By Tim Lambert
850 Kingston is a Saxon village with royal connections
900 Edward the Elder is crowned in Kingston
925 Athelstan is crowned in Kingston
940 Edmund is crowned in Kingston
946 Edred is crowned in Kingston
955 Edward is crowned in Kingston
971 Edward the Martyr is crowned in Kingston
1066 Kingston is a large village with 5 watermills
12th Century Kingston grows into a small market town. The king gives Kingston a charter.
1200, 1208 King John gives Kingston new charters
1263-65 During a civil war Kingston is ‘robbed and burned’
1290 Kingston may have a population of 1,500. It’s a busy inland port. Goods are taken to and from London along the Thames. As well as markets Kingston has an annual fair.
1351 The king allows Kingston 2 annual fairs
1513 A Lollard is martyred in Kingston
1520 Cardinal Wolsey builds Hampton Court Palace
1555 Kingston is allowed 3 annual fairs
1561 Kingston gains a grammar school
1625 Plague strikes Kingston
1636 Plague strikes Kingston
1833 Kingston gains gas light
1836 The first police force is formed in Kingston
1838 The railway reaches Kingston
1840 Market House is built
1841 Kingston has a population of over 8,000
1855 The 3 fairs in Kingston are reduced to 1. A body of men is given powers to pave, clean, and light the streets.
1893 Kingston gains an electricity supply
1894 Kingston is made an urban district council
1897 Victoria Hospital is built
1901 The population of Kingston is booming and it has reached 37,000
1906 Electric trams run in Kingston
1912 Aircraft manufacture begins in Kingston
1927 Kingston by-pass is built
1931 Buses replace trams
1935 The Guildhall is built
1936 Kingston Upon Thames is made a borough
1979 Eden Walk shopping Centre is built
1992 The Bentall Centre opens