Timeline - Rugby, Warwickshire

Up to 999

See Early History
c.300 - Roman fort built at Tripontium
c.405 - Roman Army withdrew
c.425 - Saxons approaching.
c.920 - Shire county of Warwickshire established.

1000 to 1499

1086 - Rocheberie in Domesday Book
1140 - First mention of parish church of St Andrew - 'Castle' built north of church by Sir Henry Rokeby
1157 - Castle demolished on order of Henry II
1221 - Simon the Decon - first recorded priest
1255 - Market Charter granted on 8th July by Henry III to Sir Henry de Rokeby. Weekly market on Saturday's and yearly fair on 9th-11th August.
1298 - Church re-dedicated to Pope Nicholas IV. - Church assessed at £5 per year.
1327 - Manor of Rugby granted right to hold a Court Leet
1349 - Ralph, Lord Stafford purchased manor and advowson.
1350-1400 - West Tower and 4 North Aisle arches added to church
1477 - Advowson sold to Henry Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
1482 - Manor in Dower of widow of Henry Stafford
1485 - Manor granted to Countess of Richmond by Crown.

1500 to 1599

1509 - Manor owned by Sir Gilbert Talboys
1510 - Lawrence Sherriffe born
1558 - Charity created to help repair the Avon Bridge.
1560 - Manor and advowson sold by Lady Elizabeth Dudley to John Wryley
1562 - Rugby contained 69 houses.
1567 - Lawrence Sherriffe dies and leaves London estate to fund Grammar School and Almshouses.
1594 - Manor and avowson sold to Richard Burnabye for £2,100.

1600 to 1699

1620 - Start of surviving parish registers.
1634 - Two serious fires and an epidemic occured in town.
1642,1645 - Civil War forces passed through Rugby.
1662 - George Inn built in Market Place.
1663 - Silver chalice presented to church - inscribed 'Rookby' - Hearth tax applied to 94 of the towns 213 hearths.
1690 - William II stayed at Manor House on route to Ireland.

1700 to 1799

1707 - Richard Elborowe died and founded school and almshouses. - Severe Smallpox epidemic
1719 - Serious fire in the town
1730 - Town had 183 houses
1738 - More fires in the town
1740 - Rugby School moved from Church Street to present site.
1750 - New School House errected at Rugby School
1767 - 6th Lord Craven bought advowson and church re-pewed
1773 - Rugby fields enclosed by Act of Parliament
1781 - Captain Donellan hanged for murder of Sir T.A. Boughton
1783 - Last of 4 extra alms houses built on old school site
1787 - Bridge at Avon Mill re-built at a cost of £284
1791 - William Butlin, Draper & Banker died aged 61
1792 - New church organ obtained for £395 2s 3d
1796 - The windmill in Windmill Road burnt down
1797 - South Aisle of Church enlarged

1800 to 1850

1800 - Abraham Caldecott became Lord of the Manor of Rugby
1801 - Census - Rugby had population of 1,487 and 278 houses
1803 - Old Manor house demolished for new school house
1809 - Baptist Church built in Castle Street.
1811 - Census - Rugby had population of 1,805 and 319 houses
1814 - Rugby School start holding services at school instead of going to parish church.
1816 - Pillory moved to near the George Inn in Market Place
1818 - Union Workhouse built to house 180 people in Lower Hillmorton Road.
1820 - Rugby School Chapel completed
1821 - Census - Rugby had population of 2,300 - Wesleyan Chapel erected in Chapel Street
1823 - William Webb Ellis probably picked up the ball
1825 - John Moultrie,M.A. became Rector of Rugby
1826 - Abraham Caldecott died
1828 - Rugby Gas and Coke Company founded. - Dr Thomas Arnold appointed headmaster of Rugby School
1830 - Caldecott ( later Trinity ) Schools built - London to Birmingham Railway first proposed
1831 - Census - Rugby had a population of 2,501
1832 - Cholera epidemic
1833 - Henry Giffney's map of Rugby at 2" per mile
1834 - Old 304ft contour canal replaced by improved main route.
1835 - Footpaths of main streets paved
1837 - Street lamp posts erected in the town
1838 - London & Birmingham Railway opens. Rugby's first station is at the bridge in Newbold Road.
1840 - Midland Counties Railway opened and Rugby becomes a junction. New station built at bottom of what became Railway Terrace.
1841 - Census - Rugby had a population of 4,008 and 759 houses.
1842 - Dr Arnold, Head of Rugby School, dies. - William Tait sets up printing press
1843 - Cricket Club founded in Bilton Road
1844 - St Matthews Church was built and a day school for infants opened in Pennington Street.
1846 - W. Tait publishes first edition of Rugby Advertiser
1847 - St Maries catholic church built
1848 - Rugby Local Board of Health established
1849 - Wesleyan Day School opened in Chapel Street.

1850 to 1899

1851 - Census - Rugby had a population of 6866 and 1185 houses. - Water tower and works built in Barby Road. - Ordnance Survey large scale town plan produced by Captain Beatty
1854 - Holy Trinity Church opened.
1856 - Richard Elbrows school and alms houses moved to North St.
1857 - Rugby Town Hall ( & indoor market) opened in High Street
1858 - Butlin's Almshouses founded in Stephen Street for 6 women aged over 60.
1861 - Census - Rugby had a population of 7818 and 1417 houses.
1862 - Rugby Co-Operative Society founded
1863 - Rugby Water Works Act obtained. Works in Mill Lane started to take water from the River Avon.
1865 - Rugby Portland Cement Company formed by G.H. Walker
1867 - Congregational Church built in Albert Street.
1869 - Methodist Church opened in Market Place - Nursing home opened with 6 beds in Pennington Street. - Market rights transfered from Lord of Manor to Local Board of Health
1870 - Church stopped ringing the Curfew bell at 5am and 8pm - First Co-operative Society store opened in Chapel Street. - Turnpike trusts disbanded and toll gates removed.
1871 - Census - Rugby had a population of 8385 and 1527 houses.
1872 - Nursing home moves to Castle Street and becomes Rugby Hospital and Nursing Home. - 200ft spire and tower added to St Maries Catholic Church.
1873 - Cattle market moves from Sheep Street to field now used as Whitehall Road Recreation Ground.
1874 - Small Pox outbreak - Isolation hospital built in Barby Road. - Rev J. Moultire MA died from Small Pox after helping sick.
1875 - Volunteer Fire Brigade formed.
1877 - St Andrew's parish church rebuilt to Butterfield design.
1878 - Lawrence Sheriff Lower School opened under terms of Rugby School Act so main school could become fee paying.
1881 - Census - Rugby had a population of 9891 and 1851 houses. - Railway line to Northampton opened
1882 - Hospital of St Cross started - opened in 1884 - Corset factory opened.
1886 - Present (3rd) LNWR Railway station opened.
1887 - Clock Tower built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Jubilee
1891 - Public Library opened
1891 - Census - Rugby had a population of 11262 and 2367 houses.
1896 - Willan's Works established. - Tower and Spire added to St Andrew's Church
1898 - Towns first telephone exchange opened in Lt. Church Street.
1899 - Great Central Railway and Station opens - B.T.H. buy first plot of land.

1900s

1901 - Census - Rugby had a population of 16830 and 3504 houses.
1902 - B.T.H. start production at Mill Road site.
1909 - King Edward VII visit to town to open Temple Speech Room at Rugby School.

1910s

1910 - Prince of Wales Theatre opened in Railway Terrace
1911 - Census - Rugby had a population of 21758
1916 - Lodge Plug factory built in St Peter's Road

1920s

1920 - Rugby Day Continuation School founded - on Rugby College Site
1921 - Census - Rugby had a population of 25088
1922 - The Rugby Woolworth branch first opened its doors.
1925 - Percival Guildhouse ( adult education centre ) founded
1927 - Rugby High School for Girls moves to Clifton Road.

1930s

1931 - Census - Rugby had a population of 35100, in larger area
1932 - Rugby Borough formed with Wed 19th October being Charter day.

1940s

1950s

1951 - Census - Rugby had a population of 45428
1956 - Corset factory switched to making modern underwear

1960s

1961 - Census - Rugby had a population of 51651 - Lawrence Sheriff Alms Houses replaced on new site
1962 - Old Midland main railway line to Leicester closed
1965 - Rugby railway locomotive shed closed
1966 - Great Central Railway closed south of Rugby
1969 - Great Central Railway closed totally.
1969 - Opening of Draycote reservoir