A TIMELINE OF PLYMOUTH
By Tim Lambert
1200 Plymouth is a small fishing village. Later it grows into a town.
1254 Plymouth is given a charter (a document granting certain rights)
1390 A law states that pilgrims going abroad must leave either from Plymouth or Dover
1403 The French attack Plymouth
1500 Plymouth has a population of around 3,500
1500 Plymouth has a population of around 5,000
1590 Drake builds a conduit to bring water to Plymouth
1627 Plymouth is struck by plague
1641 A writer says that Plymouth is chiefly dependent on the fish trade
1642 Civil War begins and Plymouth supports parliament
1643 The royalists lay siege to Plymouth but fail to take it
1658 A new grammar school is built in Plymouth
1664 Charles Church is built
1693 A dry dock is built at Devonport
1698 A rope house is built at Devonport
1727 A new dock is built
1758 A turnpike road is built to London
1762 Another dock is added. The first theatre in Plymouth is built.
1772 The first bank in Plymouth opens
1773 Stonehouse Bridge is built
1793 Another dock is built
1798 A dispensary where the poor can obtain free medicines opens
1801 Plymouth old town has a population of 19,000. Devonport has 23,000 and Stonehouse has over 3,400
1821 An eye hospital opens
1832 Cholera kills 1,031 people. Horse drawn buses begin running.
1840 South Devon and Cornwall Hospital opens
1844-50 The Great Western Docks are built
1848 The railway reaches Plymouth
1849 Cholera kills 1,894 people
1859 The Royal Albert Bridge opens
1860-1870 A line of forts is built around Plymouth
1872 Smallpox kills 448 people. Horse drawn trams begin running.
1876 The first public library opens
1881 The first telephone exchange opens. A naval engineering college is built.
1885 An aquarium is built
1888 Hoe Park opens
1896 The first council houses are built in Laira Road
1897 A museum opens
1920 The first motor buses begin running
1928 Plymouth is made a city
1931 Central Park opens
1935 Plymouth is given a Lord Mayor
World War II In Plymouth 1,174 people are killed by bombing
1943 A plan for Plymouth is drawn up
1951 The boundaries of the city are extended
1961 Tamar Bridge opens
1962 The Civic Centre is built
1965 Plymouth Polytechnic opens
1967 Drakes Circus is rebuilt
1968 Ship building at Plymouth Dockyard ends
1973 Ferries begin running between Plymouth and France
1978 A new Central Library is built
1981 Plymouth General Hospital opens
1988 The Armada Centre opens
1989 Plymouth Dome opens
1991 Plymouth Pavilions opens