St Albans, 1877: The Beginning of a New City
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St Albans, 1877: The Beginning of a New City
• Book Here In September 1877, the royal charter confirming that the small town of St Albans was to become a city was read from the town hall balcony.
• The honour was welcomed with modest celebrations.
• Not everyone thought St Albans deserved it: one opponent described it as a fourth- or fifth-rate market town, in point of population, and a councillor thought the status was but empty honour for a new city that was still tainted by memories of mid-century political corruption.
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Here's the local news from the past 24 hours, made easy to digest.
| Herts Advertiser · today Councillors allocated more than £350,000 to local organisations last year• Hertfordshire county councillors allocated more than £350,000 to local organisations as part of their locality budget scheme last year (2025/26). |
 | Herts Advertiser · today Highway Code warning as drivers face £1,000 fines for on-street parking• Motorists not familiar with the Highway Code may be unaware of rule 248, which could see anyone parking on the road outside their home fined |
 | The Comet - News (Hertfordshire) · today New-look £1.4m Pirton Sports and Social Club pavilion to boost grassroots sport• A new £1.4 million pavilion at the Pirton Sports and Social Club is now open and ready to welcome the community. |
 | The Herts Advertiser · today Council leader rejects ‘shallow’ call for more women in senior roles• Local news headlines for St Albans and Harpenden, Radlett, London Colney and the surrounding Hertfordshire areas from the Herts Advertiser. |
| The Comet - News (Hertfordshire) · today 'Disaster' for Royston as council reorganisation 'cuts off' town from North Herts• A councillor has raised concerns that local government reorganisation (LGR) plans for Hertfordshire will “cut off” Royston from the rest of North Herts. |
 | The Comet - News (Hertfordshire) · today Eyewitness to Kelpie Marine boatyard fire says flames were 'leaping in the air'• An eyewitness to the Kelpie Marine boatyard fire in Bedfordshire who saw the blaze from his narrowboat has said flames were "leaping in the air". |
 | Herts Advertiser · today Herts police spent £2.8m of taxpayers' money on uniforms over three years• Hertfordshire police have spent nearly £3 million of taxpayers' money on uniforms over three years, it has been revealed. |
 | Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue St Albans Fire Station · today Travel to school (including SaverCard)• St Albans Fire Station is a full-time fire station. |
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Fri 24 Jul · St Albans Museums · St Albans Museums. Accessories exhibition - Photography SessionFri 24 Jul · St Albans Museums · St Albans Museums. Tots Tales at Verulamium MuseumSat 25 Jul · The Alban Arena · Alban Arena. Kevin Bridges: Warm UpFri 24 Jul · The Alban Arena · Alban Arena. The Simon and Garfunkel Story
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Did you know? · St Albans
Verulamium was sacked and burnt on the orders of Boudica of the Iceni in AD 61, an event confirmed by a black ash layer found by archaeologists.
2024
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