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Sub-Post Offices

This early postcard shows the bustle around the Post Office,
in about 1905, before the High Street was widened in 1910.

Sub-Postmasters [From Trade Directories]
Kelly's 1898 Mr. J. T. Reid - sub-postmaster [142 W'boro Rd]
[several]
 Charles Hewitt - sub-postmaster [35 High Street 1871-1901 census]
Kelly's 1903 Mrs. Emily Mary Berrill sub-postmistress [78 W'boro Rd]
Kelly's 1903 Ebenezer Brown - sub-postmaster - 3 Newton Road
Kelly's 1914 J. Eagle - sub-postmaster - High Street South - Commerce House
Kelly's 1914 George Brown - sub-postmaster - Higham Road
Kelly's 1914 T. Overy - sub-postmaster - 49 Newton Road
Kelly's 1914 Miss Grace Neillie Harris - sub-postmistress - 144 Wellingborough Road
Kelly's 1920 Miss Emily Brown - sub-postmistress - 10 Higham Raod
Kelly's 1920 T. Overy - sub-postmaster - 49 Newton Road
Kelly's 1920 Miss Grace Neillie Harris - sub-postmistress - 144 Wellingborough Road
Kelly's 1924 Mrs Emily Watson - sub-postmistress - 10 Higham Raod
Kelly's 1924 James Bernard Langdon - sub-postmaster - 75 Newton Road
Kelly's 1924 Miss Grace Neillie Harris - sub-postmistress - 144 Wellingborough Road
Kelly's 1928 Sub-Office - 10 Higham Road
Kelly's 1928 Sub-Office - 75 Newton Road
Kelly's 1928 Sub-Office - 146 Wellingborough Road

Extract from Council Meeting June 1899

The Sub Post Offices
A letter was received from Messrs. J. T. Reid, of Wellingborough, and T. E. Tinkler, of Higham-road, asking for the sanction of the Council to the closing of their sub post offices on Thursday afternoons.

The Clerk said it appeared that the Post Office authorities would not give permission for the offices to close without the Council’s sanction.

Mr. Denton thought the public was entitled to some consideration, and though they would none of them wish to keep Mr. Reid and Mr. Tinkler at work, it would be well if their offices were open for an hour before the last mail went out.

After a short discussion the Council decided to accede to the application.

licence sign
Post Offices

were required to hold a licence to sell stamps for Postage and Inland Revenue and several Acts were passed to govern this from 1870 to 1891.

Newton Road Post Office c1924 - an extract from the Memories of Eileen Iliffe

My father’s sister Betty (nee Smith) had five children, and then parted from her husband, (who came from Yeoville), so she changed her front room at 75 Newton Road and it became Newton Road Post office. This was before the war, in 1930s. Her last name was Langdon. She used to sell stationery and groceries. If she was only a halfpenny short she would sit up until 2am to get it right. It was only a small house and she paid for the three sons to go to Kettering High School to be educated. When she retired she had a house built at Park Avenue and her daughter and son in law took over the business – his name was George Hammond. 

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