Rushden, Wedding of Prince & Princess of Wales [King Edward VII]

The Authorities of this Parish Made no move in the way of Celebrating the Prince of Wales Marriage but the farmers were determined that the day should not pass without some sort of treat and accordingly the public crier was sent round announcing that every man not already provided for by his master was, to have a ticket for two pints of ale, at any public house to which they thought well to go; and that 7 o'clock in the evening there would be a good bonfire at the cross-roads, twenty or thirty working-men clubbed together and had a good dinner cooked at Mr Pasilow's at the sign of The Compass'. [South end of Rushden] All the children at the Infants School were treated with an Orange; and Mr Denton, boot and shoe Manufacturer, provided tea for all his men, their wives and children, numbering altogether about 300. After tea they were treated with nuts and oranges and many rustic sports came off. Flags and Banners decorated the streets.

The gigantic bonfire had about ten loads of straw and wood, and was constructed under superintendence of Mr John Gross and Mr George Perkins. It was made on a wooden frame and in the middle was was a pitch barrel with several pounds of pitch. It was above 40 feet high and on the top was a quantity of gunpowder confined in a tin canister. As as it was set fire to, it threw out so great a light that all the people might be seen for a quarter of a mile along the road; covered with full 1,200 local people. The scene was a most picturesque description, most of the farmers and tradesmen gave their men a good supper and so finished up the day.

From Northampton 'Mercury' March 21 1873 [? or does he mean 1863] page 5 Column 6
Copied here, Thursday July 15 1909 '(School Treat' day, first United all on same day) beautiful morning - J.E.Smith