‘Birth of a Victorian Town’ was theme of the month at the July Redhill Library Coffee Morning.
Another (!) record attendance was enthralled as David Freeman and Steve White of the Redhill Centre for Local and Family History used maps and pictures to tell a fascinating story. In the early 1840s the area was mainly marshland. Major change was imminent, however.
The new train station opened in 1844 and led to rapid development. Redhill 175, the project highlighting and supporting the town centre, recalls this dynamic period.
In the 1860s the town was incorporated with royal approval as a self-governing borough. The same decade saw the arrival of gas, water and wastewater services, and Redhill’s own police and fire brigade.
Here was food for thought and discussion. Sitting and sipping comfortably in today’s Harlequin Centre it was intriguing to think in 1860 the Market Hall opened on roughly the same site (main picture*).
At CARBS we love to help promote local pro-citizen services such as Surrey libraries and the Redhill History Centre. Next Coffee Morning Wednesday 7 August: Holmesdale Natural History Club. All welcome. * Photo courtesy of donation to Library Archives.