A Timeline of Leicester

By Tim Lambert

Roman Leicester

43

The Romans invade Britain

47

The Romans capture what is now Leicestershire

48

The Romans build a fort and a town grows up nearby

80

The Roman army moves on but the town flourishes

100

The town of Ratae (Leicester) is rebuilt

c 250

Suburbs grow outside the walls of Ratae (Leicester)

407

The Roman army leaves Britain. Afterwards, Roman civilization breaks down and Roman towns are abandoned.

Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Leicester

c. 800

Town life revives in England. The old Roman town at Leicester is revived by the Anglo-Saxons.

877

The Danes capture Leicester

918

The English recapture Leicester

1086

Leicester has a population of about 1,500

1143

Leicester Abbey is built

1173

An earl rules Leicester. He rebels against the king but the king’s men capture Leicester and burn part of it.

1231

The Earl, Simon de Montfort expels all Jews from Leicester

1464

Leicester is given a corporation and a mayor

Leicester 1500-1800

1500

The population of Leicester is about 3,000

1545

A grammar school is built in Leicester

1564

The plague strikes Leicester

1583

The plague returns to Leicester

1604 and 1606

The plague is back in Leicester

1610

The plague returns to Leicester

1612

A conduit is built to bring water into Leicester

1625

The plague strikes Leicester again

1636 and 1638

The plague strikes but fortunately, the 1638 epidemic is the last one

1645

During the Civil War, the Royalists briefly capture Leicester

1670

The population of Leicester is about 5,000

1681

Leicester gains a fire engine

1686

A scavenger is appointed to clean the main streets of Leicester

Modern Leicester

1730

The population of Leicester is about 8,000

1737

New Road is built

1759

Pumps are installed by public wells

1771

The Royal infirmary is built

1774

The town walls are demolished

1794

The Soar Canal is finished

Modern Leicester

1801

Leicester has a population of about 17,000

1821

Leicester gains gas light

1836

Leicester gains a police force

1849

Cholera strikes Leicester

1853

Leicester gains a piped water supply

1855

Leicester gains a sewage works

1871

The first public library in Leicester opens

1881

A telephone exchange opens in Leicester

1882

Victoria Park and Abbey Park open

1894

Electric street lights are switched on in Leicester for the first time

1910

The first cinema is built in Leicester

1914

The first council houses in Leicester are built

1919

Leicester is made a city

1927

Leicester gains a cathedral and a bishop

1935

Leicester General Hospital opens

1940

Bombs kill 40 in Leicester

1957

The University of Leicester is established

1969

Leicester Polytechnic is formed

1971

The Haymarket Centre opens

1977

Gas Museum opens in Leicester

1984

St Martins Shopping Centre opens

1988

The Phoenix Arts Centre opens.

1992

Shire Shopping Centre opens. Leicester Polytechnic becomes Simon De Montfort University.

1997

Leicester is made a unitary authority

Richard III