This is probably not the best time to be talking about holidays, but here goes anyway. At the beginning of August each year the Rushden shoe factories closed for two weeks holiday and the town emptied. In August 1932, although the weather wasn’t very good, Rushden people still took their annual holiday at the seaside. The east coast was particularly popular that year.
According to the Rushden Echo and Argus people endured unexpected heat whilst travelling to their holiday destinations, but after that they spent the rest of the week dodging heavy showers which fell all over the country. In spite of the weather, bookings for both road and rail were very heavy and numbers travelling by road from Rushden and Higham Ferrers constituted a record.
Rushden travel agent, Mr. W. J. Neville, confirmed that nearly all the road services had been doubled over the holiday period and numbers were considerably up on the previous year, which was surprising during a time of depression.
Those who had decided not to book a holiday took advantage of the day trips to the coast with Skegness being very popular.
Rail bookings didn’t break any records but were similar to the previous year. Mr. Cleaver, the Station Master, considered the numbers were exceedingly good, in view of the general depression. The first of the holiday trains left on the Friday with an overnight journey to Blackpool, several hundred people travelling from Rushden and Higham Ferrers.
On Saturday there was a ‘special’ to Great Yarmouth, leaving from Irthlingborough Station, taking a large number of Rushden and Higham Ferrers passengers.
Trains leaving Wellingborough Station for the south coast were also crowded, with some people having to wait for the next train hoping they would still make the connection in London.
Over the whole country around 10 million passengers travelled by train to the coast over the Bank Holiday weekend. 22,00 steam, petrol and electric locomotives, and 50,000 passenger vehicles were brought into service to cope with the demand.
Rushden Station now run by the Rushden Historical Transport Society
For those who stayed at home there were a few holiday attractions. The Temperance Band gave two concerts on the Sunday, in the Hall grounds, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. These were well attended. A heavy storm on the Monday spoilt many carefully made plans, but the local theatres benefited from the bad weather, with both the Palace and the Royal Theatre being crowded on the first nights of the week.
The Temperance Band in 1933
If you couldn’t go to the seaside, there was always the paddling pool in Spencer Park
By the 1950s Rushden people were getting more adventurous and North Wales was very popular. Scarborough was the second in popularity with Margate being the favourite. The Blackpool “special” leaving Higham Ferrers station at 10.45 on the Friday night was also a favourite, and in 1951 11 coaches had also been laid on. Most of the holiday makers were workers from the shoe factories and not many of them could afford to have the whole of the two weeks away.
Day trips were also popular with United Counties Omnibus Co. Ltd. running excursions every day, with most advanced bookings to the Wye Valley. Birch Bros. were also running day trips, many of them to the east coast.
By 1956 Rushden residents were really adventurous with a record number travelling to the continent.
Ross Neville also stated that quite a number of people had booked tours to Land’s End and John O’Groats. However, the usual favourites such as Blackpool, Scarborough, Yarmouth and Lowestoft were also well booked. Day trips were still popular with three coaches booked for Cheddar Gorge.
Rushden people enjoying a holiday in 1956, probably at Eastbourne
A British Road Services Poster from the Rushden Museum collection