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Mr John William 'Will' Brown
John William Brown was born at Irchester on 23rd April 1889.

During WWII he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and drove an ambulance.

He died at Rushden on 5th April 1969.

Will is standing
He first worked in agriculture
Will is 3rd from the bottom

Will's motorcycle
This is thought to Will's mother, in the side car of MD2799

Rushden Echo & Argus, October 29th 1954, transcribed by Kay Collins

The car
With the car RP8199

Mr Brown retiresA gold medal, a silver medal and seventeen bars awarded by the Safe Driving Competition Association testify to the driving record of 65-year-old Mr William Brown, 12 Purvis Road, Rushden, who retired this week after 35 years as chauffeur and commercial van driver with Rushden Co-operative Wholesale Society Footwear Works. Friends in the factory gave him a watch.

Will Brown
Will in his
chauffeur's uniform

An informal presentation ceremony

Mr. Jeeves (works manager Mr. A. Legge (chief clerk), Mr. R. W. Brown (chief engineer), Mr. Bedells (senior executive) and Mr. Bryant (production supervisor) offered congratulations and good wishes.

Letters of good wishes also came from his workmates in Rushden and Kempston.

During those 35 years he has driven more than 300,000 miles, mostly delivering goods between Rushden and Kempston, Woodford Halse, and Northampton.

For his clean driving record he holds three medals in silver and gold, with no fewer than 17 bars to them, awarded by The Safe Driving Competition Association between 1936 and 1954.

Badges
Will's Safe Driver badges, and his
St John Ambulance Badge.

thanks card
A card sent to Will's wife, Freda Brown in thanks for supporting "soldiers' comforts"

Daughter's Wedding

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