Full History Of Derby In Timeline From 1900

1900: Labour Representation Committee Gains Seat

In 1900, Derby became one of the first two seats won by the newly formed Labour Representation Committee in the general election, marking a significant moment in the history of the Labour movement.

1907: Rolls-Royce Factory Opens

In 1907, Rolls-Royce established a car and aircraft factory in Derby, marking the beginning of an industrial boom in the town.

1908: Establishment of the Derby Railway Engineering Society

The Derby Railway Engineering Society was founded in 1908 with the aim of promoting railway engineering expertise both within the city and on a national level. Derby serves as the headquarters for this society.

1910: Richard Bell Succeeded by Jimmy Thomas

In 1910, Jimmy Thomas succeeded Richard Bell as the Member of Parliament for Derby.

1911: Derby Wireless Club Formed

The Derby Wireless Club was established in 1911, pioneering the radio or 'wireless' movement in England. The club played a crucial role in advancing wireless technologies and popularizing radio as a hobby.

1916: Zeppelin Raid on Derby

In 1916, Derby was targeted in a Zeppelin air raid by German forces, resulting in the deaths of five people.

1921: Arthur Keily's Birth

Arthur Keily, a marathon runner and Olympian, was born in Derbyshire in 1921 and has resided in Derby throughout his life.

1922: Establishment of International Combustion

In 1922, a 62-acre (250,000 m) site on Sinfin Lane became the home of International Combustion. Initially, the company specialized in manufacturing machinery for the automatic delivery of pulverized fuel to furnaces and boilers. Later, they expanded their operations to include the production of steam-generating boilers for use in electrical generating plants, including those found in power stations.

1923: Midland Railway Merges

The Midland Railway became part of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway in 1923, with headquarters moving to London. However, Derby retained its significance as a major rail manufacturing center.

1927: All Saints Church Designated as Cathedral

In 1927, All Saints Church was designated as a cathedral, marking a significant step towards Derby attaining city status.

1927: Derby Cathedral Designated

In 1927, All Saints Church was designated as a cathedral, indicating Derby's readiness for city status.

1936: Derbyshire County Cricket Club Wins Championship

Derbyshire County Cricket Club, one of the designated first-class county sides, achieved victory in the County Championship in 1936.

1936: Jimmy Thomas Succeeded by Philip Noel-Baker

Philip Noel-Baker, a distinguished polymath and Nobel Laureate, succeeded Jimmy Thomas as the Member of Parliament for Derby in 1936.

1945: Post-War Housing Developments

Following World War II, Derby witnessed substantial rehousing, council house building, and private housing developments for a period of approximately 30 years after 1945.

December 1947: Britain's First Mainline Passenger Diesel-Electric Locomotive Unveiled

In December 1947, the Derby Locomotive Works unveiled Britain's first mainline passenger diesel-electric locomotive, designated as 'Number 10000.'

1950: Division of Derby's Parliamentary Constituency

In 1950, Derby's single United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency, previously represented by two members of parliament, was divided into the single-member constituencies of Derby North and Derby South.

1955: Derbyshire County Council Relocates

Derbyshire County Council moved its meeting place from County Hall in Derby to Smedley's Hydro in Matlock in 1955.

1956: John Osborne Writes Look Back in Anger

In 1956, John Osborne, residing in Derby and employed at Derby Playhouse, wrote his renowned play, Look Back in Anger.

1958: Shift to Diesel Locomotive Production

In 1958, Derby's Locomotive Works transitioned entirely to the production of diesel locomotives.

1960: Arthur Keily Breaks English Olympic Record

Arthur Keily achieved a new English Olympic record in Rome in 1960, recording a time of 2 hours 27 minutes.

1961: Derby Population

The population of Derby in 1961 was 132,408.

1964: British Rail Research Division Opens

The British Rail Research Division was inaugurated in 1964 to conduct comprehensive research on all facets of railway engineering.

1966: End of New Diesel Locomotive Production in Derby

Although Derby had been a pioneer in the introduction of diesel locomotives, new production ceased in 1966. Repair work gradually declined until the locomotive works closed, and the land was redeveloped as Pride Park.

1967: Brian Clough becomes Derby County Manager

Brian Clough was appointed as manager of Derby County F.C. in 1967, a move that significantly raised the club's profile.

1968: Expansion of Derby Borough

In 1968, the borough of Derby underwent a significant expansion, incorporating large portions of the rural districts of Belper, Repton, and South East Derbyshire.

1969: Derby County Promoted to First Division

In 1969, Derby County achieved promotion to the Football League First Division under the leadership of Brian Clough.

1969: Closure of Derby Power Station

In 1969, the Derby power station located on Silkmill Lane ceased operations. This power station had been responsible for supplying electricity to the town and its surrounding areas since 1893.

1971: Derby Population

Following the borough's expansion in 1968, the population of Derby increased significantly, reaching 219,578 in 1971.

1973: Clough's Resignation from Derby County

Brian Clough resigned from his position as manager of Derby County in 1973.

1974: Derby Becomes a Lower-tier District Council

In 1974, Derby transitioned from being a county borough to a lower-tier district council, with the county council assuming responsibility for county-level services.

1975: Derby County Wins Second League Title

Dave Mackay, Clough's successor, led Derby County to another league title victory in 1975.

February 1976: Derby and Osnabrück Twinning Agreement

On February 17, 1976, Derby and Osnabrück, Germany, signed a partnership treaty, officially twinning the two cities.

June 1977: Derby Awarded City Status

On June 7, 1977, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed city status upon Derby to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her accession to the throne.

July 1977: City Status Charter Presented

On July 28, 1977, Queen Elizabeth II personally presented the 'charter scroll' or 'letters patent' for city status to Derby's Mayor, Councillor Jeffrey Tillet, on the steps of the Council House.

1977: Derby Gains City Status

In 1977, Derby was officially granted city status.

1980: Derby County's Relegation

Derby County faced relegation in 1980 after their previous league titles.

1987: Derby County Regains Top Flight Status

Derby County regained their top flight status in 1987 after being relegated in 1980.

1987: Birth of Melissa Reid

Professional golfer Melissa Reid was born in Derby in 1987.

1989: Closure of Derby School

Derby School, one of the oldest schools in England, closed in 1989.

August 1990: Highest Temperature Recorded in Derby

On August 3, 1990, the highest temperature ever recorded in Derby was 34.1 °C (93.4 °F) at Markeaton Park.

1990: Formation of Derby City RLFC

The rugby league team, Derby City RLFC, was established in 1990.

1991: End of First Top Flight Spell

Derby County's first spell in the top flight, after regaining their status in 1987, ended in 1991.

1994: Derby Grammar School Founded

Derby Grammar School was founded in 1994 as a fee-paying independent school for boys.

1996: Derby County Returns to Top Flight

Derby County returned to the top flight in 1996, marking the beginning of another period in the top division.

April 1997: Derby City Council Becomes a Unitary Authority

On April 1, 1997, the Derby City Council became a unitary authority, regaining its independence from the county council.

1997: Relocation to Pride Park Stadium

Derby County relocated from its long-standing home at the Baseball Ground to the new Pride Park Stadium in 1997.

2001: Population of Derby's Built-up Area

In 2001, the population of Derby's Built-up Area was recorded as 236,738.

2002: End of Second Top Flight Spell

Derby County's second spell in the top flight concluded in 2002.

2002: Formation of Derby Trailblazers

Following the dissolution of the British Basketball League side Derby Storm, the Derby Trailblazers were formed in 2002, representing the city in the English Basketball League Division One.

2003: Opening of University of Nottingham Medical School at Royal Derby Hospital

In 2003, the University of Nottingham opened a graduate entry medical school based at Royal Derby Hospital.

2003: Demolition of Baseball Ground

The Baseball Ground, built by Francis Ley in the late 19th century for baseball and later the home of Derby County Football Club, was demolished in 2003.

2004: Modern Research on Derby's History

In 2004, modern research revealed evidence suggesting the coexistence of Vikings and Anglo-Saxons in Derby, inhabiting separate areas of land.

2006: Peregrine Falcons Nest in Derby Cathedral Tower

Since 2006, a pair of breeding peregrine falcons have made their home in Derby Cathedral tower, which stands at a height of 212 ft (65 m) to the tip of its pinnacles. Four webcams are used to monitor these falcons.

2006: Reintroduction of Chesterfield Matches

Derbyshire County Cricket Club reintroduced matches at Chesterfield in 2006, despite playing most home games at the County Ground in Derby.

2007: Derby County's Third Top Flight Spell

Derby County started their third spell in the top flight in 2007.

2007: Derby Grammar School Accepts Girls in Sixth Form

In 2007, Derby Grammar School began accepting girls into the sixth form for the first time.

2007: Opening of Westfield Derby

Westfield Derby, the city's primary indoor shopping center, opened in 2007 following a £340 million extension project.

May 2008: Derby County Relegation from Premier League

Derby County's time as a top-division club in the FA Premier League ended in May 2008 after a single season with a record low 11 points.

May 2008: Opening of Showcase Cinema De Lux

The 12-screen cinema, Showcase – Cinema De Lux, located within Westfield Derby, opened in May 2008.

2008: Derby City RLFC Begins Ground-Sharing

Derby City RLFC started ground-sharing with Derby RFC at Haslams Lane in 2008.

June 2009: Establishment of Exchange Program Between Allestree Woodlands School and Gymnasium Angelaschule

In June 2009, a drama project involving Allestree Woodlands School and the Gymnasium Angelaschule in Osnabrück, resulted in performances in both cities. Building on this collaboration, a language and culture exchange program was established between the two schools, managed by the German department at Allestree Woodlands School.

2010: Creation of Mid Derbyshire Constituency

In 2010, the wards of Allestree, Oakwood, and Spondon were moved to the new constituency of Mid Derbyshire, which was created for the 2010 general election.

2010: Completion of Derby's Inner Ring Road and Naming of Lara Croft Way

Upon the completion of Derby's inner ring road in 2010, a section of it was named 'Lara Croft Way' in honor of the heroine from the popular video game Tomb Raider, which was developed by Core Design, a company originally based in Derby on Ashbourne Road.

2011: Population Growth in Derby's Built-up Area

The 2011 census recorded a total population of 270,468 for Derby's Built-up Area (BUA), also known as the Derby Urban Area. This represents an increase of over 10% since the 2001 census, which recorded a population of 236,738.

2011: Redefinition of Linked Areas for 2011 Census

Due to the redefinition of methods for measuring linked areas in the 2011 census, Breadsall, Duffield, and Little Eaton were included in Derby's Built-up Area. However, Quarndon was not considered a component due to its marginal distance.

2011: Melissa Reid's Solheim Cup Victory

Melissa Reid, playing on the Ladies European Tour, was part of the victorious European Team in the 2011 Solheim Cup.

2011: St Peters Quarter Becomes Business Improvement District

Derby's St Peters Quarter was designated as the city's second Business Improvement District (BID) in the summer of 2011.

June 2012: First Six Streets Arts Trail

The first Six Streets Arts trail, part of the Derby Festé street arts festival, took place in June 2012.

2012: Relocation of University of Nottingham School of Nursing and Midwifery

In mid-2012, the University of Nottingham's School of Nursing and Midwifery moved from its former location at London Road Community Hospital to Royal Derby Hospital.

2013: Second Six Streets Arts Trail

The Six Streets Arts trail took place for the second time in 2013.

March 2014: Westfield Derby Sold to Intu

Westfield Derby, which opened in 2007, was sold to Intu in March 2014.

July 2014: Election of Derby's First Youth Mayor

On July 7, 2014, Belal Butt, a student from Chellaston Academy, was elected as Derby's first ever Youth Mayor by the Mayor of Derby.

December 2014: Infinity Park Derby Gains Enterprise Zone Status

In December 2014, the government announced that Infinity Park Derby, a planned business park focused on aerospace, rail, and automotive technology, located adjacent to the Rolls-Royce site in Sinfin, would be granted enterprise zone status by being incorporated into the Nottingham Enterprise Zone.

2014: Triton Equity Takes Over Alstom's Manufacturing Plant

In 2014, Triton Equity acquired Alstom's manufacturing plant in Derby, which specialized in large power plant boilers and heat exchangers.

2014: Team Derby Wins Inaugural National Badminton League

Team Derby, based at Derby Arena, secured victory in the inaugural National Badminton League during the 2014-15 season.

2015: Opening of Derby Arena

The Derby Arena, home to Team Derby and featuring a velodrome that hosted the Revolution cycling series, opened in 2015.

2015: First Derby Book Festival

The Derby Book Festival, with events held throughout the city, was first held in 2015.

October 2019: Autumn Edition of Derby Book Festival

In October 2019, the Derby Book Festival held its first "Autumn Edition", adding to its annual spring/early summer event.

2019: Derby High School Expands Co-education

In 2019, Derby High School, which had been girls-only for senior and sixth form and co-educational at the primary level, started accepting boys into Year 7 and Year 12.

2020: Representation of Derby by Three MPs

As of 2020, Derby is represented by three Members of Parliament (MPs).

November 2021: Approval for UK's First Urban Rewilding Project

On November 10, 2021, Derby City Council granted approval for the UK's first large-scale urban rewilding project, set to take place in Allestree Park.

2021: Alstom Acquires Carriage and Wagon Works

As of 2021, the Carriage and Wagon Works in Derby is under the ownership of Alstom, and the facility continues to engage in the construction of trains.

2022: Population of Derby

In 2022, the population of Derby was recorded as 263,490.

March 2023: Derby Selected as Headquarters for Great British Railways

On March 21, 2023, it was officially announced that Derby had been chosen as the headquarters for Great British Railways.

2023: Derby High School Becomes Fully Co-educational

As of 2023, Derby High School became fully co-educational, accepting both boys and girls in all years.

History of Derby in Timeline