Follow Morley’s rich history from Domesday to the present day.
1066 to 1649
World History Morley History Battle of Hastings 1066 Domesday Book 1086 37 Towns recorded in Morley Wapentake by Domesday Book 1100 King Henry I granted Woodkirk the Right to hold Fairs twice a year. Magna Carta 1215 1314 Harvest failed and Scots attacked Morley twice, staying once. 1322 St Mary's Chapel destroyed by the Scots....
1650 to 1799
World History Morley History 1650 Old Chapel and Lands let to Morley by Earl of Sussex for 20/- pa 1663 Farnley Wood Plot fails 1664 Royal Coat of Arms set up in Nave of St Mary's 1683 Morley Hall built by Thomas Dawson Newcomen invents steam pump for mines 1712 1720 The...
1800 to 1854
World History Morley History 1803 Birth of Titus Salt in the Manor House Napoleon becomes Emperor of France. 1804 Battle of Trafalgar 1805 First passenger-carrying railway in England. 1825 1830 St Peter's Church built, first Anglican church in Morley 1834 Gillroyd Mill is erected Victoria becomes Queen 1837 Introduction of penny postage stamp 1840 Mines...
1855 to 1875
World History Morley History 1855 Morley Main Colliery opened 1856 Drighlington & Adwalton and Gildersome Street stations opened. 1857 Morley Top and Ardsley stations opened. 1858 Tingley station opened 1859 Foundation Stone of Queen St Methodist Church is laid. Start of American Civil War 1861 1862 Local Government Act Adopted. 12 Board Members appointed. 1862
1876 to 1889
World History Morley History First two-way telephone conversation 1876 Foundation stone of St Mary's in the Wood on site of Old Chapel Thomas Edison patents gramophone 1878 Joseph Whitwell erects rhubarb forcing sheds Education Act 1878 1879 First Morley school board elected Thomas Edison patents electric light bulb 1880 General election of 452 voters: 271...
1890 to 1899
World History Morley History 1890 Dartmouth Park opened by Earl of Dartmouth. 1890 Woodkirk station opened 1891 First Sod Cut of Withens Reservoir. 1892 Memorial Stone of Town Hall laid. 1893 Commission of Peace granted. 13 Morley magistrates created. 1894 New Waterworks formally opened. Marconi invents wireless telegraphy 1895...
1900 to 1919
World History Morley History 1900 Formal opening of Public Baths. 1900 Gildersome St Bernard's station opened Death of Queen Victoria 1901 Sewage Purification Works opened. 1903 First Meeting of Education Committee on abolition of School Board 1906 Morley Secondary (later Grammar) School commenced. 1906 New fire station opened behind Town Hall...
1920 to 1939
World History Morley History 1921 Result of Leeds Extension Inquiry. Morley to remain a borough 1921 Gildersome St Bernard's station closed 1922 Ben Turner is elected as Morley's first Labour party MP. 1922 Morley & District Bus Co started services 1924 Churwell War Memorial dedicated - provided by W.L. Ingle, J.P John Logie Baird invents...
1940 to 1959
World History Morley History 1940 Churwell station closed Jet aircraft developed in England & Germany 1941 First air raid on Morley. Damage to property in Spenslea Grove, Homefield Avenue and district. Casualties 1 fatal 4 injured. 1942 Nursery Classes established at Elementary Schools (ages 2-5). 1945 Conferment of Freedom of Entry on the West Yorkshire...
1960 to 1974
World History Morley History Berlin Wall erected 1961 Town Hall dome destroyed by fire Yuri Gagarin becomes first man in space. 1961 Census - population 40338 1961 Morley Top station closed for passengers 1962 Drighlington & Adwalton station closed 1962 Opening of new Fire Station on Corporation St by the Mayor, Cllr LJ Finnigan. 1962...
1975 to 2002
World History Morley History Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II 1977 Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister 1979 1981 Census - population 44,671 (estimated) Start of Falklands War 1982 Fall of Berlin Wall 1989 1991 Census - population 47,579 (estimated) 1993 Centenary of rebuilding of St Paul's Church 1996 Part of Grammar School destroyed by fire