On the 25 January, 1926 Mr. David Darnell passed peacefully away just before 10 p.m. He was 95 years old and for some time had been the oldest resident of Rushden. He was born in Irchester in 1830, came to Rushden in 1863 and worked in the shoe trade, at various times for Messrs. Colson, Wm. Claridge and John Cave.
In October 1876 the Rushden Co-operative Society was formed and David Darnell was one of the founder members along with J. Lambert, Richard Denton, William Green, Joseph Sherwood, Joseph Bayes, and Charles Green. The society was started with a capital of about £30 and the first supply of groceries were sold from Mr. Darnell’s house at the bottom of Wymington Road. His first wage was sixpence for every pound of sales.
The first shop was at No. 19 High Street, which was built in 1878. Mr. Darnell was the manager.
Mr. David Darnell
The house at the bottom of Wymington Road
The tall building on the left of the picture was the first Co-op shop
The first shop was soon followed by bakeries, a slaughter house and butcher’s shop, and in 1895 the store in Wellingborough Road opened, which included a bakehouse, butcher’s department and the main warehouse.
As the Co-operative Society grew the amount of work became too much for Mr. Darnell and he had to resign. He returned to the shoe trade and continued that work for several years.
Wellingborough Road store
Milk checks to put out for the milkman. The colour of the checks was changed when the price of the milk increased.
The milk cart was made in 1929 by Wadsworth Coach Builders of Newton Road, Rushden. The four men are, from left to right: W. Stocker, A. Gell, R. Waller, and G. Dodd.
A tea spoon
A packet of pins advertising Co-op tea
A book of Co-op stamps
C.W.S. clothes brushes
Mr. Darnell was also associated with the Baptist Church in Rushden and became a member of the old Top Meeting in 1863. He was a lay preacher and for a short time a Sunday School teacher. The new Baptist Church in Park Road was opened in 1901. He was a deacon of the church and after WWI was made a life -deacon.
Top Meeting
Park Road Baptist Church opened in 1901
Mr. Darnell’s funeral was held on the 27 January 1926, with a service in the Park Road Baptist Church. The service was conducted by the Rev. A. J. Sutherland and also the committal service at the Rushden Cemetery. The funeral was attended by a large number of people, including representatives of the Rushden Industrial Co-operative Society.