Bedworth Timeline

1086

 According to the Domesday Book, the Earl of Mellent, a brother of the Earl of Warwick, held the the Manor of Bedworth. This holding was made up of 60 people, living with no priest or mill, on 720 arable acres for which they had two ploughs. Before the Norman Conquest of 1066 the land was owned by Edwyn, Earl of Mercia.

1086

1300

Philip de Turville became the second recorded Rector of Bedworth

1349

Few inhabitants of the town escaped the Black Death.

1349

1555

Lawrence Saunders, nephew of John Saunders of that Estate in the manor of Bedworth, was burned at the stake for heresy, in Little Park, Coventry.

1570

 Bedworth coal mines were the subject of a report to the Government by Richard Hussey, Stephen Verney and Michael Purfrey.

1570

1590

The historian William Dugdale recorded only 14 families in the township.

1662

The Act of Uniformity was passed by Charles II, requiring England to accept the book of Common Prayer.

1662

1664

Nicholas Chamberlaine became Rector of Bedworth.

1686 – 1686

The Old Meeting Church was established, with Julius Saunders as its first minister. His original manuscript diary is still preserved, together with a chained set of Bible commentaries 

1686 – 1686

1690

William Dugdale recorded that there were now 260 houses in Bedworth and 30 in Collycroft.

1715

Nicholas Chamberlaine died in July. His will specified his vision for the formation of the School Foundation (church schools) and Hospital and Sermon charities (Almshouses) which were to be named after him.

 

Almshouses and schools were built in the grounds of Bedworth Hall.

1715

1715

The Old Meeting Church was built.

1727

Steam engines were first used in a local mine, and experiments in mine ventilation began using a ‘Blow George’ ventilation fan.

1727

1770

Parliament passed the first Bedworth Enclosure Award.

1782

John Wesley preached at Bedworth brickyard on 13th July.

1782

1790

Boiler works established at Collycroft.

1821

The population rose to 3,519.

1821

1824

The Parish appointed Josiah Page as Medical Attendant. He was to provide his own leeches.

1827

One Parish Meeting considered the Canal Company’s refusal to pay the levied rate, while another changed the official Wake from November to the first Sunday in September. The church was repaired and considerably enlarged.

1827

1828

There was great economic distress in Bedworth, the poor rate amounted to almost £1,500.

1832

In the year of the great Reform Bill a local Board of Health was established.

1832

1840

The old Almshouses were superseded by the present ones, at a construction cost of £8,500.

1845

The Church Schools were built; the Headmaster’s House in the town centre later became part of the schools when a replacement was built.

1845

1846

Dr. Beaumont opened the present Wesley Church.

1850

Bedworth welcomed its new street gas-lighting, though Collycroft remained without gas till 1908.

1850

1851

Despite meetings and protests, the Coventry, Nuneaton and Bedworth Railway was completed.

1860

The distress of thirty years earlier was repeated for the weavers, on whom £30 a week was spent from public subscriptions.

1860

1861

The population was now 5,636.

1863

In September the shaft at Exhall Colliery was sunk.

1863

1864

Parish business began to be transacted at the Parish Room in Congreve Square.

1871

The population had dropped by 498 in less than ten years to 5,138. 
Bedworth Hall demolished.

1871

1873

Bedworth Burial Board appointed Mr. Thomas Dewis as its first Clerk. The Central Schools were enlarged by an additional classroom and playgrounds.

1881

A report on water supplies to the town’s 5377 people showed that only half of the 1,150 houses were adequately supplied.

1881

1883

The Roman Catholic Church of St. Francis in Rye Piece was opened.

1887

Messrs. Wootton and Forge brought the new hat-making industry to Leicester Street in Bedworth.

1887

1889

The County Council assumed liability for the top part of King Street between the “Shoulder of Mutton” and the railway.

1891

The population, now rising, reached 5,485.

1891

1894

The new Parish Council assumed the powers of the church, churchwardens and similar officials.

1898

The mine-shaft at the new Newdigate Colliery was sunk in December.

1898

1899

New offices in Bulkington Road for the Warwickshire Miners’ Association opened.

1900

Bedworth Water Works and Tower came into use.

1900

1901

The Parish Room saw the last Church Vestry Meeting, which considered the granting of a faculty to build the Belfry Gates. 

The population of the town had increased to 7,189.

1906

Mr. William ‘Billy’ Johnson began his unbroken twelve years’ representation of the Nuneaton Division in parliament.

1906

1907

The new Council School in George Street was opened.

1914 - 1918

The First World War began, in which 1,129 Bedworth men served. 207 of these lost their lives.

1914 - 1918

1921

The Great War memorial in the cemetery was unveiled.

The population reached 11,548.

1923

The Miners Welfare Park was opened, and the Roman Catholic Church of St. Francis was consecrated.

1923

1924

The Parish was divided into five wards. 

1928

Bedworth Urban District was established on 1st October and the first Council elected on 13th October.

1928

1931

At the last census before the Second World War, the population was 12,060.

1932

From 1st April the Bedworth boundary embraced Exhall, Northern Foleshill, East Astley and part of Walsgrave-on-Sowe.

1932

1938

A further boundary extension saw Bulkington come under the Urban District Council.

1939-1945

The Second World War.

1939-1945

1946

The first Local Elections for seven years were held.

1951

The population reached 24,866.

1951

1952

The Bulkington Sewerage Scheme, costing £160,000 was started.

1953

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned and Bedworth celebrated its Silver Jubilee as an Urban District.

1953

1957

Population is now 28,640.

1973

Bedworth Civic Hall opens.

1973

1974

End of Bedworth Urban District Council. Bedworth becomes part of Nuneaton Borough Council.

1980

Bill Lenton leads a successful fight to include Bedworth in the council title, becoming Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

1980

1981

The Bedworth Society was formed to fight for the preservation of the Victorian Parsonage which is part of the town's Almshouses.

1991

Bedworth’s population is now approximately 32,500.

1991

2000

Parsonage Project Heritage Centre opened in the Parsonage.

2001

Bedworth’s population is now approximately 40,000.

2001

2003

Completion of refurbishment of Nicholas Chamberlaine Almshouses.