Charles Flexton Ashby (born at Ellington HUN c1829) and his younger brother Peter, came to Higham Ferrers in about 1848/50, with their uncle David and his wife Jane. David was a tailor and he employed Charles, and Peter was his apprentice. They were living in Wood Street.
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Rushden Argus 1898 - Ashby - 'Established 15 years'
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Charles married Elizabeth Rootham at Yelden in 1855. They lived at Higham Ferrers where Charles was a tailor and draper, and had eight children, the eldest being Arthur Charles born 1856.
After working for his father, Arthur Charles went to Wellingborough, where he married Harriet Bond in the summer of 1882.
Arthur Charles Ashby and Harriet moved to Rushden in 1883, with their baby daughter Nellie, where they had three more children; Ernest in 1887, Wilfred in 1892 and Effie in 1893.
Here he opened a shop trading as a hatter and tailor. His 1898 advert declares his business had been established 15 years, so confirming this opened in 1883, and he was also an agent for cycles.
Council plans were passed for A C Ashby to build two shops (71-73) in High Street in 1889, and for a house and shop in 1895.
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Postcard c1905 to advertise Brampton's cycle spares and overprinted with the agent's name and address
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Cash & Co at 71 & W Howard at 73 High Street c1905
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Advert from the 1890 Bazaar at the Independent
Wesleyan Church - was A C Ashby the performer or presenter? |
| This advert was dated 7th March 1890.
Two new shops had just been built next to the Rose and Crown.
Five years later a plan was passed for a new shop with a house at 80 High Street.
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Arthur Ashby
Rushden
Begs to inform the inhabitants of Raunds and district that he intends OPENING a BRANCH ESTABLISHMENT in the course of a few days (in the Shop formerly occupied by Mr Shemeld) for the sale of first-class
STYLISH HAT, TIES, &c.
No Ready-mades kept.
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Wellingborough News - September 1890
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Rushden Argus 1898 advert - 'Established 15 years'
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c1896 - Cash & Co., boot and shoe retailers had taken over the tailor's shop from A C Ashby at 71 High Street, and were holding a sale of the goods. At 73 is a tobacconist shop with hairdresser's and barber's salon for W Howard. Cash & Co already had shops at Peterborough and Kettering.
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Rushden Argus 6th October 1899
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In 1899 Arthur traded as a tailor and hatter at 80 High Street in his newly built shop. In 1910 he went into partnership with Henry Ellis. Just four years later Arthur died, aged 58. The business continued under the name of Ashby & Ellis until at least 1940, so perhaps one or both of Arthur’s sons worked with Henry.
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