With a view to building more houses, members of Rushden Urban District Council visited sites in Northampton and Birmingham. In both cases houses were being built of concrete and although those in Birmingham were excellent, some problems with damp had occurred in Northampton. It was decided that any further houses built in Rushden should be of brick construction.
At the same meeting, it was decided to go ahead with a scheme for the building of a considerable number of houses, so members of the council were appointed to consider sites and to report as soon as possible. In the meantime, the construction of eight houses on the developed portion of the Newton Road Estate, was to go ahead under the supervision of the Surveyor, Mr. W. B. Madin.
Mr. W. B. Madin
Plans were in hand to improve Rectory Road, which was very narrow in several places, and Mr. Radburne had agreed to sell the land required by the council for £100, which worked out at about 6s. 6d. per yard.
The seal of the Council was placed to a mortgage with the Rushden Industrial Co-operative Society for £400 at 4¾ per cent. for the Rushden Hayway sewerage scheme.
Hayway
The Rushden Echo also carried a report that Mr. Joseph J. Page, who was shortly to open a shop at 118 High Street as a high-class tailor for ladies and gentlemen, had just been licensed to affix “U.K.A.F. after his name. This was a measure of efficiency registered by the United Kingdom Association of Master Tailors and Cutters.
Two of the town’s butchers had been making “excellent preparations” for Christmas. Mr. Skinner had decided on a splendid show of fat beasts from the local Fat Stock Shows; prime mutton, pork (all English meat of the finest quality), and sausages.
Mr. E. Warren, of High Street and Cromwell Road, had arranged for a choice show of beef from the Fat Stock Shows; mutton, including prize sheep from the local Shows; turkeys, geese, fowls, ducks, pork sausages, sausage meet, pork pies, hams, lard, new-laid eggs, and cream.
Mr. Skinner’s shop when it was owned by Mr. Cooper
Mr. E. Warren’s shop at 12 High Street with vehicles outside
The Alfred Street School Christmas Concert was held on 18 December and was a performance of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” The Rushden Echo reported that it was skilfully presented and was enjoyed by all the parents who attended. The school log book reports that “the attendance was not so good as in former years, owing to the many other attractions taking place in the town. The children did their work exceedingly well, Robert Bugby as Scrooge deserving special mention.”
Alfred Street School in December 2024 now renamed Alfred Lord Tennyson School
Postal arrangements for the Christmas holidays were to be only two deliveries, 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the 23rd and 24th, only one delivery of letters and parcels on Christmas Day, and no collection at all from the town letter boxes. On Boxing Day there was to be no delivery, but a collection would be made from the town letter boxes at 8.45 a.m. and from the box at the post office at 9.50 a.m. On Christmas Day and Boxing Day the Rushden post office was to be open from 9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. for the sale of stamps and transmission of telegrams.
High Street showing the Post Office
Most of Rushden’s boot and shoe factories were to close on Christmas Eve and reopen on Tuesday 30 December.