Sprowston Timeline
1750
The original Blue Boar opens.
1885
St. Cuthbert's Church opens as a chapel of ease. The Vicarage next door was build around the same time.
1886
Mousehold Heath opens as a park
1909
The Dove Public House on North Walsham Road closes.
1918
The War Memorial Cottages on North Walsham Road were built to commemorate those men of the parish who did not return home from World War I.
1929
Duffeld's Garage on Constitution Hill opens in 1929. It later became 5 Star Door And Windows and then Norwich Pine And Oak.
1933
Mousehold Heath Aerodrome is opened by HRH The Prince Of Wales in 1933. Boulton & Paul built the airport for flight testing and making airplans.
1936
John Fairclough Limited opens at Grange Farm on Salhouse Road.
1942
Reverend Aubrey Aitken was a vicar of Sprowston from 1942-1954.
1946
30th Norwich scout group makes Tusting Close it's home.
1953
The original Blue Boar pub is demolished to widen Wroxham Road and the new pub was built further back from the road where it is now
1957
The Yeoman pub is built the first landlord was Harry Burnham and his wife Doris.
1961
RAF Old Catton on Chartwell Road was the site that once was the headquarters of the 6 Group Royal Observer Corps opened in 1961. It was a two-storey semi-sunken structure that was used to analyse information received about fallout from posts elsewhere in Norfolk.
1963
Yeomans on North Walsham Road is established byBernard & Joan Yeoman.
Tom Smith Crackers factory catches fire.
1965
Christine Hair Stylist on Salhouse Road opens.
1967
Cecil Gowing Infant School opens.
1969
Falcon Junior School opens and started out with two mobile classrooms on the infants school playground until the school was ready.
John Brown Funeral Servies established on North Walsham Road.
In June the 400 Club on the side of The Washington Hotel (now The Racecourse pub) closes.
1969
On Thursday 14th August 1969 Mr. and Mrs. James William Power, of Sparhawk Avenue, Sprowston, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.
1971
Mousehold Garden Center opens after being Mayfair Stores.
1974
Bugdens supermarket on Wroxham Road opens when it was converted from a small shop into a supermarket.
The Blue Boar Playgroup started life in a mobile caravan in Sparhawk Park, Sprowston, in 1974.
1975
Sprowston Garden Center opens on land owned by the Gurney family, Sprowston Garden Centre was initially run by family member Simon MacFarlane.
1976
Saturday 3rd April Sparhawk Avenue Park was officially opened on Saturday by the chairman of Sprowston Parish Council, Mr. Charles Taylor. It includes an infants' play area, public toilets, gardens, a boating pond and the retention of the adventure playground, which was constructed in 1972. The scheme took under two years to complete. The park is intended to cater for all age groups, and it is hoped (that the series of linked enclosures will provide variety and enjoyment throughout the year.
1979
David Turnbull takes over The Blue Boar pub.
1978
Sprowston Lads Football Club was formed in 1978 and shared the use of the sports ground at Boulton & Paul Sports Club.
1982
Shaw Carpet Services opens on Allens Avenue. It still trades today from the same premises.
Sprowston Cricket Club opens on Barkers Lane.
1984
The shop at 96 Cozens Hardy Road closes and is converted into a normal house.
1986
Boulton & Paul Sports Club closes and later becomes Gothic Social Club and later Sprowston Social Club.
1984
Bugden's opened on Blue Boar Lane on 16th October 1984 by Anglia Television broadcaster, Patrick Anthony.
1988
Bugdens on Blue Boar Lane becomes Tesco.
1989
Nigel Farrow Cars is established.
1991
BMX track at Recreation Ground Road opens in August.
1995
The Body And Skincare Clinic on Cannerby Lane opens.
1997
Wilks Farm Drive is built.
1998
Phoenix petroleum on Wroxham Road closess and later reopens as Tesco Express.
Friday June 19th 1998 Sounds Good played at The Beehive Pub.
2001
In March The Yeoman pub is brought by David Turnbull who also owned The Blue Boar pub at the time and is renamed Tommy T's.
The Richardson Group buys The Racecourse pub.
2007
The council brought Millenium Loke and made it into a public footpath.
The Viking pub closes.
2007
Once Upon A Time Nursery opens on the side of 170 Wroxham Road.
2008
Ed Sheeran performs at The Brickmakers on Sprowston Road at the Next Big Thing semi-finals.
2009
Car Sales, Goldstar Taxis and old BP Petrol station are demolished on Salhouse Road.
2011
BP Petrol Station closes on Salhouse Road on Saturday 30th April. Later that year CJ Ball opens.
2012
The Royal Oak on North Walsham Road closes.
2013
The Richardson Group sells The Racecourse pub to Castle Carvery and closed for a couple of months while they
refurbished the whole pub and play area. On 23rd August 2013 it reopened.
Roy Dashwood who owned The Washington Hotel and 400 Club on Salhouse Road dies.
2017
David Turnbull leaves The Blue Boar pub and retires.
Sprowston singer Bill Downs appears on the X Factor in 2017.
2018
Thursday 22nd November. New Lidl on Blue Boar Lane opens. Children from Falcoln Junior School cut the ribbon.
2019
October - The Gas Club on Roundtree Way is closed for the foreseeable future due to structural damage in the hall..
2020
Covid 19 closes all pubs and non essential shops in Sprowston.
July - Premier Shop on Linacre Avenue is knocked down.
October 22nd - The Brickmakers reopens after being closed for many months due to Covid 19.
November - Sprowston resident Chrissie Jackson retires from BBC Radio Norfolk
2021
The former Royal Oak pub on North Walsham Road is demolished to make way for houses.
2022
The Woodside News, Food And Wine shop is closed and refurbished and the old shop front is replaced as one whole unit instead of the original two units it used to be. The whole shop inside is refurbished too.
The Police Station on Wroxham Road closes.
The original Blue Boar opens.
1885
St. Cuthbert's Church opens as a chapel of ease. The Vicarage next door was build around the same time.
1886
Mousehold Heath opens as a park
1909
The Dove Public House on North Walsham Road closes.
1918
The War Memorial Cottages on North Walsham Road were built to commemorate those men of the parish who did not return home from World War I.
1929
Duffeld's Garage on Constitution Hill opens in 1929. It later became 5 Star Door And Windows and then Norwich Pine And Oak.
1933
Mousehold Heath Aerodrome is opened by HRH The Prince Of Wales in 1933. Boulton & Paul built the airport for flight testing and making airplans.
1936
John Fairclough Limited opens at Grange Farm on Salhouse Road.
1942
Reverend Aubrey Aitken was a vicar of Sprowston from 1942-1954.
1946
30th Norwich scout group makes Tusting Close it's home.
1953
The original Blue Boar pub is demolished to widen Wroxham Road and the new pub was built further back from the road where it is now
1957
The Yeoman pub is built the first landlord was Harry Burnham and his wife Doris.
1961
RAF Old Catton on Chartwell Road was the site that once was the headquarters of the 6 Group Royal Observer Corps opened in 1961. It was a two-storey semi-sunken structure that was used to analyse information received about fallout from posts elsewhere in Norfolk.
1963
Yeomans on North Walsham Road is established byBernard & Joan Yeoman.
Tom Smith Crackers factory catches fire.
1965
Christine Hair Stylist on Salhouse Road opens.
1967
Cecil Gowing Infant School opens.
1969
Falcon Junior School opens and started out with two mobile classrooms on the infants school playground until the school was ready.
John Brown Funeral Servies established on North Walsham Road.
In June the 400 Club on the side of The Washington Hotel (now The Racecourse pub) closes.
1969
On Thursday 14th August 1969 Mr. and Mrs. James William Power, of Sparhawk Avenue, Sprowston, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.
1971
Mousehold Garden Center opens after being Mayfair Stores.
1974
Bugdens supermarket on Wroxham Road opens when it was converted from a small shop into a supermarket.
The Blue Boar Playgroup started life in a mobile caravan in Sparhawk Park, Sprowston, in 1974.
1975
Sprowston Garden Center opens on land owned by the Gurney family, Sprowston Garden Centre was initially run by family member Simon MacFarlane.
1976
Saturday 3rd April Sparhawk Avenue Park was officially opened on Saturday by the chairman of Sprowston Parish Council, Mr. Charles Taylor. It includes an infants' play area, public toilets, gardens, a boating pond and the retention of the adventure playground, which was constructed in 1972. The scheme took under two years to complete. The park is intended to cater for all age groups, and it is hoped (that the series of linked enclosures will provide variety and enjoyment throughout the year.
1979
David Turnbull takes over The Blue Boar pub.
1978
Sprowston Lads Football Club was formed in 1978 and shared the use of the sports ground at Boulton & Paul Sports Club.
1982
Shaw Carpet Services opens on Allens Avenue. It still trades today from the same premises.
Sprowston Cricket Club opens on Barkers Lane.
1984
The shop at 96 Cozens Hardy Road closes and is converted into a normal house.
1986
Boulton & Paul Sports Club closes and later becomes Gothic Social Club and later Sprowston Social Club.
1984
Bugden's opened on Blue Boar Lane on 16th October 1984 by Anglia Television broadcaster, Patrick Anthony.
1988
Bugdens on Blue Boar Lane becomes Tesco.
1989
Nigel Farrow Cars is established.
1991
BMX track at Recreation Ground Road opens in August.
1995
The Body And Skincare Clinic on Cannerby Lane opens.
1997
Wilks Farm Drive is built.
1998
Phoenix petroleum on Wroxham Road closess and later reopens as Tesco Express.
Friday June 19th 1998 Sounds Good played at The Beehive Pub.
2001
In March The Yeoman pub is brought by David Turnbull who also owned The Blue Boar pub at the time and is renamed Tommy T's.
The Richardson Group buys The Racecourse pub.
2007
The council brought Millenium Loke and made it into a public footpath.
The Viking pub closes.
2007
Once Upon A Time Nursery opens on the side of 170 Wroxham Road.
2008
Ed Sheeran performs at The Brickmakers on Sprowston Road at the Next Big Thing semi-finals.
2009
Car Sales, Goldstar Taxis and old BP Petrol station are demolished on Salhouse Road.
2011
BP Petrol Station closes on Salhouse Road on Saturday 30th April. Later that year CJ Ball opens.
2012
The Royal Oak on North Walsham Road closes.
2013
The Richardson Group sells The Racecourse pub to Castle Carvery and closed for a couple of months while they
refurbished the whole pub and play area. On 23rd August 2013 it reopened.
Roy Dashwood who owned The Washington Hotel and 400 Club on Salhouse Road dies.
2017
David Turnbull leaves The Blue Boar pub and retires.
Sprowston singer Bill Downs appears on the X Factor in 2017.
2018
Thursday 22nd November. New Lidl on Blue Boar Lane opens. Children from Falcoln Junior School cut the ribbon.
2019
October - The Gas Club on Roundtree Way is closed for the foreseeable future due to structural damage in the hall..
2020
Covid 19 closes all pubs and non essential shops in Sprowston.
July - Premier Shop on Linacre Avenue is knocked down.
October 22nd - The Brickmakers reopens after being closed for many months due to Covid 19.
November - Sprowston resident Chrissie Jackson retires from BBC Radio Norfolk
2021
The former Royal Oak pub on North Walsham Road is demolished to make way for houses.
2022
The Woodside News, Food And Wine shop is closed and refurbished and the old shop front is replaced as one whole unit instead of the original two units it used to be. The whole shop inside is refurbished too.
The Police Station on Wroxham Road closes.
