Rushden Research Group: Robert O Butcher

Robert Octavius Butcher

Robert Butcher

05 September 1874, Northampton Mercury

W’boro Petty Sessions

A License to sell sweets was granted to Mr. R. Butcher, of Rushden.

From the photo below:

Mr Butcher and his wife outside the shop.

Over the window reads: Butcher, Grocer &c.

He supplied Rushden Hall with groceries.

Robert Octavius Butcher and his wife Eliza were both born at Wellingborough, and came to Rushden in about 1852. His shop was at 22 High Street South, a thatched building, and his nephew, William, came from Wellingborough to work as his assistant.

In 1861 Robert was listed as a grocer in Melville’s directory and the census as a grocer, coal merchant and proprietor of brick and tile kilns, and he was employing four men.

They had nine children, and all were recorded in a family bible, but the burials of three who died in infancy were not written into the bible.

Eldest son John Henry was his assistant in the shop in 1871, but sadly died two years later. Ten years later Robert was employing 6 men and one boy.

His son Robert Charles was a draper’s assistant in 1881 and in 1891 he was a shoe rivetter.

c1895 - Rushden's last thatched building

Note: The property after WWI was the cafe business of Arthur Simpson and his daughter Florence's millinery business in 1920. Rethatched in 2019.

Robert Octavius Butcher was a successful candidate, for the church, in the first election for a School Board in 1877, which had been fought for by the non-conformist shoe manufacturers. Together with Mr Sartoris from Rushden Hall, Robert was only there to watch proceedings, and in 1879 they both resigned from the Board.

The brickworks was sold in the 1880s.

Robert Charles married Fanny Sumbler (born Radstock WIL) on June 13^th 1887 at Woodford. Their children were also recorded in the family bible.

c1905 - 22 High Street South - later Simpson's

Note the Hall Park wall to the right, cottages and Ginns' smithy.
The village green far right. Left is the Wagon and Horses Inn.

left: Two large volumes of Brown's Bible

Pages photographed - as seen in the Family Bible at a book sale

Robert Octavius Butcher Born Feby 28^th 1825 Died Oct 1^st 1897	Eliza Butcher Born October 17^th 1828
John Henry Butcher Born Jany 12^th 1854	Ellen Octavia Butcher Born Nov 13^th 1866
Mary Elizabeth Butcher Born March 10^th 1855	Arthur Alfred Butcher Born Dec 11^th 1867
Eliza Kate Butcher Born Aug 24 1856	George Ernest Butcher Born May 13^th 1869
Annie Constance Butcher Born Oct 21^st 1858
Robert Charles Butcher Born Jany 29^th 1862 Died April 9 1900
William Herbert Butcher Born Jany 29^th 1863
Jany 29^th 1864

Above: births and deaths noted inside the front cover of a family bible (transcribed left)

Robert Charles Butcher Born Jany 29^th 1862 Died April 9^th 1900	Fanny Butcher Born May 18^th 1869 Died July 2 1940
Grace Ellen Butcher Born April 4^th 1888	Robert Charles Butcher Born Dec 28 1899 Died July 15 1946
Dorothy Annie Butcher Born July 26^th 1889 Died January 17 1909
Leslie Robert Butcher Born August 30^th 1891 Died Dec 1^st 1919
William Henry Butcher Born Sept 17^th 1894 Died May 1914
George Ernest Butcher Born Jany 22^nd 1897 Died Sept 8^th 1898

Above: births and deaths noted on a page at the front of a family bible (transcribed left)

Below: entries inside the back cover

John Butcher Born Dec 17 1789	Married Nov 14 1809	Died Jany 1875
Mary Butcher Born October 4^th 1783	Married Nov 14 1809	September

Robert Octavious died on October 1st 1897 aged 72 years. His wife Eliza died in 1904 aged 75 years and son Robert Charles died in 1900 aged just 38 years. They are all buried in Rushden Cemetery.

Cemetery : Grave B877:-

In loving memory of Robert Octavius BUTCHER died October 1st 1897 aged 72 years. "Thy will be done".

Also of Robert Charles BUTCHER (son) died April 9th 1900 aged 37 years.

Also of Eliza the beloved wife of Robert Octavius BUTCHER died August 17th 1904 aged 75 years. "At rest".

In 1901 the shop was run by Fanny Butcher, widow of Robert Charles.

Thomas Brown opened here in 1901/2

Shop to Let 1830

Index of Traders