Year	What Was Happening ?
« 1839	At St John's	In & Around Stratford	In The Church	In The World
1840	Charles Nicoll becomes curate of St John's.			Introduction of penny post William Henry Harrison is elected president of the United States.
1841				Sir Robert Peel becomes Prime Minister The first issue of 'Punch' is published in London.
1842				The Treaty of Nanking ends the 'Opium War', granting important trading rights in China to Britain. Queen Victoria travels by train for the first time.
1843		Harry Rickards, comedian and theatre proprietor, born in Stratford.		The Tivoli Pleasure Gardens, Copenhagen, are opened for the first time.
1844	Stratford becomes a Conventional District.	Gerard Manley Hopkins born in The Grove, Stratford.		Metropolitan Buildings Act. James K. Polk is elected president of the United States.
1845				Stephen Perry of a London rubber company patents elastic bands.
1846			The whole of Essex except the Deanery of Barking is transferred to the diocese of Rochester. Barking Deanery remains in London.	Lord John Russell becomes Prime Minister
1847		Eastern Counties Railway works established in Stratford.
1848				The patent for the saxophone is awarded to Adolphe Sax.
1849
1850
1851 »	William Holloway becomes Perpetual Curate of St John's