Historical Documents

First evidence of Bristol existing as a named place from a 10th century coin showing King Aethelred 2nd, dated the year 978 (close).

The river Frome was diverted to create a new channel and quay that we know as St Augustine's Reach (close).

John Cabot sets sail for the New World, May 1497 in the The Matthew, reaching Newfoundland in June of that year (close).

Queen's Square was planned in 1699 and building finished in 1727. It was named in honour of Queen Anne (close).

From 1690 to 1807 British ships transport about 2.8 million enslaved Africans (close).

Bristol overtakes London as England's number one slaving port, with 37 voyages in this year (more info | close).

John Vaughan sets up business as a goldsmith in the Dutch House on the corner of Wine Street and High Street
(more info | close).

John Smeaton proposes a scheme for a Floating Harbour (close).

Fighting between British troops and irregular militia begins in April in Massachusetts. The war ends in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris (more info | close).

The original medieval wooden structure is rebuilt in stone between 1763-68. A riot occurred in 1793 in protest at the high tolls (close).

Founded as Wills, Watkins & Co. by Henry Overton Wills I and his partner Watkins, who opened a shop in Castle Street (close).

William Jessop proposes a Floating Harbour scheme (close).

On the 10 March 1801, Britain holds its first census (close).

William Jessop proposes a much enlarged scheme for the Floating Harbour (based on the Rev William Milton's ideas) which is accepted (close).

1 May at 5am, the first sod of the Harbour is dug starting the New Cut (more info | close).

British Slave Trade is abolished by Act of Parliament. Last slaving voyage out of Bristol: the Alert carries 240 slaves to Jamaica (more info | close).

In January water is let into the New Cut. On 1 May, the Harbour is opened (close).

Latimer says "the greatest flood ever remembered took place in the valleys of the Avon and the Froom, and caused great damage in the city" (close).

18 Jun 1815 Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, defeats Napoleon at Waterloo. Napoleonic Wars end
(more info | close).

Mylne's culvert diverts sewage from the new Harbour into the New Cut (close).

3 days of rioting centred around Queen's Square between 600 rioters and the Dragoons and saw I. K. Brunel sworn in as a special constable (close).

The Emancipation Act. Slaves in the British Empire will be formally freed after an apprenticeship (close).

She leaves Bristol in 1844
(more info | close).

Britain, France and Turkey battle Russia for control of the dwindling Ottoman Empire (more info | close).

Published 24 November 1859, it is a seminal work of scientific literature considered to be the foundation of evolutionary biology (close).

Construction began in 1831 but abandoned in 1843. Brunel died in 1859 and the bridge was completed as a memorial (more info | close).

First major cargo wharf built at Princes and Bathurst wharthes with railway connections. Shipbuilding yards that were here are closed (close).

The new locks at allow larger ships into the Harbour (close).

Avonmouth Old Dock was opened in 1877. In 1908, a much larger dock, the Royal Edward Dock, was opened (close).

In the 1880s Portishead Dock was acquired by Bristol Corporation, and was managed as part of the Port of Bristol until it closed (more info | close).

Bristol Rovers FC founded as the Black Arabs FC (more info | close).

Bristol City FC founded as Bristol South End (more info | close).

In 1899, Queen Victoria granted a Lord Mayoralty to Bristol and visited the City in that year. Herbert Ashman is Bristol's first Lord Mayor (more info | close).

Bristol Harbour Railway extended across Ashton swing bridge to Canons Marsh and Princes Wharf. Major new cargo facilities on Canons Marsh (close).

The Charter of Incorporation of the University of Bristol was granted by King Edward VII on 4 December 1909 (more info | close).

Signals the start of a major concentration on rivermouth docks and away from the Harbour (close).

It is estimated that anywhere from 50 to 100 million people were killed worldwide (close).

6 Feb - limited number of women are given the right to vote for the first time (close).

International trade plunges by a half to two-thirds (close).

25 Sept 1940 Bristol Aeroplane Company (BAC) at Filton and surrounding area bombed, 99 people killed. 24-25 November 1940 Castle area of Bristol bombed. By the end of WW2 1299 killed in Bristol (more info | close).

Blaise Castle House Museum opened (more info | close).

The Beatles made their debut at the Colston Hall on 15th March 1963 as part of the Tommy Roe/Chris Montez tour (more info | close).

Abandoned in the Falkland Islands in 1937, the ship was raised and transported back to Bristol (more info | close).

Arnolfini art gallery opens on the harbourside (more info | close).

City docks closed to commercial shipping except sand dredgers (close).

Launch of MV Miranda Guinness, the last ship to be built in Bristol (close).

Watershed Media Centre opens on the harbourside (more info | close).

13 July Live Aid takes place - a multi-venue rock music concert raising money for famine relief in Ethiopia (close).

Bristol Port Company takes over running of the port at Avonmouth and Portbury from City Council (more info | close).

Channel Tunnel opens, linking London and Paris by rail (close).

International Festival of the Sea takes place in Bristol (more info | close).

Replica of The Matthew sails to Newfoundland to mark 500th anniversary of Cabot's voyage (more info | close).

Millennium celebrations across the UK and the world (close).

Islamic terrorists crash aircraft into targets in New York and Washington (close).

Concorde's last flight from Heathrow to Filton in Bristol (more info | close).

Suicide bombers kill 52 people on London's transport system (close).

Brunel 200 celebrations (more info | close).

Abolition 200 commemorates the centenary of the abolition of slavery (more info | close).

The 'Last Tommy' from World War 1 trenches, dies on the 25th July, aged 111 (close).