Archibald Ipgrave, Head Postmaster. "The Chief". Appointed to the service as SC&T at Watford in 1903 WW1 service in R.E as a W/T operator in Syria. His wife Margaret also wrote in the some newsletters. Their son Geoffrey was a prisoner of the Japanese.
Richard Mepham. "Dick". Postman, member of the 8th Army and most prolific letter writer to "Northampton News". Dubbed the "M.E.F Correspondent". Married fellow letter writer Margaret Smith.
Allon Needham Smith, "Needham Smith", Editor.
Allon Needham Smith was born on 6th April 1891 in Leamington Spa, son of Joseph, a Master Bootmaker, and Mary Ann J Smith, nee Robinson. He was the youngest of 11 children, 9 of which were still alive in 1911. He lived first at 6 Russell Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
By 1907 he was a "Paid Learner" at the Post Office in Lichfield, Staffordshire and doing well enough to be mentioned in the London Gazette on 2nd April 1907. He moved to Oundle, Northamptonshire, the following year, again as a learner before being appointed a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist at Northampton in 1914.
Early during World War One, he enlisted in the Royal Engineers as Sapper 94631, seeing service abroad in East Africa: Nyasaland, and Northern Rhodesia. He entered that theatre on 18th October 1915. He subsequently received the British War Medal, the Victory Medal, and the 1914-15 Star.
On 3rd July 1918, still serving in the Army, and giving his address as Council House, Victoria Road, Bletchley, he married Gwendoline May Jones, a spinster, aged 26 years, of Ivy Cottage, Warren Road, Bletchley. She was born in Adderly, Shropshire in 1992, daughter of a huntsman, the late George Jones.
During the war working as a senior "SC&T" at Northampton Post Office, "Needham" as he was then called, lived with his wife, "Gwen", who styled herself Gwen Needham-Smith, at 30 Cyril Street, Northampton. There they co-edited and produced Northampton News and also personally corresponded with many of the servicemen and women.
Post-war, Needham became Postmaster at Barton-on-Humber before retirement. At the time of his death from lung and throat cancer, on 14th October 1959, the couple were living at 25 Ferriby Road, Barton-on-Humber. Gwen remained at the address and died on 21st July 1960, in hospital at Scunthorpe, from uraemia and pyelonephritis - kidney disease.
There were no children.
Fred Argyle Smith. Popular postman and cleaner who was superannuated through ill health. Appointed to the service in December 1915 having been a telegram messenger.
William George Snape. "Bill"". Another prolific correspondent who served in the North African and Italian campaigns.