Rushden Research Group: William Beresford Madin architect

William Beresford Madin

Architect of Rushden's 'Civic Pride' buildings

Newton Road c1908 Standard V - Kenneth Madin is among the pupils

William Beresford Madin, son of Thomas and Mary, was born in Chesterfield in 1867. He became a civil engineer came to Rushden in 1897, with his Scottish wife Louisa Smyttan Robertson (born 1864), and daughters Annie and Mary, from Leek in Staffordshire, along with his brother Edwin who was his assistant.

Their son Kenneth William was born in 1899 in Rushden, and he attended Newton Road School. Another girl Margaret was born in 1908.

Kenneth married Dorothy A Lane in 1931. Their son eventually went to train in Chesterfield, where he was a junior solicitor at the Town Hall.

They lived at Bradley House, 38 Griffith Street, later moving to the Limes, 74 Wellingborough Road.


	Griffith Street - No 40 & Bradley House No 38 were built in 1892

The Limes - 74 Wellingborough Road - now Spurgeons 2019

William's first task was to improve the sanitation for the town. He also designed several of the 'Civic Pride' buildings in Rushden, during the period before the First World War. He was an ex-fireman, and designed the fire station in 1902, and it was built by Mr C E Bayes, costing £1,700. It was built in red brick, and enhanced with Bath stone, and Broseley tiles for the roof. Before the station was built the appliances had been kept at farmer Smith’s in High Street South (opposite the Hall Park gates), and then at the Co-op behind the High Street hardware shop. William was the architect for the library in 1905, built by William Packwood, and the Council Buildings in 1906, Sywell water board installation also in 1906. He also designed a garden in 1908 for Fred Knight.

This 1899 invoice was receipted by William, for fixtures added, at No. 11 Irchester Road.

Venetian blinds, other blinds, front door latch, hooks, and shelves.

William at Sywell 1906

Extract from Council Meeting June 1909

Surveyor's Holiday—Leave of absence was granted to the Surveyor for a fortnight, and the Vice-chairman expressed the hope that Mr. Madin, who had not been in the best of health since Christmas would be benefited by the holiday.

In the blizzard of 1916 he designed a snow plough, and after it was worn out, did another.

After the war his main task was Council Housing, starting with King’s Road and Irchester Road. He then designed the swimming pool, but sadly died before it was completed.


William with 'Joey' 1920	and with his brother Edwin c1921
Both were taken in the garden at The Limes. Edwin was assistant surveyor to his brother William.

On a boat in Holland 1925

Louisa died in 1917, and ten years later William was buried in the same grave, B638, in Rushden cemetery, aged just 59 years.

William's obituary

Census Records