BEDFORD

COUNTY TOWN OF BEDFORDSHIRE

A Timeline Overview

1224 - Great siege, castle destroyed; Henry III gave stones from the castle to repair St Paul's Church

1439 - A terrible stampede in which 18 people died

1561 - William HARPUR is Lord Mayor

1566 - Harpur bought and conveyed 13 acres of land in Holborn to the corporation with the income used to pay a small annual sum to master and usher of the mediaeval school in  School Lane.

1574 - Brass in St Paul's to Sir William HARPUR

1625- Received of Mr DENNIS 10s. towards the repair of the bells which were Mr HILLERSDEN's gift (This refers to Andrew DENNYS, formerly Vicar of St Paul's, Rector of St John's.  He was tutor to his nephew, John HILLERSDEN of Elstow)

1630 - Thomas WIGGINS paid 2d. for oil for the bells of St John the Baptist church

1636 - William SHEPHERD paid 1s 0d for work and some wood about the bells of St John the Baptist

1637 - John HANCOCKE paid 3s for changing the sanct bell in St John's church

1638 - William SHEPHERD paid 8s for timber and work about the sanct bell in St John's church.  
            Bell ropes were sold to the church by Hugh STRINGER.

1653 - An Independent congregation started their worship in ST John's Church under their pastor, John Gifford

1660 - To William SHEPHERD paid 6s 8d for mending the frames of the bells and wheels for St John the Baptist church (The SHEPHERD family occupied the house opposite to, and owned by, the church, now No 39 St John's.  They were employed very frequently on repairs to the church and occupied the house for nearly 100 years)

1660 - To Henry GENNINGS 1s 2d for a bell wheel for St John's

1671 - Brass in St Mary's to Giles THORNE who, during the Civil War, was imprisoned in the Fleet prison but returned to become chaplain to Charles II

1680 - Thomas MILLARD 6d for mending the bell clapper for for St John's

1686 - Inscription in St Paul's to PARADINE family

1687 - To George SPENSLEY 10s 2d for board for the bells and Richard EASTON 8s 0d for timber for the bells for St John's

1688 - To the smith of Elstow 2s 6d for mending bell clapper for St John's

1689 - Inscription in St Paul's to Hawes family
           Bell ropes were sold to the church by STRINGER (different person to 1638)

1696 - William RENALLS (possibly REYNOLDS) sold St John's church two new bellropes and mended two old ones for 7s. 4d.

1697 - Inscription in St Paul's to CHRISTIE and ESTON families

1702 - To Thomas CRICHELEY, blacksmith, 3s 0d for ironwork to the bells (The CRICHELEYs were a large local family, their name frequently appearing in the registers for St John and St Paul's)

1726 7s 6d to William HENDERSON for a bell clapper for St John's.  Also £1 1s 6d to George OLLE (possibly ODELL) for making two bell weales (wheels) and work done.

1738 - Paid John SUGER £4 for work done to bells for St John's

1739 - GALL charged St John's church 22 pound-11s. 0d for five new bell ropes (sold by weight at 6d. per lb.

1761 - Income from new leases for land in London was some £3,000

1765 - Ropes for St John the Baptist church purchased from Morris POPE

1786 - Ropes for St John the Baptist church purchased from Mr TIPP

1790 - Mr EMERTON paid £2 for work done to the bells for St John's and to Thomas WAITE for hanging a newly cast bell for St John's for 15 days work by himself, his brother and his son £1 18s 2d and for timber materials £5 14s 9d.

1790 to 1815 - Samuel Whitbread is Member for Parliament

1813 - WINGS's river bridge opens

1838 - Central facade of complex of Harpur buildings in Harpur Street designed by Blore

1859 - Britannia Ironworks built by the Howard family.

1882 - Bedford High School built

1891 - Bedford School moves to new premises off de Parys Avenue