Mr and Mrs Sayer were married at St Mary’s Church on Easter Monday, 1894.

Mr Sayer, a native of Hinwick, recalls that he first earned money when he was about six years of age, receiving twopence for carrying a red flag in front of a traction engine from Hinwick to Podington. Soon after this he progressed to the award of two shillings and two rabbits for two days’ beating with a shooting party. “I was certainly proud at the time to be taking this sum home,” he said.

Moving to Higham Ferrers when nearly seven years old, he transferred to Sanders’ Lodge, near Rushden, in a year or two, and it was when 10 years old that he worked half days for 1/3d per week, going to Messrs Abraham Groome and Sons’ factory at six o’clock each morning to do eyeletting and nailing while his sister, two years his senior, worked in the closing department.

When the family moved to Rushden he worked on Mr Skinner’s farm, but soon arranged to learn shoe-making and finishing and “a bit of chemistry” under Mr Foster Vorley, of Duck-street. This went on for three years until he was 14 years old, and he then left to take up making shoes “on his own.”

Mr Sayer ran his own business for about 11 years, following with a couple of years indoors again—at Hewitt and Noble’s factory in Moor-road—and then went on to the Wire Grip Company, a Canadian firm which merged into the British United Shoe Machinery Co. in 1899. Mr Sayers served the B.U. for 42 years up to his retirement in 1941.

To-day Mr Sayer is able to follow his hobby of making engineering models. One, a tractor engine, was exhibited in Rushden Hall Grounds during the Holiday Fete last year.

Mrs Sayer (nee Annie Kate Spavins) originated from Great Barford, and spent part of her childhood at Ripley, Yorkshire, then living at Rushden with her uncle, Mr George Spavins, and being employed as a nursemaid by Mr and Mrs Strother, of Higham Park, until her marriage. She was one of the first lady members of the Rushden St John Ambulance Division.

The couple had a quite but happy celebration on Sunday at the home of their daughter, Mrs H Kitson, of Wellingborough. There is one other daughter, Mrs E Buffin, of Wembley, and the only son was killed during the last war while serving with the K.R.R.