Page 20 - Thrapston Life December 2023

The 1923 Christmas Fat Stock show was
held on Tuesday 11th December. Judging commenced at 10.00am and the sale of stock began after. A public dinner was held at 4.30pm at the White Hart Hotel, tickets being priced at 3s 6d (171⁄2p).
evening services. The Workhouse had their usual Christmas fare which was served to fifty inmates in the dining room, the Master presiding.
The Town Band paraded the streets, raising money on Boxing Day, which was also the
On 21st, the British Legion gave
a Christmas tea for 160 widows,
members wives and children at the Co-operative Hall. Entertainment was courtesy of Rupert Smith who loaned
a gramophone and at the end of the
evening, everyone was given an orange.
(I have never seen a picture of this Hall
– if anyone has one I would be pleased to see it. EDF)
The Post Office announced that the final delivery for Christmas would be on Christmas Day morning, after which there would be none until 27th. The warning to post early was generally heeded and little remained undelivered.
Christmas Day morning was bright and crisp and the day remained pleasant until early evening when a short burst of driving snow fell, which soon disappeared. The Parish Church had full congregations for both morning and
The Town Band paraded the streets raising money on Boxing Day
occasion of a dance at the Co-operative Hall arranged by the football club. The photograph of the Band is believed to have been taken during the 1920’s, but I am happy to be corrected.
On 27th, a rail excursion for
the Wolverhampton races left Northampton Castle Station at 9.25am, bookings to link with this train being
available from Thrapston Bridge Street Station. The picture of Bridge Street Station is undated but annotated L.N.W.R. which existed between 1846 and 1922 and is very much how it would have appeared 100 years ago.
On 29th December, the Grantham Journal carried an advertisement for “The Original and Old-Established First-Class Registry for Servants and Governesses Agency” based at 56 London Road, Grantham. One specific request was from “one lady in Thrapston who already employs two maids and seeks a house parlourmaid”.
20
GLANCE AT THE PAST
Eric Franklin looks back to Christmas 1923...