Royal missives sent by pen pal
1981
HOUSEWIFE Jane Farrington revealed to ET readers in 1981 that she had a princely pen pal – none other than King Hussein of Jordan.
Apparently they had been writing to each other, comparing family news, for the previous eight years.
Mrs Farrington, 25, of Brington Drive, Barton Seagrave, said: "We get three or four letters a year. He is a very warm and kind man, who is very interested in my family."
The king became a regular correspondent after Jane, pictured right, had written to him while she was still a pupil at the former Kettering High School. "I wrote to him on impulse," she said.
"He sent me a telegram when I was married and is always interested in how my son Marc is getting on. He also sent a Christmas card wishing us the best for the new year."
In the ET article on January 12, 1981, Mrs Farrington said her ambition was to meet her regal pen pal.
"We had the chance five years ago when he was in London, but we were away on holiday. I would like to go to Jordan some day and meet the king and visit some of the places he has told me about."
King Hussein was not quite so pleasant in another article which featured on the paper's international page the same evening. In it he attacked former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, urging the incoming Reagan administration to keep him out of the Middle East.
The king said: "I will be pleased to see that Kissinger is not associated with any new policy towards our region."
1973:Cameras roll into town
THERE was much excitement in the area when filming began on the new television police drama Hunter's Walk.
Cameras started rolling in January, 1973, at various locations in Rushden, where the 13-part ATV series was based. Intrigued passers-by stopped to watch, young boys did their best to get in the way and some locals were even recruited as extras.
More than a dozen actors, technicians and production staff worked all day to produce just a few minutes of film for the opening hour-long episode, titled Vanishing Trick.
Lord Ted Willis personally chose Rushden as being a typical small Midlands town.
The Dixon of Dock Green-type drama was based on the fictional police station of Broadstone.
On the first day cameras were spotted in Fitzwilliam Street, the police station in Shirley Road, John White's shoe factory in Midland Road and Higham Ferrers Junior School.
Actress Zuleika Dobson, who was filmed "working" at the factory, played a 16-year-old trying to clear the name of her father. Among other cast members were Ewan Hooper and a young Ruth Madoc (later to find fame as the man-hungry Gladys Pugh in the hit BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi).
The first episode was screened on Midlands and Anglia TV on Monday, June 4, that year, with Davyd Harries playing Sgt Ken Ridgeway and Duncan Preston as PC Fred Pooley. Desborough actor David Neal also made the occasional guest appearance in the drama, which ran to a second series in 1974.
The ET's TV critic Roger Wolens wryly observed of the first programme: "I couldn't get over what a happy town Rushden is.
"All the passers-by looked so pleasant and cheerful when they walked into camera shot. Was this episode filmed during Smile Week?"
1998:Little Ben rescues his mother
LITTLE Ben Lively lived up to his name by dialling 999 when his mother fell down the stairs and hurt herself.
The quick-thinking four-year-old telephoned for an ambulance and let the medics in to treat his mother Tammy at their home in Barton Seagrave on January 9, 1998.
Mrs Lively, 24, was getting pyjamas from upstairs for Ben and his one-year-old brother Thomas when her own clothes got caught on the banister and she tumbled down 14 stairs.
"He is my little hero – I'm really chuffed with him," she said.
"I couldn't move. After a little while I heard Ben say 'I'm going to be a clever boy,' and then I blacked out.
"When I came round the ambulance had arrived. They had trouble getting in because I was in front of the door, but Ben opened it for them."
Mrs Lively was taken to Kettering General Hospital suffering from a strained back and various bumps and bruises, but was allowed home after treatment.
As thanks for his heroism his mum and dad Wayne bought him some games and Tony Thompson, his headteacher at Barton Seagrave Primary School, also presented him with a bravery award.
Mr Thompson said: "We felt it appropriate to congratulate Ben in a school assembly as he had done well and we were very proud of him.
"He was even confident enough to explain what he had done to the rest of the school."
Modest Ben told the ET: "I knew that if mummy or daddy was lying on the floor asleep that I should ring 999. But I don't think I'm very special for doing it."
But Tammy added: "I'm really proud of him, especially the way he also looked after his little brother."
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