Eight acres of land in Jubilee Park, Rushden, have been ploughed up in order to increase food production in the county. The swings and other amusements in the Park are, however, to be spared. The ploughing up has been done at the request of the County War Agricultural Committee and next year the land will be producing crops, - probably potatoes. Other land belonging to the Urban Council which is being ploughed up includes a plot in the Hall Grounds, the cemetery field and land surrounding housing estates.

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Street and factory Savings Groups in Rushden, Higham Ferrers and Raunds are aiming to save double their usual amounts this month in connection with the area’s special “Double Your Savings” Month.

Four groups have already signified their intention of raising £300 during the month, the equivalent of the cost of one light ambulance. Other objectives set themselves by other groups include bren guns, which cost £50 each, a parachute, which costs £40, and one heavy artillery shell, which costs £18.

Mr. A. Maclean, hon. Secretary of Rushden and district Savings Committee, told an “Echo and Argus” reporter that there were 53 street saving groups in Rushden and 96 factory and other groups. All of these had been circularised asking them what objective they had set themselves for this month.

A good number, said Mr. Maclean, have already replied indicating that Rushden people are giving fullest support to the scheme.

Along with the circular was enclosed a list of war weapons giving the cost of each so that each group can pick its own weapon to aim for. The weapons range from a battleship costing £8,000,000 to a bullet for a heavy machine gun which costs 6d. and a split pin which costs 1d.

Here are the objectives which have been set themselves by those groups whose replies have so far been received.

St. Margaret’s-avenue, £68 10s. (clothing ten soldiers); Oswald-road including Winchester and Denmark-roads £300 (one light ambulance); Crabb-street, £300 (light ambulance); Griffith-street, £50 (bren gun); Portland-road, £40 (one parachute); Irchester-road, £30 (Tommy gun); Wellingborough-road, £18 (one heavy artillery shell); Bedford-road, £21 (three rifles); Glassbrook-road, £3 (field gun shell); Newton-road, South side, £30 (one Tommy gun); King’s-road and King’s-place, £14 (two rifles); Fitzwilliam-street, £25 (a mortar); Moor-road, Station-road and Midland-road, £100 (machine gun); Higham-road, £50 (bren gun); Hayway, £30 (Tommy gun).

Factory Groups

Allebone and Sons, Ltd., £50 (bren gun); Coxton Boot Co., £50 (bren gun); Dilks and Martin, £35 (rubber dinghy); Messrs. S. L. Hunt, £18 (one heavy artillery shell); Putnam and Sons, £51 (bren gun and 40 bullets for heavy machine gun); Knight and Lawrence, £150 (five Tommy guns); C.W.S. Factory, £300 (light ambulance); Strong and Fisher, £300 (six bren guns); Sanders and Sanders Ltd., £300 (light ambulance); B. Ladds Ltd., £100 (two bren guns); Rushden Gasworks, £20 to £30 (to be decided later).

Avenue-road, Rushden, group write to state that they have already held their “Double Your Savings” month during July. They collected £104, the object being a machine gun.

At Higham Ferrers good progress is being made with the scheme, and, as at Rushden, each factory and street group is being invited to set itself the objective of purchasing a particular weapon. Coun. R. W. Janes is organising the campaign.

The savings campaign at Raunds and Stanwick is in the charge of Mr. E. F. Poole (hon. Campaign secretary) who states that factory and street groups are aiming to double their savings this month.

Among the activities planned for the month are visits from a National Savings cinema van, which will be at Rushden on September 16 and 17, at Higham Ferrers on September 16 and at Raunds on September 15.

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Rushden is now in possession of the main facts regarding the reorganisation of the street fire parties as part of the National Fire Guard.

A sensible line has been taken in that any interference with the working of the existing parties will be reduced to a minimum. The dominating desire of those who have served so splendidly as voluntary watchers has been to defend their own homes, and the idea of being drafted into other locations has never been popular.

The voluntary system remains, and while it remains the general body of watchers – now Guards – will desire to defend their own homes as before. There is, in fact, no idea of asking them to do otherwise. The streets are being bracketed into groups of four, five or six, each group with its own leader, and while this arrangement should certainly aim at helping the weaker streets, it need and, indeed, must not cut seriously into the present working of the units, whose own goodwill, equipment, posts and systems are all essential to the new order of things.

At the moment it appears that the chief effects of making groups and appointing group officers will be to secure a broadening of the existing neighbourliness, a strengthening of the weaker points, a better distribution of official intelligence, a fuller understanding with the A.R.P. Wardens, and tin hats for all.

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12th September, 1941

Pressed to give the Trade Union movement a seat on the district Food Control Committee, Rushden Urban Council made a concession on Wednesday evening, but at the same time rebuffed the local Trades Council which has been conducting a campaign for trade union representation. It was veteran Labour Councillor Spencer, and not the Trades Council nominee, who got the place.

The meeting – an uncommonly interesting one – revealed that Rushden’s shelter and static water basin projects are likely to be halted by the withdrawal of building labour. The town’s voluntary Fire Guard scheme was introduced, the half-yearly rate was fixed at the existing figure, and it was learned that the Council has been ordered to plough up Jubilee Park and other public land.

Before the annual appointment of three Rushden non-trading representatives to serve on the Wellingborough and District Food Control Committee, the Clerk (Mr. W. L. Beetenson) read a letter from the Ministry of Food. The writer referred to correspondence on the question of the appointment of a trade union representative, and observed that the appointment had not yet been made – “presumably because no vacancy has occurred.”

“It would be appreciated,” added the letter, “if the Council would take this into consideration in filling the vacancies when the term of office of the present members expired.”

There was also a letter from the Rushden and District Trades Council requesting the Council to appoint a trade union representative and proffering the name of Mr. R. Welsford as the Trades Council nominee.

Coun. R. Green (Cons.), one of the three councillors who have held the Rushden seats, said he quite agreed that the Labour Party should be represented, and he therefore did not seek re-nomination.

Coun. Mrs. Muxlow (Lib.) was then re-elected on the proposition of Coun. Capon, seconded by Coun. Waring, and Coun. Cox was reappointed on the motion of Coun. Sawford.

The appointment of Coun. Spencer, a Labour member, was moved by Coun. Allebone, and seconded by Coun. Roe.

Coun. Roe said it was perfectly right that the Labour Party should be represented on the committee, but if the Council took the nomination of any organisation he did not know where they would stop.

Coun. Spencer: I understand it is the wish of my colleagues. The other person is unknown to the majority of the people, and therefore I give my consent.

Coun. Capon: I hope Mr. Spencer regards 17 of us as his colleagues.

The Chairman (Coun. T. W. Cox): Mr. Spencer will have the hearty support of the whole of us.

“I think we shall realise that he represents the town,” said Coun. Weale, whereupon Mr. Spencer was appointed unanimously.

The Clerk outlined the Ministry of Home Security’s plan for the reorganisation of the voluntary street parties under the title of the Fire Guard. In Rushden, he said, the responsibility for fire prevention continued to be in the hands of the Council, and the Chief A.R.P. Warden would be responsible to the local authority for making the new arrangements.

The cost involved, continued the Clerk, would rank for grant, but as far as he could see at present there would be no extraordinary expense.

There were about 2,500 persons already enrolled in the town’s voluntary street parties. He had taken steps in conjunction with the Chief Warden, and it was proposed to divide the town into four areas, with six groups in each area.

In order to prevent dislocation of the existing groups as far as possible he had addressed a letter to each of the street fire party secretaries, asking for their suggestions and observations after consultation with their personnel. Each group was also asked to nominate a member who would be prepared to act as Senior Fire Guard for the group, and a Head Guard would also be appointed. When the suggestions and nominations were received a meeting would be called.

Mr. Beetenson added that 1,200 steel helmets had already been received as a first instalment of those that would be required to equip every guard with one.

The Chairman said the secretaries would have the letter in their hands on Thursday.

In reply to Coun. Sawford, the Clerk said it was the Council’s duty to appoint the Chief Guard, but they thought it best to give the street parties the opportunity to appoint one of their own members.

Reports on the public shelters were given by the War Emergency Committee.

The semi-surface shelters, it was stated, had all been connected to the town electric supply and equipped with emergency lighting arrangements. Tubular heating had been approved, but the installation had been delayed.

Surface shelters had been delayed owing to the shortage of labour, but those in St. Mary’s-avenue, Duck-street, High-street North, College-street, Station-road and Higham-road would probably be completed in the near future.

Plans for converting basements into public shelters had been abandoned on the advice of the Regional Technical Adviser, who preferred surface shelters away from the centre of the town.

Construction of some domestic shelters had begun in Zone 1.

There were 73 factory and school shelters, with accommodation for 5,304 persons.

These reports were largely negatived by the news that most of the building labour in the North Midland Region is being transferred to “priority” work. The Clerk (Mr. W. L. Beetenson) had informed the committee that Rushden, scheduled as a “C” area, must expect to lose all building labour except permanent employees of the Council.

The committee expressed disappointment at the decision, but instructed the surveyor to ask the Regional Officer whether materials could be supplied free to residents who desired to build their own blast walls under supervision.

Static Water

A report from the Highways Committee dealt with a scheme for the construction of five static water supply basins, each to hold 150,000 gallons, in various parts of the town, the whole cost to be borne by the Government.

Coun. Weale observed, with the withdrawal of building labour in mind, that he understood the work was not proceeding.

Coun. Allebone then asked if it was necessary for the Surveyor to obtain estimates for work which might never be wanted, but the Clerk, indicating that the surveyor would proceed with caution, said that the Council should pass the resolution authorising him to obtain tenders. This was done.

Coun. Bailey said that everybody would be deeply disappointed if this scheme came to a standstill. It was no use having a magnificent fire service and full modern equipment if at the critical moment they had no water supply. He hoped that everything possible would be done.

“If anything can be done, it will be done,” replied the Chairman.

After a statement by Coun. Sugars as chairman of the Finance Committee, it was agreed to levy a rate of 6s. 2d. in the £ (unchanged) for the second half of the financial year.

Coun. Sugars said the committees were keeping within their estimates, but the Council were faced with an additional burden in respect of an insurance against war damage, which would mean the curtailment of expenditure on the various Council services during the next six months.

The war insurance of the 797 Council houses (not included in the year’s estimates) would cost £1,030, which was equal to a rate of 3.09d. in the £. Insurance of other properties would cost £128 10s., and the total war insurance equalled 3.47d. in the £.

When the estimates were drafted the Act had not been passed, and it was thought at that time that a clause would be inserted to allow local authorities to recharge the premiums on the tenants by increasing rents, but the Government had now ruled that the premium was a capital charge payable by the owner. The various associations of local authorities were pressing for a national grant towards the cost of the premium with a view to alleviating the burden on the general ratepayers.

In view of these facts, said Mr. Sugars, it was impossible for the Council to reduce the rate.

The Chairman: I think we can congratulate ourselves that it is no worse.

The housing report showed that a house in Tennyson-road had been let to Mr. F. H. Warner, late of West-street. Ceilings in Highfield-road had been repaired, and it was hoped that the greater part of the internal decoration scheme for 1941-2 would be completed before the winter months.

Spare land on the Newton-road and Irchester-road housing estates – about three acres in each case – has been ploughed up by order of the War Agricultural Committee, with the result that several residents in the vicinity have asked for plots as garden allotments. It was agreed to use the land in this way to the fullest possible extent, letting the plots rent free to March 31st next and thereafter at a rent which has not yet been fixed.

The original instructions to the Council were that the land should be sown with wheat before Oct. 15th.

Coun. Green announced that most of the ground had now been taken up by tenants on the estates.

The Parks Committee announced that they had been ordered to plough up portions of the Hall grounds before Sept. 15th and sow with an arable crop for the harvest of 1942. They had suggested, however, that Jubilee Park, containing about the same acreage, was much more suitable for cultivation, and the War Agricultural Committee had agreed to Jubilee Park being ploughed in substitution for the Hall. As the Council had no implements or labour, the W.A.C. had undertaken to do the work.

From the Health Committee came news that the W.A.C. had also agreed to cultivate the Cemetery Field – the subject of an earlier ploughing order.

Coun. George pressed for the cultivation of some land which was held in reserve for cemetery extension – good land, he said, and sufficient for 10 or 12 plots. He thought it would be a shame if they did not have it utilised by people who were willing to take it.

Coun. Waring, who is chairman of the Parks Committee, welcomed the suggestion.

A wartime day nursery for children from two to five years of age is to be established at Rushden, and it was reported that the County Medical Officer had inspected a site in Spencer Park, where a hut holding 60 children could be erected. The Parks Committee, however, have suggested that, as by far the largest number of artisan dwellings are in the West Ward, a more suitable site would be near the Tennyson-road Schools.

Coun. Waring: I don’t know whether, when this is an established institution and fully equipped, they will ask the chairman of the Parks Committee to take charge of the 60 infants there. In such case I propose to ask for the assistance of the other bachelor member of the Council, Mr. Swindall. (Laughter).

Coun. Mrs. Muxlow said it was a pity that a doubtful site had been recommended. A nursery was advisable in an industrial town, and they needed to get on with it without delay.

Coun. Waring: The whole of the committee is of the same opinion as Mrs. Muxlow, but the selection is not ours.

The Clerk said he had already advised the County M.O.H. of the committee’s suggestion, and believed the authorities were moving in the direction indicated by the committee.

Coun. Allebone said the tenants of allotment ground near the Tennyson-road Schools had been advised that they would not be able to continue in occupation, so it would be seen that a move was being made.

As the surveyor, owing to the shortage of labour, could not arrange for the cleaning of the street gulleys, it was agreed to employ the Mechanical Cleaning Service, Ltd., who would clear the gulleys four times per annum at a charge of £154.

Coun. Spencer said he hoped this was only a wartime arrangement, and that they could go back to their ordinary method after the war.

Coun. Weale said he expected that after the war the committee would review all such matters. If this method was practical and economical, no doubt they would continue it.

Coun. Spencer pointed out that the outside firm would not be in a position to clean the gulleys if emergencies occurred through storms and floods.

Coun. Capon: It will have to be a bad system if it is no better than the old one! (Laughter).

Coun. Green said that Nottingham was strongly in favour of the mechanical method.

According to a Health Committee report, four milk samples proved unsatisfactory when tested at the County Laboratory were from supplies produced outside the district, the milk being of low standard when it reached Rushden.

Dr. Davies said the Sanitary Inspector had since made inquiries about the sources of supply, and in at least two cases they were shown to be good. The examination of the supply at the source, however, was only done in the case of “accredited” milk, and it seemed that the only thing to be done was to have as many “accredited” farms as they could in the district.

Following a report from the A.R.P. Officer (Capt. J. M. Bailey) that the accommodation at the First Aid Post was inadequate, the War Emergency Committee instructed the Clerk to communicate with the County Council with a view to the building being enlarged.

In her quarterly report the Librarian (Miss M. Perkins) stated that 15,787 adult fiction, 3,759 adult non-fiction, 4,924 juvenile fiction and 1,489 juvenile non-fiction books were issued – an increase of 6,930 compared with the corresponding period of 1940. The membership at the end of June was 4,625, an increase of 232 since March.

During the quarter 461 new and 43 second-hand books were purchased, and 35 books presented to the Library. Fifty-four volumes were let to the A.T.C. library.

An offer by Mr. R. Bailey, of the Court Estate, to compile a war diary and present it to the Library was accepted with thanks, the committee feeling that it would make a useful addition to the local collection in future years.

The Parks Committee mentioned that 30 folding chairs from the Hall grounds had been loaned to the A.R.P. depot in Portland-road.

Use of the Hall kitchen garden was allowed to Miss R. McLeod, who has formed a ladies’ physical training class.

It was agreed to allow the newly-formed Rushden Pig Club to use the old pheasantry at the Hall grounds for keeping seven pigs. The club has been formed at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture.

A pitch at Spencer Park was rented to Messrs. Charles Thurston and Sons for use during Feast Week.

On the operation of a “break” clause, a housing loan of £2,175, on which the Council has been paying 5 per cent., was renewed at the reduced rate of 3½ per cent. for the whole of the outstanding period.

Full powers (except to raise or borrow money) to deal with the consequences of air attack were delegated to the War Emergency Committee.

The resignation of Mr. J. G. Miller, general clerk in the surveyor’s department, was accepted with regret.

It was announced that the Higham Ferrers, Irthlingborough, Raunds and Rushden joint scheme for the decontamination of foodstuffs affected by gas had been approved. The cost of facilities at the Council’s Newton-road depot would be £60, divided between the authorities and subject to grant.

A pitch in Spencer Park was let to the Adult School F.C. at a charge of £2 for the season, payable in advance.

Plans were passed of a cow-house off the Hayway, for Mr. John White.

Street lighting times for the winter were fixed at from half an hour after sunset to 10.30 p.m.

The old steam fire engine was sold to Messrs. Redden Brothers and Sheppard, of Wellingborough, for £16.

Coun. Waring said the price was very low – abominable in fact.

“There were some lower offers,” replied the Chairman.

“There was only one other possibility,” said Coun. Weale. “It might have gone to the British Museum and fetched a little higher price.”

The Surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd) reported that £52 worth of waste material was salvaged in July and £32 worth in August. It included 14 tons of paper, nearly two tons of iron, eight tons of crushed tins, and nearly five tons of kitchen waste.

A sympathetic message was sent to Coun. J. T. Richardson, J.P., who, while making favourable progress, is still incapacitated by an injury to one of his feet.

Members in attendance were: Couns. T. W. Cox, J.P., (chairman), W. T. Sawford (vice-chairman), A. H. Bailey, J. Roe, A. Allebone, J.P., C.C., F. Green, J.P., Dr. R. W. Davies, J. Allen, Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, W. E. Capon, A. F. Weale, J. George, T. J. Swindall, J. Spencer, J.P., J. H. J. Paragreen, H. Waring and E. A. Sugars.

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Further progress is being made by street and factory savings groups in Rushden and district in connection with the area’s “Double Your Savings” campaign which is being held this month.

A further list of groups have notified to Mr. A. Maclean (hon. Secretary of Rushden and District Savings Committee) the increased sums which they are planning to save this month and the war weapon which this particular sum will buy and which they have made their objective. A previous list was published in last week’s “Echo and Argus.” Here is the second list:

Fred Corby Ltd., £330 (light ambulance and Tommy gun); Rushden South End School, £100 (machine gun); Rushden Tennyson-road Infants’ School, £80 (two parachutes); C. W. Horrell Ltd., £500 (ten Bren guns); C.W.S. (Rushden Works), £300 (light ambulance); Tecnic Boot Co., £300 (light ambulance); Strong and Fisher, £300 (six Bren guns); Fred Hawkes (N.V. Engineers) Ltd., £35 (no target selected); Ellis and Everard Ltd., £11 (2,000 rounds of rifle ammunition); Woolworths, Rushden, £11 16s, 6d. (one rifle, one heavy A.A. shell and 33 bullets); Pendereds, £7 (rifle); Beaconsfield-terrace, £4 4s. (heavy A.A. shell and hand grenade); Essex-road, £12 (two medium artillery shells); Wentworth and Carnegie-roads, £7 (rifle); Co-operative-row £30 (Tommy gun); York-road and Roberts-street, £30 11s. (clothing three soldiers); Queen-street, £50 (Bren gun); Robinson-road, £50 (Bren gun); Higham-road, £178 (machine gun, Bren gun and mortar).

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Many streets, factories and schools at Rushden and Higham Ferrers were visited on Tuesday and Wednesday by a travelling outdoor cinema which had arrived to give publicity to the towns’ Double Your Savings Drive. The films shown, which were all very short, dealt principally with the war effort and in most cases drew quite a large audience.

Councillor R. Janes took part in the meetings at Higham Ferrers, and the speakers at Rushden were Councillor Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, Councillor J. Allen, Councillor W. E. Capon, Councillor F. Green, J.P., and the head teachers of some of the schools.

The September drive is making good progress. Rushden Alfred-street School is endeavouring not only to double its normal monthly savings but to reach the £1,000 mark for the year. South End School has passed its £100 objective; Tennyson-road Infants’ School has fulfilled its aim, and Newton-road School reports “splendid progress.”

Harborough-road street group, which aims at the purchase of a Bren gun (£50), has gained 14 new members in Harborough-road and 15 in Little-street as a result of the campaign.

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Many streets, factories and schools at Rushden and Higham Ferrers were visited on Tuesday and Wednesday by a travelling outdoor cinema which had arrived to give publicity to the towns’ Double Your Savings Drive. The films shown, which were all very short, dealt principally with the war effort and in most cases drew quite a large audience.

Councillor R. Janes took part in the meetings at Higham Ferrers, and the speakers at Rushden were Councillor Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, Councillor J. Allen, Councillor W. E. Capon, Councillor F. Green, J.P., and the head teachers of some of the schools.

The September drive is making good progress. Rushden Alfred-street School is endeavouring not only to double its normal monthly savings but to reach the £1,000 mark for the year. South End School has passed its £100 objective; Tennyson-road Infants’ School has fulfilled its aim, and Newton-road School reports “splendid progress.”

Harborough-road street group, which aims at the purchase of a Bren gun (£50), has gained 14 new members in Harborough-road and 15 in Little-street as a result of the campaign.

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Rushden and District Trades Council has been congratulated by the T.U.C. on having “gained its wish” in connection with Food Control Committee representation.

At Tuesday’s meeting, however, the members instructed their secretary (Mr. R. C. Hawes) to inform the T.U.C. that no such thing had happened. They registered their opinion that the Rushden Urban Council’s handling of the matter was “a cut and dried affair,” and that, with no disrespect to Coun. John Spencer, a younger man would have filled the seat to better advantage.

As to the statement that their nominee (Mr. Welsford) was not well-known, members asked “How does a man become well-known?” and others answered, “Only by doing public work – one must begin somewhere.”

After a long discussion on the proposed mid-week pay day the secretary was instructed to ask the Boot Manufacturers’ Association for their views. Mr. R. C. Knight suggested a way to work the scheme without holding back a day’s pay for the first week.

A grant of one guinea was voted to the Anglo-Soviet Friendship Committee, which is sending a medical unit to the U.S.S.R., and it was stated that the Amalgamated Engineering Union would also give a donation.

Mr. R. Welsford presided at the meeting and welcomed four new delegates, Miss J. Bubinette and Mr. F. Harris (N.U.B.S.O.), Mr. D. J. Chamberlain (A.E.U.), and Mr. J. W. Brown (United Road Transport Workers’ Association).