Swindon is a story of two towns rubbing along together, not entirely happily, until they were joined together by royal charter in 1900 by Queen Victoria. The Old Town grew gradually over the centuries as an insignificant Wiltshire market town. But that all changed when Isambard Kingdom Brunel built his locomotive repair works for his Great Western Railway nearby and transformed the whole area. The works opened in 1843 with the GWR Railway Village built nearby to accommodate the first influx of workers. Swindon became one of the largest railway engineering complexes in the world and the New Town grew rapidly during the nineteenth century. During the twentieth century Swindon attracted new industries and although railway engineering has disappeared today, the town remains a major hub and commercial centre in the south of England.Swindon in 25 Streets tells the history of this fascinating town through 25 of its most interesting and important streets. Through the years, the streets have witnessed significant events, attracted remarkable people and been home to notable buildings and the stories of these streets are part of the story of the town. The book will be of interest to all those who live in Swindon or who have an interest in the area.
