Coop High St. 2001

The building standing on the left of New Street was built in the late 1890s by John Letts as a shoe factory. It became the 3rd Post Office site in Irchester in 1902 under the control of Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Bessie Fox (nee Spencer). They also ran a grocery, stationers and photography business. Mrs. Fox was also an Infants School Teacher from circa 1880-1925. They retired in 1947 when the present premises were built in Wollaston Road. In later years the building became Charlie Boddington’s Electrical Store, a Turf accountant and latterly Anglia Building Society.
Adjoining this building is New Street which was constructed in the late 1890s. On the right corner of New Street can be seen the 1914 premises of the Irchester Industrial & Provident Co-operative Society Ltd.. They were officially opened at Easter 1915 and consisted then of a Bakery, Butchery, Drapery, Hardware, Grocery, Footwear and Furniture Departments with a large spacious hall above. The Society was amalgamated with the Rushden Co-op in the early 1970s and is now part of the East Midlands Co-operative Society.