Rushden Research Group: Some lost buildings

Some Lost Buildings

Thatched cottages pulled down when Stonehurst was built in 1896

J J Page outfitters and two cottages and the rear view as they are demolished in the mid 1960s

These buildings between the Railway Inn and the old Sanders and Sanders factory were demolished in the mid 1960s. Stonehurst became known as the Belgian House when it was a hostel for Belgian refugees in WWI.

In 2000 BMW windows and a Kwik Save supermarket were on this plot, but now in 2009 BMW have left Rushden and The Factory Warehouse has taken over the supermarket store. The Railway Inn has had several names over the last decade and is currently called Lounge One, and the factory is now the Co-op Funeral Service. This is the only Co-op in town today.

The building that was demolished in April 1920

The Rushden Echo, 2nd April 1920

A piece of dwindling old Rushden now being demolished. The interesting and picturesque house at the corner of High-street and Church-street, until recently occupied by Mr A Robinson, is in the hands of the 'house demobiliser' and this means that only Farm House School is left of the High-street of the once peaceful village of Rushden. The building has been a licensed house for a large number of years, the licence having been held by the Robinson family for about 40 years. Mr Joseph Robinson held it for a long time and on his death his widow, Mrs Elizabeth Robinson, took over the business. The licence was, on the death of Mrs Robinson, transferred to her son, Mr Arthur Robinson, who has held it since then. The portion of the building on the right was for 16 years used as a newsagent's shop by Mr Chas Robinson, who now occupies the shop close by. A considerable piece of the land at the corner will be cut off to improve the corner. The licence has been transferred to Portland-road.

Stonehurst built as a wine store, and was demolished in 1976.

Known as The Belgian House
after WWI when Belgian
refugees were housed here.

The house became the family home of the Wheelers.


Ground being cleared for Budgen's supermarket in 1974, looking down George Street (left), and looking from Portland Road junction (right).

Taken in Rectory Road from top of Coffee Tavern Lane - the central building is the Co-op Hall, the flat roof to the right is the Co-op Offices, both now gone.	The large tall factory was originally Dentons and fronted High Street. It had been taken over by Stanley Hunt (printers). The other tall building is the Nat West Bank.
Afterwards Budgen's built another new store on the site of Eaton's & Tarry's shoe factories in College Street (now Wilkinsons) and the Co-op took over the High Street store, but the Co-op closed down. It is now Argos catalogue store. (2009)

The Cottages on the left of the lane are "Home Close" where Samuel Knight once lived, close to the Sydney brook, now the site of the Scout Headquarters.

The gates are across the lane leading up to Rushden Hall and the stone wall surrounding the grounds to the Hall.

The buildings by the gates are the outhouses to Skinner's farm and one was the slaughter house, where the animals were butchered for the shop.

Home Close & Skinner's farm outbuildings

Skinner's farm oubuildings and the gate across the lane to the Hall

View from where Thrift Cottages had been

Duck Street looking towards the church, the cottages on the right were replaced by flats and the new entrance into the car park. Across the road (centre) is the tanner of Fred Corby, the tall building on the horizon behind the factory being the National Westminster Bank built by Robert Marriott in 1890.

Photos (right and below) by Michael Martin

right: Thrift Cottages taken from Fitzwilliam Street corner with Wellingborough Road. The Mole family lived at No 1 in 1901.

(right) Thrift Cottages being demolished in the 1960s to create the Duck Street car park. Photo above taken from here looking across the area that is now Alfred Street School recreation area, and the John Street car park. The building at the top of the picture was William Lockie's workshop and is still standing in 2011 behind a property in Fitzwilliam Street. He was a tin smith and had previously worked at Ebenezer Terrace.


Window detail
Shortly before demolition - on the corner of Queen Street/Rectory Road is Laddercraft - they carried out garment repairs especially to nylon stocking "ladders" and the little building left of it was Norman Shortland's shoe repair workshop


"Laddercraft" at the junction of Rectory Road and the lower part of Queen Street and the little workshop of Norman Shortland

More Lost Buildings

Demolition - mainpage