Cirencester, Gloucestershire in 19th Century

I borrowed this from a site on the web. I wanted to know what Cirencester would have been like when our great great grandfather and his family walked the streets.

In 1801 Cirencester had a population of about 4,000. By the standards of the time it was a fair sized market town. By 1901 the population of Cirencester was 8,000. Although the population of Cirencester doubled in that time, the population of Britain quadrupled. So relative to other towns Cirencester declined in size and importance.

During the 19th century the wool industry died out altogether. The only significant manufacturing industry in Cirencester was making farm tools. There was also a bacon curing industry and flour milling.

The Royal Agricultural College was founded in 1845.

There were a number of improvements to Cirencester in the 19th century. In 1825 an Act of Parliament formed a body of men called Improvement Commissioners. They had powers to pave, clean and light the streets of Cirencester and to remove obstructions. At first the streets were lit by oil lamps but in 1833 gas light was introduced to Cirencester.

Cirencester gained its first police force in 1839. The railway reached Cirencester in 1841.

A museum opened in Cirencester in 1856 and the Corn Hall was built in 1862. The first cemetery opened in Cirencester in 1871 and a cottage hospital opened in 1875.

From 1882 Cirencester had a piped water supply. Also in the late 19th century a network of sewers was dug under Cirencester. In 1894 Cirencester was given an urban district council.