and invited all his family and friends to a party with a difference.

He said “The house was built by Mr Linnett all those years ago, and he lived here with his family.

“He was in partnership with his next door neighbour doing boots and shoes and they called the house the Nest.


No 28 Moor Road The Nest built in 1888 Photo taken c2010

“A stone nest was built on the front and five stone eggs were put into it to represent his five children.

“When one of the children died a stone was chipped out.”

Mr Rixon moved in to the house in 1951 and has been running his optician’s business from there ever since.

At the birthday party he made a special tape telling of the history of the house and his own fond memories of all his years there.

Note: Tom W C Linnett, shoe manufacturer aged 43, and William Clarke, boot manufacturer aged 48, were recorded next to each other in the 1891 census. At that time Tom had three children, so one had probably already died, and another was missing on census night. William had seven children. Clarke & Co.

The second occupants of The Nest were Tom Swindall, builder, and family.