Bedfordshire Council Timeline - Rectory Wood, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, UK - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Covering 70 hectares Rectory Wood covers former arable farmland with new trees. It runs between Cranfield and the ancient woodland already established in Marston Thrift. In 2002 the land was bought by the Marston Vale Trust.

In the centre of this woodland we can see this timeline of the Bedfordshire Councils with the following details. The timeline consists of twelve metal plaques secured to wooden posts. A table and bench lies nearby.

Plaque One:
'1889 - 1899
Bedfordshire County Council
(BCC) established after the
first election (1889). Early
expenditure was mainly on
roads - whose effective
maintenance was praised by
the novelist Arnold Bennett
who lived at Hockliffe!'

Plaque Two:
'1899 - 1909
In 1902, the Council expanded,
taking on Primary Education
and starting to improve school
buildings. Licensing of motor
cars from 1903 helped offset
the cost of maintaining the
county's roads.'

Plaque Three:
'1909 - 1919
BCC started buying land to
let as allotments; administered
Old Age Pensions; created the
first ever County Record Office;
and helped to feed the country
to support the war effort.'

Plaque Four:
'1919 - 1929
Following the Great War, BCC
provided ex servicemen with
land to farm and provided a
Public Library Service. The first
woman Councillor was elected,
and the first school meal served.'

Plaque Five:
'1929 - 1939
Jointly with Northamptonshire,
the Council opened the
Bromham 'Colony' Hospital
(1934) for mental health patients.
It also undertook 'Social Care'
work, Air Raid Precaution
Schemes and strategic planning.'

Plaque Six:
'1939 - 1949
During the war, BCC
evacuated 12,000 children to
Bedfordshire and supported
agricultural production and
the Women's Land Army.
Afterwards, a system of
Primary, Secondary and
Further education was created.'

Plaque Seven:
'1949 - 1959
County Fire and Ambulance
Services were set-up. The
County Architects department
actively designed and built
schools, old people's homes
and libraries. Moot Hall was
restored.'

Plaque Eight:
'1959 - 1969
Linslade joined Bedfordshire
and the urban part of
Eaton Socon transferred to
Cambridgeshire. Mander
College and Dunstable
College were opened together
with the teaching training
college at Polhill Avenue.'

Plaque Nine:
'1969 - 1979
BCC's schools were re-organised
into a Comprehensive system.
County Hall was opened in 1970.
The Special Schools service
was created. Bromham Mill and
the Swiss Garden were acquired
and restored.'

Plaque Ten:
'1979 - 1989
BCC led a successful
campaign to prevent the
dumping of nuclear waste
in Elstow. Centenary Wood
was planted in Pulloxhill in
1988 to celebrate 100 years
of the County Council.'

Plaque Eleven:
'1989 - 1999
The Luton - Dunstable Relief
Road and the Barton bypass
were opened.
Cranfield Technology Park was
constructed. The Marston Vale
Community Forest was created.
Luton became a Unitary
Authority in 1997.'

Plaque Twelve:
1999 - 2009
25 Children's Centres were
opened across the county,
work began on the Wixams
settlement and Bedford
Park and Rise was launched.
BCC was replaced by two
unitary authorities from 2009.'

Type of Historic Marker: Metal Plaques on Wooden Posts Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Bedfordshire County Council - now Bedford Borough Council and Central Beds Council Age/Event Date: 01/01/2009 Related Website: [Web Link] Give your Rating:

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