These Historic Buildings Were Bombed and Burned — Then Rose Again

By Tim Lambert

Saxon Luton

Luton began when the Saxons conquered Bedfordshire in the 6th century. They created a farm or settlement called a tun by the river Lea. (Lea may be a Celtic word meaning bright river). By the tenth century, the picayune settlement of Lea tun had grown into a boondocks. Luton would seem very small to united states of america with a population of just several hundred.

Many of the people of Medieval Luton lived by farming, at least office-time only there was a market in the town and it acted equally a focal point for the surrounding villages. By the time of the Domesday Book (1086) 'Loitone' probably had a population of 750-800. Once more it would seem tiny to us merely by the standards of the time, Luton was a respectable size. Nearly villages but had populations of 100 or 150. After in the Middle Ages, the population of Luton probably rose to around 1,500.

Luton in the Middle Ages

In the Center Ages Luton had half dozen watermills. One manufactory gave its name to Manufacturing plant Street. In 1137 the Lord of the Manor built a new church. In 1139 he built a castle. This castle was demolished in 1154 but it gave its name to Castle Street.

In the tardily twelfth century a 'hospital' where poor travelers could stay was built in Farley Hill. At that place was some other infirmary in Luton, this 1 for sick people. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene.

Too as a market Medieval Luton had a fair. A fair was like a market place but it was held just once a twelvemonth. Luton's fair was held for 1 calendar week in August and it would attract sellers from as far away as London. After 1338 Luton had a 2d off-white in October.

In 1336 at that place was a not bad fire in Luton which destroyed much of the town. Fire was a constant danger in those days considering most buildings were made of woods with thatched roofs. Still, if they burned they could exist easily rebuilt. Luton soon recovered from the disaster.

Luton 1500-1800

For centuries Luton connected to be a quiet marketplace town serving the surrounding countryside. In the 16th century, a brick-making industry grew upwards in Luton. Until then most houses were of wood but in the 16th century, many people re-built their houses in brick. In the 17th century, a straw hat-making industry began. In the 18th century, information technology came to dominate Luton.

During the civil wars of the 17th century, there were 2 skirmishes in Luton. The first occurred in 1645 when some royalists entered Luton and demanded money from the townspeople. Parliamentary soldiers came and in the ensuing fight 4 royalists were killed and 22 were captured. A 2d skirmish occurred in 1648 when a royalist regular army passed through Luton. A group of stragglers was caught by parliamentary soldiers in an inn on the corner of Bridge Street. Virtually of the royalists escaped but nine were killed.

In the 18th century, Luton connected to be an agricultural market town serving the local villages. Hatmaking was its but of import industry. In 18th century Luton in that location were the same craftsmen you found in whatever market town such as brewers, bakers, butchers, carpenters, and blacksmiths. In the early on 18th century a author said: 'Information technology has a market place business firm and a large Monday market place for corn with which this expanse much abounds'.

Luton Hoo was built in 1757 for the 3rd Earl of Bute. It was designed by the architect Robert Adam (1728-1791). However, it was largely rebuilt later a fire in 1843.

For centuries in that location had been a ford across the Lea. In 1797 a span was built and Bridge Street was created.

Luton in the 19th century

Luton grew rapidly in the 19th century. In 1801 the population was iii,095. By the standards of the time, Luton was a fair-sized market place town. By 1851 the population of Luton had exceeded 10,000 and it continued to boom. By 1901 it had reached 38,926 more than 10 times the 1801 level.

The straw hat-making industry connected to dominate Luton although some felt hats were fabricated after 1877.

There were many improvements to Luton during this century. From 1834 Luton had gaslight. In 1847 a Town Hall was built. The kickoff in Luton paper began publication in 1854. The same year the showtime cemeteries were opened (as the churchyards were condign overcrowded).

Like the rest of the land, Luton suffered an epidemic of cholera in 1848. However, conditions in Victorian Luton gradually improved. In 1850 a Board of Health was formed and they gear up about building sewers. A water company was formed in 1865 and by 1870 the whole boondocks had a piped water supply. Meanwhile, the railway reached Luton in 1858.

The covered market was built in 1869 as a plait hall where plait could exist bought and sold. Then in 1872 Luton gained its first hospital when a cottage hospital was built. The same year the first swimming baths were built.

Luton was made a borough in 1876 and Luton Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1877. Luton Town FC was formed in 1885.

Luton in the 20th century

During the 20th century the lid-making industry, which had dominated Luton for then long went into refuse merely new industries came to Luton. One of these was engineering. Vauxhall came to the boondocks in 1905. Shortly Luton became known for car manufacturing. In the early 20th-century gas cookers and meters were likewise made in Luton besides equally ball bearings. A chemicals manufacture also began in Luton in the early 20th century.

Even during the depression of the 1930s Luton was a prosperous town and suffered less unemployment than many towns thanks to its new industries.

Luton grew speedily in the 20th century. It had a population of most fifty,000 in 1914 but by the 1960s it had grown to over 130,000.

Conditions in Luton improved in the 20th century. In 1908 trams began running in the streets only in the 1920s they were superseded by buses. The last trams ran in Luton in 1932. The first movie theatre in Luton opened in 1909. Luton airport opened in 1938.

In 1904 the council purchased Wardown estate and made it a park. Wardown house became a museum and art gallery in 1931. In 1919 the Boondocks Hall was burned during a anarchism. A new Town Hall was built in 1936.

Also in the 1920s and 1930s, the council set nigh demolishing the worst slums in Luton and they congenital the first council houses. A New Court House was built in 1937.

The boundaries of Luton were extended in 1928 and 1933 to include Leagrave, Limbury, and Stopsley. Luton and Dunstable infirmary opened in 1939.

Luton was bombed during the 2nd World War. Altogether 107 people were killed by the German bombing and over 1,500 houses were destroyed or damaged. After the war, Luton council had to supersede these and also annihilate many remaining slums. Many new council houses were built to replace them. Estates were built at Farley Hill, Stopsley, Limbury, and Leagrave. Meanwhile, the M1 was congenital in 1959.

A new central library was built in Luton in 1962 and the Arndale Centre was built in 1972. Wigmore Park Shopping Centre was congenital in 1991.

In 1997 Luton was made a unitary authority and in 1998 The Milky way Leisure Circuitous opened. In 1999 a new railway station Luton Airport Parkway was congenital. So was a new passenger terminal at the airport.

Luton in the 21st century

Car production ended in Luton in 2002. It was the end of an era for Luton although the town continues to prosper. In 2007 St Georges Square was redeveloped. In 2022 the population of Luton was 213,000.

ingramdonly1990.blogspot.com

Source: https://localhistories.org/a-history-of-luton/

Share this post