1801

Wallingford has 362 houses and 1744 inhabitants.

1809

A flood in January takes away the central arch of Wallingford Bridge, and severely damages the two on either side, which is followed by rebuilding. It is about 900 feet in length

Wallingford Bridge

1813

Captain Thomas Johnstone, an English seafarer and rumoured smuggler and privateer, who had previously designed a clockwork-powered model submarine made of iron and lined with cork and wood, begins to built a full size submarine near Wallingford. This will have oars for below the water and sails above the water. However, the subsequent end of conflict with France means no funding is forthcoming from the Admiralty. He is subsequently arrested on suspicion of working for the French.

Site of the toll house on Wallingford Bridge

1819

Wallingford toll-house opens on the bridge

1821

Flood (21 December)

1828

National School opened

1830

Hilliard's Brewery is established in Goldsmith's Lane - it ran until 1878. The whipping post and pillory were removed from by the town hall.

1831

The population is now 2467. Richard Wilder's first foundry in Wallingford is established around this time. Thomas Charles Leigh is elected to parliament to serve for Wallingford despite a charge of bribery levelled by William Seymour Blackstone. Blackstone's petition was discharged.

Wilder's Old Foundry

1832

Wallingford loses the right to return two MPs

1834

New workhouse built

1836

The gasworks are established, on the current site of The Boathouse, next to Wallingford Bridge.

1837

The Hedges family builds a house in the castle grounds. The Queen agrees to become patron of the Royal Berkshire Horticultural Society, chaired by William Seymour Blackstone, grandson of Justice Blackstone and MP for Wallingford, and originating from smaller group established in Wallingford in 1831.

1838

Chalmore Lock is built to raise water levels during the summer, opposite the site of Ferry House.

1841

The population of Wallingford is now 2824

1842

Flood (16^th Nov)

1843

A requisition to the High Sheriff of Berkshire is signed in Wallingford noting "the very depressed and alarming state of British Agriculture". The Oxford Herald notes the decline in traffic through the town and in business as a result of the new Great Western Railway, which avoids the town. A Temperance Society meeting yields 80 recruits.

1847

A county debt court is set up in Wallingford. An attempt is made to arrest W. S. Blackstone for debts during the election.

1850

Effigy of the pope is burned on November 5th on the Kinecroft. St John's farm buildings are destroyed by fire. Meeting is held at the Town Hall over the failure of the government to respond to agricultural distress.

1852

Flood. St Mary-le-More's church is restored.

1854

William Seymour Blackstone, former MP for Wallingford, spends time in Oxford Castle debtors’ prison, largely over debts accumulated through construction of Howbery Park – where he never lives. He had previously escaped arrest by punting across the county boundary. Before that, his status as an MP had prevented arrest, and this led to a parliamentary bill to allow MPs to be arrested.

Corn Exchange

1855

"Berks and Oxon Advertiser" is first printed in Wallingford, by Thomas Jenkins, a liberal who ran a hairdresser. Effigy of Czar Nicholas is burned on November 5th.

1856

Corn Exchange built, including arches constructed by Wilders. Pettits department store opened by Thomas Pettit. The arrival of the Berkshire Constabulary police force replaces the "constables of the watch".

1857

A Mrs Corner drowns herself and her three children in the river.

1861

Population of municipal borough is 2,793. New cemetery built in Castle Street. Wallingford Volunteer Rifle Corp is established – later fought in Boer War

1864

Wilder's foundry casts the iron elephant and canopy for the Maharajah's Well at Stoke Row, a gift from the Maharajah of Benares to Edward Reade, Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Province of India.

1865

1866

Wallingford Railway Station opens to passengers.

Wilder's New Foundry

1867

Many road name changes – Fish Street becomes St Mary’s, Lock Lane becomes Croft Road, Old Moor Lane became St Johns Road, Green Tree Lane becomes New Road and St Peter’s Church Lane becomes St Peter’s St.

1869

Wilder’s new Iron Foundry opens, as does Thomas Champion's hardware shop.

1870

The Kinecroft, formerly a pasture owned by Wallingford Corporation becomes a recreation ground, though cows could still be grazed for a fee.

1873

Wallingford Free Lending Library and Methodist Chapel are built. Wallingford's population is 4015.

Wallingford's Methodist Chapel and Free Lending Library

1875

Approximate date of James Hayllar buying Castle Priory. Flood which damages the bridgeside gasworks, but these are replaced by new gasworks near station, operational until 1898.

1877

Opening of Wallingford Grammar School.

Wallingford Grammar School building

1880

The Herbert Morrell Cottage Hospital, designed by J.S. Dodd, opens. A narrow election victory by Walter Wren for the Liberal Party is challenged by Conservative MP Edward Wells on charges which include bribery. Though the charge against Wren is not upheld, the election is run again and Mr Ralli triumphs for the Liberals with an even narrower margin. Tolls cease on Wallingford Bridge. John Kirby Hedges gets a permanent injunction to preserve the Saxon walls, preventing a plan to build a new road through. Around this time, the cattlemarket opens in Thames Street - it also sells sheep and pigs.

1881

a href="characters.htm#Edgar Field">Edgar Field, born in Wallingford, becomes the first footballer to score an own goal for England in a 6:1 defeat by Scotland.

1882

Wallingford Times is established by Conservatives unhappy with political tone of “Berks & Oxon Advertiser” – it ran until 1888.

1883

Chalmore Lock is removed, as mentioned in ‘Three Men and a Boat’. Much of the weir had been removed in the winter of 1881 by floating ice.

1887

A temperence hall is established on the site of the old Duke's Head. A shed is built for the fire engine, previously kept at the town hall.

The Primitive Methodist Church

1888

William Reginald Lybbe Powys-Lybbe dies aged 32. He had become the youngest mayor of Wallingford¸ aged 28. His son later donated the Bullcroft site to the public. The merging of Wallingford Borough with the County Berks constituency means that Wallingford no longer had its own MP. The Primitive Methodist Church was built in St Mary's Street

1891

The Thames freezes in January, allowing skating.

1894

Flood – damaging houses in St Leonard's Lane.

1896

Mr C.H. Cook, an ex-guardian at Wallingford Workhouse, brings charges of cruelty to children and other inmates against some officials at the workhouse. The labour master is conviced of assault against a boy.

1899

Mr Tombs moves to 21-22 High Street, where he opens a Temperance Hotel.