Fire—The unoccupied thatch-roofed cottage fronting Lewis’s smithy in High-street South, some of the oldest property in Rushden, caught fire during Tuesday night. It was raining hard all the time and the Rushden Fire Brigade had little difficulty in gaining control, although they stayed on for three hours in case of further outbreak. Rushden Fire Brigade received the call at 12.5a.m. on Wednesday, and turned out under Capt. R F Knight four minutes later. They found the thatch well alight, and the flames took some time to extinguish, as it was thick and had to be pulled down. There was a plentiful supply of water for the hoses from a hydrant close by, and there was never any danger of the flames spreading to the smithy itself or to the South-End Schools, to the south of the cottage. The Brigade took the greatest precautions against the burning thatch being blown away, as it so often leads to outbreaks many yards away. In this direction they were greatly assisted by the rain.