Long before the hum of shoe factories defined its soundscape, the town of Rushden was known for a different, more delicate craft: lacemaking. While the boot and shoe industry dominates the town’s recorded history, a quieter but equally important trade flourished in the cottages and homes of Rushden for centuries.
We spoke to local historian, Eleanor Jennings, who has spent years researching this often-overlooked part of our heritage. “In the 18th and 19th centuries, Rushden was part of the wider East Midlands lacemaking region,” she explains. “It was primarily a cottage industry, with women and children spending countless hours weaving intricate patterns on pillows with dozens of bobbins. The income was vital for many families.”
Unlike the large, centralized shoe factories, lacemaking was a domestic craft, leaving behind fewer physical landmarks. However, its legacy can still be found if you know where to look. “Census records from the 1800s list many women as ‘lacemakers’,” Eleanor notes. “And if you look closely at the architecture of some of the older stone cottages, you might see unusually large windows on the upper floors, designed to let in as much light as possible for the detailed work.”Eleanor is now working with Rushden Museum to create a small exhibition dedicated to the town’s lacemaking past, featuring antique bobbins and examples of local lace patterns. It’s a timely reminder that the story of Rushden is woven from many different threads.