Herbert Ernest Bates was born on 16th May 1905 and was the first boy to be Christened in the new Wesleyan Methodist Church.
At that time he and his parents were living at 51 Grove Road, Rushden, where a Blue Plaque has been erected as a permanent record.
Herbert's early schooling was nearby at Newton Road Infant School.
In 1925, at the age of 21, H.E., as he was now known, found a publisher for his first novel 'The Two Sisters'.
H.E. married Marjorie Cox in 1931 and they moved to Little Chart in Kent where he could write. He went on to become a well-renowned author and quickly gained a reputation for writing short stories. Many of his stories were inspired by memories of Rushden and the surrounding area.