It is no surprise that Northampton being the focus of the boot and shoe industry in the 19th century would also be the focus of the success of products in related industries. One of those was Wren’s boot polish and dubbin.
Matthew Bloxham in his “The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture” (1845) made a comparison between St Peter’s, Northampton with St Andrew, Steyning.
There is less published biographical information about Ann and no portrait has been discovered. It would be a mistake though to assume that Ann was… Read More »Ann Elizabeth Baker and the Bakers of Hazelrigg House
Many present-day residents of Northampton will know of Hazelrigg House in Marefair. It’s likely though they will know little of the house’s former residents. It… Read More »George Baker and the Bakers of Hazelrigg House
The story of St Ragner (or Ragener) is well documented in Eleanor Parker’s highly recommended Dragon Lords. Teasing out the historical facts from the legend… Read More »Tracing the historical St Ragner of Northampton
St John Street Station opened in 1871 on the site of the former monastic hospital of St John. It was the northern terminus of the… Read More »Northampton St John Street Station
The ‘1676 Compton Census’ was the first comprehensive survey of the numerical strength of Catholic and Protestant Nonconformity in England that can be used on… Read More »1676 Compton Census in Northamptonshire
As my research interests are nonconformists in Northamptonshire the pages of Rev John Newton’s diary might not seem the likely place for relevant source material.… Read More »John Newton’s Diary: 1766
From Nonconformist to editor of The Sunday Times William Hadley had a long association with Northampton as a journalist and ultimately the editor of the… Read More »William Waite Hadley and St Peter, Northampton
Much of Northampton’s building heritage that remains today is a credit to a succession of Victorian architects who were commissioned to erect new public, private… Read More »Northampton’s Architects: Hugh Henry Dyer