Rushden Research Group: Early Bus services

Early Bus services

My family connection with Rushden goes back to the 19^th century and the families of the Eytes and the Browns. My great grandfather Frederick Eyte moved to Rushden from Earls Barton and became the landlord of The Feathers Inn in the High Street in the 1880's.
He lived there until his death in 1903. During this time he was the proprietor of the horse bus running between Rushden and the stations at Irchester and Irthlingborough. C C Brown

The Rushden Echo and Argus, 17th April, 1953, transcribed by Gill Hollis

All Aboard For Rushden - Fifty years ago the only means of transport from Irthlingborough station to Rushden was by this horse drawn 'bus' which ran a service several times a day, finishing its run at the Wheatsheaf Inn, where the horses were stabled. For many years Mr. F. Jeeves was the driver until he moved to Cambridge, where he died last week.

Looking with interest at the photographer was Master G. S. Gill, son of the stationmaster. Mr. Gill was the postmaster at Rushden, having recently retired.

The picture belongs to Mr. C. H. Jeeves, of 54, Wymington Road, Rushden, son of the late Mr. F. Jeeves.

Extract from our Memorial page to P Jeeves: The deceased soldier was the son of Mr. Jeeves, who formerly drove the L. and N.W. Railway omnibus from the “Wheatsheaf” to the Irthlingborough old station.


An old Wellingborough 'bus at Raunds - it called at Rushden, Higham Ferrers, and Stanwick on its way to Raunds	An old Kettering 'bus at Rushden - it called at Burton Latimer, Finedon, Irthlingborough and Higham Ferrers on its way to Rushden

The Rushden Echo, 3rd February 1928, transcribed by Kay Collins

A SHOCK was experienced by passengers in a double-deck omnibus on the Irchester road on Saturday night when the front axle snapped. The 'bus was going downhill, but at a slow pace, having just picked up some passengers, and the vehicle remained upright. When it stopped it was found that nobody had suffered anything worse than a shaking.

Mr William Clark