Rushden Research Group: Spencer Park notes

Spencer Park

News and notes

Washbrook Road gates and the WWI Tank standing inside the park.

Rushden Echo, 19th June, 1914 [council meeting extract]

Roman Catholic School Treat
An application was also received from Father O’Gorman for the use of the Ground for children’s sports on the general school treat day in July.

It was resolved to accede to the application on the same terms as last year.

Swings inside the park from a postcard

View inside the park

Rushden Echo, 12th January1917, transcribed by Kay Collins

Church Parade
At St. Mary’s Parish Church, Rushden, on Sunday afternoon, a church parade and men’s service was held, addressed by the local chaplain, the Rev. Stainsbury.

The local Volunteers, under Lieut. G. R. Turner; the Special Constables, under Mr. Mead; and the Church Lads’ Brigade, under Lieut. Bailey, fell in at Spencer Park, and headed by the “Hallamshire” Bugle Band and accompanied by the C.L.B. Band, marched to the church.

Rushden Echo, 23rd April, 1920 [council meeting extract]

Spencer Park
An application by the Clubs Benevolent Fund Committee for the use of part of Spencer Park on a Saturday for sports and a hoop-la was granted.

Rushden Co-operative Society and Rushden Labour Party were also given permission to hold a meeting in Spencer Park.

The Rushden Argus April 1^st 1921, transcribed by Susan Manton

Preparing the greens

Work for the Workless
Rushden’s Unemployed on the New Bowling Green

Rushden’s new bowling greens and tennis courts are providing employment for numerous men who have hitherto been out of a job. Our picture gives an idea of the operations which are now in progress on the far side of Spencer Park. But the flappers of Rushden need not make a rush for racquets because it will be a long time before the courts are ready.

The Northampton Mercury, 2nd June 1922

Rushden’s Bowling Green and Pavilion were opened on Saturday.

Rushden Echo, 4th September 1925

Sunday Concerts—The Rushden Town Band gave a splendid concert in Spencer Park on Sunday afternoon under the able leadership of Mr C H Baker, and in the evening the Rushden Adult School Male Voice Choir gave a much-appreciated concert from the bandstand, Mr F Ingram conducting. There were good companies present on each occasion.

Rushden Echo, 11th Feb. 1927. Council Meeting extract

Park-Keeper’s House—A letter was submitted from Mr. W. G. Wilmott offering to sell the house in Washbrook-road occupied by the park-keeper for £350. It was pointed out that the house was very conveniently situated for the purpose, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to make the purchase at the price named.

Rushden Echo, 4th March 1927, transcribed by Kay Collins

The Fire-Escape has been in frequent use this week, but fortunately not with the necessity of saving life. The handsome poplar trees in Spencer Park, having grown too tall and uneven, had to be lopped. The only safe means of reaching the boughs is by the Fire Brigade’s escape.

The Rushden Echo and Argus, 1^st December, 1933

Adding An Acre To Spencer Park
Bigger Bowling Green and Room for Tennis - Work Commences

Workmen employed by the Rushden Urban District Council have commenced the task of enlarging Spencer Park. They are taking a narrow strip of land adjacent to the north boundary, with the object of extending the two existing bowling greens.

Squeezed between the boundary hedge and a high bank which carries a sewer pipe across the park, the greens are 120ft. long but only 90ft. wide. Play is therefore possible in one direction only, and the turf wears badly because the playing ends cannot be rested.

When the new area of 5,300 square yards, or just over an acre, has been enclosed, and the present hedge removed, the greens will be continued for a distance of 36ft., making the size of each 120ft. by 126ft.

There will also be room for the future addition of two or three tennis courts with a path and flower border against the new fence and hedge.

Under the direction of Mr. J. W. Lloyd, Surveyor, the Council’s workmen are already removing the old hedge and erecting an iron fence further out. Some trees, large and small, await removal, and the levelling and turfing will then begin. Mr. Lloyd is using special turf, and expects that the greens will be quite ready when the 1934 season opens.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 22nd April 1955
School holidays and spring sunshine brought plenty of children into Rushden's Spencer Park on Wednesday, and a photographer had no difficulty in getting them to pose cheerfully for him on a roundabout.

undated photo captioned: On the side of the brook. Mrs Abbott, Spencer Road. The willow trees now cut down, but cutting taken by Paul Wix and resited in the new cut of brook by the School Sports Field.

	Tree and Mrs Abbott of Spencer Road. Paul Wix took a cutting set it near the brook outside the park.

The Rushden Echo, 3rd January 1964, transcribed by Gill Hollis

This Pavilion is so ‘Ugly’

Mr. R. H. S. Greenwood described the pavilion which Rushden Urban Council plans to build in Spencer Park as “one of the ugliest buildings in town” at the December meeting.

Mr. Greenwood had seen an outline drawing outside the council chambers and suggested it should be more in keeping with the town and not so modernistic.

Mrs. G. Marriott, chairman of the parks committee, explained that it would be hard to appreciate what it would be like from the drawing. “We have had to be very careful,” she stated. “There is so much vandalism that we have had to cut out all the glass – and that does detract from its appearance.

Justified

Presenting other improvements for the park for the council’s approval she said that no one was satisfied with it at present. “There has been a lot of criticism in the paper which has been absolutely justified,” she said.

“Now is the time for us to make it a place to be proud of in the town.”

The alterations included culverting the brook (£12,000), building a new paddling pool (£600), providing a new sandpit (£150), improving a children’s playground, fencing off, repairing the path(£400) and transferring the putting green site (£175).

The council agreed to include the approximate figures in next year’s estimates.

Mrs. A. U. Muxlow said she found from experience that sandpits were unhygienic as people seemed to use them as a place to exercise their dogs at night. “Unless they are fenced off they are more a source of trouble than pleasure,” she said.

Mrs. D. E. Shrive, welcoming the proposal to culvert the brook, said this should have been done a long time ago.

Last Resort

Commenting on the committee’s warning that unless damage to children’s playgrounds stopped equipment might be removed, Mr. E. F. Mawson hoped this would only be done as a last resort.

Mrs. Marriott assured him it would, adding that the council could not afford to meet the annual expense of repairing this damage.

Referring to an application from the Rushden and Higham Rugby Club for the committee to consider the provision of a pitch she said she felt that the council should do all in its power to help.

“They have not asked us to spend a lot of money; they are quite willing to undertake the construction and maintenance of any land leased to them,” she said.

About the complaints from Rushden United Cricket Club, she told the council that the first the committee had known about them was when they read stories in the Press. The council should not comply with the club’s request to provide a special pitch.

The committee was quite satisfied that the parks’ superintendent had always provided a decent wicket. The club claimed that it was not properly rolled, cut or watered.

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