The death of Mrs. Kate Parkin, widow of Mr. George Henry Parkin, occurred at her home, 55, Higham Road, Rushden, on Monday evening. She was 77.

Although she had been in failing health, with a weak heart, she had been out and about until the day of her death, and her passing was peaceful.

Daughter of the late Mr. T. W. C. Linnitt, of Rushden, she married in 1898 the late George Henry Parkin, who may be remembered by older readers as a vigorous platform speaker and champion of political and social causes.

Campaigns

Mrs. Parkin took an active part in her husband’s public life. He was a leading opponent locally of the vaccination laws, and was prominent in the campaign to free education from sectarian religion.

He fought the Stamford Division as a Radical in the two elections in 1910, being twice defeated by about 400 votes.

He represented Walker’s, of Liverpool, in the East Midlands for many years, and will be remembered by commercial travellers, for whose charities he worked hard.

The Family

When her husband died at Bedford at the age of 41, in 1915, Mrs. Parkin returned to Rushden, with her three sons and daughter – the late Mr. Frank Parkin, who became an insurance agent at Kettering and died in 1940; Mr. George Herbert Parkin, who is chief architectural assistant to Wellingborough U.D.C.; Mr. Ray Parkin, editor-in-chief of the “Evening Telegraph” and associated weekly papers; and Mrs. Griffiths, whose husband is assistant secretary to Rushden and District Co-operative Society.

In recent years Mrs. Parkin had shared her home with her brother, Mr. Edgar Linnitt, and his wife, since he retired from his photographer’s business at 128, High Street, Rushden.

The funeral was conducted by the Rev. J. R. Renison on Wednesday.

Among those present at a service at 53, Higham Road, and at Kettering Crematorium were Mr. and Mrs. G. Herbert Parkin (Wellingborough), Mr. and Mrs. Ray Parkin (Kettering), and Mrs. Hilda Parkin (Kettering) sons and daughters-in-law; Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Griffiths, son-in-law and daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Linnitt, brother and sister-in-law; Mr. M. E. Parkin and Mrs. Sargent (Northampton) brother-in-law and sister-in-law; Mr. E. F. Poole (Raunds), Mr. L. W. Sargent (Wellingborough) and Mr. and Mrs. Eric Linnitt, nephews and niece; Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Bodiley and Mr. R. Bodiley (Northampton) Mr. H. W. Caswell and Mrs. Alfred Webb (Kettering), Mr. and Mrs. Blunt, Mrs. Tattersall, Mrs. Wall (Kettering), Mrs. Dilley and Miss J. Dilley (Northampton).