The town of Wantage, located in the English county of Oxfordshire, has a long and rich history stretching back to the early 1900s. During this period, it was an important crossroads between London and Oxford. The town also had a thriving market, with traders coming from as far away as Scotland to take advantage of its advantageous location.
The first half of the twentieth century saw Wantage become increasingly industrialised. In 1919, the GWR railway opened in Wantage, connecting it to London and other cities in Oxfordshire. This provided the perfect opportunity for businesses to grow and thrive in Wantage. Many factories were built during this time, including the iconic Wantage Brewery which was founded in 1921.
During World War II, Wantage became one of the major manufacturing centres for Britain’s war effort. Numerous new factories were established here to produce tanks and aircraft parts for the war effort. After the war ended, many of these factories were converted into light industries such as textiles and electronics manufacture.
Wantage also continued to be an important agricultural centre during this period. The area around Wantage is known for its lush green pastures and dairy farms that help supply much of southern England with high quality milk products. Additionally, a farming cooperative formed in 1928 helped farmers band together to sell their produce more competitively on regional markets which helped local farmers make more money from their crops and animals raised on their properties.
By mid-century, Wantage was a bustling town bustling with activity. Businesses kept expanding while new housing estates sprung up around town providing homes for those who wanted to live closer to work or take advantage of all that Wantage had to offer its citizens – two cinemas (the Apollo Theatre & Regal Cinema), two main shopping streets (Market Place & Wallingford Street) as well as plentiful parks and recreation areas which included a swimming pool complex which opened in 1956!
Today, Wantage remains a vibrant community full of life and culture – but even if you aren’t able to visit it’s always heartwarming to look back fondly at what your ancestors achieved through hard work and perseverance during such difficult times like those experienced by people during the 1900s era!