Rushden Research Group: aerial views over Rushden 1950s, 1988 & 1991

Courtesy of Alan Bathurst and Reg Redford, and Echo & Argus newsclips

Aerial Photographs

Echo & Argus, 24th September 1954

One of the finest ever published, this aerial view of Rushden was secured a few days ago by an “Echo and Argus”
staff photographer. In the foreground are trees in the Hall Grounds, part of High Street South and Crabb Street. Wellingborough Road (left) and High Street South fork out like branches of a letter Y,
and to the right Park Road and Rectory Road are conspicuous.

This superb aerial view is dated 1950s. The road at the bottom is High Street South, the double long terraces across centre are Crabb Street and the single long terrace is Co-operative Row - only part of that survives today. Just above the top of Co-op Row stand the old and new Methodist Churches. The Parish Church spire is a quarter along from the left top of the view, and left of the church is the road junction near the War Memorial. Old South End School is bottom left, the road junction near centre base of view is Wymington Road.
The factory facing this junction was built in 1874 by William Green, shoe manufacturer.

These two 1950s aerial views were in the Evening Telegraph; we don't have the date, but in the 1980s.

Eavesdropping on Rushden! MORE Rushden rooftops — this time in an aerial picture dating back to the 1950s.
The shot was taken looking south over the town. In the bottom left-hand corner you can make out the old railway line serving Rushden and Higham with its bridge over the end of High Street. It is obvious that the picture was taken on a sunny day — the High Street shops all have their blinds down.
In addition to High Street, stretching away south through the town is the parallel Rectory Road, stretching into Park Road. Then in the distance you can make out the A6, snaking its way past what is now the rugby ground, heading towards the county boundary.
One thing becomes immediately apparent on studying the picture — just how many footwear factories the town has lost over the past 30 years. And many older Rushden residents will doubtless be able to name them all...

This 1950s picture shows the junction of Duck Street, Church Street, Skinners Hill and St Mary's Avenue, now a roundabout. The building just below the three trees centre of picture is the Lightstrung garage, and behind the trees is the Adult School.

1988 - at the top left of centre is Hall Park - bottom left corner is the workshops of Robert Marriott builders (now Asda 2010)

1991 - shows Hall Park left, towards top right Budgen's store is marked, and Duck Street. Almost centre if the Parish Church.

Another aerial view by Reg Redford, over Higham Ferrers