Timeline of Kingston upon Hull facts for kids

This is a timeline of the history of Kingston upon Hull, a city in East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It shows important events that happened in Hull over many years.

Hull's Early Days: Prehistory to the 1400s

Map of Hull from 1611, showing how it looked long ago.

• c.4900–4000 BC – Long, long ago, people who hunted and gathered food lived in the area now called Sutton-on-Hull.
• 750–500 BC – A settlement from the Bronze Age was found where Alexandra Dock is today.
• 1086 – The Domesday Book, a famous old record, mentions villages like Sutton-on-Hull, Drypool, Marfleet, Myton, and Southcoates.
• 1275 – Wyke, an area in Hull, became an important port for collecting customs taxes in northern England.
• 1279 – A market was busy in the town.
• 1282 – Fresh water started flowing into the town from Anlaby.
• 1293
  • King Edward I bought the area known as Wyke.
  • The famous Hull Fair began!
• 1295 – Hull started sending people to represent it in Parliament.
• 1299 – The town was given a special document called a Charter, making it an official town. It was renamed "Kingston-upon-Hull."
• 1302 – A quay, a place for ships to load and unload, was built.
• 1312 – Holy Trinity Church was built around this time.
• 1321–24 – The town built defenses, including a ditch and a wooden fence, to protect itself.
• 1331–34 – A market just for meat was created.
• 1332 – William de la Pole became Hull's very first mayor.
• 1333 – The first mention of a guildhall (a meeting place for town leaders) in Hull.
• 1369 – Trinity House, a special organization for sailors, was set up.
• 1377 – Records show that 1,557 adults paid taxes in Hull.
• 1384 – Charter-House Hospital was founded.
• 1440 – Hull became an official town and was made its own county.
• 1447 – The county of Hull grew, adding more than 5 miles on its west side.
• 1486 – A grammar school was founded, helping young people get an education.

Hull in the 1500s to 1700s

• 1515 – A fish market was created.
• 1536 – The Pilgrimage of Grace, a protest, reached Hull.
• 1537 – A serious illness, the plague, broke out in Hull.
• 1539 – The last two monasteries in Hull were closed due to new laws about religious houses.
• 1541 – King Henry VIII visited the town.
• 1575–76 – Another outbreak of the plague occurred.
• 1588 – Repairs were made to the city walls to keep them strong.
• 1602–04 – More outbreaks of the plague.
• 1637 – Yet another outbreak of the plague.
• 1640 – King Charles visited Hull.
• 1642 – Hull was attacked by Parliamentarian forces in the Siege of Hull.
• 1673 – Hull had 1,373 households and about 6,500 people living there.
• 1681–90 – The Hull Citadel, a strong fort, was built.
• 1688 – Townspeople took control from the Catholic governor in an event called 'Town-taking'.
• 1716 – Trinity House marine school, for training sailors, was founded.
• 1739 – Hull's first newspaper, the Hull Courant, was published.
• 1773 – The Hull Dock Company was formed to build docks.
• 1775 – Hull Subscription Library was started, allowing people to borrow books.
• 1778 – A new dock, the Queen's Dock, was built.
• 1780
  • William Wilberforce, a famous person who fought against slavery, became a Member of Parliament for Hull.
  • The Jewish community in Hull built its first synagogue.
• 1782 – The General Infirmary, a hospital, was established.
• 1792 – St John's Church was built.
• 1797 – A cooperative mill was built.

Hull in the 1800s: Growth and Change

• 1801 – The population of Hull was 22,161 people.
• 1809 – Humber Dock was built, helping more ships come and go.
• 1829
  • A new prison, the United Gaol and House of Correction, opened.
  • Junction Dock was built.
  • St Charles Borromeo church opened.
• 1836 – A police force was set up to keep the town safe.
• 1837
  • Drypool and Sculcoates became part of Hull.
  • An explosion happened on the Union Steam Packet ship in June.
• 1840
  • The Hull and Selby Railway started running, connecting Hull to other towns by train.
  • Zoological Gardens (a zoo) were established.
• 1841 – Thomas Wilson and Company, a shipping business, started.
• 1846 – Railway Dock was established.
• 1850 – Victoria Dock was built.
• 1851 – Hull's population grew to 84,690 people.
• 1854
  • The Royal Institution opened.
  • The Hull and Holderness Railway began operating.
  • Junction Dock was renamed Prince's Dock.
• 1860 – Pearson Park, a public park, was created.
• 1861
  • Hull School of Art was founded.
  • Population: 93,955.
• 1864 – Londesborough Barracks, a military base, was completed.
• 1865 – Hull Football Club was founded.
• 1866 – The Town Hall and Exchange were built.
• 1867 – Hull and East Riding College opened.
• 1869 – Albert Dock was established.
• 1870 – HM Prison Hull began operating.
• 1873 – William Wright Dock was established.
• 1875 – Trams started running in Hull.
• 1880 – A botanic garden opened.
• 1881 – The Hull Philharmonic Society was founded, bringing music to the city.
• 1882
  • Marfleet became part of Hull.
  • Kingston Amateurs rugby club was formed.
• 1883 – St Andrew's Dock was established.
• 1884 – Hull Amateur Photographic Society was founded for photography lovers.
• 1885
  • The Hull and Barnsley Railway started operating.
  • Alexandra Dock was built.
  • The Hull Daily Mail newspaper began publication.
• 1886 – A new synagogue was established.
• 1887
  • East Park opened.
  • The first women's rugby match was played in Hull.
• 1888 – Hull became a county borough, giving it more local control.
• 1892 – Hull Amalgamated Anglers' Association was formed for fishing enthusiasts.
• 1895 – The Boulevard (stadium), a sports stadium, opened.
• 1897 – Hull officially became a city.
• 1898 – The Circle cricket ground was established.

Hull in the 1900s: Modern Times

• 1901 – Hull's population reached 236,772.
• 1902 – Hull Telephone Department was licensed, bringing more phones to the city.
• 1904 – Hull City Association Football Club was formed.
• 1906 – Wilberforce and Historical Museum opened.
• 1907 – Riverside Quay was established.
• 1909 – Hull City Hall was built.
• 1911
  • Theatre De Luxe opened.
  • Hull's population was 277,991.
• 1912 – The Museum of Fisheries and Shipping and Coliseum theatre opened.
• 1914 – King George Dock was established.
• 1915 – Pavilion Picture Palace opened.
• 1921
  • Hull's population was 295,017.
  • The first women's football match took place in Hull.
• 1922 – Craven Park, a rugby stadium, was opened.
• 1927
  • University College Hull was established.
  • Sutton became part of Hull.
  • Ferens Art Gallery was established.
• 1931 – Hull's population was 309,198.
• 1937 – Trolleybuses started operating.
• 1939 – Hull New Theatre opened.
• 1940 – June 19: Aerial bombing by German forces began during World War II.
• 1945 – March 17: The aerial bombing by German forces ended.
• 1946 – Boothferry Park (stadium) opened.
• 1951 – Hull's population was 295,172.
• 1961 – Hull's population was 289,716.
• 1966 – Western General Hospital closed.
• 1968 – Prince's Dock and Railway Dock were closed to shipping.
• 1971
  • Hull Truck Theatre was founded.
  • Hull's population was 285,965.
• 1972 – Hull City Council was established.
• 1974
  • Hull became part of Humberside county.
  • Airport opened in Kirmington.
  • Humberside Police was established.
• 1981
  • The Humber Bridge, a very long suspension bridge, opened.
  • Two tornadoes touched down in Hull, causing damage to the Port of Hull and northern areas.
  • Hull's population was 266,751.
• 1983 – Hull Marina opened.
• 1985 – St Andrew's Dock closed to shipping.
• 1986 – Hull became a sister city with Raleigh, USA.
• 1987 – Spurn Lightship museum opened.
• 1989 – Streetlife Museum of Transport and the new Craven Park (stadium) opened.
• 1991
  • Princes Quay shopping centre opened.
  • Hull's population was 266,180.
• 1993 – Humber Mouth literature festival began.
• 1996 – Hull became a unitary authority area, managing its own local government.
• 1999 – Arctic Corsair museum ship opened.

Hull in the 2000s: New Millennium

• 2000 – Kingston General Hospital closed.
• 2001
  • Hull Soul Club (a music group) was formed.
  • Hull's population was 243,589.
• 2002 – The Deep (aquarium), a popular aquarium, and KC Stadium (now MKM Stadium) opened.
• 2007
  • Hull Paragon Interchange, a transport hub, and St Stephen's Hull shopping centre opened.
  • June: Major flooding happened in Hull, affecting 35,000 people.
  • Hull Comedy Festival began.
• 2008 – The first Freedom Festival, a cultural event, took place.
• 2010
  • Hull History Centre was established.
  • Larkin 25 festival was held.
• 2011 – Boothferry Park stadium was demolished.
• 2013 – Scale Lane Bridge, a special bridge for pedestrians, opened.
• 2017
  • Hull was the UK City of Culture.
  • May 13: Holy Trinity Church was rededicated as Hull Minster.
• 2018
  • January: A famous artwork by Banksy was discovered on Scott Street Bridge.
  • July 25: Bonus Arena opened.
• 2019
  • October: Hull became the first UK city to have full fibre broadband available for all residents.