Rushden Echo, 7^th April 1916, transcribed by Gill Hollis

Rushden Soldier Arrested Immediately After His Marriage
Bride’s Painful Experience at Higham Ferrers

A Rushden soldier had an unenviable experience on Wednesday. He had gone to the church to be married, and the wedding party, on leaving the building, were surprised to find awaiting them one of the local police sergeants, who took the bridegroom into custody on a charge of being an absentee from his regiment. The bride was terribly upset at the incident.

A sequel to the incident took place yesterday (Thursday) at the Wellingborough Police Court.

Pte. Harry Rowthorne, of Rushden, was charged with being an absentee from the Northants Regiment.

Supt. McLeod stated that prisoner was arrested on Wednesday by P.S. Brumby, just after he had been married by special licence. The Commanding Officer had informed them that the prisoner was an absentee.

Prisoner said he was in a draft going to France, and came home to get married before he went. He intended to go back by the afternoon train on Wednesday, between 3 and 4 o’clock, but was arrested just after his wedding, so he did not get the chance.

Rushden Echo, 14th April 1916, transcribed by Gill Hollis

Military Wedding

As briefly reported in our last issue, the marriage took place by special licence last Wednesday week at St. Mary’s, Rushden, of Miss Ruth Hogwood, of Strood, Kent, and Pte. H. Rowthorn, of the Northants Regiment, second son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rowthorn, of Rushden. The Rev. P. Robson officiated. The wedding had been arranged for Tuesday, but owing to postal delay the marriage licence did not arrive, this necessitating a postponement of the ceremony until Wednesday afternoon. As we have already reported, the unavoidable postponement was responsible for the arrest of the bridegroom on reaching home after leaving the church as an absentee from his regiment, he was unable to get back to headquarters by the appointed time, as he had intended. The family wish us to contradict the various rumours that have been freely circulated round the town in regard to this matter, and desire us to state that Pte. Rowthorn attended the church in full uniform, which was not the act of a deserter. In our previous report we expressed the hope that Pte. Rowthorn would under the circumstances be dealt with leniently by the military authorities, and we are pleased to report that our hopes in this connection have been fulfilled.