1349    The Black Plague
1547    Holsworthy had 600 “houselingâ€� people — (communicants).
1665    The Plague.
1812    End of the Napoleonic Wars bought mass starvation as the price of wheat rocketed.
1850    1850– George Braund Clerk to Rural Sanitary Authority.
1864    26th July. A letter to The Western Times with reference to the excessive dry weather and the plight of those without water.
1874    At a meeting of the Holsworthy Sanitary Authority the following applications were received for the appointment of Medical Officer of Health:- Dr. E.L.Pearce at £30.0s.0d. per annum, Mr. E.Rause at £70.0s.0d. per annum and Mr. T.L.Ash at £10.0s.0d. per annum. Mr. Ash’s offer was accepted.
1875    10th March. The Rural Sanitary Authority resolved that dung should not be carried through the town between the hours of 10a.m. and 8p.m. as it was injurious to health.
1875    9th December. An order was made closing the church for burials and putting restrictions on burials In the church yard due to overcrowding and possible pollution to drinking water.
1875    Public Health Act passed.
1877    1877-80. John Vowler was chairman of the Holsworthy Rural Sanitary Authority.
1877    1877-80. William Holland Bickford Coham chairman of the Holsworthy Rural Sanitary Authority.
1880    First systematic drainage scheme began in Holsworthy at a cost of £850.
1881    l881-87. Walter William Melhuish was chairman of The Holsworthy Rural Sanitary Authority.
1881    August 3rd. Rural Sanitary Authority resolved that offal should be removed from the slaughter house in covered wagons during the day, or In open waggons between the hours of 9p.m. and 6a.m.
1883    National School closed owing to an outbreak of Diptheria.
1887    Estimate from Mr Beckley that the cost of draining Holsworthy would be £850.
1887    St George’s Well and St James’s Well first mentioned in town.
1888    1888-94. James Higgs was Chairman of the Holsworthy Rural Sanitary Authority.
1889    Infectious Diseases (Notification) Act.
1890    29th October. At a meeting of the Rural Sanitary Authority the following resolution was proposed regarding the sewage of Deep Lane Head. It is highly expedient to bring the drainage from the houses towards the town of Holsworthy as complaints are at present existing of the river pollution on the east and south sides of town.
1890    Wesleyan Day School closed for one month owing to an outbreak of Whooping Cough.
1891    Miss Hester Ann Meyrick’s will gave £1,500 on Trust to the sick and aged poor of Holsworthy, also for poor girls going out into employment.
1892    There were six public pumps in the town.
1893    The Public Officer of Health reported that there were 38 births in the town for the month of March and 12 deaths.
1909    Hollacombe water works built, at a cost of £7,300.
1928    Complaints were made by The Rural Sanitary Authority that in hot weather water could only by drawn for two hours in every twenty-four. At the time Holsworthys population was 1,500.
1944    New six-inch water main laid by Italian prisoners of war.

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