| William Darnell was born in 1855 at Finedon, son of David and Rebecca. The family came to Rushden in about 1867 when the shoetrade was rapidly expanding with the introduction of machinery bringing the workers into factories. David and William were both working in the shoe trade.
David was a founder of the Co-op Society in Rushden and was the first manager in 1876.
In 1875 William married Emma Rebecca Wilmott, and they had two daughters, Jessie and Florence and two sons, Cyril and Harry. William opened his furnishing business in Church Street in the 1880s and was well established by 1891, and traded here for over 40 years.
Emma died in 1910 aged 53, and William died in 1938 aged 83. They are buried together in Rushden Cemetery Grave C37/38.
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