One of the oldest and most esteemed residents of Rushden, Mrs. Caroline Jaques, who had lived for 40 years in the large cottage in Duck-street, facing the bottom of College-street, passed away on Saturday at the age of 83. Mrs. Jaques, widow of the late Mr. John Jaques, former boot manufacturer, was the eldest daughter of the late Mr. Robert Dickens, a master baker, who lived in one of the houses in Ebenezer-terrace, Rushden. Mrs. Jaques’s general health had been fairly good considering her great age.

In 1862 she and Mr. John Jaques were married at Rushden Parish Church by the then Rector (the Rev. R. T. Downs). Of the family, two sons and three daughters are living, three children having died in infancy. Mr. John Jaques was a prominent worker in the Wesleyan Reform Union Church in the Rushden district, being one of the senior local preachers. He used regularly to walk to outlying parts of the circuit—Bozeat, Finedon, etc.—to preach seven or eight times each quarter. Mrs. Jaques herself had been in the Wesleyan Methodist Sunday School a few years when, in 1849, there was a division and the Wesleyan Reform Union came into being. For a year or so before her death she had been longest a member of the Rushden Wesleyan Reform Union (Independent Wesleyan) Church. Through all those many years of association with the Church Mr. Jaques kept up her interest in the Church work. For a number of years she had not been able to attend the services owing to advancing age, but she kept in touch with the activities even up to the last effort made by the members. Her home life and her family were ever dear to her. About five years ago she was able to pay a visit to her son, Mr. James Jaques, at his residence at Bournemouth. Mr. James Jaques was one of the partners and founders of the Rushden firm of boot manufacturers Messrs. Jaques and Clark, and he founded the business of Messrs. Jaques and Son, boot manufacturers, Station-road, Rushden, and the Premier Boot Company, Fitzwilliam-street, Rushden, both having been taken over by his son, Mr. H. F. Jaques. Mr. James Jaques had been circuit steward up to the time he left Rushden.