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Leagrave
Timeline

Places > Leagrave

c1781: High Street Leagrave Methodist Society was in existence by this date, where the Society worshipped in the early years is not known.

1811: First reference to the Three Horseshoes Public House.

1822: The first reference to the Royal Oak Public House as a beer house.

1824: Leagrave Methodist Church opens on the 3rd June, with a gallery added in 1829.

1850: Leagrave Hall built.

1866: The parish of Leagrave was formed.

1868: Leagrave Railway Station opened.

1876: Leagrave School built.

1880: The Methodist Church demolished and a new church built.

1895: Leagrave became a separate parish within Luton Rural.

1900: Leagrave School enlarged.

1910: Iron Mission Church opened.

1914: Hewlett & Blondeau an aircraft manufacturing firm opened a factory called The Omnia Works. During the First World War the factory produced more than 800 aircraft and employed up to 700 people.

1920: The Omnia factory closes.

1926: Electrolux buys the Omnia factory site and the Electrolux factory opens on the 18th May 1927.

1928: Leagrave parish abolished and Leagrave becomes part of Luton.

1929: On the 12th June Lea Ward Branch Library opened.

1936-37: Dual purpose church and hall built.

1944: Lea Ward Branch Library renamed Leagrave Branch Library

1947: On the 16th June the church and church hall burnt down.

1955: On the 20th April the foundation stone was laid by the Duchess of Kent for St.Luke's Church and the parish church was opened on the 2nd June 1956.

1956: Moorland School opened in Leagrave Hall.

1962: Church Hall built.

1976: New library erected on the old site opened.

1989: The Three Horseshoes Public House demolished. The new Mount Pleasant Methodist Church opens.

1994: Electrolux granted planning permission to expand its Oakley Road-Linden Road site.

1998: Electrolux Factory in Oakley Road shuts down. (Luton News, 30th September)

2005: Electrolux announces that the headquarters of Electrolux Major Appliances was moving from Slough to the Oakley Road site. (Luton News, 6th July)

Sources:

  • The newspapers cuttings collection at Bedford Central Library.
  • PICKFORD, C.  Bedfordshire Churches in the 19th Century Part 4. B.H.R.S. Vol.80  2001
  • PEAPLE, C.  The Blockers' Seaside : Leagrave before The Great War.  1979.

Page last updated: 30th January 2014