Rushden Research Group: Rushden Museum

Rushden Museum


The new entrance to the Museum	Rushden Hall

Rushden Museum was the dream of Susan Hollowell, who started a group in 1999 to find suitable premises in the town for a Museum. Susan gathered a few like-minded people to work towards this goal, and several fundraising events were held.

FORM trustee Clive Wood receives the cheque from Mr Holt, on tractor, watched by Mrs Hollwell's children, Sarah Peacock,
Rachel Roberts and Edward Smith

Sadly, Susan died in 2002 and the project was shelved for a couple of years, but then Sarah and Simon Peacock (Susan's daughter and grandson) took up the reigns and with a small team they realised Susan's dream. A new group 'F.O.R.M.' (Friends Of Rushden Museum) was formed in 2003 to start raising funds again. The Museum opened on 6th May 2006, on the site of the old stable block behind Rushden Hall, and has steadily grown.

In the autumn of 2008 the decision to expand was taken and after much hard work by volunteers, it was ready for the new season.

(left) John, Jim, Clive and Simon putting up
some exhibition boards, near the new entrance.

Sarah Peacock welcomes Friends of Rushden Museum to the opening of the extension.	Unveiling the plaque to Susan Hollowell who founded the Museum

Pictured: (l-r) Eric Fowell (President), David Jenney (Mayor's Consort), Barbara Jenney (Mayor) and Sarah.	Simon Peacock watches as his mother and the mayor unveil the plaque to his grandmother.

On 1st May 2009 the "Hearts & Soles" project installed an IT Kiosk there. On May 8th 2009 a plaque was unveiled in the Museum to commemorate Susan who sowed the seed from which the Museum has grown.


Inside the extended Museum - 8th May 2009

Exhibitions - Main Theme
2006	Societies	2009	Tradesmen	2012	1950s
2007	Shoetrade	2010	Edwardian Era	2013	"At Your Public Service"
2008	WWII	2011	Sports + Olympians	2014-18	Commemoration WWI
2019	1960s + Scouts

July 2014 - At the Northamptonshire Museum and Historic Houses (NMHH) heritage awards Rushden Museum won 'Best Exhibition' category.
The exhibition includes an interpretation of a trench
(constructed by the local Operatic Society scenery building team).

2014 - Rushden Research ‘Hearts & Soles’ – War Memorial Book

This year being the Centenary Commemoration of the start of WWI, we have compiled a database of all the Rushden ‘Memorial Men’ (420) and have had a booklet printed. The details of each man, his age, parents, birth place, employer, rank, service number, regiment, and the place of burial are given. Some tables by age at death, place of birth, employment, and regiment follow the main list. At the back there is a list by age at death, and a list by date of death. Several names of men not on the War Memorial but with a connection to Rushden, and those commemorated elsewhere are also listed. Finally a list of the WWII names (123), and other names on the War Memorial, with brief details of each man, is also included. (60pp)

This is a tribute to all our ‘Memorial Men’ who paid the ultimate price for the freedom of the many.

Museum - mainpage

For the latest News and Events at the Museum - see their website