Mr. Joseph Allen, a member of Rushden Urban Council for 29 years and three times chairman, died at his home, 23 St. Mary’s Avenue, Rushden, aged 75.

Mr. Allen was a native of Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, and moved to Rushden as a school teacher in 1905. He taught at the Alfred Street, North End and Newton Road Schools, and was for 21 years local secretary of the National Union of Teachers.

He was a past president of the Wellingborough and District Teachers’ Association, and of the county association of the N.U.T.

War Wound

During the 1914-18 war, he served with the Northamptonshire Regiment in France, was wounded in action and discharged.

After the war he was a founder member of the Rushden branch of the British Legion, and served for many years on the committee. He was also a governor of the Lord Kitchener Home at Lowestoft.

He served as a Liberal on Rushden Urban Council from January1, 1926 to May, 1955, and was chairman in 1934-35, 1940-41 and 1952-53. He served on most of the committees and has been chairman of the Housing, Finance, Library and Health Committees.

Church Official

He was a member of the Park Road Baptist Church, and had been auditor, finance committee member, and treasurer and tenor member of the choir.

Other organisations in which Mr. Allen had held office were Higham Ferrers and Rushden Water Board, the League of Nations Union, the W.E.A., the Rushden Sports Association, and the Rushden Senior Citizens’ Goodwill Committee.

A large number of people, including representatives of the Urban Council, the Baptist Church, teaching organisations and the British Legion, attended the funeral service at Park Road Baptist Church on Wednesday.

The service was conducted by the minister (the Rev. A. Stuart Arnold) and the organist was Mr. W. Cyril Groom. The service was followed by cremation at Kettering. Wreaths were laid on the grave of Mrs. Allen and bunches and sprays were sent to Rushden Sanatorium.

Family mourners: Miss V. A. L. Allen, Squadron Leader W. J. Allen, Miss Agnes Allen, Mr. Percy Allen, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Allen, Mr. and Mrs. C. Carter, Mr. and Mrs. R. Cook, Mr. and Mrs. W. Drage, Miss C. E. Miller, Mrs. J. Sharpe, Mrs. C. Hutton.

Mrs. W. J. Allen is at present on her way home from South Africa.