Worthing History in the Victorian era
Worthing history - key dates 1851-1900
1852The power of the Worthing Town Commissioners passes to the newly-formed Worthing Local Board of Health.
1853
The Worthing Record Newspaper first published.
Work starts on the massive yet elegant waterworks on the High Street. The works closed in 1896 and were demolished in the 1920s.
1855
Formation of Worthing's first Fire Brigade.
1856
The Worthing Intelligencer newspaper comes into being. It lasted until 1916, by which time it was called the Worthing Observer.
1859
Bonfire celebrations get out of hand with the Worthing Bonfire Boys attacking the home of John Marsham.
1862
Worthing Pier opens
1865
Heene Terrace completed, the first sign of major development in Heene.
1866
Heene Baths open, providing fresh and sea water swimming for patrons.
1867
Colonel Lane Fox begins to excavate the extensive Iron Age flint mines at Cissbury.
1869
The Warwick Street scandal.
1873
St Botolph's Church in Heene built on the site of Heene Chapel.
1877
Perhaps the worst of the Bonfire Riots, with fighting in the streets and many police and townsfolk injured.
High tides cause particularly bad flooding in South Street.
1880
Homefield Park opened - it was initially called the People's Park.
1883
First known presence of the Salvation Army in Worthing.
The Worthing Gazette rolls off the presses for the first time.
1881
Worthing Infirmary and Dispensary set up on the site of the present day Worthing Hospital.
1884
First anti-Salvation Army riots in Worthing.
1886
The Worthing Madonna controversy.
1888
The last known act of violence against the Salvation Army.
1889
Worthing old pier rebuilt.
West Worthing railway station opened.
1890
Worthing becomes an incorporated borough, merged with West Worthing.
1891
The population of Worthing has grown to 16,000.
1893
By-laws passed to ensure that men and women bathed in separate areas of Worthing beach.
Worthing hit by typhoid epidemic which killed 188 people and made over a thousand other Worthing folk seriously ill.
1894
Oscar Wilde spends a working summer holiday in Worthing, completing The Importance of Being Earnest.
1896
Warwick House, one of the finest early buildings in Worthing, demolished.
1897
A new reservoir opened as a reaction to the typhoid epidemic.
Salvington Mill ceases grinding corn.