History of Staines

History of Staines in Surrey, England

* 43 — First Staines Bridge built by the Roman Empire
* 1086 — Domesday Book survey provides much documentary evidence of local area. Staines appears on the Middlesex domesday map in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Stanes". It was held by Westminster Abbey. Its domesday assets were: 19 hides. It had 6 mills worth £3 4s 0d, 2 weirs worth 6s 8d, 24 ploughs, meadow for 24 ploughs, and some cattle. It rendered £35. [ [http://www.gwp.enta.net/surrnames.htm Surrey Domesday Book] ]

*1285 — Famous landmark, the London Stone, erected to mark western limit of the City of London's jurisdiction over the River Thames. It originally stood upstream from Staines town centre, although a replica now marks the spot, as the stone was removed for restoration.
*1803 — The Lucan family moved into Laleham.
*1832 — Staines Bridge officially opened by King William IV (formerly the Duke of Clarence, and after whom Clarence Street was named).
*1848 — Railway line from Waterloo to Ashford and Staines opened.
*1851 — Staines Boat Club established.
*1862 — Opening of the Staines Linoleum Company, founded by businessman Frederick Walton, to produce his new invention of Linoleum floor covering.
*1886 — Royal Holloway, University of London is founded by Thomas Holloway and opened by Queen Victoria in nearby Egham, Surrey.
*1890 — Staines Hockey Club was formed, making it one of the oldest hockey clubs in the world. Its early years were very illustrious with several internationals playing for the club and a number of gold medals being won by Staines members in the 1908 Olympic Games.
*1892 — Staines Town Football Club formed as Staines Albany.
*1894 — Staines Urban District is created.
*1901 — Twin back-to-back Staines Reservoirs built by the West Middlesex Water Company, the first major reservoirs in the Borough, were opened.
*1906 — The British car maker Lagonda, was founded in 1906 in Staines, by the American Wilbur Gunn. First car off the production line in the same year.
*1908 — The very first Scout Troop to be formed in Staines was the 1st Staines & Egham Hythe Troop.
*1925 — Queen Mary Reservoir opened
*1935 — 24 Hours of Le Mans car race won by 4.5 litre Lagonda car built at Staines.
*1965 — Staines Urban District is transferred from Middlesex to Surrey.
*1965 — Staines West Railway station closed. Station building intact listed grade ll, a section of platform track and buffer stop remain, platform area now a car park.
*1972 — British European Airways Trident One jet airliner crashed on 18 June alongside the busy A30 Staines bypass killing all 118 passengers and crew.
*1974 — Staines Urban District is merged with Sunbury-on-Thames Urban District to form the District of Spelthorne.
*1980 — The Elmsleigh Centre shopping complex opened by HM The Queen.
*1985 — Staines section of M25 opened.
*1990 — Spelthorne Leisure Centre in Knowle Green, Staines opened.
*1993 — The Old Town Hall opened as new Arts Centre; officially opened on 15 April 1994 by actor and director Kenneth Branagh. (It's now a pub)
*1996 — Planning permission granted for new "Two Rivers" retail and leisure development for Staines Town Centre.
*2002 — Ali G gets all political in his big-screen debut Ali G Indahouse, much of the filming was actually in Staines.
*2005 — Hard-Fi's debut album "Stars of CCTV" released and nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.
*2006 — Hard-Fi's success continues as they follow-up a sold out tour of the UK with two BRIT Award nominations

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