A TIMELINE OF HINCKLEY HISTORY
By Tim Lambert
1086 At the time of the Domesday Book Hinckley is a large village with a population of about 300
1311 By now Hinckley is a small market town. It also has annual fairs.
1626 Plague strikes Hinckley
1640 An industry making stockings begins in Hinckley
1626 plague strikes Hinckley
1644 During the Civil War royalists occupy Hinckley but they are soon driven out
1700 Hinckley is a little market town with a population of around 2,000
1750 Hinckley is a prosperous little town known for hosiery
1801 Hinckley has a population of 5,158. However the town only expands a little during the early 19th century.
1804 Ashby Canal is built
1834 Hinckley gains gas light
1835 The first hansom cab is made in Hinckley
1858 A cemetery opens
1862 The railway reaches Hinckley
1872 Queens Park is laid out
1870s Sewers are dug under Hinckley
1890s A piped water supply is created
1901 Hinckley has a population of over 11,000
1912 Hinckley gains an electricity supply
1913 The first council houses are built in Hinckley
1922 A War memorial is erected
1935 Hollycroft Park is laid out
1937 A new police station is built
World War II In Hinckley 12 people are killed by German bombing
1960 A new bus station is built
1962 The Edwards Centre is built
1972 Concordia Theatre opens
1974 Hinckley is made a borough
1975 A new library is built
1977 A new leisure centre is built
1981 The Britannia Centre opens
1993 St Peters Church is built
1999 A new magistrates court is built
2000 The leisure centre is refurbished