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Horace Wills
record sleeve Outside 1950s
Horace & Connie Wills outside the shop - 1950s
left: a record sleeve with the shop advert

Horace Wills, son of Frank Wills,
became a cinema "limelight boy" at
the Palace and is pictured here with
the staff in 1912.
In the 1930s
In the 1930s

Horace established himself as a wireless
engineer in 1920 at 38 High Street.

He also worked for a short time with
Cyril Johnson and they called the
new company "Sound Engineering".
In 1962
Horace Wills' Electrical shop in High Street at the corner of George Street pictured in 1962.
Today it is Extra Care Charity shop (2008)

Rushden Echo & Argus, 24th February 1939, transcribed by Kay Collins

Fight Seen at Rushden
Clear Reception on Standard Television Set
That television can be received in Rushden with a high degree of success was proved again last night (Thursday), when Mr. Horace Wills, of the "Sound" Stores, High-street, invited several people to see the Boon-Danahar fight.

A "Murphy" standard £30 receiver was used in Hall-avenue, which is free from traffic interference, and the complete transmission was received clearly and without difficulty.

The viewers had the two boxers identified the whole of the time, and the spoken commentary, though helpful, could for the main part have been dispensed with.
Staff at the cinema in 1912
Staff of the Palace Cinema.
The boy in the centre is Horace Wills.
July 1912
Horace's brother Don took over the Palace cinema when it closed, and traded
there as a taxi service, driving school and vehicle sales as "Palace Motors".


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