This morning (Friday) Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Darlow, of “Lyndhurst,” Spencer-road, Rushden, attended a service at St. Mary’s Church and remembered thankfully their visit to the same church as bride and bridegroom just fifty years ago. They were thinking also of another couple, Charles Hatfield and Flora Weekley, who stood beside them at the double wedding that the Rev. C. J. Gordon conducted on September 25th, 1892, and who are still alive in Canada.

Mrs. Darlow (nee Helen Underwood) was born at Yardley Hastings and came to Rushden at the age of five or six. She is now 70. Mr. Darlow, a native of Thurleigh, Beds., is two years older than his wife and has lived at Rushden from the age of 13. When only 12 he was hardening-off aboard a fishing smack which sailed from Grimsby and roved the North Sea for three weeks at a time. In the course of twelve months he became capable of steering the smack “anywhere.”

Rushden sportsmen know Mr. Darlow very well, but may not be aware that he has played for Rushden Town in four branches of sport – Association football, cricket, hockey and bowls. At football be was a halfback, the team in those days playing on what is now the Town Cricket Club’s pitch.

Behind The Stumps

In cricket he excelled as a wicket-keeper, and for more than 20 years his position behind the stumps was undisputed. It may be doubted whether anyone else played so long for the Town. Up to the last war he was giving regular service and obtaining a close-up view of the fine batsmen that Rushden produced.

In the early days Herbert Colson, the county player, was one of his colleagues. R. F. Knight – recruited by Mr. Darlow as a boy fresh from school – and the Denton brothers maintained the flow of talent. In 1902 Rushden won every match in the Kettering and District League. There was another palmy period leading up to 1914, and in two successive seasons Rushden won the joint County Cricket League. For one or two seasons Mr. Darlow was himself high up in the batting.

A goalkeeper at hockey, Mr. Darlow belonged for a few seasons to a strong side which travelled as far as Leicester to play. Arriving at Leicester near the end of one season, the Rushden men saw the City photographed as a team unbeaten through the season – rather prematurely, as it happened, for at the end of a memorable afternoon Rushden had defeated the City by the odd goal.

49 Years Deacon

Mr. Darlow took up bowls a few years ago and still plays regularly. Since his seafaring days he has kept to the boot and leather trades. At one time he was foreman for Walter Sargent and Co., of Crabb-street, then he travelled in turn for H. Ingle and Sons and Whittard Crisp and Co. Now he is again assisting Messrs. Ingle at their Rushden office.

For more than 40 years Mr. Darlow has been a deacon of Rushden Congregational Church, and for an equal period his wife – formerly an Independent Wesleyan scholar and chorister – has been a member there. They have a mutual love of gardens, birds and animals, and their own garden has long been worthy of their obvious pride in it.

Mr. Darlow’s only brother, Charles, resides at Aberdovey, and Mrs. Darlow has an only sister, Mrs. Clara Allen in Canada.