1890 The Battle for Brewers Hill

Fierce  Battle with Railway Company at Brewers Hill

In the 1890s the railway line owners and a local farmer erected a fence to prevent people crossing the Dunstable/Leighton Buzzard line at what was then a track from Watling Street to the Green Lanes. Edward Franklin, who became Mayor of Dunstable in 1911 and 1917, is pointing to the crossing in the photograph. A Google Earth Image showing the track of the railway line crossing Brewers Hill Road can be viewed be clicking here. An estimated 6,000 people took part in a series of huge demonstrations to open the path and eventually court proceedings ended in favour of the Franklin party. A procession of 10,000 people marched down Brewers Hill Road to celebrate.