Rushden Research Group: Jowitt - Phillipson

C G Jowitt - A T P Phillipson - S L Hunt

30 High Street

Northants Publishing & Printing Co

Read about damage caused by a Storm in 1891

The Printeries - rear of 30 High Street

Charles G Jowitt was born at Rawdon, YKS, and he came to Rushden about 1898, with his wife Eleanor, as manager of the "Argus" Newspaper office. Here they had two children, Frank Robert in 1902 and Mary in 1906. Three years later a second daughter Norah Gregson was born after they moved to Leeds, and before moving again to Newbury, Berks, by 1911. Charles published several postcards from photographs taken by Sam Powell in the short time he was here.

Rushden Echo, 4^th January 1901, transcribed by Kay Collins

When Mr Jowitt, the manager of a contemporary, seized 9 months ago a number of copies of a special edition of the Rushden Echo and hid them we let him off lightly: when a few weeks ago, he actually repeated the despicable trick—snatching a number of copies of the Echo from a lad not eight years of age, the poor little boy’s only offence being that he was selling our papers in a perfectly legitimate manner—we again treated Mr. Jowitt most leniently and we overlooked the contemptible action. Since, however, a day or two ago, Mr. Jowitt saw fit to claim for his papers “the most influential circulation,” we are not disposed to let the matter rest, and we publicly challenge him to compare books with us. In Rushden, Higham Ferrers and the villages around, the circulation of the Rushden Echo is more than DOUBLE that of our contemporary, and we shall have pleasure in proving this to Mr. Jowitt, as we did a few years ago to his predecessor.

Mr. Alfred Thomas Page Phillipson was born in 1871 at Kingston-on-Thames. He married Margaret J Johnson in 1900, and they came to Rushden about 1907. Alfred took over the Rushden Argus (started in 1889) from Charles Jowett and remained until 1916, and in this time many postcards were published. During WWI the Argus carried many photographs of the serving men, and also of the men who gave their lives for their King and Country. In 1908 and 1910 Alfred published two directories, listing each property street by street, noting the occupier. In 1911 Alfred, now aged 40, a bookseller and printer, was living at 77 Hayway, with his wife, Margaret Jackson, aged 37, and their two children, Margaret Cecilia Mary, aged 7 and Thomas George Thoreau, aged 5, both born at Kingston-on-Thames. Alfred died in 1935.

Mr. Stanley Hunt came here in about 1903, working first for Charles G Jowitt, and then for Mr. Phillipson. Stanley took over the business in 1916. The Argus newspaper was amalgamated with the Rushden Echo in 1928. Hunt's then moved from the premises in High Street and Coffee Tavern Lane to take part of the old Denton's shoe factory in George Street. In 1974 when the George Street building was demolished Hunt's Printers moved to Station Road taking over the premises of the British United Shoe Machinery Company.

Phillipson's Directory 1908 This was compiled as a directory street by street, of every head of household and the businesses, and a trade section with many adverts, such as this one for Tuffrey's.
Phillipson's Directory 1910 This followed just two years later, and it is surprising how many businesses and people had moved. Shoe factories were growing fast with the new machinery being introduced radpidly in the shoe factories. Many of the new machines were invented and built here in Rushden. This in turn saw a need for shopkeepers to move to larger premises.
	1908 Tuffrey's Advert

Label from the Fire Station Minute Book 1903 that had been purchased from the Argus Office, when Charles G Jowitt was the manager.

Photo by S Powell, published by C G Jowitt c1905

An advert for tea is reflected in the middle window!

The advert above tells that the Argus library and stationery was sold at 30 High Street.

This must have been the shop selling fancy goods that Mr Phillipson vacated in 1916 (see below).

Later it was Tomalin's before they moved to 109.

85 High Street
Photo by C Desborough c1912

This advert is from the 1908 Directory. It listed each property, road by road, so is almost a census of the town. Another for 1910 was produced and comparison between the two editions shows just how the town was growing.

The advert for the business:

Pictorial Post Cards on sale at
the Argus Library

Commercial and General printing, Stationary, Bookbinding etc.

Address Dies cut for Note Paper

Phillipson's Directory 1908 This was compiled as a directory street by street, of every head of household and the businesses, and a trade section with many adverts, such as this one for Tuffrey's.
Phillipson's Directory 1910 This followed just two years later, and it is surprising how many businesses and people had moved. Shoe factories were growing fast with the new machinery being introduced radpidly in the shoe factories. Many of the new machines were invented and built here in Rushden. This in turn saw a need for shopkeepers to move to larger premises.
	1908 Tuffrey's Advert

Rushden Echo, 8^th September 1916, transcribed by Gill Hollis

The Stationery and Fancy Goods business formerly carried on in High-street, Rushden by Mr. A. T. P. Phillipson, has now been acquired by Mr. T. H. Day, bookseller and stationer, of Gold-street, Kettering.
Mr. Day confidently hopes for a continuance of custom of Mr. Phillipson's former patrons and can assure them of his best attention at all times. Mr. Day will open on Wednesday with an extensive stock of high-class stationery, and fancy good, books, etc.

Extract from an Obituary
Born at Reading, Mr. Hunt was apprenticed to printing there and came to Rushden about 1904, working for C. G. Jowitt at the "Argus" office and for the late Mr. A. T. P. Phillipson, whose business he acquired in 1916, afterwards moving from Coffee Tavern Lane to the present premises in George Street.

Index of All Traders