Swindon marks 125 years as a borough

Museum & Art Swindon and the Central Library's Swindon Local Studies team are helping people celebrate a landmark year in the town's history.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the borough of Swindon being officially created.

It was in the penultimate year of the reign of Queen Victoria that the Old Town, which had already existed in one form or another for well over 1,000 years, was officially united with the New Town, which had grown up near what is now the town centre following the arrival of the Great Western Railway.

In the years since, the population has grown from about 40,000 to about 240,000, and the the local economy has radically diversified.

There have also been several changes in the way Swindon has been governed. In 1974, for example, the old Swindon Borough Council was abolished and replaced by the Thamesdown authority amid nationwide local government reorganisation.

In 1997 Thamesdown was in turn abolished and replaced by the current unitary Swindon Borough Council. That year's General Election also saw the formerly single Parliamentary constituency of Swindon contested for the first time as two - Swindon North and Swindon South.

A Swindon Borough Council spokesperson said: "In 1900, the Charter of Incorporation and Scheme for the Borough of Swindon, signed by Queen Victoria, was introduced.

"This charter, petitioned to the Queen by Swindonians, saw the creation of the Borough of Swindon and merged the new town and Old Town together."

If you’re interested in learning more Museum & Art Swindon, in the Civic Offices in Euclid Street, has a fantastic exhibition showing the origins of the town and how it evolved. Or at Central Library, Swindon Local Studies collates a range of photos and items that celebrate the history of our town.