Timeline of Liverpool facts for kids

Liverpool is a famous city in England with a long and interesting history. It started as a small settlement and grew into a huge port, playing a big role in trade and culture. This timeline will take you through some of the most important moments in Liverpool's past, from its early days to becoming a modern city known for its music, football, and friendly people.

Early History of Liverpool

• 1089: The area around Liverpool, called the West Derby Hundred, is first mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey of England.
• 1207: King John officially grants Liverpool a charter, allowing it to have a market and grow as a town. This is often seen as the start of Liverpool.
• 1237: Liverpool Castle is built. It stood for many years before being taken down.
• 1295: Liverpool sends two representatives to the first royal parliament, showing its growing importance.
• 1349: The terrible Black Death plague reaches Liverpool, affecting its population.
• 1598: Speke Hall, a beautiful old house, is built.
• 1644: During the English Civil War, the town is attacked by Prince Rupert of the Rhine's forces.
• 1662: The population of Liverpool is recorded as 775 people.
• 1674: The Town Hall is rebuilt, showing the town's development.

Liverpool in the 1700s

• 1700:
  • The Liverpool Merchant slave ship starts its operations.
  • The population grows to 5,714 people.
• 1708: The Blue Coat School is founded, providing education for children.
• 1715: The first official dock, called the Old Dock, opens. This is a huge step for Liverpool's port.
• 1720: The population continues to rise, reaching 10,446.
• 1726: Liverpool Castle is taken down.
• 1749: The Royal Infirmary, a hospital, opens.
• 1754: The grand Liverpool Town Hall is built.
• 1756: The Liverpool Advertiser newspaper begins publication.
• 1771: George's Dock opens, adding more space for ships.
• 1778-1779: Liverpool becomes a hub for privateer ships, which were privately owned ships allowed to attack enemy vessels during wartime.
• 1785: The Liverpool Georgian Quarter, known for its beautiful old buildings, is constructed.
• 1791: The School for the Blind is founded, showing a focus on helping people.
• 1797: The Liverpool Athenaeum, a club for learning and literature, is founded.

Liverpool in the 1800s

Early 1800s: Growth and Change

• 1801: Liverpool's population booms to 77,653.
• 1803: Botanical Gardens open, offering a place for nature and science.
• 1807:
  • Many Liverpool ships were involved in the slave trade.
  • The Slave Trade Act in the UK and the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves in the US outlaw the Atlantic slave trade. This was a major change for Liverpool.
• 1810: The Williamson Tunnels are started. These are a mysterious network of tunnels under the city.
• 1816: The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is completed, connecting Liverpool to other parts of England by water.
• 1819: The SS Savannah completes the first steamship journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
• 1822: The old St John's Market is built.
• 1826: The Old Dock is closed.
• 1830: The Opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway takes place. This is a huge event, as it's one of the world's first inter-city passenger railways.
  • The Wapping Tunnel also opens.
• 1831: The population reaches 165,175.
• 1835: The city boundaries expand, and the first elected Town Council takes over.
• 1836: Liverpool Lime Street railway station opens, becoming a major transport hub.
• 1840: The Liverpool Philharmonic Society is founded, bringing music to the city.
• 1846: The Albert Dock opens. It becomes a very important part of the port.
• 1848: Everton football club is founded, starting Liverpool's strong football tradition.
• 1849: The Philharmonic Hall opens, a beautiful venue for music.

Expansions of Liverpool boundaries in 1835, 1895, 1902, 1905 and 1913

Map of Liverpool, 1836

Late 1800s: Victorian Era and City Status

• 1851: The Derby Museum opens, offering a place for learning and discovery.
• 1852: A large part of Liverpool's population is Irish, a result of people moving from Ireland during the Great Irish Famine.
• 1854: St George's Hall, a magnificent building, is completed.
• 1855: The Liverpool Daily Post newspaper begins publication.
• 1857: The Mersey Docks & Harbour Board is set up to manage the busy docks.
• 1860: The William Brown Library and Museum building opens.
• 1864: Oriel Chambers, an important early modern building, is constructed.
• 1869: The first council housing in Europe is built in Liverpool, providing homes for many families.
• 1872: Sefton Park, a large and beautiful park, opens to the public.
• 1874: Liverpool Central railway station opens.
• 1877: The Walker Art Gallery opens, displaying many famous artworks.
• 1879: The Liverpool Echo newspaper begins publication.
• 1880: Liverpool officially becomes a city, a big moment in its history.
• 1881: University College Liverpool is founded, which later becomes the University of Liverpool.
• 1884: Anfield stadium opens. It will become the home of Liverpool Football Club.
• 1886: The Mersey Railway Tunnel opens, connecting Liverpool to Birkenhead under the River Mersey.
• 1892: Goodison Park stadium is opened, becoming the home of Everton Football Club.
• 1893: The Liverpool Overhead Railway begins operating. It was an amazing elevated railway along the docks.
• 1895: City boundaries expand again.
• 1898: The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is founded, a world-leading center for health research.
• 1899: Liverpool University Press is founded.

Liverpool in the 1900s

Early 1900s: New Century, New Buildings

• 1901: Population: 684,958.
• 1904: The foundation stone of the Anglican Cathedral is laid by King Edward VII. This massive cathedral would take many years to build.
• 1907: The impressive Dock Office is built.
• 1908: Population: 753,203.
• 1909: The world's first Department of Civic Design is set up at the University of Liverpool, leading to the modern idea of town planning.
• 1911: The Royal Liver Building is constructed, becoming one of Liverpool's most famous landmarks with its Liver Birds on top.
• 1914: The reconstructed Adelphi Hotel opens.
• 1916: "Liverpool's blackest day" occurs during World War I, when many men from Liverpool are killed in the Battle of the Somme.
• 1917: The Cunard Building is constructed.
• 1919: Cunard's luxury liner services move to Southampton.
• 1924–1932: India Buildings is built.
• 1925: The Empire Theatre opens.
• 1930: Speke Airport begins operating.
• 1931: Liverpool's population reaches its peak at 855,688.
• 1934: The Queensway Tunnel (Mersey Tunnel) and the A580 road (Liverpool–East Lancashire Road), the UK's first intercity highway, are officially opened.

Mid-Late 1900s: War, The Beatles, and Modern Changes

• 1940–1942: The Liverpool Blitz occurs, with the city suffering heavy aerial bombing by German forces during World War II.
• 1952: Liverpool becomes twinned with Cologne, Germany.
• 1956: The Liverpool Overhead Railway closes, despite protests.
• 1957:
  • The famous The Cavern Club opens as a jazz club.
  • John Lennon and Paul McCartney of The Beatles first meet at a garden fete. This meeting would change music history forever.
• 1961: The Beatles perform at The Cavern Club for the first time under that name.
• 1962: Brian Epstein signs a contract to manage The Beatles.
• 1963: The Beatles perform at The Cavern Club for the final time as they become global superstars.
• 1967: The Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (Roman Catholic) is completed and consecrated.
• 1969: St. John's Shopping Centre opens.
• 1971: The Kingsway Tunnel (second Mersey Tunnel) opens.
• 1972: The Albert Dock closes as a working dock. Seaforth Dock opens nearby.
• 1974: Liverpool becomes a metropolitan borough within the new Merseyside county.
• 1978: The Anglican Liverpool Cathedral is finally completed after 74 years of construction.
• 1980: The Merseyside Maritime Museum opens in the Albert Dock complex.
• 1981: The Toxteth riots occur.
• 1984: The Albert Dock reopens as a leisure attraction, bringing new life to the area. The International Garden Festival is also held.
• 1988: Tate Liverpool, a modern art museum, opens in the Albert Dock.
• 1989: The Hillsborough disaster tragically kills 96 Liverpool F.C. supporters at a stadium in Sheffield.
• 1991: Population: 452,450.
• 1992: Cream (nightclub), a famous nightclub, begins.
• 1993: The Museum of Liverpool Life opens.
• 1998: The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is founded.
• 1999: The Liverpool Biennial, a major art festival, begins.

Liverpool in the 21st Century

• 2001: The Liverpool Wall of Fame is unveiled.
• 2004: Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City is registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, recognizing its historical importance.
• 2007: The International Slavery Museum opens, telling the story of the transatlantic slave trade and its impact.
• 2008: Liverpool is named a European Capital of Culture. This brings many events and visitors to the city.
  • The Echo Arena Liverpool, BT Convention Centre, and Liverpool One shopping complex open.
• 2011: The Museum of Liverpool opens on the waterfront, showcasing the city's history.
• 2012: The directly elected office of Mayor of Liverpool is established, and Joe Anderson becomes the first mayor.
• 2013: The Merseytram proposal is cancelled.
• 2014: Liverpool TV is launched.
• 2016: Liverpool2 container shipping port opens at Seaforth, a major boost for trade.
• 2017: Steve Rotheram becomes the first Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region.
• 2019: The Churchill Way flyovers demolition begins. Anna Rothery becomes the first black Lord Mayor of Liverpool.
• 2020:
  • Liverpool goes into a nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Liverpool F.C. win the 2019–20 Premier League, their first victory of the Premier League era.
  • First UK covid mass testing is piloted in Liverpool.
• 2021:
  • Joanne Anderson is elected city Mayor of Liverpool, the first directly elected black woman mayor of a major British city.
  • Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City is delisted as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
• 2022: Liverpool is selected to host Eurovision 2023.
• 2023:
  • King Charles III visits the city.
  • The office of Mayor of Liverpool is abolished.
  • Liverpool successfully hosts the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
• 2024: Taylor Swift performs a sold-out 3-night residency at Anfield Stadium as part of her The Eras Tour.

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