The Parish of Blackpool in the County of -- Lancashire --

Growth of the County Borough of Blackpool
from 1850 to 1899

1851
The Wellington Hotel was built.

1852
Gas Works and Blackpool has its first street lighting by gas.

1859
Theatre Royal

1860
The Union Baptist Chapel was built in Abingdon Street, the site is now occupied by the general Post Office.

1860s
Uncle Toms Cabin

1861
The Schooner "William Henry" with a cargo of flour and lard was wrecked at South Shore. There were plenty of cheap tubs of lard for the South Shore people.
The Wesleyan Chapel in Adelaide Street Rebuilt. Christ Church Mission built and consecrated 1870.

1862
First Pier Company and Blackpool and Lytham Railways opened.

1863
North Pier opened.
Lytham Railway extended to Blackpool Central.

1864
Blackpool gets its first Lifeboat. July 14th. Wreck of the St. Michael (September 18th) the Lifeboat saved the crew of fourteen.
United Methodist Church, Adelaide Street built.
Fylde Water Works. First piped water.

1865
Blackpool Parade Act for Promenade Development passed through Parliament.
The Barque "Lexington" wrecked, crew of fourteen saved by new lifeboat.

1866
Assembly and Concert Rooms Company

1868
Central Pier

1869
(April 21st) Charles Dickens visited Blackpool and stayed at the Beach Hotel, which stood where the Tower Vaults and Cafe now stand.
Late 1860s Prince of Wales Arcade

1870
Grand opening of new Promenade.
Population of Blackpool, seven thousand, nine hundred and two. (7,902)

1872
Raikes Hall Gardens. Derelict by 1898.

1873
Blackpool Cemetery opened.
Talbot Bowling Tournament began.

1874
The Aquarium, (now incorporated in the Tower) opened. At that time it ran along Bank Hey Street, and the space in front was an amusement park. This was built, owned, and run by Dr. Cocker the first Mayor of Blackpool, and was the real start of the Blackpool Tower.

1875
Winter Gardens
Primitive Methodist Chapel in Chapel Street opened.
Unitarian Church, Dixon Road, opened.

1876
Blackpool received its Charter of Incorporation and became a Municipal Borough.
William Cocker became first mayor of the Borough.

1879
Start of Electric lighting.
The new Pleasure Steamer "The Bickerstaff" commenced sailing on pleasure trips from the North Pier.

1880
The Aquarium was floated by Dr.Cocker (the owner) into a Company under the Title of Blackpool Central Property Company and in 1889 acquired by the Standard Debenture Corporation Limited, who formed the Blackpool Tower Company in 1891.
A ship the "Bessie Jones" was wrecked, four men were rescued from the rigging, one youth swept away and lost.
Free Public Library opened in the Octagon Room, Talbot Road, now part of Yates Wine Lodge.

1881
Hoo Hill Windmill in Layton (now demolished) struck by Lightening in a July thunderstorm.

1882
Wreck of the "Arethusa", ten saved.

1885
Blackpool became a Parliamentary Division.
Blackpool Tramway Company. Electric trams started. Company bought by Corporation in 1892.

1886
Wreck of the "Mexico" off Lytham. Twelve persons rescued by the Lytham Lifeboat. The Southport and St. Annes Lifeboat capsised with loss of life.

1887
The Blackpool Borough Police Force established.

1888
Rawcliffe Street Wesleyan Church opened.
South Shore Church rebuilt.

1889
The Opera House, Church Street, opened June 10th with The Yeomen of the Guard.

1890
Proposed South Pier

1891
Blackpool Tower Company Registered. Alderman John Bickerstaff elected chairman. Foundation stone of Tower laid September 21st.

1892
Wreck of "The Sirens" against the North Pier, the crew managed to climb onto the Pier for safety.

1893
The Victoria Pier, South Shore, opened.

1894
Opening of the Tower, Whit Monday May 14th.
Opening of Grand Theatre, December 22nd.
Wreck of the Abana off Norbeck. Lifeboat saved crew of seventeen.
The New Victoria Hospital in Whitegate Drive (now the Health Centre) received its first Casualty on August 25th.
The new Hospital was maintained by voluntary subscription, one scheme being started by the Trades Council, by which members of the different branches in the town paid a voluntary contribution through their branch of two pence per week, this scheme was soon taken up in different firms in the town, by
deducting the two pence from the employees wages, which in several cases was sixpence as the person was paying through both their branch and their employment.

1895
Opening of The Hippodrome Theatre, now the A.B.C Theatre, Church Street.

1896
The Lytham Tramway opened.
The Big Wheel in Coronation Street opened.

1897
During the Summer there was a Railway Disaster at Poulton Curve.
Lord Nelson's Flag Ship "The Foudroyant" which was anchored off Shore for Exhibition purposes was driven inshore by a sudden gale and wrecked near the North Pier. (June 16th)

1897
Alhambra (opened 1899)

1899
The Alhambra (afterwards named the Palace) opened by George R. Sims. This replaced the old Prince of Wales Theatre and the Prince of Wales Aquatic Entertainment Baths.

1900s