Rushden Prepares for the War - January/February 1940

19th January, 1940

Tale of Waste

A sad example of how to waste money at the wrong time is provided by the case of the Rushden A.R.P. first-aid post. Like others in the county, it was established in a great hurry on the eve of the war, and now, after reflection, it is seen to be in the wrong place. As a first-aid post it is excellent – some say it is the finest in the county – but it happens to occupy the premises of one of the town’s largest elementary schools, and the scholars who should be attending there are having to manage as best they can in other quarters. It is now to be transferred to the Moor-road School, which at the approach of war stood invitingly empty.

Instead of being the first-aid post, the Moor-road premises became an emergency school for scholars, both Rushden and London, who had been robbed of the accommodation which Alfred-street would normally have provided. The Windmill Hall also had to be requisitioned by the harassed education authorities. There was a maximum of dislocation, and now, because the inconvenience to Education is recognised, some more turning-about and general jugglery is in progress.

To become a first-aid post Alfred-street had to be knocked about and fitted-up, and the combined bill for its establishment may have totalled about £700. To become a school again it needs considerable restoration – cost at present unknown. Moor-road, of course, needs builders and carpenters – and more money. Add the bill for the hire of the Windmill Hall, and the picture of money “down the spout” is more or less complete.

As usual, the failure of various authorities to work in concert from the first move is apparent in this costly muddle. As usual, it is difficult to lay the guilt on one party only, but we do know that at the eve of war a section of the County Council acted in direct opposition to the clearly expressed policy of the Board of Education, which was that schools in reception areas should not be used as first-aid posts.

19th January, 1940

Shelter Scheme is for 120 People Only - Rushden Council Has Plans for Four Small Dug-Outs

First-Aid Post to be Transferred - Mortuary Costs Criticised: Police Car-Park Ruling Not Approved

After electing a new member, Mr. A. H. Bailey, the Rushden Urban District Council discussed a lot of interesting business at its meeting on Wednesday, dealing chiefly with civil defence measures and other questions connected with the war.

There was no comment on a scheme for air-raid shelters which would hold a total of 120 people, but members said “Hear, hear” when the Clerk announced that the A.R.P. first-aid post is to be transferred from the Alfred-street School to the Moor-road School.

Proposals for a war-time mortuary were criticised on the ground of expense, and the new police decision that cars in street parks must be lighted was countered with the view that the parks themselves should be lighted and thus save the car batteries.

New Member

At the beginning of the meeting the election of Mr. A. H. Bailey as a councillor in place of Major R. A. Marriott was proposed by Councillor Green, who said : “I have been associated with Mr. Bailey for many years in various organisations, and have always found him a most energetic and enthusiastic young man. I am sure he will be of great assistance to the Council.”

Councillor Capon, seconding, said he was quite sure that Mr. Bailey would be an asset to the Council.

Supporting, Councillor Richardson described the appointment as “the right step.”

The resolution was carried unanimously and Mr. Bailey was then called into the room to be received by the Chairman and sign a declaration accepting office. “I have known you for quite a number of years,” said the Chairman, “and I am perfectly satisfied that you will be a most useful member of this Council.”

The new member replied that he hoped to be of service to the Council and the town.

Shelter For 120

Plans and specifications of four air-raid shelters which it was proposed to erect near High-street were referred to by the War Emergency Committee. They had been prepared by the Surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd), and the sites proposed were as follows: Land opposite “Stonehurst” in High-street; land abutting Succoth-place; land at the rear of Barclay’s Bank, College-street; land adjoining Messrs. C. H. Knight and Son’s tobacco shop.

Estimated to cost £110 each, the shelters would accommodate about 30 persons each and would be constructed of pre-cast reinforced concrete units with concrete floors to be laid in situ. The interior dimensions were : Height 6ft. 6in., width 7ft., length 22ft. They would be equipped with air locks, seating accommodation, an emergency exit (constructed in the roof) and a closet. The floor level would be four feet below ground level, and the excavated soil would be placed over the roof to a depth of two feet.

The committee has asked for the Government’s approval, and if this is obtained the Clerk (Mr. W. L. Beetenson) will interview the owners of the sites with a view to reaching an agreement, failing which the Clerk to the County Council will be asked to exercise requisitioning powers.

In answer to Dr. Davies the Clerk said the plans of the shelters were not quite ready and had not yet gone up to the Ministry.

Councillor Weale complained that the heating apparatus had not yet been installed at the Portland-road A.R.P. depot, where, he said, there was a lot of equipment.

The Clerk said that the contract had been placed, and the Chairman referred to the difficulties the contractor had to contend with.

Expensive Mortuary - A Government Scheme – But the Public Pays

Alternative plans and estimates for a war-time mortuary have been drawn up by the Surveyor and forwarded to the Ministry of Health on the instructions of the W.E.C. The adaptation of an unoccupied factory would cost £433, and a temporary wooden building would cost £1,273. In the case of the factory there would also be the annual rent of £104, plus the usual other outgoings. In the event of the Ministry favouring the wooden building the committee recommends the Cemetery Field as the most suitable site.

Councillor Roe expressed concern at the amount of money involved and said he should have thought there were other places which could be used at less expense. It was all very well to say that the Ministry would pay, but it was the public that paid all the time.

The Clerk (Mr. W. L. Beetenson) replied that the committee had very little option in the matter; they were almost commanded by the Ministry of Health to provide temporary mortuary accommodation. An officer of the Ministry came to Rushden and inspected the factory. He was fairly satisfied, but he asked if the committee had considered a temporary wooden building. The Council were not committed to anything, and if the Ministry approved of either scheme it would come again before the committee and probably the Council.

Sure To Be Wrong

Councillor Allebone asked whether the Council was bound to accept.

The Clerk : I will not go so far as to say that, but the Council will have to do something.

Councillor Roe called attention to “the huge unoccupied Drill Hall” as a suitable and less costly place.

Councillor Allebone said it was one of those cases where, if the buildings were provided and not wanted, they would be told what a waste of money had occurred, whereas if they did not provide them and the need arose they would again be wrong. They had to look at it from the national standpoint, and if they could inform the Ministry of the local feeling they ought to do so, because he thought that for a mortuary there was no need to spend £1,273. If the Council got down to it he was satisfied that they could provide all the accommodation that was likely to be required for less than that amount.

“I think,” added Mr. Allebone, “that we ought not to spend this money just because someone who wants to maintain his position says we must.”

Councillor Capon said that if the members saw the plans and the intricate details of equipment which must be provided they would not say that £1,273 was dear. He did not say the work would be needed, but the position was that if they did not do it the Ministry would do it over their heads.

A.R.P. Post Moves

The Clerk read a letter informing the Council that the transfer of the first-aid post from Alfred-street to the Moor-road School may proceed forthwith, the County Architect having been requested to make the necessary arrangements.

On the instructions of the County Council the War Emergency Committee are dispensing with the whole-time paid personnel of the A.R.P. Report Centre and are installing a telephone at the residence of Capt. J. Marshall Bailey, the A.R.P. Officer, it being understood that on an air-raid warning being given the centre will be manned immediately by the trained personnel. Arrangements are being made for a key to the centre to be held by a nearby shopkeeper.

In answer to Councillor Cox the Clerk said he understood that the shopkeeper holding the keys was to be paid two guineas per annum.

A Member: An easily earned two guineas.

The Clerk: Not if you are called up every night !

Councillor Roe: The tradesmen don’t get many two-guineas !

Councillor Capon (sympathetically) : It’s a pity Mr. Roe doesn’t live a little nearer. (Laughter).

Car Park Problem - Why Not Light Parks and Save Car Batteries ?

Reporting on the car park lighting question, which was debated last month, the Clerk said he had seen the Chief of Police and now understood that it had been decided that all cars parked in the public car parks in the town should in future be lighted.

Dr. Davies said he hoped the car parks would soon be lighted to save the lighting of the cars. It was hard on those who were doing public service if they were to leave their lights on for three hours at a time.

Councillor Allebone agreed and said he was in favour of small red lights at each end of the car park.

The Chairman: This communication came from the Supt. Of Police to the Inspector, and I am afraid we shall have to respect it.

Councillor Cox: Was our suggestion forwarded to them that we should have lights at each end of the park?

The Clerk said they asked the police to consider whether the cars should have lights or otherwise.

Councillor Cox: That is very different from what I should suggest – that is, to have small red lights at each end of the park rather than a dozen cars with lights on.

Councillor Waring urged that this suggestion should go forward in order to save car owners running down their batteries, and it was agreed that the Clerk should make the proposal.

Few Plots Wanted

The W.E.C. reported that in response to an advertisement seven persons had applied for war-time allotments. In view of the small number of applications it was resolved not to proceed at present with the administration of the Cultivation of Lands (Allotments) Order, but to inform the applicants that the Allotment Association had plenty of plots which they would be prepared to let. If, however, the applicants still desired other plots, the Clerk was instructed to offer them plots on the Council’s land in Newton-road and on the Irchester-road and Newton-road housing estates.

Councillor Paragreen: I was hoping that we should be inundated with applications for plots. At such times as this I should have thought that the majority of householders would have made application for land, even if they only wanted to try growing the No. 1 vegetable, which is the potato. It is rather disturbing that there is only a few applications.

The Chairman: I understand there have been two more.

House-Building Stopped

In a letter which had been before the Housing Committee the Minister of Health referred to the Council’s application to erect houses for the replacement of tenants who would be affected if outstanding demolition orders were carried out. Having regard to the fact that he could not undertake to facilitate the supply of the necessary timber, the Minister regretted that he was unable to entertain the application.

Councillor Roe drew attention to the letting of two houses in Coronation-avenue and Chester-road. These houses, he said, were built for the rehousing of tenants from demolished houses, and he asked the committee chairman if they had been offered on this occasion to tenants of houses which had been condemned as unfit for human habitation. If not, why not ? It was not fair, if such houses were available, that the tenants of unfit houses should have to remain in them until the Ministry of Health gave the Council permission to build new houses.

Councillor Paragreen replied that the Letting Sub-Committee had selected six or seven applicants some time previously, and when the casual vacancies came along they were asked whether they would occupy one of these homes. It was to be regretted that they were unable to proceed with the building of further homes, but in future he felt sure that the Housing Committee would watch very carefully the cases referred to by Mr. Roe.

Did They Apply?

Councillor Roe: It is not very satisfactory. These are not “Council” houses; they were built especially for people living in properties which were ordered to be demolished.

Councillor Capon: I think the point is whether these people in the houses which were to be demolished have applied for houses. If they have not, Mr. Roe’s argument falls to the ground.

Councillor Cox mentioned that the applications from which the selection was made had been on the short list for some time. He assured the Council that the sub-committee had very sympathetically considered the cases which had been put forward and would give them all possible priority.

Fire Brigade Extension - Sixty Auxiliaries Trained and Equipment Increased

In his report for 1939 the Chief Officer of the Fire Brigade (Mr. A. P. Timpson) said that 16 calls, including five out-of-town, were received and in every case responded to within five minutes. Training of 30 auxiliary firemen and two lady watchroom attendants was completed in August, and the training of 30 more was now in full swing. Drills and exercises had been held at most week-ends since war began. The auxiliary station in Newton-road had been completed and four trailer pumps were housed in a state of readiness, the necessary lorries having been enlisted, thanks to the kind co-operation of the business people of the town. Recreation facilities had been arranged for the A.F.S. members.

Nearly 200 factory fire watch parties had been trained in fire fighting and incendiary bomb control in accordance with the Civil Defence Act, and lectures and drills had been given on these subjects to 15 soldiers.

“This has been an outstanding year in the history of the brigade,” wrote Mr. Timpson, “and the Council may rest assured that with the high standard of efficiency of all the members and the equipment to hand the brigade would tackle any situation very creditably.”

Councillor Waring paid tribute to the public-spirited motive of those who had come forward and said the report gave them a sense of security.

Councillor Allebone declared that everyone was very keen; the town could feel that its interests were well looked after.

Endorsing the congratulations, the Chairman said that great interest was shown by all sections of the brigade.

Hospital Dispute

A minute of the Health Committee, proposing that Councillors Cox and Allen, with the Clerk, should attend a county conference on the question of isolation hospital accommodation, brought comment from Councillor Waring, who said they were losing too much of their local autonomy. He thought they should oppose the county scheme, because if they scrapped the joint hospital scheme at Wellingborough and tried to concentrate on Kettering the effect would be far from economical. It would also be most unfair to ask the transport drivers to go the long distances they would be required to go on occasions.

Mr. Waring suggested that the delegates should convey this view to the conference, but the Chairman asked “Would it not be better to wait for our delegates to give a report?”

Councillor Waring: I am willing to do that provided that we don’t commit ourselves at the first meeting.

Further discussion arose, but on Dr. Davies’s proposition it was decided to go into committee, Councillor Capon describing this as “begging the question.”

Food Control Serial

A letter from the Divisional Food Officer dealt with the rejected claim for alteration of the Wellingborough and District Food Control Committee and stated: “The committee is properly constituted and it seems to give very equitable representation between the authorities which constitute the area.”

Councillor Sawford observed that the weekly attendance of a Food Control clerk at the Council offices was a great privilege for Rushden, and they had to thank Mr. Gadd for his courtesy in the matter.

Councillor Allen: I think it is no privilege – it is our right !

Councillor Cox said that a great many people did not know of the arrangement; he had had numerous enquiries.

The Clerk: Last Thursday morning the young lady was inundated.

Mrs. Muxlow: I think that must have been my fault; I had nearly 100 people enquiring the week before.

1,000 Evacuees - Only 120 Mothers Now Billeted in Rushden

The Clerk reported that the number of evacuees in the town on January 8 was 1,089, compared with the original number of approximately 2,430. The details were: Unaccompanied children, 700; accompanied children, 134; accompanied schoolchildren, 10; mothers, 120; teachers 47; helpers, 18.

A census taken by the Air Raid Wardens revealed the following requirements: Babies’ anti-gas helmets, 427; respirators for children aged 2-3, 213; respirators for children ages 3-4 ½, 213. The figures have been supplied to the Clerk of the County Council for submission to the appropriate Government department.

It was decided to purchase 26 auxiliary firemen’s caps from a Luton firm at 4s. 5d. each, 62 oilskin coats from a Leeds firm at 14s. 9d. each, and 26 pairs of rubber boots through the Home Office at 11s. per pair. Oilskin leggings are to be obtained through the Post Office Stores Department.

An offer from the Electric Supply Company covering the black-out period was accepted. The annual cost of maintaining the switches for the 51 lamps in High-street is £27 18s., and the company will bear half of this cost, the Council bearing the other half. The Council has undertaken to extend the contract for a minimum of one year after removal of the lighting restrictions.

There is also an arrangement with the Gas Company regarding 44 lamps in Church-street and Wellingborough-road, providing that their agreement, which expires in May 1947, shall be extended after that date by a term equal to the period of restriction.

“Star” Lighting

It was agreed to experiment with the new “star” lighting as prescribed by the Ministry of Home Security, and the Surveyor was instructed to have six electric and six gas lamps fitted with the new type of burner.

Councillor Waring said he hoped the townspeople did not expect too much. He should be greatly surprised if the lamps gave more illumination than they got from the road signs.

The Housing Manager (Mr. H. C. Allen) reported that, of 412 houses on the 1939-40 list for internal decoration, only 168 now remained to be completed. The tenants’ holiday rent reserve now amounted to £194, the highest total on record.

Minutes of the W.E.C. showed that a grant of £30 has been made to Rushden by the L.C.C. committee which administered the Christmas Treat Fund for Evacuated Children.

Building statistics for 1939 showed, as expected, a big drop in enterprise. For private houses the figures, with the 1938 figures in brackets, were: Plans approved, 119 (236); certified as complete, 141 (186); in course of erection at end of year, 32 (38); approved but not yet commenced, 21 (96). No Council houses were built last year. Other plans approved during 1939 were: Additions to houses, 6; additions to factories, 8; shops, 2; sundries, chiefly garages, 43, with a sports pavilion and additions to a club.

New building plans were: Addition to bungalow, Wymington-road, Mr. S. Linnell; conversion of shed into surgery, Talbot-road, Dr. B. W. Paine.

Wages Increased

A wage increase of one-halfpenny per hour was granted to a number of drivers in the Council’s employ. The recently-granted “increased cost of living bonus” was now extended to the whole of the employees paid on a weekly basis, and in the case of a part-time employee the bonus was fixed at 2s. per week.

Sanction was given, on certain conditions, to the erection of an overhead telegraphic line in Prospect-avenue.

A sequel to remarks made at the December meeting came in the form of an application by Mr. A. L. Dickens, of the “Railway Inn” for a licence enabling a paddock near his premises to be used as a site for movable dwellings. The Sanitary Inspector (Mr. F. S. F. Piper) reported that there were three vans, with five people living in them. A licence was granted until June 30 “conditionally upon the number of vans and the number of persons residing therein not exceeding three and five respectively.”

A report from the Cemetery Registrar showed that there were 77 interments during the second half of 1939, compared with 76 during the first half. Eighteen grave spaces had been purchased and 20 reserved for 14 years. The fees for the half-year totalled £162.

It was agreed to buy a petrol-driven plough for the sewage farm, at a cost of £81 19s., in place of the horse which had recently been destroyed.

Salvage of Refuse

The question of the salvage of house refuse, as suggested by the Ministry of Health, is under consideration.

The Council agreed to undertake the burial of any members of the Crown Forces whose deaths may occur in the town during the war period.

It was agreed to take advantage of the County Council’s new arrangements for the testing of pasteurised milk.

A letter from Mr. A. Norman Groome, solicitor, of Queen-street, called attention to the flooding of a bungalow on the Court Estate and asked the Council to remedy the nuisance. The Health and Sanitary Committee is making inquiries.

The Chairman wished the members a prosperous New Year and expressed the hope that before 1940 was over they would be living in better times.

Members in attendance were : Councillors E. A. Sugars (Chairman), J. Allen (Vice-Chairman), J. Roe, A. Allebone, J.P., C.C., T. W. Cox, F. Green, Dr. R. W. Davies, Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, W. E. Capon, A. F. Weale, T. J. Swindall, J. H. J. Paragreen, H. Waring, W. J. Sawford, J. T. Richardson and A. H. Bailey. An apology for absence was received from Councillor J. Spencer.

Baby’s Gas Helmet - A Delicate Task Begun at Rushden Welfare Centre

Home Defence Jobs - Sentries Wanted to Guard Their Own Districts

Rushden Land Lying Idle - Allotment Society Interested in “Dig for Victory” Campaign
Older Men “Carry On”

Garage Ban

Men on Service

Wartime in Rushden 1938 - 1945